Parts · Opto
VTL5C2
Vactrol (LED + LDR).13 circuits use this part. Listed as: Diode.
Datasheet · from xvive.com
Substitutes same kind
Optocouplers and photoresistors of the same construction; the response speed and resistance range set how an effect sounds. The figures are read off each part's datasheet (this one's from page 1), typical where the sheet gives a typical value, otherwise the maximum. Closest first; the last column says what differs. A different part can change the sound, and a circuit may lean on one particular figure, so read the build document's notes before you swap.
This part
| Part | On | Dark | Rise | Decay | Boards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VTL5C2 | 10k @ 0.5 mA | 2M | 3.5 ms | 500 ms | 13 |
Xvive's 5C2-R equivalent; decay to 100 kΩ takes up to 500 ms.
Alternatives
| Part | On | Dark | Rise | Decay | Boards | Differs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VTL5C6 | 6k @ 5 mA | 400k | 3.5 ms | 50 ms | 1 | lower dark resistance; faster decay. Xvive 5C6 equivalent: 40 to 80 kΩ at 0.5 mA, 6 kΩ max at 5 mA, decay to 1 MΩ in about 50 ms. |
| VTL5C9 | 1.5k @ 0.5 mA | 2M | 4 ms | 50 ms | 3 | lower on resistance; faster decay. Fast-decay vactrol (about 50 ms to 100k) suited to tremolo; this is the Xvive 5C9 sheet. |
| VTL5C3 | 30k @ 1 mA | 10M | 2.5 ms | 35 ms | 21 | higher on resistance; higher dark resistance; faster decay. Low light memory and temperature drift; the sheet prints its 10 mA and 40 mA on-resistance as 5 Ω and 1.5 Ω, almost certainly meaning kΩ. |
| NSL-32 | 500 @ 20 mA | 500k | 3.5 ms | 500 ms | 11 | lower on resistance; lower dark resistance. Slow decay (up to 500 ms to 100 kΩ), which suits optical compressors and tremolos. |
| VTL5C4 | 1.2k @ 1 mA | 400M | 6 ms | 1500 ms | 2 | lower on resistance; higher dark resistance; slower decay. Very low on-resistance (125 Ω at 10 mA) but a slow decay of up to 1.5 s. |
| Faceplate | Circuit | Based on | Category | Vendor | Box | Knobs | Price | BOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOD Compressor 280 Vero18×13 Verified 2N3904 · LM358 · VTL5C2 DOD 280 Compressor | DOD 280 Compressor | Compressor | Dirtbox Layouts | — | 2 | — | 19 | |
| 4ms Tremulus Lune Perfboard Verified 4558 · TL072 · VTL5C2 4ms Tremulus Lune | 4ms Tremulus Lune | Tremolo | Effects Layouts (blog) | — | 5 | — | 22 | |
| BigFoot Fx MagnaVibe Perfboard Verified MPSA18 · VTL5C2 Bigfoot Fx Magnavibe · 1590A | Bigfoot Fx Magnavibe | Vibrato / Chorus | Effects Layouts (blog) | 1590A | 2 | — | 18 | |
| DOD 280 Compressor Perfboard Verified 2N3904 · LM358 · VTL5C2 DOD 280 Compressor | DOD 280 Compressor | Compressor | Effects Layouts (blog) | — | 2 | — | 18 | |
| Escobedo Ugly Face Perfboard Verified ICM7555 · JRC386D · LM386 · VTL5C2 Escobedo Ugly Face | Escobedo Ugly Face | Fuzz | Effects Layouts (blog) | — | 4 | — | 16 | |
| Mid-Fi Deluxe Pitch Pirate Perfboard Verified 4558 · 7805 · JRC4558D · LM386 Mid-Fi Electronics Deluxe Pitch Pirate | Mid-Fi Electronics Deluxe Pitch Pirate | Vibrato / Chorus | Effects Layouts (blog) | — | 6 | — | 25 | |
| DOD 280a LM358 · NP4124 · VTL5C2 DOD 280a | DOD 280a | Compressor | Experimentalists Anonymous | — | — | — | 17 | |
| Parametric Multiband Compressor 2N3904, 2N5088, 2N2222 · TL072 · TL074 | — | Compressor | Moody Sounds | — | 5 | kr895.00 out | 26 | |
| Pirate Shift Deluxe SMD 4558 · JRC 4558D · LM386 · LM78L05 Mid-Fi Electronics Deluxe Pitch Pirate · 125B | Mid-Fi Electronics Deluxe Pitch Pirate | Vibrato / Chorus | PCB Guitar Mania | 125B | 6 | €19.90 out | 20 | |
| Compressor 280 (TonePad) LM358 · PN4124 · VTL5C2 DOD 280 Compressor | DOD 280 Compressor | Compressor | PCBWay: Glory to Ukraine | — | 2 | — | 18 | |
| Noise Gate 230 2N3904 · LM358 · TL022 · VTL5C2 DOD 230 Optical Noise Gate | DOD 230 Optical Noise Gate | Noise Gate | PCBWay: Glory to Ukraine | — | 1 | — | 23 | |
| DOD 280 Compressor Vero19×12 Verified LM358 · NP4121 · VTL5C2 DOD 280 Compressor | DOD 280 Compressor | Compressor | Tagboard Effects | — | 2 | — | 17 | |
| DOD 280 Compressor Dos Ochenta LM358 · NP4124 · VTL5C2 DOD 280 Compressor | DOD 280 Compressor | Compressor | Tonepad | — | 1 | $8.00 | 22 |