Parts · Opto
VTL5C3
Vactrol (LED + LDR).21 circuits use this part. Listed as: Vactrol, fast on/fast off; VTL5C3 Optocoupler; Optocoupler; Photocoupler, fast on/fast off.
Datasheet · archived copy from PerkinElmer; the part is discontinued and the maker no longer publishes it
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VTL5C3 | 30k @ 1 mA | 10M | 2.5 ms | 35 ms | 21 |
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.
Alternatives
| Part | On | Dark | Rise | Decay | Boards | Differs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VTL5C2 | 10k @ 0.5 mA | 2M | 3.5 ms | 500 ms | 13 | lower on resistance; lower dark resistance; slower decay. Xvive's 5C2-R equivalent; decay to 100 kΩ takes up to 500 ms. |
| VTL5C6 | 6k @ 5 mA | 400k | 3.5 ms | 50 ms | 1 | lower on resistance; lower dark resistance. 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; lower dark resistance. Fast-decay vactrol (about 50 ms to 100k) suited to tremolo; this is the Xvive 5C9 sheet. |
| NSL-32 | 500 @ 20 mA | 500k | 3.5 ms | 500 ms | 11 | lower on resistance; lower dark resistance; slower decay. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumitron Resonant Filter 4558 · LT1054 · LT1054CP · RC4558P Mu-Tron III · 125B | Mu-Tron III | Wah / Envelope | Aion FX | 125B | 3 | $12.50 | 73 | |
| Luna Optical Tremolo 2N5457 · TL022 · TL072 · VTL5C3 4ms Tremulus Lune · 125B | 4ms Tremulus Lune | Tremolo | Aion FX | 125B | 6 | $12.50 | 55 | |
| Proxima Optical Compressor 2N5457 · TL072 · VTL5C3 Flatline Compressor · 125B | Flatline Compressor | Compressor | Aion FX | 125B | 5 | $12.50 | 56 | |
| Quartz Optical Compressor 2N4401 · 2N5088 · LM358 · MPSA18 Diamond Compressor · 125B | Diamond Compressor | Compressor | Aion FX | 125B | 3 | $12.50 | 94 | |
| Face Disaster 1458 · LM1458N · LM386 · LM386N Escobedo Ugly Face | Escobedo Ugly Face | Fuzz | Dead Air Studios | — | 7 | $11.00 | 35 | |
| Dead Air Face Disaster Vero20×20 Unverified 1458 · LM386 · LM386-3 · LM555N Dead Air Face Disaster | Dead Air Face Disaster | Fuzz | Dirtbox Layouts | — | 7 | — | 32 | |
| Escobedo Ugly Face Vero19×13 Verified ICM7555 · JRC386D · LM386 · VTL5C3 Escobedo Ugly Face | Escobedo Ugly Face | Fuzz | Dirtbox Layouts | — | 4 | — | 17 | |
| Schumann F Loop Vero28×24 Verified CD4066 · CD4066N · CD4069N · CD4069UB Schumann F Loop | Schumann F Loop | EQ / Filter | Dirtbox Layouts | — | 6 | — | 36 | |
| Spaceman Effects WOW Signal Fuzz Vero25×21 Verified 2N3904 · 4558 · HIGH GAIN NPN SILICON · HIGH GAIN PNP SILICON Spaceman Effects WOW Signal | Spaceman Effects WOW Signal | Fuzz | Dirtbox Layouts | — | 5 | — | 41 | |
| Voodoo Lab Tremolo - 4 knob version Vero19×19 Verified TL074 · VTL5C3 Voodoo Lab Tremolo | Voodoo Lab Tremolo | Vibrato / Chorus | Dirtbox Layouts | — | 4 | — | 24 | |
| Diamanté Compressor Perfboard3×3 Verified 2N5088 · LM358 · OP275 · VTL5C3 Diamanté Compressor · 1590B | Diamanté Compressor | Compressor | Effects Layouts (blog) | 1590B | 2 | — | 29 | |
| Diamond Compressor Perfboard Verified 2N3904 · LM358 · OP275 · VTL5C3 Diamond Compressor · 1590BB | Diamond Compressor | Compressor | Effects Layouts (blog) | 1590BB | 1 | — | 40 | |
| FilterFX 2N3904 · 78L05 · TL072 · VTL5C3 1590BB | — | EQ / Filter | Electric Druid | 1590BB | 4 | €4.50 | 50 | |
| Buchla 291 Bandpass VCF 2N3566 · NE5534 · TL082 · TL084 | — | Other | Experimentalists Anonymous | — | — | — | 76 | |
| Lovetone Meatball McMeat 1458 · LM1458 · TL074 · VTL5C3 Lovetone Meatball McMeat | Lovetone Meatball McMeat | Other | Experimentalists Anonymous | — | 6 | — | 60 | |
| Juju Tremolo TL074 · VTL5C3 OR Voodoo Lab Tremolo · 1590B | Voodoo Lab Tremolo | Tremolo | Fuzz Dog | 1590B | 4 | £36.00 | 36 | |
| Fragments 2N5088 · TL072 · VTL5C3 Tone Bender MKII / Flatline Compressor · 1590BB | Tone Bender MKII / Flatline Compressor | Fuzz | Mask Audio Electronics | 1590BB | 4 | $8.00 | 42 | |
| Tremulus lune (AION) 2N5088 · TL022 · TL072 · VTL5C3 | — | Other | PCBWay: Glory to Ukraine | — | 6 | — | 34 | |
| 1776 Multiplex Jr. Vero22×22 Verified 78L05 · PT2399 · TL074 · VTL5C3 1776 Effects Multiplex Jr | 1776 Effects Multiplex Jr | Delay | Tagboard Effects | — | 4 | — | 39 | |
| Diamante Compressor Vero19×21 Verified 2N5088 · LM358 · OP275 · VTL5C3 Diamante Compressor · 1590B | Diamante Compressor | Compressor | Tagboard Effects | 1590B | 2 | — | 31 | |
| Liquid Mercury "Tap Tempo" Phaser Vero33×39 Verified 2N3904 · 78L05 · TAPLFO · TL074 Liquid Mercury "Tap Tempo" Phaser | Liquid Mercury "Tap Tempo" Phaser | Phaser | Tagboard Effects | — | 6 | — | 48 |