Boss PH-3 Module

Why did I feel the need to include this Boss stomp box in my modular?!?

Boss included two modes, "Fall" and "Rise", which make good approximations to a Shepard function phaser. At fast settings, the "Fall" and "Rise" are clearly sawtooth and ramp LFOs, but at slow settings, the effect is very much like an "endless phase" where the phase direction always appears to be either falling or rising.

I don't know why more digital phasers and flangers don't include this effect. It should be standard, if you're going digital. It is simply easier to program Shepard functions than try to generate them in the analog realm. PAiA make a Shepard Function Generator module at one point which is worth checking out for a hardware only solution.

After reviewing the schematic of the PH-3, and a quick bench test, I decided it was OK to subject the power input to my +12V rail, as opposed to the expected +9.6V standard Boss wall wart output. I don't necessarily recommend this, but after a year or so it is still running fine, so I'm not too worried about it. A cautious person may have provided a separate power line for this module, but I prefer a simpler approach.

The 1/4" input and output jacks were changed to banana jacks. There is an expression pedal 1/4" TRS jack and I included the T and R connections as banana jacks. I never use this feature (so far), but figured might as well have them available rather than try and go back for them later. The bypass switch was replaced by a simple momentary panel mount version. Since the footswitch is like the Moog S-Trig (short to ground type), adding a simple transistor switch allows for V-Trig (or normal trigger) operation of the bypass feature.