Red Llama — two self-biased CD4069UB inverters cascaded with 100nF
coupling caps. Each stage has a 1MΩ feedback resistor that pulls its DC operating
point to VDD/2 — audio swings around that midpoint and hits the S-curve soft corners.
Drive pushes the first stage harder; the second stage rounds the already-clipped signal.
SUPPLY9.0V
DRIVE5.0x
BIAS+0.00
TONE4.5k
1INPUT BUFFER
IN
OUT
High-pass removes DC and sub-bass before the first inverter.
→
2INV 1 (GAIN)
PRE
POST
First CMOS stage — tanh S-curve rounds the peaks.
→
3INV 2 (CLIP)
PRE
POST
Second CMOS stage — full open-loop gain, signal slams into VDD rails.
→
4INV 3 / SCHMITT
PRE
POST
Third stage. Disabled in 2-stage topologies.
→
5TONE / OUTPUT
DRY IN
OUT
DC block + low-pass tone control. Blocks the bias offset, rolls off fizz.