Going down the mega-distortion rabbit hole...

[Chistopher]

That’s a good argument for encouraging players to back off the gain if compromises must be made to accommodate levels higher than are practically useable. Why is that an issue? Does the output volume just inherently have to be lower to clip the input by that amount? Could they not compensate for it?

There are two parts to it that are kind of the same thing. If your pedal has hard clipping, which most high gain distortion pedals do at some point (be it through diodes, transistors, op amps etc), you limit the output of your signal. If you have a hard clipping section with diodes that clip at 0.7v (DS-1 for example) the most output you are going to get is 1.4v of output. Combine that with losses introduced from the tone stack, and the maximum output you can generate from a DS-1 is about 1v. With even a Super Distortion this is fine to generate a 6 dB boost, but if you ran an EMG 81, even at max volume and gain you wouldn't get close to your bypassed signal volume. Heck, with an 81 the gain control probably wouldn't do anything.

The way around this is gain staging or by just putting a booster on the output. The MD-2 does both. Granted most modern high gain distortions don't struggle from output issues, but they do struggle with boosting the signal into the clipping section to the point where the gain control past a certain point just controls the compression of your signal rather than adding any more distortion.

Btw If you remove the clipping diodes from a DS-1, it becomes extremely loud, but it will barely distortion your signal.

 

[Seashore]

Ace, does the Pod Go allow you to stack a couple different distortion models? I bet you could get something really cool happening with two dirt pedals, especially with separate EQ afterwards. I've been doing that on the HX Effects and it's a lot of fun.

 

[Artie]

- Have a Duncan Twin Tube Mayhem . . . And never use them (it).

Just curious. What don't you like about the Mayhem? I have the TT Classic. I haven't heard the Mayhem, but the Classic covers a lot of bases.

 

[Aceman]

Ace, does the Pod Go allow you to stack a couple different distortion models? I bet you could get something really cool happening with two dirt pedals, especially with separate EQ afterwards. I've been doing that on the HX Effects and it's a lot of fun.

Yes it does. I'd imagine 4 if I wanted, 5 if I used a real one in the loop...

 

[Aceman]

Just curious. What don't you like about the Mayhem? I have the TT Classic. I haven't heard the Mayhem, but the Classic covers a lot of bases.

I like it a lot. It just isn't a mega-distortion pedal.

 

[Artie]

Ah. Ok. :headbang:

 

[Aceman]

Ah. Ok. :headbang:

Honestly, a great midline distortion for doing stuff I really like; Scorpions, Dio, Maiden, Priest, Accept, etc...

 

[El Dunco]

OK - I appreciate all of the "less gain is better" comments - but to be clear:

I just want stupid gain levels for playing solo in the music room, just for $#!ts and giggles because insane gain.

That’s just a sidebar I thought people might find useful or interesting. I wouldn’t claim to know what you want better than you. I don’t necessarily think less gain is automatically better anyway. You can have too little for what you’re trying to do just as easily.

The TT is a good example. There’s a few reasons the Classic isn’t right for what you want, too little gain is probably most of them while the Mayhem is too whatever the Mayhem is meant to be. Fuzzy, sputtery, brittle? It would probably be amazing for doom metal bands.

 

[ehdwuld]

At some point it's just a fuzz ain't it?

 

[Chistopher]

Tons of gain from one source is definitely quite a different vibe than stacking 2 or three gain stages. If I were to design a pedal with goofy amounts of distortion, it wouldn't look much like anything I currently see on the market.

 

[Securb]

Tons of gain from one source is definitely quite a different vibe than stacking 2 or three gain stages. If I were to design a pedal with goofy amounts of distortion, it wouldn't look much like anything I currently see on the market.

In my experience, trying to get a lot of gain from one source often leads to a fizzy sound. Gain staging, however, tightens and compresses the signal while keeping it wide and full, avoiding those over-compressed, thin guitar tones reminiscent of the '80s.

 

[Aceman]

That’s just a sidebar I thought people might find useful or interesting. I wouldn’t claim to know what you want better than you. I don’t necessarily think less gain is automatically better anyway. You can have too little for what you’re trying to do just as easily.

The TT is a good example. There’s a few reasons the Classic isn’t right for what you want, too little gain is probably most of them while the Mayhem is too whatever the Mayhem is meant to be. Fuzzy, sputtery, brittle? It would probably be amazing for doom metal bands.

For the record - I do agree, less gain than most think usually sounds better...for most everything.

 

[Supernautilus]

Well, I got my MD-2 in yesterday and so far, I really like it. It's like a beefier DS-1 with more chug. The 2-stage distortion/gain boost thing is pretty interesting. I don't think I've ever seen that on a pedal before. Boss has some clever people for sure.

I tried running it into an IR loader to see if it does the preamp thing, but it does not. Not nearly enough output for that. I had to a put a separate preamp in between to get it to sound right. I tried running the MD-2 into a JHS Clover preamp, then into the IR loader, and it sounded great that way.

Overall, a fine addition to my collection.

 

[ErikH]

Have you looked at the MXR 5150 Overdrive? It may say overdrive on it but it can chug with the best of them. There's a serious level of gain on tap. Plus BMT tone stack and a noise gate.

 

[Aceman]

Have you looked at the MXR 5150 Overdrive? It may say overdrive on it but it can chug with the best of them. There's a serious level of gain on tap. Plus BMT tone stack and a noise gate.

Almost put it on the original list. I do love 5150 tones...I guess I consider a preamp model in a box.

 

[ErikH]

Almost put it on the original list. I do love 5150 tones...I guess I consider a preamp model in a box.

It is a preamp in a box and it isn't. I've ran it in to the effects loop of my amps and it honestly sounds way better going to the front end input. That's what it was made for.

 

[beaubrummels]

In my experience, trying to get a lot of gain from one source often leads to a fizzy sound. Gain staging, however, tightens and compresses the signal while keeping it wide and full, avoiding those over-compressed, thin guitar tones reminiscent of the '80s.

QFT


FWIW same principle applies to compression as well. Two 4:1 compressors in series sounds way more transparent and natural than one 8:1 slamming compressor where you hear the one box working.

 

[Securb]

I plugged in the BOSS Mega Distortion yesterday. It is a bit grainier than I remember but in a good way. Lot of EQ on tap and plenty of room for gain. Trying to find a new flavor for the next recording session I am getting ready to play around with my CAE today

 

[Aceman]

Is that boost pre or boost or switchable?

 

[Securb]

Is that boost pre or boost or switchable?

It is fixed post-overdrive, which is how I typically use a boost and dirt stomp.