MXR · United States
Distortion · Drive
MXR Distortion+ is a two-knob drive pedal that clips with germanium diodes, giving a softer, lower-output breakup than silicon designs. The M104 is the current yellow version, with a red status LED and hardwire bypass.
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An op-amp stage boosts the signal, then a pair of germanium diodes clips it. No recovery stage follows the diodes, so the output stays modest. The Distortion knob also shifts the frequency response: low settings boost most of the range, while high settings focus the gain on the upper mids.
The range runs from mild overdrive to fuzz-like saturation. Low Distortion with the Output turned up pushes the front of a valve amp for blues drive. Turned up fully, it gives early-1980s hard rock distortion, but the sound gets fuzzier and loses some bass.
Expect to run the Output knob high. At low Distortion settings the pedal can be quieter than bypass, which is normal for this circuit rather than a fault. MXR sells the Randy Rhoads edition (RR104) as a separate model.
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