Boss MD-2 Mega Distortion

[finebyfine]

BOSS - MD-2 | Mega Distortion

MD-2: Mega Distortion - Extreme Distortion for Extreme Music

www.boss.info

Stumbled across a schematic for this one while looking for something else and was surprised there was a Boss distortion I wasn't aware of. I'll admit I'm more curious about the circuit topography than the actual sound produced, but would still build one in a second.

- Unsourced redrawn MD-2 schematic on audio service manuals: https://www.audioservicemanuals.com/b/boss/boss-md/329801-boss-md-2-mega-distortion-schematic
- MD-2 thread on FSB: https://www.freestompboxes.org/download/file.php?id=37717&mode=view

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

It’s honestly a pretty cool pedal. I really dig the lesser-liked Boss distortion pedals. I’d build one.

 

[mhshizz]

In my top 3 Boss drive pedals for sure, a real hidden gem. This page has some interesting info on it:

Boss MD-2

The seventh pedal to be analyzed will be the Boss MD-2 “Mega Distortion” guitar effect. Between Boss marketing calling this a “new-school metal” distortion pedal and online …

guitarpedalsvisualized.wordpress.com

 

[finebyfine]

Can anyone explain what the transistors do in the power section?

 

[Robert]

Voltage stabilizers / Capacitance multipliers, they act as simple voltage regulators.

Transistor Capacitance Multiplier Circuit Design » Electronics Notes

The transistor capacitance multiplier can be used to give additional levels of smoothing in many areas of electronics.

www.electronics-notes.com

Some of the new Fender pedals go a step further and replace the capacitor with yet another nested multiplier.

 

[finebyfine]

Voltage stabilizers / Capacitance multipliers, they act as simple voltage regulators.

Transistor Capacitance Multiplier Circuit Design » Electronics Notes

The transistor capacitance multiplier can be used to give additional levels of smoothing in many areas of electronics.

www.electronics-notes.com

Some of the new Fender pedals go a step further and replace the capacitor with yet another nested multiplier.
View attachment 34810

Thank you so much! Been curious about this forever

 

[eh là bas ma]

MD-2 costs around 40 euros on used market, discontinued but they're not rare at all. It sounds slightly better than a ds1, with a boost and a powerful EQ.

Good if you're looking for a neutral high-gain distorsion with no character, that doesn't stand out. Played alone on a clean amp, i'd say it's the kind of sound you won't remember the next day : effective, sharp and precise at low settings, but very ordinary. I guess it 's perfect if you want to keep your amp's singular sound, while adding some distorsion in the signal.

The closest effect i built is the BE-OD, they're not the same , but they cover more or less the same aera.

I would say the only interest to build such a circuit, would be to add a clever mid control. Otherwise, I think the right move is to avoid waste and put the existing MD-2 to good use, since they're among the cheapest boss pedals on used market, and it doesn't really need any modifications.

I 've never heard about a good modded MD-2, have you ?

 

[mhshizz]

MD-2 costs around 40 euros on used market, discontinued but they're not rare at all. It sounds slightly better than a ds1, with a boost and a powerful EQ.

Good if you're looking for a neutral high-gain distorsion with no character, that doesn't stand out. Played alone on a clean amp, i'd say it's the kind of sound you won't remember the next day

Disagree, but alright. I think its EQ is quite interesting, and since it doesn't have the huge mid scoop of the DS1 it's friendlier with a wider variety of amps. My only complaint is that mine seems to just hit unity gain with the level knob maxed. Well... and I guess I'd like the slight mid boost the Gain Boost knob adds to be available separate from the extra gain itself, which isn't needed since the Distortion knob has plenty on tap. And that's not so much a complaint as a feature request.

 

[eh là bas ma]

i found some ideas to mod it in the "boss modding group" files. B.Wampler is an active member there, and i guess he agreed to share this. I was wrong thinking there wasn't any well-known mods on this circuit :

 

[Guardians of the analog]

Rumor has it that this is at casa pcb for tracing for a future project

 

[Laundryroom David]

Rumor has it that this is at casa pcb for tracing for a future project

Just take the rest of my money now, @Robert