Something about MXR Distortion 2

[NickC]

i was reading this article about MXR Distortion 2

https://catalinbread.com/blogs/kulas-cabinet/mxr-distortion-ii ,

i have a "Made by Mike" clone that doesn't sound bad but honestly I've never listened to an original one, and from what I see in the pictures the circuits don't look the same.
I read that Mike has modified the circuit according to his tastes, i don't know if anyone owns an original one and could tell me if they actually sound the same.

a 100% clone would be nice.

 

[Robert]

I built a clone a few years ago and tried both the stock and Made by Mike mods.

There's definitely an audible difference.

 

[NickC]

I built a clone a few years ago and tried both the stock and Made by Mike mods.

There's definitely an audible difference.

perfect ... you're telling me to put your clone on the wish list ehehhe

 

[NickC]

by chance I found this schematic online, so I just need to change those 6 components to get closer to the stock sound? @PedalPCB

 

[Mir9]

I used that layout some years back, and tried both stock, and Mike's components. It's been a while since I played through it, but I seem to remember Mike thought it was far too bassy. I'm fine with that, so I stayed with the stock setting. I also think the real ones ran at higher than 9v.

Mike also sold them in a dual enclosure with an op amp Muff for the Pumpkins sound.

 

[Robert]

I also think the real ones ran at higher than 9v.

Yep, they were AC powered (120V), the circuit ran at 15V.

 

[Mir9]

Revisiting my old build, I see Res#1 on row B (ground) , where all schematics I've seen say it should go to Vref , which is row C. The layout I used looks just like the one posted by NickC, except the filter lugs are reversed.

The only clone PCB's I know of are BYOC and Lectric FX

 

[Robert]

It shouldn't make a difference in this case, Vref is a signal ground.

 

[Gordo]

The original could be pretty bottomy but I think that contributed to the massive Smashing Pumpkins sound. The lack of volume was a common complaint on the originals. Even the clones I've built had a very limited range. LectricFX did a really nice board that helped but still hard to get past unity volume. I've never played a Mike version.

 

[Laundryroom David]

The original could be pretty bottomy but I think that contributed to the massive Smashing Pumpkins sound. The lack of volume was a common complaint on the originals. Even the clones I've built had a very limited range. LectricFX did a really nice board that helped but still hard to get past unity volume. I've never played a Mike version.

Yeah, I had an original and it’s a unique sound to be sure. Verrrrry speaker dependent.

Capable of some nice lower gain tones on its own, but stacks with a muff like nobody’s business.

 

[NickC]

i had the made by mike, i sold it because it only had one decent setting, otherwise it was weak. As for the pumpkins i think their gear information is full of half truths, i don't think the mxr dist 2 was used on all solos but only on a couple at most, like the use of mutron biphase.

 

[Bobbyd67]

There's a lectricfx project for this one, I build one years ago and gave it to a friend. https://lectric-fx.com/product/disdis-distortion-v-1-0/

 

[Laundryroom David]

i had the made by mike, i sold it because it only had one decent setting, otherwise it was weak. As for the pumpkins i think their gear information is full of half truths, i don't think the mxr dist 2 was used on all solos but only on a couple at most, like the use of mutron biphase.

Yeah I was quite content to sell mine to a collector and turn the proceeds into like 4 home built pedal projects.