Benson Amps Portable Distortion 424 MKII vs Dunlop MXR M78 Custom Modified OD, also known as the Bad Ass Modified OD
The Benson Amps Portable Distortion 424 MKII and the Dunlop MXR M78 Custom Modified OD, also known as the Bad Ass Modified OD are both pedals sharing compressed, saturated, transparent. The Benson Amps Portable Distortion 424 MKII leans edge of breakup and bright. The Dunlop MXR M78 Custom Modified OD, also known as the Bad Ass Modified OD leans mid-forward and warm.
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Blended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.47% — somewhat different
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Derived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.- compressed
- saturated
- transparent
- tight
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Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.$199via Reverb
The Benson Amps 424 MKII is a preamp and distortion pedal designed to recreate the saturation and harmonic character of the input stage of the Tascam Portastudio 424 MkII cassette four-track recorder. The circuit captures the non-linear behavior of cassette-era input electronics, spanning from subtle coloration and clean boost through compressed broadband distortion and unstable breakup. A switchable front-end buffer fundamentally alters the gain structure: engaged, it presents a high-impedance guitar input with tighter low end and increased headroom; bypassed, the circuit returns to a darker, fuzzier low-impedance cassette response. Four controls -- gain, trim, bass, treble -- cover a wide EQ range. Internal 18V operation provides increased headroom. Made by Benson Amps in Portland, Oregon.
The MXR M78 Custom Modified OD, also known as the Bad Ass Modified OD, is a vintage-voiced overdrive from MXR by Jim Dunlop based on the 1978 MXR Distortion Plus circuit with additional Tone and Filter controls added to increase tonal flexibility. The 1978 vintage Distortion Plus is known for its warm, smooth clipping character and distinctive compressed saturation that works well into an already-driven tube amplifier. The M78 extends the original circuit with front-panel EQ control that was not available on the vintage unit, allowing players to shape the midrange and frequency balance without requiring external pedals. It bridges the original vintage MXR sound with modern usability.
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Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Electronic
- Experimental
- Indie
- Indie Rock
- Classic Rock
- Rock
- Alternative Rock
- Blues Rock
- edge of breakup
- bright
- fuzzy
- mid-forward
- warm
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