Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion vs MXR Super Badass Distortion
The Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion and the MXR Super Badass Distortion are both pedals sharing warm, dynamic, sustaining. The Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion leans saturated and smooth. The MXR Super Badass Distortion leans crunchy and tight. Current prices: $85.48 vs $99.
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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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Genres both listings are associated with.- Classic Rock
- Punk
- Metal
- Rock
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Derived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.- warm
- dynamic
- sustaining
Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion
Boss · pedal
MXR Super Badass Distortion
MXR · pedal
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Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.$85.48via Reverb
$99via Reverb
The Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion is a two-mode distortion pedal providing two distinct high-gain characters via a Turbo switch. Turbo I delivers a warmer, mellower distortion with a flat frequency response and smooth saturation. Turbo II engages a biting, midrange-boosted distortion character ideal for lead playing that cuts through a band mix. Covers the range from classic rock chords through 1980s-era distortion to heavier lead tones. Associated with the tones of Nirvana, RHCP, and Wolfmother. A significant evolution beyond the standard DS-1 in terms of voicing flexibility and gain depth.
The MXR Super Badass Distortion is a versatile analog distortion with a three-band active EQ and a wide gain range, designed to cover decades of dirt from one box. With the distortion low it produces a bold, beefy clean boost and light crunch, and as gain increases it moves through classic-rock midrange grind into harmonically rich, saturated, scooped-mid metal roar. The Bass, Mid, and Treble controls reshape the voice dramatically, going from thick and beefy to bright and aggressive while staying tight rather than flabby. Notes remain clear and dynamic, responding to picking. Suited to rock, blues, punk, and metal, it is praised as a do-it-all distortion with warm, sustaining tone. Its only real coloration is a trace of modern distortion character across its range.
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Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Alternative Rock
- Grunge
- Hard Rock
- Blues
- saturated
- smooth
- mid-forward
- crunchy
- tight
- transparent