Dunlop MXR Distortion Plus vs EarthQuaker Devices Plumes Signal Shredder
The Dunlop MXR Distortion Plus and the EarthQuaker Devices Plumes Signal Shredder are both pedals sharing compressed, transparent, saturated. The Dunlop MXR Distortion Plus leans warm and mid-forward.
cited
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.31% — somewhat different
cited
Genres both listings are associated with.- Rock
- Alternative Rock
cited
Derived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.- compressed
- transparent
- saturated
cited
Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.$99via Reverb
The MXR Distortion Plus is the original MXR distortion pedal, introduced in 1973 and one of the most influential hard-clipping distortion designs in the history of the electric guitar. The circuit uses a single op-amp with hard germanium diode clipping to produce a compressed, warm distortion character with a distinctive midrange voice. The Distortion Plus is strongly associated with Randy Rhoads, who used it with Ozzy Osbourne, and with Slash on early Guns N Roses recordings. It delivers moderate-to-high gain distortion with warm, natural compression and a mid-voiced character that cuts well in classic rock contexts. The design has been extensively copied and remains in production as the M104.
The EarthQuaker Devices Plumes is an affordable, refined take on the Tube Screamer-style transparent overdrive circuit, officially subtitled the Small Signal Shredder. It uses Gain, Volume, and Tone knobs alongside a three-position Clipping switch (LED, silicon, and no-clipping/buffered-boost options), giving it more tonal range than a typical single-mode transparent overdrive. Marketed as an entry point into EarthQuaker's lineup, it's built to stay musically transparent at lower gain settings while still pushing into thicker, more saturated territory as gain increases.
cited
Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Classic Rock
- Metal
- Hard Rock
- Indie Rock
- Indie
- Blues
- Country
- Blues Rock
- warm
- mid-forward