The Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion is a Behringer distortion pedal, currently around $28.90. Close alternatives include the Behringer HM300 and the Joyo Maximum Overdrive. It pairs well with the Roland Cube Street and the Laney RB3 Richter Bass Amp.

Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion

Behringer · pedal

The Behringer UM300 is a high-gain distortion pedal based on the Boss MT-2 Metal Zone circuit, one of the most widely used high-gain guitar pedals in rock and metal history. The MT-2 topology uses a parametric-style dual-band EQ section that provides extreme tonal shaping, from aggressive mid scoop to pronounced mid presence. The Ultra Metal voicing reaches into extreme metal distortion territory with long, compressed sustain. Suited for metal rhythm guitar, hard rock, and heavy alternative styles. The UM300 reproduces the MT-2 circuit character at reduced cost, sharing the high-gain versatility that made the Metal Zone a studio staple across multiple decades.

What stands out

  • “Extreme high-gain distortion with a powerful dual-band EQ section, based on the Boss MT-2 Metal Zone and capable of covering everything from scooped metal rhythm crunch to nasal mid-heavy lead tones”

    — from the community notes

  • “Suited for metal rhythm guitar, hard rock, and heavy alternative styles”

    — from the listing

  • “The MT-2 topology uses a parametric-style dual-band EQ section that provides extreme tonal shaping, from aggressive mid scoop to pronounced mid presence”

    — from the listing

  • “The base distortion character trends toward fizzy and harsh at the gain extremes even with careful EQ management”

    — from the community notes

  • “The Ultra Metal voicing reaches into extreme metal distortion territory with long, compressed sustain”

    — from the listing

  • metal
  • distortion
  • high gain
  • hard rock
  • mid
  • rhythm
  • aggressive
  • fizzy
$28.90View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 25, 2026

Genres the Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion is commonly used in

Amps that pair well with the Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion

Roland Cube Street

Roland

27% match
$199.99via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

Feed a scooped signal into Roland Cube Street and it comes out closer to mid-forward

Comes later in the signal chain

Laney RB3 Richter Bass Amp

Laney

25% match
$407.89via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

Feed a scooped signal into Laney RB3 Richter Bass Amp and it comes out closer to mid-forward

Comes later in the signal chain

Ampeg V-4

Ampeg

tonal match
$559via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Stack Ampeg V-4 on top and a scooped tone tightens toward mid-forward

Ampeg BA 108

Ampeg

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Ampeg BA 108 pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward

Ceriatone HRM 50

Ceriatone

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Feed a scooped signal into Ceriatone HRM 50 and it comes out closer to mid-forward

Ceriatone Overtone Special HRM Bluesmaster 50

Ceriatone

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Stack Ceriatone Overtone Special HRM Bluesmaster 50 on top and a scooped tone tightens toward mid-forward

Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210

Gallien Krueger

tonal match
$1849via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210 takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward

Roland Cube Street EX

Roland

tonal match
$522.09via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Roland Cube Street EX pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward

Pedals that stack with the Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion

Cusack Music Screamer

Cusack Music

24% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

Cusack Music Screamer takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff

Electro-Harmonix

24% match
$76.06via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

Stack Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff on top and a scooped tone tightens toward mid-forward

Comes later in the signal chain

MXR Dyna Comp Mini

MXR

20% match
$109.99via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

MXR Dyna Comp Mini's mid-forward voice goes after Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion's own high gain character

Comes later in the signal chain

Xotic SP Compressor

Xotic

14% match
$147via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

Xotic SP Compressor leans toward smooth, and that's a real, usable character to pair with

Comes earlier in the signal chain

MXR Analog Delay

MXR

13% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put MXR Analog Delay after Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion in the signal chain, clear of Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Boss RE-202 Space Echo

Boss

12% match
$237.88via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion's high gain voice out front: Boss RE-202 Space Echo goes after Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion in the signal chain so its pristine voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

MXR CAE Wah

MXR

tonal match
$120.88via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

MXR CAE Wah goes in front of Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion — a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal

Vox WAH-V845

Vox

tonal match
$49.17via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Vox WAH-V845 belongs in front of Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion, since a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal

Boutique & premium upgrades

Fender Hammertone Metal

Fender

57% similarity
$49.99via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, noise, metal

Wampler Dracarys

Wampler

56% similarity
$199via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, noise, metal

TC Electronic Eyemaster

TC Electronic

55% similarity
$50.04via Reverb

Shared character: metal, hard rock, distortion

Friedman BE-OD

Friedman

54% similarity
$169.99via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, metal, presence

MXR Fullbore Metal

MXR

54% similarity
$119.99via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, hard rock, noise

Sonicake MiniLane Shark Classic Crunch Distortion

Sonicake

54% similarity
$43.98via Reverb

Shared character: metal, hard rock, crunch

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Behringer HM300

Behringer

60% similarity
$29.83via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, noise, hard rock

Joyo Maximum Overdrive

Joyo

54% similarity

Shared character: studio, noise, middle

Joyo Uzi Distortion

Joyo

51% similarity

Shared character: high gain settings, noise, metal

Joyo British metal

Joyo

95% similarity

similar tone character

NuX Brownie

Nux

95% similarity

similar tone character

Caline CP-15

Caline

95% similarity
$30.88via Reverb

similar tone character

See all alternatives to the Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion?+

The closest matches in character are the Behringer HM300, the Joyo Maximum Overdrive, the Joyo Uzi Distortion. Boutique upgrades: Fender Hammertone Metal, Wampler Dracarys, TC Electronic Eyemaster.

What pairs well with the Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Roland Cube Street, Laney RB3 Richter Bass Amp, Ampeg V-4 — Feed a scooped signal into Roland Cube Street and it comes out closer to mid-forward.

How much does the Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion cost?+

Around $28.90 (live listing price, updated Oct 25, 2026).

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