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DOD 250 vs MXR Distortion+


Goldtopper

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Reading up on these 2 classic pedals, apparently they're virtually the same design?

 

How do they compare with each other.. is one slightly brighter or fuzzier than the other? Or is it too close to tell?

 

 

 

A big point that everyone seems to praise about the DOD is how "transparent" it is... can the MXR also be considered as such?

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Wow, thanks Bass econo, I had no idea.

 

As best I can find, the MXR first appeared in 1974, and the DOD in 1978, so I'm guessing the DOD was cloned after the MXR?

 

 

 

Otherwise, here's the links in that post which compares the 2 circuits:

 

DOD 250:

http://www.rabbathrecordings.com/DOD250.htm

 

Distortion +:

http://www.rabbathrecordings.com/Distortion.html

 

Note the distortion + has a tone stack on the end and LEDs for clipping in the IC.

 

 

 

 

In addition I found this: http://www.buildyourownclone.com/250.html

 

If you're a fan of either the DOD 250 overdrive or the MXR Distortion+, then you probably already

know that the two circuits are nearly 100% identical with the exception of a few component values...

 

 

 

 

Yea, I'm noticing in the rabbathrecording schematics that some of the parts are slightly different values, for instance, the MXR has R2, R3, R4 values of 1M whereas the DOD has smaller values there... and in addition those LED's and tone stack...

 

...but what does that mean in theory? Despite the similarities, should one have more gain or treble or bass than the other, or what?

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To my ears, the DOD 250 has less distortion, it's more of an overdriven sound as the name suggests. I have a vintage MXR "Script Logo" Distortion + to compare it to, though. Not sure how the newer versions compare.

 

P.s. The DOD 250 sounds awesome on bass as well.

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I was super disappointed with my DOD-250. The first one I got was a vintage model that was broken when I got it (first and last time I used ebay). So I got a reissue version. It sounded good, but when the gain was above 12 in bypass mode the distortion bled through into my clean tone. The higher you turned the gain, the worse it got. I don't think I will ever buy a DOD product ever again.

 

My only experience with the MXR distortion + is playing it in the store but it sounded amazing and I'm definately gassing for one.

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The DOD250/yjm308 is the perfect compliment to stack on a Distortion +. Both have clean circuits and no intrusive tone control. My addvice is too run a the YJM knobs at 12:00, and the distortion + knobs @ 7/10. You can have them on together, or separately so you get a wide range of distortion levels. To clean up the signal running to the amp add a ISP decimator to the chain and finally a MXR dynacomp for strength. Use your amp to EQ anything out of tone.

 

That chain will keep you intrested with variety, and wont let you down.

 

The YJM clip will scare people away. Bad example , but nice gesture.

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To my ears, the DOD 250 has less distortion, it's more of an overdriven sound as the name suggests.

 

That might make sense...

 

According to the schematics and resistor/cap values, is it plausible the DOD will produce less gain than the MXR?

 

Or what does anyones ears hear in comparison?

 

 

Is it plausible that DOD simply took the MXR design and recreated it with just a few less parts (to save money) and this results in slightly less gain?

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.....Is it plausible that DOD simply took the MXR design and recreated it with just a few less parts (to save money) and this results in slightly less gain?

 

 

to save money? i'd not bet too much money on it. they've spent much of their existence tweaking other's circuits (boss, EH, mxr), but they've not really ever come across as a "cheapo" line a la behringer (or even mxr, who had a series of plastic-boxed effects back in the eighties).

 

 

perhaps they just used less parts to come up w/an effect that sounded good.

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The DOD250/yjm308 is the perfect compliment to stack on a Distortion +. Both have clean circuits and no intrusive tone control. My addvice is too run a the YJM knobs at 12:00, and the distortion + knobs @ 7/10. You can have them on together, or separately so you get a wide range of distortion levels. To clean up the signal running to the amp add a ISP decimator to the chain and finally a MXR dynacomp for strength. Use your amp to EQ anything out of tone.


That chain will keep you intrested with variety, and wont let you down.


The YJM clip will scare people away. Bad example , but nice gesture.

 

 

Well I don't think my YJM clip scare anyone off. Also I don't think it was a "bad example". It was only an example. The OP asked about the circuits so I showed with a clip how it could go from mild to fuzzy. I think you should look around and see that people here play varied styles of music and your opinion is about as important as mine.

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GGG has a sale on a 250 kit right now....apparently the kit will do a vintage 250 or a Dist+ or a Ross Dist.....

 

I am trying to decide between this kit and the GGG Marshall Bluesbreaker kit(also on sale).......

 

 

Can anyone compare the 250 to a Tubescreamer based ckt? Less midrange hump....more bass....that kind of thing?

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to save money? i'd not bet too much money on it. they've spent much of their existence tweaking other's circuits (boss, EH, mxr), but they've not really ever come across as a "cheapo" line a la behringer

 

Nah, I didn't mean to imply they were cheap, it might have been a way to save money... or maybe in their opinion it was a legit "improvement". In the end it did turn out OK.

 

Can anyone compare the 250 to a Tubescreamer based ckt? Less midrange hump....more bass....that kind of thing?

 

I can't seem to find anything on Youtube between a 250 vs TS, but here's a 3-way comparison between a 250, a yjm308, and a Time Boost clone:

 

 

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.......Nah, I didn't mean to imply they were cheap, it might have been a way to save money... or maybe in their opinion it was a legit "improvement". In the end it
did
turn out OK....

 

 

and thats the clincher -- the "turned out ok" list isnt all that short. i'd guess improvement, or even just flat out different.

 

"gee, this circuit could make a great overdrive if just this, that, and that was removed/changed. i wonder why mxr doesnt offer two pedals, distortion and OD? well, who gives a rats ass, lets get crackin!"

 

really, to this day, booteekers are doing minor tweaks to decades old designs, and calling it something else, and usually, everybody is happy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

until crshxdxmmy isnt happy, and trades it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mrweems follows shortly thereafter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the two later deny any connection.

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I own both of the 1981 yellow dod 250 with mylasia 741 chip & a 1981 mxr with led and the same 741 mylasia chip in it with 270 germainium diodes. the mxr is warmer has the vintage randy roads/ evh tone sounds good by itself. The dod 250 has more volume clean boost and will cut throught the mix live better and you have to play with it to dial in the sweet spot. IMO i like them both but the mxr has the tone to die for.

The dod 250 mtches beeter with my strat and the mxr is a match made in heaven with my les paul. I find myself liking the older pedals and amps and guitars. i am selling my ocd v1 70's fulltone pedals because they sound to modern or solid state to me. The older pedals seem to enhance the gear you all ready have. All my music heros are dead or retired. 50's,60',70's some 80's after that it seems t orientated to the masses for revenue only.

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wader2k wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

Can anyone compare the 250 to a Tubescreamer based ckt? Less midrange hump....more bass....that kind of thing?

 

Yeah, less midrange hump, less wooly with the 250.  It also sounds a little thinner, which is probably related to the midrange hump.

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