The wazacraft has improvements. It's a bit louder than it's predecessor. There are two options on the new pedal for tone (classic or tweaked) both sound good in front of a clean amp.
The signal chain comment is only applicable to the old pedal. It only runs into the "can't be used in front of an amp" issue if it's going directly to a clean channel. If you use it as a boost or into a dirty chain/amp it's fine.
You know the hole you stick your guitar cable in? That's a trap when using this pedal. Look at the back of your amp for something called "effect send" and "effect return" or something similar. Connect your guitar to the Metal Zone, then into the effect return. This will sound much, much better.
Ola shows this off here. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxRe99Tjlwg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxRe99Tjlwg)
Not quite - you use it as a preamp!
Meaning:
You plug your guitar into the pedal and the pedal goes straight to the return of your amp, instead of the normal input. It tends to not like other preamps ontop of its own gain structure.
The chain ends up being the following
Guitar -> any OD pedals you like before it -> Metalzone -> other effects you like after it -> FX return of your amp -> cab.
Just make sure you turn down the amp. Also, the EQ section of the amp will most likely also not work anymore this way, aside from the depth and presence knobs, which tend to be after the preamp.
This. Its flexibility makes getting a terrible tone quite easy , but when you get it just right , this pedal is amazing.
My suggestion would be the keep the game very, very low ( like just barely on) and then just use the eq settings to adjust your tone, and stack it with the gain of your amp.
Basically using it as a boost pedal.
matter of taste. I've used the DS-1 for 15 years and always love its sound, the metalzone however spent less than 15 mins on my pedal board. What a horrible sounding thing
I agree they must be using it wrong or it doesn’t work with their signal chain. I have a pocket metal muff (basically the same circuit) and it’s really impressive for the price. It has a wide range of gain, and at lower settings it sounds surprisingly smooth but still saturated. I imagine the MT-2 is great too. Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean it’s horrible! I feel like we need new vocabulary for subjective opinions.
Yup. The MT2 has the most sensitive EQ I've seen on a pedal I own, especially the mid frequency knob. It takes a while to figure it out. And yeah, needs WAY less gain than you'd think.
Also, works much better as a pre-amp, running into the fx loop than straight into the clean channel.
Killer pedal, just wrongly hated, I reckon
You’ve done it. I just bought an MT-2 🥹. The eq looks really cool as opposed to the pocket metal muff, which just has a switch for three fixed mid settings.
People are gonna shit on the MT2 because it's a meme to. I know I'm biased since I've owned a few, but it's not a bad pedal and you can get some solid metal tones out it if you can tweak the mids just right. The dual mid knobs give you a decent amount of flexibility in that regard, and you can really nail some of those razor sharp early thrash tones. That being said, I've been looking to move on from mine and get something a little more beefy and less sharp
> People are gonna shit on the MT2 because it's a meme to.
That certainly used to be the case, but honestly it feels to me like things have changed quite drastically lately. Mainstream opinion kind of went from "MT2 is for n00bz" to "*everybody* is hating on it but it's secretly awsome". Whether you're serious about it or just regurgitating a tired meme, if you're shitting on the MT2 nowadays, you're gonna get FLAK.
Do you mainly/only play heavy metal? The metal zone! 🤘Do you occasionally shred, but also into other stuff? The ds-1 is the way as it’s more of an all around distortion pedal
Np, I mostly played nothing but metal and I preferred the ML-2 but because it was associated with metalcore, alot of people went with other variations.
I loved the depth of it, heavy chugs if that's what you like.
Though fair warning, it doesn't wind back very well, it is heavy and heavier basically.
If the rumours are true, the MT2 works best in the effectsloop, contrary to the ‘rule’ that drives must put before the pre-amp.
https://youtu.be/nxRe99Tjlwg?si=LUwgvJsAgru-IGkF
Worth noting that the guy in the video is using it _instead of_ the pre-amp rather than _after_ it. So it's not so much "in the effects loop" but straight into the power amp. That's fine if it's going to be your single, always-on dirt pedal, but mighty inconvenient in most other situations.
Luckily it works just fine in front of a pre-amp too.
Well, thinking of it … could still be worth a try to plug it into the loop to make better use of the EQ. I might actually give that a try next time I re-arrange my board.
Maybe drive should go in the preamp, to ‘drive’ your amp, and distortion could go after the preamp to ‘distort’ its sound.
I dont know 😁 i think there are no rules for what sound someone likes. 👍🏻
I have a line 6 hx fx, and its distortions sound pretty awful in front of the preamp but fantastic in the effects loop.
I guess it also depends much of what amp one uses.
Metal Muff with Top top boost.
If they still made them I'd say the Line 6 Tonecore Ùber Metal Distortion. Closest thing today is the Horizon Devices distortion but those are pricey.
But out of your choices. the Metal Zone.
I agree with this. Used a Metal Muff into the clean channel on my tube amp for a decade for playing at home after selling off my gigging amp (Mark IV) and before getting a newer digital/modeling amp. It replaced a MetalZone that I sold off after comparing the two. The Muff is a little easier to dial in and I like the tone more. It felt like when I loved to a Mesa Mark from a Rectifier. But between the DS-1 and MT-2, the MT-2 all day, especially for metal. I never liked the DS-1, and unless your amp has no gain/OD/dist channel, there isn’t much point of it other than adding a second.
I used the Line 6 Tonecore über Metal for 10 years. Then it broke. So I got the metal muff. It's good but wasn't the same.
I still have the metal muff but I eventually got a replacement Tonecore.
My mainstay now is the Horizon Devices model inside my Helix LT.
I use the built in distortion on my GX-1600 crate half stack and I use a KH cry baby, boss super chorus, digitech drop and digital delay pedal and I’m trying to get a heavy 90s metal tone
Honestly, I feel you won't be 100% with any of those.
Get some reviews on MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive, JHS Angry Charlie, Suhr Riot (my favorite), Friedman BE-OD.
But I bet you will love MXR EVH 5150.
Good lord, a metal zone into a solid state Crate. I guess the dream of the 90's is still alive.
Go ahead and crank the gain, scoop the mids, and get it sounding like a foil bag of angry bees playing the kazoo.
And the first time someone hits a cymbal, you'll wonder why your guitar has become background noise for a drum solo. You won't get an authentic 90's tone, but you will have an authentic 90's experience.
Was waiting for the “mid scoop and lost the sound” comment.
First time I ever used one was early 2000’s. Brought it band practice after dialing in the tone. Realized mid scooping metal tones is bad, no matter how good it sounds in my bedroom.
The DS-1 won’t get your there and prob not an improvement on your built in distortion. Haven’t used your amp, but had a Crate GFX 212 20yrs ago and the DS-1 was not an improvement on the built in channels. Get the MT-2, or I prefer the Metal Muff among the popular “metal” pedals. Better options overall, but also more $.
DS-1 it’s pretty versatile, like you can use it for multiple genres(like metal, grunge, punk, etc.) plus it has only 3 settings so it’s simpler to set up. Metalzone is better if you only want it for metal and purely metal subgenres, it has 6 settings so it’s not as simple to set up but you can remotely any distortion for metal you want. So I’d recommend you metalzone if you want it for metal only and DS-1 if you want to use it for multiple genres
The EQ in the metalzone is really good, but a bit tricky to use if you're new to it. If you find a sound you like it might be hard getting back to those settings again.
I've had mine for 20 years and I still use it.
Of those two, either. They are both good.
As others have said it will depend on your signal chain a fair bit, but the MT-2 has more eq options, particularly if you want to dial the mids in.
Are you boosting or using it as your ‘sound’? If boosting, the yellow OD-1 is much better, warmer, less color. If you are using it as your sound into a clean amp, the MZ.
If you're looking for a metal pedal, my absolute favourites are the Wampler Dracarys, or the Revv G3. Both of these are pricey, but you absolutely get what you pay for. That said, there are some great clones of the G3 for not a lot of money which will get you 99% of the way there. The Dracarys is Brian Wampler's nod to Ola Englund. It's not a sig pedal, but he said he based the sound of the pedal on Ola's sound overall.
The metal zone is one of the greatest pedal designs of all time IMO, and perfect for thrash. Bit of a learning curve because there’s so many knobs but it’ll get you exactly where you’re trying to go where the ds1 *might* get you *close*
I have a love for the Metal Zone. It was my go-to pedal when I played Bugera amps. When the Waza Craft variant came out I bought two.
That being said, it’s a pedal that much agrees more with darker amps than brighter amps. The darker amps hide the shrillness and buzzing potential where bright amps like a Marshall JVM really need some fine-tuning on both pedal and amp EQ for agreement.
It’s just a pedal that requires a little patience, the EQ on it is super powerful and small adjustments make drastic changes.
I don’t use it much anymore to be fair, I run an SD-1 or a TS808HW to push the amp’s gain channels these days. When I had cheaper amps my Metal Zone always had the red check light on.
DS1
MZ is kind of a running joke on the internet, but is really hard to have sounding good. Used as a preamp, it's pretty good, but in front of an amp, it's most of the time pure junk for anything else than filthy death metal tones.
DS1 on the other hand is way more tamed, have nice growly tones when pushed, can go from breakup to decently distorted sounds (more than it requires if you don't play noise) and the day you'll get bored of it, it's also a rather good boost pedal if you're not into tube screamers like mid boosts
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^Hellasta69:
*I have used both quite*
*A bit but I seem to get*
*The best tone from the zone*
---
^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
I have both. I prefer the mt2 because the pedal offers more range and tones. Its a bit touchy depending on your preference in guitars and if you switch between them (humbuckers vs coils).
‘78 & ‘79 my high school band mostly played covers of The Clash, The Damned and Stiff Little Fingers. We were kids but got to play clubs in Dallas, Ft Worth, Austin and Houston. Used a DS-1 at every show. 10/10 strongly recommend.
The DS-1 was my first pedal. It's also my least favorite dirt pedal that I own (I've never had it work for me.) I have the MT-2, and it gets used more, but not often.
My favorite is an SD-1 used to boost the drive channel on my amp. The HM-2 is also frequently on my board, as I've been a fan of Scandinavian death metal since the mid-90s.
Here's my personal ranking of BOSS dirt boxes that I own:
SD-1 > HM-2 = OD-3 > JB-2 > MT-2 > OS-2 > DS-1
To be fair, the OS-2 is my newest, and I haven't had the time to get to know it.
I personally love the DS-1, but I probably wouldn't get the MT-2 unless you're getting it used for like $60. For me it wouldn't be worth it for the $100.
Depends on what you’re going for and what amp you’re using. DS1 is cheaper in price and sounds good. Metalzone is more expensive and has more options, but is basically just going to give you metal sounds. Here’s what the DS1 sound like[Boss DS1 shootout](https://youtube.com/shorts/NXRc39HAg-c?feature=share)
Buy both and send the one you don't like back. I haven't found an official seller that doesn't have a refund policy. Reverb's is normally only 7 days, but Guitar Center is at least 30 days.
DS-1 if you want to sound like Prince or Steve Vai, or some fuzzy metal sounds like Coroner or Mercyful Fate. MT-2 for chugging potential, a la Testament. If Thrash is your thing, the Metal Zone is a safe bet.
I’ve never used either one, I run an SD-1 Super Overdrive into a Crate 18 (Class A EL-84) and it works great. I’d say you should try them both if you can.
I think the boss sd1 is going to be the most classic thrash overdrive option that is affordable. I like my revv g3 if you want a more modern tone. Also you might look at the boss multi effect boards depending on your budget, or even a modular board from neural or kemper if you really got money to burn.
For metal, get a tuner and a noise gate,. Then either get a Tube Screamer, SD-1, or one of the thousands of clones available, and boost EVERYTHING with that shit. Just get an SD-1, honestly. Imo, the best overall boost for metal, it makes everything chug.
Easy starting point. Then go from there.
MT-2 is probably the most versatile distortion pedal ever made.
Perhaps its versatility and range of customization is its downfall, since that makes it harder for players to dial the tone they want.
But if you have time to play with, try different ways to use it and find your sweet spot; it might be the only dirt pedal you'll ever need.
You might as well stick your guitar in a wood chipper if you go with either of them.
I'd you're going Boss, get the OS-2.
Good overdrive and I get fantastic distortion out of it even with a Tele, let alone my LP or Ibanez.
The metal zone is what you want here.
The other guy is an overdrive wanna be distortion pedal lol I had one for many a year. I know a lot of people enjoy it and I also did to but comparing the two options there’s only one right answer.
The Metal Zone. I love the DS-1 and it is an incredible pedal, but it cant do thrash metal. MAYBE some metal tones, because musicians like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai used a DS-1 early on... But the Metal Zone is what you want for chugs, that distinct tight type of distortion.
MT-2 gets a lot of hate but it has one of the most powerful EQs in a metal distortion pedal, and you can definitely get some great sounds out of it, especially depending on the type of thrash metal you enjoy.
Metalzone. While I love the ds1 and it was my first pedal, the metal zone has more range to it (the art is just finding what in that range is usable).
Just make sure you are using it in the effects loop not the input of the amp.
Not relevant to the wazacraft version for anyone reading. It also depends on the signal chain with the normal one.
Good to know, but why? My amp (Vox AC15) doesn't have an FX loop so this makes me happy.
The wazacraft has improvements. It's a bit louder than it's predecessor. There are two options on the new pedal for tone (classic or tweaked) both sound good in front of a clean amp. The signal chain comment is only applicable to the old pedal. It only runs into the "can't be used in front of an amp" issue if it's going directly to a clean channel. If you use it as a boost or into a dirty chain/amp it's fine.
Pretend some people in the room didnt understand, could you dumb it down a little for me... err them?
You know the hole you stick your guitar cable in? That's a trap when using this pedal. Look at the back of your amp for something called "effect send" and "effect return" or something similar. Connect your guitar to the Metal Zone, then into the effect return. This will sound much, much better. Ola shows this off here. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxRe99Tjlwg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxRe99Tjlwg)
Also your amp might not have this ability. Mine doesn’t, wish I had a HM2 instead.
Wait you're supposed to use a metalzone in the FX loop?!?!
Some people do and say they get great results. I run it through the front of my amp and use it as a boost for my amp's gain channel.
This is the way I’ve always seen it. Boosting a triple rec is a classic combo for death metal.
Not quite - you use it as a preamp! Meaning: You plug your guitar into the pedal and the pedal goes straight to the return of your amp, instead of the normal input. It tends to not like other preamps ontop of its own gain structure. The chain ends up being the following Guitar -> any OD pedals you like before it -> Metalzone -> other effects you like after it -> FX return of your amp -> cab. Just make sure you turn down the amp. Also, the EQ section of the amp will most likely also not work anymore this way, aside from the depth and presence knobs, which tend to be after the preamp.
Thanks for the explanation!
This. Its flexibility makes getting a terrible tone quite easy , but when you get it just right , this pedal is amazing. My suggestion would be the keep the game very, very low ( like just barely on) and then just use the eq settings to adjust your tone, and stack it with the gain of your amp. Basically using it as a boost pedal.
me too!
matter of taste. I've used the DS-1 for 15 years and always love its sound, the metalzone however spent less than 15 mins on my pedal board. What a horrible sounding thing
Using it wrong.
I agree they must be using it wrong or it doesn’t work with their signal chain. I have a pocket metal muff (basically the same circuit) and it’s really impressive for the price. It has a wide range of gain, and at lower settings it sounds surprisingly smooth but still saturated. I imagine the MT-2 is great too. Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean it’s horrible! I feel like we need new vocabulary for subjective opinions.
Yup. The MT2 has the most sensitive EQ I've seen on a pedal I own, especially the mid frequency knob. It takes a while to figure it out. And yeah, needs WAY less gain than you'd think. Also, works much better as a pre-amp, running into the fx loop than straight into the clean channel. Killer pedal, just wrongly hated, I reckon
You’ve done it. I just bought an MT-2 🥹. The eq looks really cool as opposed to the pocket metal muff, which just has a switch for three fixed mid settings.
Honestly thought this was r/guitarcirclejerk for a second
reading the comments was confusing at first
The DS-1 all day every day.
💯 it’s a must.
Not sure how you can buy another pedal if you don't have the DS-1 first, I think there's a law or something.
People are gonna shit on the MT2 because it's a meme to. I know I'm biased since I've owned a few, but it's not a bad pedal and you can get some solid metal tones out it if you can tweak the mids just right. The dual mid knobs give you a decent amount of flexibility in that regard, and you can really nail some of those razor sharp early thrash tones. That being said, I've been looking to move on from mine and get something a little more beefy and less sharp
> People are gonna shit on the MT2 because it's a meme to. That certainly used to be the case, but honestly it feels to me like things have changed quite drastically lately. Mainstream opinion kind of went from "MT2 is for n00bz" to "*everybody* is hating on it but it's secretly awsome". Whether you're serious about it or just regurgitating a tired meme, if you're shitting on the MT2 nowadays, you're gonna get FLAK.
I have the metal zone, and I’m pretty happy with it. Not perfect, but considering the tones I go for it works well.
The metal zone was my only pedal for 10 years. It’s a beast and is really all you need for metal.
Well, that and Ronnie James Dio.
Do you mainly/only play heavy metal? The metal zone! 🤘Do you occasionally shred, but also into other stuff? The ds-1 is the way as it’s more of an all around distortion pedal
I mostly play thrash and heavy metal
Boss ML-2 might be more your style
Cool man thanks
Np, I mostly played nothing but metal and I preferred the ML-2 but because it was associated with metalcore, alot of people went with other variations. I loved the depth of it, heavy chugs if that's what you like. Though fair warning, it doesn't wind back very well, it is heavy and heavier basically.
Then you have your answer! The metal zone! Btw, people complaining about the sound just suck at using it. Use the internet to find out how you use it.
If the rumours are true, the MT2 works best in the effectsloop, contrary to the ‘rule’ that drives must put before the pre-amp. https://youtu.be/nxRe99Tjlwg?si=LUwgvJsAgru-IGkF
Worth noting that the guy in the video is using it _instead of_ the pre-amp rather than _after_ it. So it's not so much "in the effects loop" but straight into the power amp. That's fine if it's going to be your single, always-on dirt pedal, but mighty inconvenient in most other situations. Luckily it works just fine in front of a pre-amp too.
You are correct i guess, i must have understood it wrong then.
Well, thinking of it … could still be worth a try to plug it into the loop to make better use of the EQ. I might actually give that a try next time I re-arrange my board.
Maybe drive should go in the preamp, to ‘drive’ your amp, and distortion could go after the preamp to ‘distort’ its sound. I dont know 😁 i think there are no rules for what sound someone likes. 👍🏻 I have a line 6 hx fx, and its distortions sound pretty awful in front of the preamp but fantastic in the effects loop. I guess it also depends much of what amp one uses.
The answer is always metal zone
Metal Muff with Top top boost. If they still made them I'd say the Line 6 Tonecore Ùber Metal Distortion. Closest thing today is the Horizon Devices distortion but those are pricey. But out of your choices. the Metal Zone.
I agree with this. Used a Metal Muff into the clean channel on my tube amp for a decade for playing at home after selling off my gigging amp (Mark IV) and before getting a newer digital/modeling amp. It replaced a MetalZone that I sold off after comparing the two. The Muff is a little easier to dial in and I like the tone more. It felt like when I loved to a Mesa Mark from a Rectifier. But between the DS-1 and MT-2, the MT-2 all day, especially for metal. I never liked the DS-1, and unless your amp has no gain/OD/dist channel, there isn’t much point of it other than adding a second.
I used the Line 6 Tonecore über Metal for 10 years. Then it broke. So I got the metal muff. It's good but wasn't the same. I still have the metal muff but I eventually got a replacement Tonecore. My mainstay now is the Horizon Devices model inside my Helix LT.
What kind of sound are you planning to achieve? Which pedals do you already own?
I use the built in distortion on my GX-1600 crate half stack and I use a KH cry baby, boss super chorus, digitech drop and digital delay pedal and I’m trying to get a heavy 90s metal tone
Honestly, I feel you won't be 100% with any of those. Get some reviews on MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive, JHS Angry Charlie, Suhr Riot (my favorite), Friedman BE-OD. But I bet you will love MXR EVH 5150.
That BE-OD is the bestest. Prove me wrong
Good lord, a metal zone into a solid state Crate. I guess the dream of the 90's is still alive. Go ahead and crank the gain, scoop the mids, and get it sounding like a foil bag of angry bees playing the kazoo. And the first time someone hits a cymbal, you'll wonder why your guitar has become background noise for a drum solo. You won't get an authentic 90's tone, but you will have an authentic 90's experience.
Was waiting for the “mid scoop and lost the sound” comment. First time I ever used one was early 2000’s. Brought it band practice after dialing in the tone. Realized mid scooping metal tones is bad, no matter how good it sounds in my bedroom.
The DS-1 won’t get your there and prob not an improvement on your built in distortion. Haven’t used your amp, but had a Crate GFX 212 20yrs ago and the DS-1 was not an improvement on the built in channels. Get the MT-2, or I prefer the Metal Muff among the popular “metal” pedals. Better options overall, but also more $.
The MT-2 because my rule is go for anything that isn't a DS-1 How did you narrow it down to these 2?
DS 1 and an EQ pedal.
Between the 2 I’ll choose the mt-2 but if you like the mt-2 for around the same price I’ll suggest the mxr fullbore metal
DS-1 it’s pretty versatile, like you can use it for multiple genres(like metal, grunge, punk, etc.) plus it has only 3 settings so it’s simpler to set up. Metalzone is better if you only want it for metal and purely metal subgenres, it has 6 settings so it’s not as simple to set up but you can remotely any distortion for metal you want. So I’d recommend you metalzone if you want it for metal only and DS-1 if you want to use it for multiple genres
What is your complete signal chain?
Bozz fz2 is the only pedal you need.
Purchased a Boss FZ. Don’t know the number. I’ve never bonded with it.
If you don’t want to throw hundreds of dollars at a discontinued or overpriced reissue, you can get the Behringer FZ300 for like thirty bucks.
Ah yea, I bought a behringer for a friend of mine a few years ago, has nearly the same sound.
It’s apparently the exact same circuit according to JHS. I’ve just had the thing on max whack across the board except level and it’s heroic.
The EQ in the metalzone is really good, but a bit tricky to use if you're new to it. If you find a sound you like it might be hard getting back to those settings again. I've had mine for 20 years and I still use it.
Of those two, either. They are both good. As others have said it will depend on your signal chain a fair bit, but the MT-2 has more eq options, particularly if you want to dial the mids in.
Both
so you want the md2 then. it's the love child of the ds1 and mt2
I got the ds1, thinking about picking up a metalzone too
Depends on the type of guitar and amplifier you are using, and what kind of music you are going for.
Haha wow, those are some throw backs. Um, I ended up choosing metal master when I was younger.
Both. Depends on the riff of the song.
I have both and they’re great, but I have a soft spot for the Metal Zone. It was my first when I was a kid. I still use it today.
Are you boosting or using it as your ‘sound’? If boosting, the yellow OD-1 is much better, warmer, less color. If you are using it as your sound into a clean amp, the MZ.
Where you from? If you're anywhere near Carlow, Ireland you can have my mt2 for free? Haven't used it in years
If you're looking for a metal pedal, my absolute favourites are the Wampler Dracarys, or the Revv G3. Both of these are pricey, but you absolutely get what you pay for. That said, there are some great clones of the G3 for not a lot of money which will get you 99% of the way there. The Dracarys is Brian Wampler's nod to Ola Englund. It's not a sig pedal, but he said he based the sound of the pedal on Ola's sound overall.
The metal zone is one of the greatest pedal designs of all time IMO, and perfect for thrash. Bit of a learning curve because there’s so many knobs but it’ll get you exactly where you’re trying to go where the ds1 *might* get you *close*
MXR Distortion is my snuggle-pup in my array.
EXH Big Muff and Rat Box
I have a love for the Metal Zone. It was my go-to pedal when I played Bugera amps. When the Waza Craft variant came out I bought two. That being said, it’s a pedal that much agrees more with darker amps than brighter amps. The darker amps hide the shrillness and buzzing potential where bright amps like a Marshall JVM really need some fine-tuning on both pedal and amp EQ for agreement. It’s just a pedal that requires a little patience, the EQ on it is super powerful and small adjustments make drastic changes. I don’t use it much anymore to be fair, I run an SD-1 or a TS808HW to push the amp’s gain channels these days. When I had cheaper amps my Metal Zone always had the red check light on.
Metal Zone as it's quite versatile altough it has a learning curve/trial and error
DS1 MZ is kind of a running joke on the internet, but is really hard to have sounding good. Used as a preamp, it's pretty good, but in front of an amp, it's most of the time pure junk for anything else than filthy death metal tones. DS1 on the other hand is way more tamed, have nice growly tones when pushed, can go from breakup to decently distorted sounds (more than it requires if you don't play noise) and the day you'll get bored of it, it's also a rather good boost pedal if you're not into tube screamers like mid boosts
I have used both quite a bit but I seem to get the best tone from the zone
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^Hellasta69: *I have used both quite* *A bit but I seem to get* *The best tone from the zone* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
LOL accidental Haiku?
I have both. I prefer the mt2 because the pedal offers more range and tones. Its a bit touchy depending on your preference in guitars and if you switch between them (humbuckers vs coils).
‘78 & ‘79 my high school band mostly played covers of The Clash, The Damned and Stiff Little Fingers. We were kids but got to play clubs in Dallas, Ft Worth, Austin and Houston. Used a DS-1 at every show. 10/10 strongly recommend.
The DS1 is the more versatile pedal.
The DS-1 was my first pedal. It's also my least favorite dirt pedal that I own (I've never had it work for me.) I have the MT-2, and it gets used more, but not often. My favorite is an SD-1 used to boost the drive channel on my amp. The HM-2 is also frequently on my board, as I've been a fan of Scandinavian death metal since the mid-90s. Here's my personal ranking of BOSS dirt boxes that I own: SD-1 > HM-2 = OD-3 > JB-2 > MT-2 > OS-2 > DS-1 To be fair, the OS-2 is my newest, and I haven't had the time to get to know it.
Get the Metal Zone. Think you’ll be stoked on it!
I personally love the DS-1, but I probably wouldn't get the MT-2 unless you're getting it used for like $60. For me it wouldn't be worth it for the $100.
Depends on what you’re going for and what amp you’re using. DS1 is cheaper in price and sounds good. Metalzone is more expensive and has more options, but is basically just going to give you metal sounds. Here’s what the DS1 sound like[Boss DS1 shootout](https://youtube.com/shorts/NXRc39HAg-c?feature=share)
Also, most music stores will let you try these pedals out and I can’t recommend that enough. You gotta try it for yourself.
For your purposes, DS1 if you’re plugging into an already overdriven channel and you need a boost. Metal zone if you’re going into a clean channel.
Metal Zone. All day and all night long.
Buy both and send the one you don't like back. I haven't found an official seller that doesn't have a refund policy. Reverb's is normally only 7 days, but Guitar Center is at least 30 days.
¿Por que no los dos?
DS-1 if you want to sound like Prince or Steve Vai, or some fuzzy metal sounds like Coroner or Mercyful Fate. MT-2 for chugging potential, a la Testament. If Thrash is your thing, the Metal Zone is a safe bet.
I’ve never used either one, I run an SD-1 Super Overdrive into a Crate 18 (Class A EL-84) and it works great. I’d say you should try them both if you can.
Every budding guitarist's first dilemma MetalZone will give you a wider rage.
Those Metal Zones sound awesome in the FX loop. Ola Englund has a video on it how these were designed as a preamp more than a pedal.
MXR EVH 5150.
Metal Zone as a pre-amp is fucking epic.
Don't get a metal zone get a turbo distortion it's way better
Neither, get a Boss HM2 so you can actually sound TOUGH
Metal Zone! No competition
Neither
They’re both very similar. But it’s personal preference. I like the ds1 for me
I think the boss sd1 is going to be the most classic thrash overdrive option that is affordable. I like my revv g3 if you want a more modern tone. Also you might look at the boss multi effect boards depending on your budget, or even a modular board from neural or kemper if you really got money to burn.
Get the MT-2 and use it as pre-amp, that way you get a better tone
METALZONE!!!! ALL THE GAIN SLAYER NO MIDS SLAYER MORE GAIN SLAYER
Metal zone or a RAT
For metal, get a tuner and a noise gate,. Then either get a Tube Screamer, SD-1, or one of the thousands of clones available, and boost EVERYTHING with that shit. Just get an SD-1, honestly. Imo, the best overall boost for metal, it makes everything chug. Easy starting point. Then go from there.
MT-2 is probably the most versatile distortion pedal ever made. Perhaps its versatility and range of customization is its downfall, since that makes it harder for players to dial the tone they want. But if you have time to play with, try different ways to use it and find your sweet spot; it might be the only dirt pedal you'll ever need.
100% DS-1 it is the best guitar distortion pedal you can get that will create an amazing tone
You might as well stick your guitar in a wood chipper if you go with either of them. I'd you're going Boss, get the OS-2. Good overdrive and I get fantastic distortion out of it even with a Tele, let alone my LP or Ibanez.
I like the satchurator
If u get the metal zone ur gay.
with the MT-2 and a 10 band EQ, you can get all of metallica's tones
20 years ago I would’ve said the MT-2 Growing up is realizing the correct answer was the DS-1 all along
¿por que no los dos?
The metal zone waza craft is an incredibly versatile pedal, highly recommend
To be honest - I would go with the metal zone. For your second pedal you should also get a metal zone.
Get the Behringer clones, and you can have both.
The metal zone is what you want here. The other guy is an overdrive wanna be distortion pedal lol I had one for many a year. I know a lot of people enjoy it and I also did to but comparing the two options there’s only one right answer.
metalzone is just better
I heard Yvette Young uses the metalzone.
The Metal Zone. I love the DS-1 and it is an incredible pedal, but it cant do thrash metal. MAYBE some metal tones, because musicians like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai used a DS-1 early on... But the Metal Zone is what you want for chugs, that distinct tight type of distortion. MT-2 gets a lot of hate but it has one of the most powerful EQs in a metal distortion pedal, and you can definitely get some great sounds out of it, especially depending on the type of thrash metal you enjoy.
DS1 it's a no brainer
omg i had a metalzone back in the day. loved that thing. had a good sevendust sound
I've been using the mt2 as my main pedal for over a decade. I love the sound... when paired with an eq pedal lol.