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Basstyra
Gold Member
France
523 Posts |
 Posted - 12/21/2006 : 14:41:05
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I recently got the last of the 3 metal pedals. So I got the HM-2, HM-3 and MT-2. Plus, DS-1, DS-2, DF-2.
IMHO, HM-3 and MT-2 are really poor. They both have those buzzing trebles, those harsch treble control. With some tweaking, some good noise can be achieved, though. With a good amp. On a poor amp, don't even think of it...
HM-2 is really much better, thanks to a really GREAT mid control. All at noon, it's a powerfull distortion with lots of mids. With mids cut, it's this classical metal sound, and with mid boosted, it's... waoh... wildest pedal ever heard (and I got a Fender Blender...  ). Not seriously usable, but so fun.
The best thing being, the gain range extend from almost clean boost to raging fuzzy sounds. Of course, clean boost-overdrive-ligth distortion is covered by something like 10% of the gain pot rotation, but in those 10%, it can be really wonderful, and, IMO, better sounding than DS-1 and others. Because the mids are sooo sweet on this pedal... And you know, mids are the key to a good distortion.  I'm not the V-EQ kind of guy...  |
Edited by - Basstyra on 12/21/2006 14:47:50 |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2006 : 15:02:36
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Hi Basstyra
My HM-2 Black label MIJ, just came today.
Bugger scratched off the internal serial number label, looks like a battery might have leaked inside it once.
not a bad leak though, just the label is gone. 
Can you please, give me some of your favorite settings, like the ones in your post, but more specific. in o'clock settings.
Regards Dr. Bob |
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Basstyra
Gold Member
France
523 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2006 : 15:34:53
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I play it with a Squier Telecaster, in a "simple" clean tube amp. It reacts differently considering the pickups I play with, so I guess the result would be different with another guitar and amp.
I compared it to my MIJ Ibanez TS10.
With EQ at noon, gain to min, it's not clean, it's allready an overdrive. Nice one, just a little boost with Level set to max. More precise than the TS, there is not those "random" trebles generated by a TS.
With mids at 3 (o'clock), it's closer to a fully driven TS.
To achieve a more clean/crunch sound, I have to lower my guitar volume. There, with mids boosted around 3 or more, it gives a nice mid boost. Not powerful enough to overdrive a tube amp, but when the amp overdrives from itself, the mid boost in front is really, really sweet. I told you, I love those mids. 
Then, compared to my DS-1 (MIT) :
Again EQ at noon, low gain (from min=7 to 8), it's just like a DS-1 set to middle to max gain, but with less harsh trebles, and again, those better mids. Again, it's more precise. And it's more controllable, with a good EQ that can remove some trebles/high mids without making the sound muddy like the DS-1 does.
Over 8-9, it's the high gain metal distorton world.
Of course, over all this :
*Bass control has less effect on the sound. I think it's here to be set depending on the amp and room you're playing, in order not to tear the walls appart...
*So does Level control.
*The Gain control would react differently on a different guitar. On some, I guess real clean boost could be acheived at min gain, on some others, you would enter the high gain world allready at 8.
So, the thing about this pedal is just the mids. First, them it themselves, lovely, but you understood that. Secondly, the pot that controls them, which can act like a subtle mid boost, or a violent mid scoop.
And this lack of harsh, "random" trebles.
I don't know if random is the best way to describe them. I mean, when you play a DS-1 at noon, or a TS around mid and max gain, there is a lot of sounds, noise, and so on, around high mids and trebles. It gives me a sensation of "randomness", like there are lots of frequency generated in there, and not really controlled. It also contributes to an overall "unprecise" feeling.
Of course, it's why we love the Tube Screamer... And that's great news, this HM-2 is just something else ! So I can enjoy both, for 2 separated reasons. 
EDIT : I guess I found another explanation :
HM-2 is a high gain distortion, but due to it's precise sound, at "equivalent" gain it sounds more wise than a DS-1. This results in we can use it at much higher gains for "equivalently" powerful sounds. But I don't know if I'm clear, there... |
Edited by - Basstyra on 12/21/2006 15:40:27 |
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guirat
Silver Member
United Kingdom
186 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2006 : 16:41:04
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I was always disappointed with my HM-2, but the more I read up on distortion pedals and amps the more I realise it was just me that wasn't using it correctly.
Is it true that the pedal should be used to supplement the distortion sound already created by an overdriven amp, rather than expecting the pedal itself to create a good distortion sound? I found the sound too fizzy & trebly to approximate any well-known metal I tried to imitate, unless everything was set close to zero (which did give a nice LZ 'Bring it on Home' sound). Maybe the good sound comes from the amp, and the pedal is just meant to drive it harder? I'd love to hear of some good example settings, as I do intend to find another HM-2 as I rebuild the pedal collection I used to have.
Edit>> I realise for early LZ I'd really want a good amp and a tonebender/MKII clone pedal, but I just wonder what bands/songs the HM-2 was aiming to duplicate, it seemed so extreme. Does anyone get a good tone for a specific song they can name?
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Edited by - guirat on 12/21/2006 16:51:20 |
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Basstyra
Gold Member
France
523 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2006 : 16:53:55
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Nope, I don't think it's meant to drive a amp. But it's absolutely sure, though, that the amplifier is critical.
The more I test amps and distortion pedals, the more I think a good amp is essential, and must come before the pedal.
There are some pedals which give a great sound on any amplifier, or even which makes any amp sound wonderful. But for most pedals, and Boss pedals are among them, the sound is just made by the amplifier, and the pedal is here to modulate it. If the amp sound is weak, the sound with the pedal is weak.
The Tube Screamer is probably the most famous example. On a weak amp, it's a weak pedal. On a good powerful tube amp, it is the great pedal the legend speaks about. |
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guirat
Silver Member
United Kingdom
186 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2006 : 17:06:00
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| By the time I got the HM-2 I was using a 12W Marshall Transistor amp. Maybe I should have given it a spin on a valve amp, the sound could have been completely different. Oh well, something else to save for, a good amp - I'm down to only an MS-4 at the moment - possibly not the best 'pedal-tester' amp. I have to watch I don't step on it and crush it |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2006 : 23:01:26
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Hi Basstyra
Thanks for the great & in depth review of the HM-2.... 
It's my last working day for this year.
I am looking forward to trying out the HM-2.
I also bought an Ibanez PL5 Power Lead pedal.
I still have to try that one out as well.
Regards Dr. Bob |
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METAL
