Best/Favorite Distortion or Overdrive pedals for synthesizer?

[dumphump424]

I play a PWM Malevolent primarily and I usually have at least 3 pedals hooked up to it, sometimes 4. The one I always use no matter what at the end of my pedal chain for synth is a DOD Meatbox Reissue for obvious reasons- its badass and gives everything more heft and presence when used correctly. Its usually always on unlike the other pedals in the chain. At the beginning of the pedal chain however is a distortion pedal- I usually use a Boss Hm-2 lately I've been swapping back and forth with a DOD FX86 Death Metal. I'm really happy with the these two pedals but I've been thinking about venturing off into other distortion pedals. Then an overdrive pedal which is currently just a simple Boss SD-1. Then if I'm using 4 pedals then I'm using a reverb pedal which I'm still trying to find one that fits in to my liking, but currently I just use a Holy Grail for now... not always happy with the results though.

What pedals do you guys use for synth if any? Sometimes all I use is the Meatbox but at most  I'll use 4 pedals. I don't usually use fuzz pedals for synth but maybe someday. I'm obsessed with fuzz though, and I use it often for harsh noise. But when it comes to making PE or industrial type stuff, I don't usually use one.

[Atrophist]

From what I've underatood the Malevolent's overdrive circuit itself is pretty nasty?

Have you tried any preamp/cabsim pedals? In my experience they often work pretty well with synth type sounds. Possibly even if you are already running your signal into a guitar amp.

[Leewar]

We get plenty of use out of a Marshall shredmaster. I was lucky enough to buy one for next to nothing 20 years ago.

Its not really like the usual distortion pedals.

Theres a very wide ranging sound from it and very tweakable via the contour, sounds like you're running your synth through a Marshall stack turned up to 11. Also doesnt suck all the bass out either.

[Into_The_Void]

It's not a pedal but I use quite often the Electron's Analog Heat with the "softer" distortion. Depending on your needs you can use the more aggressive as well, but you always have that typical warm and abrasive fat feeling which for me fits well with the synths sound.

[dumphump424]

From what I've underatood the Malevolent's overdrive circuit itself is pretty nasty?

Have you tried any preamp/cabsim pedals? In my experience they often work pretty well with synth type sounds. Possibly even if you are already running your signal into a guitar amp.

Oh definitely the built in overdrive is amazing. But I really enjoy mixing in the unique chainsaw distortion sound of the HM-2 in there because they complement each other very well. This type of distortion gives it an almost robotic or mechanical sound, at least thats how i hear it, and i like that very much.

I'm pretty comfortable with what I do, I was just putting out there to ask what other people use because I really like reading about that kind of thing- people's setups, rigs, etc. Or even to compare ideas. I know some people are pretty cagey about letting out their secrets but I'm pretty open about most things I do. But I also understand why others wouldn't be so willing, because their unique sound depends on the secret methods they use.

But yeah thank you for the recommendation! I plan on getting an MXR preamp pedal here soon. Sometimes I use an EQ pedal to help boost the signal, but thats usually when I'm making harsh noise and junk metal and field recording stuff.

[host body]

It's not a pedal but I use quite often the Electron's Analog Heat with the "softer" distortion. Depending on your needs you can use the more aggressive as well, but you always have that typical warm and abrasive fat feeling which for me fits well with the synths sound.

Excellent device. It's also avalaible as a mono pedal with all the distortion circuits. Can't really do like DOD style over the top gnarly distortion, though. Very refined, even the high gain circuit with gain at full. Helps that the filter is like a scalpel, very easy to fine tune sounds with it.

[W.K.]

If you already have something that's partially designed by FSS, why not get the FIL02/FIL03 Spectral Devastator or the The Gristleizer? Also, if you have CV at your fingertips, it would be a shame not to make full use of it.

Get a 4ms Pod48X powered Desktop Case and maybe add some modulation / vca / sequencing modules while at it to open up your synth beyond it's designed possibilities.

[Volcano Queen]

EHX Big Muff Pi with Tone Wicker is very satisfying. Easy to find pedal that works well with many different sound sources.

[Mass Graven Image]

I have found particularly good sounds out of ProCo Rat, the filter on it can produce some really sharp or jagged resonance depending on what kind of signal i'm pushing. Vox or synth go down the effects chain with great results. Old Blood Noise Fault V1 is one of my all-time recommends. I have not had the chance to check out the newer edition.

[HateSermon]

I second the rat. Haven't tried much else though

[Commander15]

RAT or Blower Box seem to work well with synths. Only reservation here is that ProCo RAT and clones seem to struggle to reach the unity gain. But that issue is easily solved by boosting the RAT with OD or boost pedal.

[Atrophist]

EHX Big Muff Pi with Tone Wicker is very satisfying. Easy to find pedal that works well with many different sound sources.

Agreed on the Big Muff in general. I haven't tried this particular iteration of it, but of the ones I have tried, my favorite is the original one, the one that's the size of a bloody shoe box. Another one I sort of liked, but sort of not, was the Green Russian Muff. Very dark and bassy sound, no wonder bass players apparently like it. In the end I decided it wasn't for me, but ymmv.

[Commander15]

EHX Big Muff Pi with Tone Wicker is very satisfying. Easy to find pedal that works well with many different sound sources.

Agreed on the Big Muff in general. I haven't tried this particular iteration of it, but of the ones I have tried, my favorite is the original one, the one that's the size of a bloody shoe box. Another one I sort of liked, but sort of not, was the Green Russian Muff. Very dark and bassy sound, no wonder bass players apparently like it. In the end I decided it wasn't for me, but ymmv.

When i played guitar more actively, i used to solve these issues with Muff by boosting it with Tubescreamer or placing the TS after the Muff.

Muffs in general have this severe lack of mids that make it, well, muff-y. It is part of the design. TS on the other hand is all about the mids, so i think that they work hand in hand in this regard.

[MT]

Boss Blues Driver, works for everything when used correctly.

[Atrophist]

Boss Blues Driver, works for everything when used correctly.

I wonder if any of the half a million clones are decent. I've wanted one for ages but they are pretty pricey.