The Behringer HD300 is a compact distortion pedal aimed at heavy metal players. Behringer describes it as "a powerful dual-distortion pedal with a massive gain boost for superthick, heavy low-end punch and endless sustain"1. It sits in the company's Classic Series line of stompboxes alongside pedals like the Behringer Ultra Metal and the Behringer OD300, and it is one of several distortion options in the range, next to the Behringer Heavy Distortion and the Behringer UD300 Ultra Distortion.
Controls
The HD300 has five knobs, each with a single job. Behringer lists them as "dedicated Gain Boost, Distortion, Tone, Bottom and Level control"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain Boost | Sets the amount of gain boost ahead of the distortion stage1 |
| Distortion | Sets the distortion amount1 |
| Tone | Shapes the treble character of the distorted tone1 |
| Bottom | A dedicated control for the low end, matching the pedal's heavy low-end focus1 |
| Level | Sets the output level of the pedal1 |
The Bottom control is the one that sets the HD300 apart from a basic three-knob distortion: it gives you a separate handle on the low end, which is where Behringer positions this pedal's character. A status LED tells you when the pedal is activated1.
Power and bypass
The HD300 runs on either a 9 V battery or Behringer's PSU-SB DC power supply, and the power supply is not included with the pedal1. If you plan to run it on a one-spot style daisy chain with other pedals, you will need to source the PSU-SB separately.
For bypass, Behringer says "the rock-solid on/off switch maintains outstanding signal integrity in bypass mode"1. The exact bypass wiring is not confirmed either way.
Where it sits in Behringer's range
Behringer's distortion and overdrive line covers several levels of gain and voicing. The HD300 is the heavy metal entry, with the Bottom control aimed at low-end weight. Nearby in the range are the Behringer HM300, the Behringer Overdrive Distortion, the Behringer OD100, and the Behringer UD300 Ultra Distortion. For other gain flavors, see the site's pages on Distortion Pedals, Overdrive Pedals and Fuzz Pedals1.
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Questions
Does the Behringer HD300 run on a battery?
Yes. Behringer says the HD300 can be powered with a 9 V battery, or with the company's PSU-SB DC power supply, which is not included with the pedal. So you can run it on a battery straight away, but if you want to use a power supply you will need to buy the PSU-SB separately.
Does the Behringer HD300 come with a power supply?
No. Behringer's product page states that the PSU-SB DC power supply is not included. The pedal can run on a 9 V battery instead, or you can purchase the PSU-SB separately if you prefer to power it from an adapter.
What power supply does the Behringer HD300 use?
Behringer specifies its own PSU-SB DC power supply for the HD300. The pedal can also run on a 9 V battery. The PSU-SB is sold separately, so it does not come in the box with the pedal.
Is the Behringer HD300 true bypass?
Behringer does not use the phrase true bypass on the product page. It says the pedal's rock-solid on/off switch maintains outstanding signal integrity in bypass mode, which is the maker's description of how the pedal behaves when it is switched off.
What kind of music is the Behringer HD300 made for?
Behringer markets the HD300 as a Heavy Metal Distortion Effects Pedal. The maker describes it as a dual-distortion pedal with a massive gain boost aimed at superthick, heavy low-end punch and endless sustain, which points at heavy rock and metal styles rather than clean or lightly driven tones.
Sources (1)
- HD300 | Behringer, Behringer
