The MXR Dime Distortion is a distortion stompbox from MXR, the Jim Dunlop-owned effects brand. MXR describes it as delivering "a heavy, aggressive, and razor-sharp tone that rages with distortion but remains tight and focused enough to keep up with lightning-fast rhythm lines and scorching solos"1. In other words, it is aimed squarely at high-gain metal playing, where a distortion needs to stay articulate under fast picking rather than turning to mush.
The Dime Distortion is a legacy product and is no longer in production, according to Dunlop's product page1.
What it does
The pedal's job is saturated, high-output distortion that stays controlled. Dunlop's own copy says the pedal "has the guts and the muscle to stand up to your heaviest displays of power," and credits its "ungodly output" for the level it can push1.
Two features shape the tone beyond the basic distortion:
- 3-band EQ: separate control over bass, midrange and treble, so the distorted signal can be balanced to fit a mix rather than taken as-is.
- Proprietary Scoop switch: a preset midrange cut, the classic "scooped mids" metal voicing where the middle frequencies are pulled back and the low and high ends are emphasized1.
For a player comparing MXR distortions, the Dime Distortion sits at the high-gain, EQ-flexible end of the range, distinct from simpler designs like the MXR Distortion + or the MXR Prime Distortion, and in similar metal territory to the MXR Fullbore Metal.
Power
The Dime Distortion runs on an 18-volt adapter, the included ECB0041. That is worth noting for pedalboard planning: it is not powered the way most compact pedals are, so it cannot share a typical low-voltage daisy chain. Dunlop lists it as compatible with its DC Brick, Iso-Brick and Mini Iso-Brick power supplies1.
Videos
Ola Englund
Ola Englund
Fuzzville
Sources (1)
- MXR® DIME DISTORTION, Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
