Please School Me on Boss HM-2 Clones

[Disarm D'arcy]

[ck3]

While we’re talking: is anyone On that HM-2w yet? I don’t know how to make the hm-2 better, except that it runs on 9v for convenience, and that’s exactly it

Grabbed one of these recently off Amazon, and it seems there's currently a $50 price reduction most places online. The EQ taper seems different from what I recall when using the OG MIT version many moons ago, though this may be more related to using real amps and cabs now as opposed to an emulator. Mos def saws and looking forward to comparing it to various clones and similarly-EQ'd options on hand including a TC Electronic Eyemaster, Walrus Red, Earthbound Audio Throat Locust, Idiotbox Dungeon Master, Boss GL-100, and Maxon Water.

Have any ILFers tried the Decibelics Angry Swede V2?

[rfurtkamp]

I'm going to be a heretic - the Behringer clone sounds a HAIR better than my beautifully beat up MIJ OG HM-2.

It's just a little crisper.

I don't run Swedish chainsaw though, never have.

[qersty]

i mean smd is probably way superior in that kinda high gain circuit. i have heard people say their big muff clone is essentially noiseless, which is almost incomprehensible considering it is a muff

[rfurtkamp]

HM-2 originals aren't particularly noisy if you're not chainsawing it out, that was one of the things I loved about it from the getgo.

[Gone Fission]

The coring diodes that add crossover distortion to the stew also act as a crude noise gate.

[ck3]

I'm going to be a heretic - the Behringer clone sounds a HAIR better than my beautifully beat up MIJ OG HM-2.

It's just a little crisper.

I don't run Swedish chainsaw though, never have.

The HM300 also has more tightness and clarity than a Waza HM-2 when in chainsaw mode. Unsure about results with other EQ settings and still prefer the TC Eyemaster when in the mood to saw thru my eardrums.

[Zork]

After using a HM-2 (thesis) for a long time I switched to a KMA Dead Stag (antithesis) and became a big fan of that company. So I bought a Wurm (synthesis) today. Can't wait to try it out.

[K2000]

I did an A/B test of the Boss HM-2 (Taiwan) and the Behringer clone... at identical knob settings, the Behringer is more shrill (or 'crisper' as stated). Maybe it's possible to EQ the Behringer to make it match the Boss, and I fiddled around a little with EQ but I couldn't quite nail it exactly. The Behringer is nasty in a slightly different way. But close enough, if you're not trying to match a specific HM-2 setting.

I think you can hear that slight Behringer shrillness on the HM-2 shootout videos on YouTube.

[rfurtkamp]

I've done shootouts of different (same country of origin) HM-2s, not a single one has the same "knob settings" especially after 30 years of drift!

The hump and push is the same, which is easy enough for me since I never chainsaw the things and run them with plenty of room on either end of the dials!

[goroth]

I did an A/B test of the Boss HM-2 (Taiwan) and the Behringer clone... at identical knob settings, the Behringer is more shrill (or 'crisper' as stated). Maybe it's possible to EQ the Behringer to make it match the Boss, and I fiddled around a little with EQ but I couldn't quite nail it exactly. The Behringer is nasty in a slightly different way. But close enough, if you're not trying to match a specific HM-2 setting.

I think you can hear that slight Behringer shrillness on the HM-2 shootout videos on YouTube.

I’ve owned three MIT and two MIJ and you could say the same re MIT vs MIJ. They’re both good though.