@dbiddle I made lots of comprehensive tests for a good distortion in the last two weeks. My recommendations: Please see below. Simulator plus distortion and then tweaking the sound…
@solobasssteve I now can understand your point of view much better. May at the beginning of using the Mod system you have been more lucky than me. After my tests now I see it with different eyes.
@jon I have to revise my statement about the “weak” distortion effects. I was already surprised when starting using the Dwarf that there are only “sawing” distortions and no “warm” one. Now I was able to create some warm distortion sounds to my taste from even many different distortion effects (even Tube Screamer and honestly I am not a fan of this).
This is one of my attempts to approach the subject. A distortion padelboard with changing simulations.
I came to the conclusion at some point that you shouldn’t use most distortion effects on their own, even if you’re blowing a guitar amp with them (in my case a Roland Blues Cube). I rather want a “warm” distortion, not the glaring gain “saw” and I didn’t achieve that at the beginning and without a simulator. When starting using the Dwarf I thought, I don’t need that when I drive an amp. But I achieved the best effect in my direction when I started to put the simulator in between. The sounds can be tweaked on the simulator and on the distortion effect and this brings the desired results.
And I found my favourite Distrotion effects, the corresponding simulators and I found optimum settings.
My favourite Distortion pedals:
Collision Drive (thanks! @brummer)
Mod DS-1
Bandisto (somehow a secret weappon; Looking forward to the alpha)
GxGouvnor (this makes the Roar)
My favourite Simulators:
Onyx (especially for the warm distortion sounds)
Amp VTS, Wookie setting (for more aggressive sounds)
MDA Combo in different settings (for even more aggressive sounds)
My favourite combination (because of warm distortion sound)
For higher gain (keep in mind that I am not the shredderer) Collision Drive with Onyx / Amp VTS Wookie or sometimes Mod DS-1 with Onyx / Amp VTS Wookie
For lower distortion sound: Bandisto with Onyx (tweakable to lots of sounds needed)