One’s a high-gain war machine. The other’s a gritty, cult-classic tone icon. Here’s how they really stack up.
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🔍 At a Glance
| Feature | Boss MT-2 Metal Zone | Pro Co RAT2 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Distortion / Preamp-style High-Gain | Distortion / Fuzz-like Hybrid |
| Circuit | Dual-stage analog gain with active EQ | Single op-amp w/ silicon clipping |
| Controls | Level, Distortion, 3-Band EQ (Parametric Mids) | Volume, Filter (Low-pass tone), Distortion |
| Bypass | Buffered | True bypass (on current models) |
| Power | 9V DC or battery | 9V DC or battery |
| Price Range | ~$110 USD | ~$80–$100 USD |
| Best For | Modern metal, thrash, deathcore | Punk, grunge, stoner, alt-rock, doom |
🎧 Tone Comparison
🎛️ Boss MT-2 Metal Zone
- Voice: Extremely saturated, tight low end, super high-gain
- Clarity: High — surgical mids control lets you shape precision tone
- Compression: Heavy — almost sustain-for-days levels
- Feel: Modern, scooped or mid-focused — depending how it’s EQ’d
- Common Use: Running into a clean amp to simulate a high-gain preamp
🧠 Think: Metallica rhythm tone meets a built-in EQ section like a rack unit.
⚙️ Pro Co RAT2
- Voice: Raw, gritty, and compressed with a fuzzy edge at high gain
- Filter Control: Works backwards — clockwise cuts highs, counter-clockwise brightens
- Compression: Moderate — punchy and touch-sensitive up to ~2 o’clock
- Feel: Organic, hairy, and rich in harmonics — but can get wooly at extreme gain
- Common Use: Boosting tube amps, stacking with fuzz, or standalone distortion
🧠 Think: Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Radiohead, or early doom and grunge tones.
🧪 Circuit Truth: What’s Actually Inside?
✅ Boss MT-2
- Two cascading gain stages
- Active 3-band EQ with semi-parametric mids
- Silicon diode clipping
- High headroom input buffer
✅ This is not a basic pedal — it’s closer to a full preamp.
✅ Pro Co RAT2
- LM308 op-amp (older versions) or OP07DP (modern builds)
- Single distortion stage with symmetrical silicon clipping
- Passive filter control (low-pass tone)
- Simpler circuit = rawer tone
✅ It’s not a pure fuzz — it sits between overdrive, fuzz, and distortion depending on settings.
🎸 Genre Matchups
| Genre | MT-2 | RAT2 |
|---|---|---|
| Thrash Metal | ✅ YES (with tight mids) | ❌ Too loose unless boosted |
| Death Metal | ✅ YES (stack with gate) | ❌ Too fuzzy and unrefined for brutal tone |
| Doom / Sludge | ⚠️ Good if EQ’d dark | ✅ YES — creamy filth and thick mids |
| Grunge / Alt | ⚠️ Too modern/tight | ✅ YES — iconic for 90s fuzzed out sounds |
| Punk Rock | ❌ Overkill | ✅ YES — simple, gnarly, perfect |
| Stoner Rock | ⚠️ Needs tweaking | ✅ YES — dark and chewy with the Filter up |
| Shoegaze | ✅ Yes, layered with verb/delay | ✅ Yes — stack with fuzz or mod for glory |
| Hard Rock | ✅ Yes — more aggressive style | ⚠️ Might be too fuzzy unless Filter is rolled back |
🎯 So Which Should You Get?
| Choose the Boss MT-2 Metal Zone if: | Choose the Pro Co RAT2 if: |
|---|---|
| You play metal, especially modern or tight rhythm | You love grunge, punk, fuzz, or alt-rock |
| You want a complete high-gain sound in one pedal | You want a versatile distortion/fuzz hybrid |
| You need precision EQ control | You prefer simple controls and raw tone |
| You use solid-state amps and want more bite | You play through a tube amp and want to push it harder |
| You like tight lows and clear chugs | You want fuzzy grit and vintage flavor |
💬 What Some of my pals say (some language removed):
“MT-2 is still unbeatable for tight, saturated rhythm — you just need to not dime the distortion.”
“The RAT2 is my secret weapon — it sounds like a fuzz, OD, and distortion all at once.”
“Honestly, I own both. RAT into a tube amp, MT-2 into a clean channel. Both rule.”
🏁 Final Word: Don’t Believe the Memes — Believe Your Ears
- The Boss MT-2 is a precision-engineered high-gain weapon with surgical EQ and massive gain. If you dial it correctly, it can rival boutique metal tones for a fraction of the price.
- The Pro Co RAT2 is a versatile distortion classic, capable of garage rock dirt, sludgy doom, or harmonic-laden fuzziness that cuts through a mix with character and aggression.
Want tight, modern metal? Go MT-2.
Want raw, gritty personality? Go RAT2.
Want both? Honestly… many players do.
👉 Shop the MT-2 on Amazon
👉 Shop the RAT2 on Amazon
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