Detail 01
High-output distortion
Pushes far more gain than an overdrive, so the amp stays clean and the pedal shapes the distortion character.
Product detailSKU #1274115045635
MaxonSM-9 Pro+ Super Metal Distortion Guitar Effects Pedal
aggressivehigh outputwarmmetalrockhard rock
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
High-gain distortion pedal from Maxon aimed at metal and hard rock guitarists who want a thick, saturated lead and rhythm tone in a standard-size stompbox.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Downtuned rhythm playing through a clean amp channel
- Adding saturation and sustain to leads on a mid-gain amp
- Players who want one pedal to cover metal gain
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Blues and roots players wanting light, touch-sensitive breakup
- Anyone chasing subtle, transparent boost rather than heavy saturation
- Bassists — this is voiced for guitar
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
Aggressive, cutting voicing
Upper-mid emphasis helps single-note lines stay audible over a band instead of disappearing under cymbals.
Detail 03
Warm, thick low end
Chugs stay round rather than fizzy, but you may need to trim bass on an already dark amp.
Detail 04
Standalone stompbox format
Sits on a pedalboard between guitar and amp; no rack gear or amp channel switching required.
Detail 05
$220 price point
Mid-tier boutique pricing — above mass-market distortion boxes, below multi-channel preamp pedals.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01No power supply or cables mentioned as included — budget for both
- 02Works best into a clean amp channel, not a driven one
- 03High-gain pedals expose noisy single-coils; a noise gate helps
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Is this good for metal?
That is what it is voiced for — high output with aggressive, cutting character and thick low end suited to heavy rhythm and lead work.
02Can I use it as an overdrive?
It is a distortion, not an overdrive. Rolling the gain back gets you less saturation, but the voicing stays aggressive rather than transparent.
03Will it work with a solid-state amp?
Yes. Run it into a clean channel and the pedal supplies the distortion character rather than relying on amp breakup.
04Does it fit a standard pedalboard?
It is a standard stompbox-format pedal and mounts on a normal board alongside other pedals.
