Boss HM-2 Waza Craft vs Behringer HM300 - Do they sound the same?

[@WeAsACompany]

The Boss HM2 is one of the gnarliest pedals ever created, with such a distinctive sound. Does the Behringer HM300 sound exactly the same? What do you reckon?

[@devinftf]

Pam Beasley: They’re the same picture.

[@octobersunn]

I like how the gain control reminds me of the Danelectro fab tone distortion where it's pretty much set the same except for the first 10 percent. These circuits are all EQ.

[@djohnson2499]

Just like the FZ-2 and the SF300, they're so close to identical to render any differences pretty irrelevant. Nice

[@springbloom5940]

Not even close. Aside from the finer, sharper gain structure, the BOSS has dual active EQ controls, where the Behringer has a two stage tilt tone control. Which is why the HM2 sounds like a DS1 through a wah and the HM300 sounds like a... well... a plastic box. The HM300 is more of a high gain fuzz. What do you expect for $15?

[@OctoberSoda]

@@springbloom5940 I have owned both of these pedals including the mij HM-2. They both sound like fuzzes. While the eq on the HM-2 has more range it doesn't make it better. You can still get almost the same tones out of the HM300. The HM-2 cuts through the mix better but still not far off from the HM300. At the end of the day these pedals sound like complete garbage but very cool at the same time. There isn't much of a sense arguing over a pedal that sounds horrendous. I would recommend just going with the HM300 it's cheaper and sounds almost the same.

[@OmicronTauKappaClassicDaddy]

HM-2w sounds a little bit better but perhaps not $174 better. I think I'll stick with my $19 HM300 for those rare times when I need the brutes in my tonez.

[@manualofalternativemusic]

They sound really close, but it’s possible to tell that there’s some difference regarding the mid frequency response on both on chainsaw sounds. The chainsaw on the Behringer seems a tad more raspy. On a more mild setting on the High knob, they sound really close. Great pedals, and great video as always!

[@fbongco5233]

I have the hm300. I rehoused it. Did some mods adding oscillation. Both are great pedals.

[@ericsalinas1839]

Very versatile pedals. I can hear some Soundgarden in there. They're not limited to chainsaw

[@chrisjohnson9300]

Absolutely agree!! Great sludgy tones for soundgarden, Melvin’s and TAD (Tad Doyle actually used a hm2 in early TAD material).. I even personally get have found some Nirvana Bleach-esque tones with an hm2.

[@poopsock7991]

@@chrisjohnson9300more on this, Belinda Butcher of MBV used one live!

[@gannakin]

I’ve done this test a few times as well. HM300 is a fantastic gateway drug for this circuit. I’ve since found the KMA Wurm is my favorite. Great video, as always.

[@WeAsACompany]

We would love to try the KMA Wurm.

[@ivarvanderheijden]

The HM-2w sounds a tad beefier, the HM300 a little tinnier, at least to my ears. I own both, and an Eyemaster as well. Eyemaster is a great chainsaw clone, though not as versatile as the HM-2 (or the HM300, for that matter). I've noticed the HM-2w sounds quite ok on bass, in custom mode, with the highs tempered a little. When using the Eyemaster or HM300 I always need to use an EQ pedal after it, to compensate the loss of low end.

[@guilhermedosreisnascimento228]

I have an onerr super distortion, a cheap pedal made in Brazil, although i has paid a lot for it, recently found out that it is basically an hm2 clone, so I'm happy

[@extremelycreativeusername3190]

the only noticeable difference for me was in the chainsaw tone. great pedals! i will have to pick up the HM300!

[@Gee-no]

The boss sounds a lil chunkier. I use to hv one in 1990 I mounted it in my Crate 3/4 stacks head with a foot switch on the ground. Badass sound. Like a chainsaw. I first heard the HM2 when my buddy started playing guitar. I only had the boss orange ds1. I coveted his pedal right away. Plus he played it thru a small fender tube amp. Sounded raunchy as hell. My ds1 thru a fender solid state sounded like a broken radio turned up all the way. Ahh. Those were the days.

[@fletches4084]

I have both. Had the HM-2 for years and bought the Behringer as a "cheap" replacement for my son to use in his rig, in the erroneous belief they are essentially the same pedal. They are very much NOT the same. The Boss is a much better item than the HM300. Either that or my original HM-2 has aged very well over the years.

[@palesama]

Boss made it through the Behringer for me at all the comparatives, more at chainsaw. No wonder I would save some more coins to get one that lasts for a longer time and sounds more pleasant to my ears.

[@theinnermostsanctum]

Saved me some money. I already own an HM300...now i can dime it! I may not be Dismember or Soundgarden but I'm angry AF & loud.

[@RobTheUndertaker]

Yeah, they're pretty close, which is very surprising considering that the Behringer is so cheap. The only real difference is the HM-2 has more lower end.

[@stephanepancher8056]

Great job once again!

[@lesfrithdidier2745]

Good demo! I love my boss hm-2 waza craft 🔥🔥✌️! The behringer hm300 is a good deal!😎

[@DeadlyFredXXX]

I was very satisfied upgrading my Behringer "Metal Zone" to the real deal but I feel like this one is a MUCH closer race and much harder to justify shelling out for the genuine article.

[@jamesblair2000]

The Hm-2 is displaying slightly more low end range.

[@brainbomb.]

Soothing.

[@WW-1995]

They're not the same since you can clearly hear the difference between those two. Prefers the HM-2 because it has more bass though. For the money the HM300 is a great alternative.

[@splipinski1980]

In my humble opinion, to get the best chainsaw tone, the HM-2 circuit sounds best in front of a driven amp. Like a JCM 800 with the pre amp gain set very high. Now, while the HM-300 will get close, I can tell a difference in the room. But keep this in mind, I own three original HM-2’s and they all sound a little different. I tend to always reach for the Boss HM-2’s. There’s just something that they have that the HM-300 doesn’t. I should also mention that I had the Waza Craft HM-2W and sold it because I honestly didn’t like it. I think they missed the mark on the reissue. So between the HM-2W and HM-300, I’d probably save the money and go with the Behringer.

[@WeAsACompany]

Thx for your comment. What's the difference between the hm2 and the hm2w in your opinion?

[@splipinski1980]

@@WeAsACompany It’s kinda difficult to put into words. The HM-2W in standard mode is a little too refined. It’s missing some of the nasty upper mids. It’s not disgusting enough for my tastes. That said, I’ll probably end up buying another one when the price eventually goes down. Haha. Every pedal is slightly different due to component tolerance, so maybe the one I had was just boring. But that might take 35 years to surface like it did in the originals. Haha. Who knows? 🤷‍♂️

[@WeAsACompany]

@@splipinski1980 Make sense, We would like to put our hands on a vintage HM2.

[@mikerauter1859]

I agree totally and did the same with my HM2w! Personally I think the HM2 setting on a Boss OD20 multi OD is closer to the OG HM2 than this waza travesty.

[@beersingha161]

For me , same

[@rollingedges9469]

You can here the headroom in the hm-2 but i'm still getting that hm-300! I own a od-200 and still can't get that sound! Lol!🤗

[@Davedarave6661]

Good vid test,, Eric Clapton used a boss hm-2 back in the day for his blues ect, do you think the B HM300 could doe Eric sound too? cheers be good vid? as boss is very pricey but good cheers.

[@k.g.5221]

Boss is better sounding at max, I think the Behringer is great but its mids are little different. they can get almost identical sounds without being identical. I hate to say this, I can't tell much of a difference with the waza switch though

[@olneya_band_official]

for me the same

[@mr.fingers]

one has a buffor before it, the other one doesn’t.

[@matthewpublikum3114]

Hm300 seems to have a bit of low mids attenuation.

[@R1GAMBLER]

CHAINSAW 🧡

[@lillehammerexperimental]

Weight in sound / chugs - boss wins

[@brainbomb.]

5:04,5:25,6:10,6:39

[@jamesbarnett726]

Not the same ! Boss has greater clarity and fidelity !!! I own neither of these.

[@brownsfanlarry1340]

Seriously! I wouldn't waste my money on any Beringer products. They're made cheap & sound terrible, plus they always break .

[@livinghere1972]

Sounds like the original - so that must sound terrible?

[@BlueBarrier782]

The SF300 sounds frigging identical to the boss fz2. For the average person, a used fz2 is stupid expensive, so the behringer is a great alternative.