{"product_id":"monarch-mdi-22-distortion","title":"Monarch MDI-22 Distortion","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Monarch MDI-22 Distortion is a Japanese-built analog distortion pedal developed in the early 1990s, sharing its circuit and construction with the Aria ADT-1 and several OEM counterparts such as the IMG Stage Line MDI-22, Ken Multi MDI-22, Axe MDT-7, and Sound Lab MDT-7. All of these pedals were produced by the same manufacturer and differ only in branding and minor aesthetic details.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned around the well-regarded JRC4558 operational amplifier, the MDI-22 delivers a smooth, responsive distortion character with strong midrange presence and tight bass. This particular pedal has \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eBA4558 chip, that is equivalent to the coveted JRC4558. The tone profile sits between classic overdrive and full distortion, offering touch-sensitive dynamics that respond naturally to playing style and guitar volume. Its gain range spans from warm crunch suitable for rhythm work to thick, saturated drive for solos, making it adaptable across genres such as blues, hard rock, and early metal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pedal features a straightforward three-control layout: Level, Tone, and Distortion. Level adjusts the overall output, Tone sculpts the frequency balance from dark and mellow to bright and cutting, and Distortion controls the amount of gain and clipping. Together, they provide a versatile foundation for both transparent boost applications and heavier distortion textures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEncased in a compact molded plastic chassis, the MDI-22 combines portability with durability. It includes an LED status indicator, a footswitch for bypass control, and operates via 9V battery or standard 9V DC power supply. The pedal's construction and internal design are identical to its sibling models, confirming its shared lineage within the Aria family of effects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eControls\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLevel:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eSets overall output volume\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTone:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAdjusts frequency contour from warm to bright\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDistortion:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eVaries gain and saturation intensity\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eConnections\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInput:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e1\/4-inch mono input jack\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOutput:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e1\/4-inch mono output jack\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePower Input:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e9V DC center-negative jack\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eTechnical Specifications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOperational Amplifier:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eBA4558\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInput Impedance:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e300 kOhm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOutput Impedance:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e200 Ohm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaximum Gain:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e50 dB\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eS\/N Ratio:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e85 dB\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency Response:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e70 Hz to 5 kHz\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePower Source:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e9V battery or 9V DC adapter\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e125 mm (L) x 75 mm (W) x 55 mm (H)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e305 g\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCountry of Manufacture:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eJapan\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHighlights\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIdentical circuitry to the Aria ADT-1 Distortion and other OEM versions such as the Ken Multi MDI-22 and IMG Stage Line MDI-22\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClassic JRC4558-based analog circuit with natural midrange emphasis and smooth clipping\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWide tonal range covering light overdrive to high-gain distortion\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimple three-knob layout for intuitive tone shaping\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLightweight yet robust molded housing ideal for portable use\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA collectible representative of early-1990s Japanese OEM distortion designs\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Monarch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59114382983493,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0529\/5082\/7161\/files\/20260904_144746.jpg?v=1788522787","url":"https:\/\/www.tonefestguitargallery.com\/products\/monarch-mdi-22-distortion","provider":"Tonefest Guitar Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}