Aphelion

Aion FX from Des Moines, IA has helped guitarists build studio-quality effects since 2011. Their approach emphasizes historical accuracy combined with modern reliability improvements.

The Aphelion recreates the MXR Distortion+ (1973) and DOD 250 (1976), essentially the same circuit with minor value differences. These pedals pioneered hard diode-to-ground clipping and served as the foundation for later designs like the Boss DS-1 and ProCo RAT.

The simple single-op-amp circuit delivers aggressive, cutting distortion that defined early hard rock tones. Randy Rhoads famously used the Distortion+ with Ozzy Osbourne, while the DOD 250 became a Nashville session staple. The Aion FX version includes switching options for exploring both variants.