Tone library / System Of A Down / Prison Song

Prison Song amp settings — Marshall DFX 100

The System Of A Down guitar tone for “Prison Song”, dialed in for a Marshall DFX 100 with a Ibanez RG470AHM. Studio version, Toxicity album (2001)

Original rig

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier + Marshall Plexi 1959SLP, Ibanez Iceman / Fender Big Apple Strat, Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, 4x12 cab

Tight, aggressive, scooped nu-metal chunk with percussive attack and controlled low-end

Amp settings — Marshall DFX 100

CHANNELOD2 (Overdrive 2 - highest gain channel)BRIGHToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	6
Mid	4
Treble	7
Presence	5
Reverb	0
Master	5

Don’t have a Marshall DFX 100? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Hotone Ampero One - Tube Screamer model

Use the TS808 or Tube Screamer model in the Ampero One. This tightens the low end and adds midrange cut. Place BEFORE amp block in signal chain. Drive low—it's a boost, not the main gain source.

Drive 3 · Tone 6 · Level 7

02Hotone Ampero One - Noise Gate

Essential for tight palm-muted riffs. Fast decay keeps chugs percussive.

Threshold 4 · Decay 3

Why these settings

The Marshall DFX is a solid-state amp with less low-end thump than a Dual Rectifier, so bass is pushed to 6 to compensate. Mids are set to 4 (slightly scooped) rather than the extreme Rectifier scoop because the DFX doesn't have the same low-mid density—going lower would sound thin. The Ampero One's TS model is critical here: it replicates the TS9's mid-hump and bass cut that Daron used to tighten the Rectifier's flub. Your RG470AHM's humbuckers have similar output to the Iceman, so no gain compensation needed.

PRO TIPTune to Drop C# (C# G# C# F# A# D#) or Drop B as used on Toxicity. The entire percussive attack of this tone depends on the low tuning—standard tuning will sound completely wrong regardless of settings. Palm mute HARD directly over the bridge saddles for that machine-gun chunk.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall DFX 100. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.