i think you need to work with your EQ sections as much as possible.....or possibly use an EQ pedal after your M9/M13 to help sculpt your tone.

i have done several gigs using just the M9, and have gotten decent sounds from just the M9 going into my amp.

you have to spend some time really tweaking the individual dirt pedal models. i have had the best tones with the tube drive, and using lower gain settings.

you might want to use the MXR EQ pedal after the M9......and then maybe consider getting some sort of booster pedal in front of the M9 for solos/more gain. i use a BJF Pine Green compressor in front of mine to give me a little extra when i need it.

keep rocking!

Here’s how I get whatever type of distortion I need out of my M13:

• at the risk of being obvious don’t overlook the tone settings on your amp; I set mine for a clean sound with the tone controls dialled to give a flat response then sculpt the sound with the Distortion Model controls, pick-up selection and the tone control on my guitar. (I rarely use the default settings since they can usually be tweaked to better suit whatever guitars/amps I’m using)
• like others have mentioned, use the EQ’s to further define the sound you want; if you’re not familiar with using them, experiment with the different types and adjust until your you’re happy. Patience pays off here…
• If you’re running any effects after your Distortion Model, experiment with the Mix controls: effects can add a lot of high end when the Mix is set high: adjusting it can provide a fuller sound. Alternately, by placing the EQ and the end of the chain you can reshape the frequencies of the effects used at a high Mix level.

Hope this helps, can’t agree with the previous opinion of the distortions; mine sure aren’t weak, thin or harsh by any comparison, (I’ve been playing twenty years and am pretty fanatic about tone). It’s just a matter of taking time to tweak the unit and get it sounding best with the rest of your gear.