Old Blood Noise Endeavors Fault V2

A V2 Designed to Expand the Fault's Palette

By evolving the Fault platform, Old Blood Noise Endeavors aimed for one thing: to broaden the playing field. The Fault V2 retains the DNA that made the model famous (dual footswitch gain and 3-band EQ), while adding more "sculpting" tools to cover more situations: greater gain range, a Voice control to adjust the harmonic signature, and additional clipping options to go from a snappy overdrive to a denser distortion. The result: a pedal that can remain subtle and dynamic... or become a true riff machine, depending on your settings and attack.

Who Is the Fault V2 For, and In Which Styles Does It Make a Difference?

The Fault V2 is aimed at guitarists who want a central drive pedal on their pedalboard, capable of replacing (or complementing) several overdrives/distortions. It suits both intermediate players and demanding musicians: the slider EQ and gain stages require some curiosity but immediately reward with a sound more "tailored" to your rig.

In blues and rock, it excels at delivering an articulate crunch that responds to guitar volume, then a second gain level for solos. In indie, garage, or alternative styles, the perfect tool is often a drive that remains clear in the mix: the Fault V2 allows you to shape the mids and avoid the "amp masking" effect. In hard rock and heavier genres, the gain reserve and Crush option help thicken the tone while keeping frequency control.

In a studio context, the 3-band EQ facilitates fitting with a drum or bass track already rich in mids. In live settings, the second footswitch gain stage is a real convenience: one basic setting, then an immediate saturation boost without changing pedals.

Controls, Modes, and Adjustment Logic

The Fault V2 revolves around controls that are simple to understand but refined enough to cover many approaches. You have a main volume control to balance output level, a Gain 1 for base saturation, and a Gain 2 that adds a second gain stage footswitch-activatable to switch from a "rhythm" drive to a "lead" drive without touching the knobs.

The Voice control acts as a character tool: it adjusts how the drive expresses itself, influencing the sense of presence and grain structure. Additionally, there is a very effective equalization via three sliders dedicated to bass, mid, and treble : handy for brightening a dark guitar, taming an overly bright amp, or boosting mids to better cut through the mix.

Two switches further expand the palette. The Boost switch adjusts the Gain 1 knob range, allowing you to navigate from a clean to a medium gain behavior more easily. Meanwhile, the Crush switch adds a post-EQ clipping stage : useful for achieving a tighter, more compressed, and more "finished" saturation when you want a more pronounced distortion while keeping the EQ as a sculpting tool.

Regarding reliability and ergonomics, the pedal uses relay bypass switching, designed for a clean and consistent activation on stage.

Sound Character

The Fault V2 stands out with a character that is both modern and musical: it can remain open and dynamic when aiming for a clean boost or light overdrive, while offering a denser saturation buildup when pushing gain and activating the second stage. The response is generally very pleasant under the fingers: playing softer, the pedal can sound cleaner and more "fine-grained"; playing harder, it responds with more harmonics and a biting sensation.

The 3-band EQ is a real asset for shaping tone: you can thicken lows without muddiness, scoop or boost mids depending on the role (rhythm vs. lead), and adjust highs to control the brightness of single-coils or the presence of humbuckers. The Crush switch, placed after the EQ, is particularly useful if you like more "sculpted" drives: you first shape your spectrum, then densify the saturation, resulting in a coherent and controlled outcome.

In short, if you're looking for a pedal capable of covering boost, overdrive, and distortion with real adjustment range, the Fault V2 is a relevant choice: it can be subtle but doesn't lack authority when asked.

Technical specifications

Effects	Distortion, Overdrive	Type	sector
Format	Pedal	Use	electric guitar
EQ	3 channels	Color	Orange

Gain 2	adjustable second gain stage, footswitch-activatable	Power supply	2.1mm connector, center-negative
EQ sliders	bass, mid, treble	Power adapter	not included
Boost knob	adjusts the Gain 1 knob range from clean to medium	Required adapter	9V (2.1mm, center-negative)
Crush switch	adds an additional post-EQ clipping stage	Consumption	31 mA