The Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2 is an Electronic Audio Experiments overdrive pedal, currently around $239. Close alternatives include the Beetronics Overhive and the Spaceman Redstone. It pairs well with the Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube and the Marshall JCM900 2100.

Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2

Electronic Audio Experiments · pedal

The Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd V2 is a genuine 2021 hardware redevelopment of the original Halberd discrete-transistor overdrive, shrinking the enclosure to a compact 125B format, replacing the original's NOS germanium transistor and its power-hungry switching with quiet CMOS-based electronic bypass (dropping current draw from 180mA to 50mA), and adding a 3-way Voice toggle (Clang/Standard/Deep) for broader tonal shaping. It retains the Post, Pre, Tone, and Low control layout, delivering the Halberd's transparent, textured overdrive character in a more pedalboard-friendly, reliable package.

What stands out

  • “The Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd V2 is a genuine 2021 hardware redevelopment of the original Halberd discrete-transistor overdrive, shrinking the enclosure to a compact 125B format, replacing the original's NOS germanium transistor …”

    — from the listing

  • “s nos germanium transistor and its power-hungry switching with quiet cmos-based electronic bypass”

    — from the listing

  • “125B enclosure is a genuine reduction from the original's larger BB-size format, a real pedalboard-space improvement”

    — from the reviews

  • “It retains the Post, Pre, Tone, and Low control layout, delivering the Halberd's transparent, textured overdrive character in a more pedalboard-friendly, reliable package”

    — from the listing

  • “5 update, which kept this V2 circuit but smoothed control tapers and added headroom”

    — from the community notes

Trade-offs

  • “cmos-based electronic bypass switching cuts current draw by more than two-thirds”

    — from the reviews

  • “drastically cutting current draw for pedalboard power budgets”

    — from the community notes

  • bypass
  • transparent
  • headroom
  • electronic
  • gain
  • overdrive
  • transistor
  • amp like
Used$239View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 23, 2026

Genres the Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2 is commonly used in

Amps that pair well with the Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2

Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube

Engl

23% match
$3169.99via Reverb

Into a high headroom tone, Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing

Comes later in the signal chain

Marshall JCM900 2100

Marshall

22% match
$799.95via Reverb

Marshall JCM900 2100 leans this high headroom tone toward mid-forward, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Ceriatone 2202H

Ceriatone

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a high headroom tone, Ceriatone 2202H brings a pull toward high gain that's missing

Engl 120 E610 MK II

Engl

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a high headroom tone, Engl 120 E610 MK II brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing

ENGL Special Edition E670

Engl

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

ENGL Special Edition E670 leans this high headroom tone toward mid-forward, which it doesn't make on its own

Synergy SL2 Module

Synergy

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a high headroom tone, Synergy SL2 Module brings a pull toward high gain that's missing

Hiwatt Crunch 150R 112C

Hiwatt

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Hiwatt Crunch 150R 112C leans this high headroom tone toward medium gain, which it doesn't make on its own

Engl Savage 60 Mark II

Engl

tonal match
$1723.42via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Engl Savage 60 Mark II leans this high headroom tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own

Pedals that stack with the Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler

Dr Scientist

21% match
$203.84via Reverb

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler leans this high headroom tone toward low gain, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Marshall Guv'nor

Marshall

20% match
$106via Reverb

Marshall Guv'nor leans this high headroom tone toward mid-forward, which it doesn't make on its own

TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler

TC Electronic

14% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Run TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler after Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2 in the signal chain, clear of Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2's own gain stage

Comes later in the signal chain

J. Rockett Airchild Six Sixty

J Rockett

13% match
$229.99via Reverb

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (high headroom → compressed)

J. Rockett Airchild Six Sixty leans toward harmonically rich, and that's a real, usable character to pair with

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Binson Echorec Delay

Binson

9% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Binson Echorec Delay after Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2 in the signal chain, clear of Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Strymon BigSky

Strymon

7% match
$679via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put Strymon BigSky after Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2 in the signal chain, clear of Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2

Dr Scientist

tonal match
$203.84via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a high headroom tone, Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 brings a pull toward fuzzy that's missing

Donner Big Mouth Distortion

Donner

tonal match
$29.95via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a high headroom tone, Donner Big Mouth Distortion brings a pull toward high gain that's missing

Cheaper alternatives

67Audio Libido

67audio

62% similarity
$94.98via Reverb

Shared character: true bypass, headroom, transparent

67Audio Harry Balz

67audio

57% similarity
$104.11via Reverb

Shared character: true bypass, headroom, gain

Dunlop MXR M294 Sugar Drive

Dunlop

55% similarity
$122.15via Reverb

Shared character: true bypass, headroom, transparent

Sonicake Trio Rider

Sonicake

53% similarity
$57.49via Reverb

Shared character: true bypass, transparent, gain

MXR M294 Sugar Drive Mini

MXR

53% similarity
$122.15via Reverb

Shared character: true bypass, transparent, overdrive

Keeley Electronics Katana Boost

Keeley

52% similarity
$199via Reverb

Shared character: headroom, transparent

Boutique & premium upgrades

Boss FA-1 FET Amp

Boss

90% similarity
$399.99via Reverb

similar tone character

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Beetronics Overhive

Beetronics

61% similarity

Shared character: wide tonal range, true bypass, transparent

Spaceman Redstone

Spaceman

58% similarity
$249via Reverb

Shared character: true bypass, headroom, gain

Klon KTR

Klon

57% similarity

Shared character: true bypass, headroom, transparent

Electronic Audio Experiments Surveyor V2

Electronic Audio Experiments

56% similarity
$249via Reverb

Shared character: original, true bypass, gain

Keeley Oxblood Overdrive

Keeley

55% similarity

Shared character: true bypass, headroom, transparent

Matthews Effects Aristocrat MOSFET Boost

Matthews Effects

52% similarity

Shared character: headroom, transparent

See all alternatives to the Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2 (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2?+

The closest matches in character are the Beetronics Overhive, the Spaceman Redstone, the Klon KTR. Budget picks: 67Audio Libido, 67Audio Harry Balz, Dunlop MXR M294 Sugar Drive. Boutique upgrades: Boss FA-1 FET Amp.

What pairs well with the Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube, Marshall JCM900 2100, Ceriatone 2202H — Into a high headroom tone, Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing.

How much does the Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2 cost?+

Around $239 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).

Compare

Related searches