The ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost is a ThorpyFX boost pedal, currently around $246.85. Close alternatives include the Klon KTR and the Benson Amps Germanium Preamp (Boost). It pairs well with the 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe and the Roland Cube Street.
ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost
ThorpyFX · pedal
The ThorpyFX Heavy Water is a dual high-headroom boost, built after requests to release the boost side of the Dane as a standalone pedal. The right-hand side is that Dane-derived clean boost, with Output and Lows controls that thin the signal out or fatten it up while otherwise leaving the amp's character alone -- at modest settings a subtle always-on lift that simply makes an amp sound better. The left side shares the same controls but clips through germanium diodes for a grittier, warmer, more textured boost with a touch of natural compression. Each half works independently, and stacking both will smash the front end of a valve amp into full overdriven submission. Reviewers rate it among the most versatile boosts available, running from transparent tone enhancement to an outright lead screamfest, in ThorpyFX's exemplary aircraft-aluminium build.
- distortion
- boost
- amp sound
- clean boost
- boutique
- touch
- germanium
- diode
Price updated Aug 28, 2026
Genres the ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost is commonly used in
- Hard Rock
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Punk
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost
1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe
Fender
25% match1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe's full balances out the thin tone
Roland Cube Street
Roland
25% matchWhere this leans thin, Roland Cube Street answers back full
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchSynergy SL2 Module's high gain fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchFriedman BE-Mini Head's high gain fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own
Bad Cat Lynx
Bad Cat
tonal matchWhere this leans thin, Bad Cat Lynx answers back full
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchHughes & Kettner Warp 7's high gain fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own
Bogner Barcelona
Bogner
tonal matchRun Bogner Barcelona after it and the thin edge settles into something more full
Orange Rockerverb 50 MkIII 50W 2x12 Combo
Orange
tonal matchOrange Rockerverb 50 MkIII 50W 2x12 Combo's full balances out the thin tone
Pedals that stack with the ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost
Suhr Rufus Reloaded
Suhr
26% matchRun Suhr Rufus Reloaded into that transparent platform and it finally gets some fuzzy
Cusack Music Tap-A-Fuzz
Cusack Music
26% matchThe transparent tone has headroom to spare — Cusack Music Tap-A-Fuzz gives it fuzzy to fill it with
MXR ZW90 Wylde Phase
MXR
19% matchPut MXR ZW90 Wylde Phase after ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost in the signal chain, clear of ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost's own gain stage
Walrus Audio Fable
Walrus Audio
15% matchPut Walrus Audio Fable after ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost in the signal chain, clear of ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Electro-Harmonix Pico Platform
Electro-Harmonix
15% matchElectro-Harmonix Pico Platform leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
FoxGear EchoSex
Foxgear
9% matchPut FoxGear EchoSex after ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost in the signal chain, clear of ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz
Behringer
tonal matchBehringer SF300 Super Fuzz is voiced for a clean amp's front end — ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost gives it exactly that
Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz
Black Arts Toneworks
tonal matchThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz wants
Cheaper alternatives
Crowther Hot Cake
Crowther
72% similarityShared character: amp, boost, subtle
Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027
Dunlop
71% similarityShared character: amp, boost, subtle
67Audio Libido
67audio
71% similarityShared character: amp, boost, transparent
Warm Audio Centavo
Warm Audio
70% similarityShared character: original, boost, subtle
Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost
Blackstar
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Benson Amps Portable Distortion 424 MKII
Benson Amps
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Klon KTR
Klon
74% similarityShared character: amp, boost, touch
Benson Amps Germanium Preamp (Boost)
Benson Amps
71% similarityShared character: amp, boost, transparent
Strymon Riverside
Strymon
71% similarityShared character: boost, touch, transparent
Wadsworth Music Engager Boost
Wadsworth Music
70% similarityShared character: amp, transparent, s_build_quality
Matthews Effects Architect
Matthews Effects
67% similarityShared character: boost, distortion, s_build_quality
Beetronics AB-ST
Beetronics
60% similarityShared character: boost, boutique_stuff
See all alternatives to the ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost?+
The closest matches in character are the Klon KTR, the Benson Amps Germanium Preamp (Boost), the Strymon Riverside. Budget picks: Crowther Hot Cake, Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027, 67Audio Libido. Boutique upgrades: ThorpyFX The Dane, Analog Man King of Tone.
What pairs well with the ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe, Roland Cube Street, Synergy SL2 Module — 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe's full balances out the thin tone.
How much does the ThorpyFX Heavy Water Dual Boost cost?+
Around $246.85 (live listing price, updated Aug 28, 2026).
Compare
- vs Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost
- vs Benson Amps Portable Distortion 424 MKII
- vs Hudson Electronics Dual Broadcast