The Truetone VS-XO is a Truetone overdrive pedal. Close alternatives include the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer and the T-Rex - 10134 Diva. It pairs well with the Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo and the Friedman BE-Mini Head.
Truetone VS-XO
Truetone · pedal
The Truetone VS-XO is a premium dual overdrive from Truetone (formerly Visual Sound), housing two independent drive circuits that behave more like a pair of pro-level preamps than a single stompbox. One side is voiced with flat mids for a very amp-like, transparent overdrive in the Nobels ODR-1 tradition, with Drive, Tone, Volume and a Bass control setting low-end weight. The other has pronounced but non-honky mids and sits between a Tube Screamer and a Klon depending on settings, adding a three-way clipping diode switch, a three-way Bass switch and a Clean Mix knob for retaining dry attack and definition. Together they cover clean boost, subtle crunch, amp-like grind, compressed distortion and fat, fully saturated leads, on guitar or bass. Separate inputs and outputs for each circuit let the two drives be used independently or reordered.
- reliable
- overdrive
- mids
- bass
- distortion
- crunch
- attack
- preamp
Genres the Truetone VS-XO is commonly used in
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Hard Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Truetone VS-XO
Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo
Mesa Boogie
23% matchMesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchRun mid-forward into Friedman BE-Mini Head for more high gain on top
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchPut Synergy SL2 Module in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchPut Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head
Hiwatt
tonal matchPut Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Hughes & Kettner Coreblade
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchHughes & Kettner Coreblade layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Ceriatone 2202H
Ceriatone
tonal matchPut Ceriatone 2202H in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Friedman Phil X Signature
Friedman
tonal matchFriedman Phil X Signature layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Pedals that stack with the Truetone VS-XO
Nobels ODR-1
Nobels
41% match“in the Nobels ODR-1 tradition”
Fjord Fuzz Odin
Fjord Fuzz
26% matchFjord Fuzz Odin layers fuzzy onto an already mid-forward signal
Fuzzrocious Cosmic Bull Shark
Fuzzrocious
15% matchKeep Fuzzrocious Cosmic Bull Shark after Truetone VS-XO in the signal chain, clear of Truetone VS-XO's own gain stage
Artec SE-NGT
Artec
11% matchKeep the SE-NGT ahead of the VS-XO — it silences noise before the reliable, mid-bass overdrive kicks in.
Mr. Black Bloodmoon
Mr Black
9% matchRun Mr. Black Bloodmoon after Truetone VS-XO in the signal chain, clear of Truetone VS-XO's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Alexander Pedals SpaceXpander
Alexander Pedals
8% matchKeep Alexander Pedals SpaceXpander after Truetone VS-XO in the signal chain, clear of Truetone VS-XO's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Cusack Music Carolina Reaper Overdrive Fuzz
Cusack Music
tonal matchPut Cusack Music Carolina Reaper Overdrive Fuzz in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2
Dr Scientist
tonal matchRun mid-forward into Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 for more fuzzy on top
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
Ibanez
72% similarityShared character: bass_amplifier, tube_screamer, volume
T-Rex - 10134 Diva
T Rex
71% similarityShared character: tube_screamer, definition, mix
Knight Audio Technologies Kat-STB
pedal
71% similarityShared character: volume, boost, lead
JHS Haunting Mids
JHS Pedals
71% similarityShared character: honky, definition, lead
Fulltone OCD
Fulltone
71% similarityShared character: fat, volume, boost
Ibanez Tube Screamer
Ibanez
70% similarityShared character: attack, boost, lead
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
Electro-Harmonix
70% similarityShared character: volume, boost, lead
Tone City Big Rumble
Tone City
70% similarityShared character: fat, attack, boost
EarthQuaker Devices Zoar
EarthQuaker Devices
70% similarityShared character: fat, boost, lead
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
70% similarityShared character: volume, boost, lead
Fender Hammertone Metal
Fender
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Tech 21 California Overdrive
Tech 21
95% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Truetone VS-XO (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Truetone VS-XO?+
The closest matches in character are the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, the T-Rex - 10134 Diva, the Knight Audio Technologies Kat-STB.
What pairs well with the Truetone VS-XO?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo, Friedman BE-Mini Head, Synergy SL2 Module — Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal.