The Xotic ACB-V2 is a Xotic overdrive pedal, currently around $180. Close alternatives include the Silktone Overdrive Plus and the Wampler Tumnus Deluxe. It pairs well with the Fender Prosonic and the Dumble Steel String Singer.
Xotic ACB-V2
Xotic · pedal
The Xotic AC Booster V2 is a warm, amp-like overdrive and booster from the Los Angeles maker, offering over 20dB of gain with a voice designed to behave like pushing a good tube amp harder rather than imposing a pedal character of its own. Its active two-band EQ gives up to 15dB of boost or cut at bass and treble, so the drive can be fattened for a thicker rhythm voice or opened up for cutting leads while keeping the midrange natural. The gain range runs from a nearly clean, slightly thickened boost through to a full, harmonically rich medium-gain crunch, staying touch-sensitive and cleaning up readily with the guitar's volume. Internal DIP switches adjust the clipping and gain structure for further voicing. The V2 refines the circuit in Xotic's compact enclosure.
What stands out
“Xotic's updated AC Booster, praised for warm amp-like overdrive with refined circuitry in premium compact format”
— from the community notes
“Build quality is excellent”
— from the community notes
“The gain range runs from a nearly clean, slightly thickened boost through to a full, harmonically rich medium-gain crunch, staying touch-sensitive and cleaning up readily with the guitar's volume”
— from the listing
“The Xotic AC Booster V2 is a warm, amp-like overdrive and booster from the Los Angeles maker, offering over 20dB of gain with a voice designed to behave like pushing a good tube amp harder”
— from the listing
“Its active two-band EQ gives up to 15dB of boost or cut at bass and treble, so the drive can be fattened for a thicker rhythm voice or opened up for cutting leads while keeping the midrange natural”
— from the listing
- amp like
- overdrive
- warm
- medium gain
- treble
- bass
- rich
- cut
Good for
- Busking
- Live
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Xotic ACB-V2 is commonly used in
- Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues 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. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Xotic ACB-V2
Fender Prosonic
amplifier
26% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
Where this leans bright, Fender Prosonic answers back warm
Comes later in the signal chain
Dumble Steel String Singer
Dumble
25% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
Dumble Steel String Singer leans smooth right where the bright tone needs it
Comes later in the signal chain
Hiwatt Park P18LH 'Little 45' Handwired18W
Hiwatt
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Hiwatt Park P18LH 'Little 45' Handwired18W leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Orange BT1000H Terror Bass 1000-Watt Bass Amp
Orange
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Orange BT1000H Terror Bass 1000-Watt Bass Amp after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Orange Terror Bass
Orange
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Orange Terror Bass after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Orange Little Bass Thing
Orange
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Orange Little Bass Thing leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Gibson GA-50
Gibson
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Gibson GA-50's warm balances out the bright tone
Victory Amplifiers V50 The Earl
amplifier
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Where this leans bright, Victory Amplifiers V50 The Earl answers back warm
Pedals that stack with the Xotic ACB-V2
Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator
pedal
22% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator after Xotic ACB-V2 in the signal chain, clear of Xotic ACB-V2's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Ashdown Velvet Compressor
Ashdown
19% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
Ashdown Velvet Compressor leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Catalinbread SFT
Catalinbread
18% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
Where this leans bright, Catalinbread SFT answers back warm
ZVEX Fuzz Factory
Zvex
18% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
Where this leans bright, ZVEX Fuzz Factory answers back smooth
Comes later in the signal chain
Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler
pedal
14% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler after Xotic ACB-V2 in the signal chain, clear of Xotic ACB-V2's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
T-Rex Junior Roomate
T Rex
14% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Xotic ACB-V2's warm voice out front: T-Rex Junior Roomate goes after Xotic ACB-V2 in the signal chain so its warm voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
SolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive
Solidgoldfx
tonal matchRun SolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive after it and the bright edge settles into something more smooth
Dunlop Blue Hippo Optical Tremolo
Dunlop
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Dunlop Blue Hippo Optical Tremolo leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Cheaper alternatives
Spaceman Effects Atlas IV
Spaceman
59% similarityShared character: circuit, rich, boost
Suhr Shiba Mini Overdrive
Suhr
56% similarityShared character: bass, full, overdrive
Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027
Dunlop
56% similarityShared character: treble, natural, boost
MXR Prime Distortion
MXR
55% similaritySimilar voicing: bright, op-amp
Maxon OD808
Maxon
55% similarityShared character: natural, touch, crunch
MXR M69P Prime Distortion
MXR
53% similaritySimilar voicing: op-amp, bright
Boutique & premium upgrades
Browne Amplification Carbon
Browne Amplification
58% similarityShared character: circuit, treble, crunch
Analog Man King of Tone
Analog Man
56% similarityShared character: internal switch, treble, natural
Strymon Riverside
Strymon
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Silktone Overdrive Plus
Silktone
56% similarityShared character: rich, touch, full
Wampler Tumnus Deluxe
Wampler
54% similarityShared character: treble, crunch, boost
Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster
Dallas
54% similarityShared character: rich, treble, boost
Wren and Cuff Two Five Drive/Boost
Wren And Cuff
53% similarityShared character: treble, natural, bass
Xotic BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
53% similarityShared character: circuit, treble, boost
Suhr Riot
Suhr
53% similarityShared character: rich, touch, crunch
See all alternatives to the Xotic ACB-V2 (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Xotic ACB-V2?+
The closest matches in character are the Silktone Overdrive Plus, the Wampler Tumnus Deluxe, the Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster. Budget picks: Spaceman Effects Atlas IV, Suhr Shiba Mini Overdrive, Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027. Boutique upgrades: Browne Amplification Carbon, Analog Man King of Tone, Strymon Riverside.
What pairs well with the Xotic ACB-V2?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Prosonic, Dumble Steel String Singer, Hiwatt Park P18LH 'Little 45' Handwired18W — Where this leans bright, Fender Prosonic answers back warm.
How much does the Xotic ACB-V2 cost?+
Around $180 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).