The Boss XT-2 Xtortion is a high-gain distortion pedal from 1996, built around two midrange controls, Contour and Punch, that set it apart from the ordinary Level-and-Distortion layout of most distortion pedals. Boss describes the pedal as producing "thick, solid gain with a commanding presence" even through clean amps, with the two extra knobs unlocking "a huge range of midrange control"12.
The original pedal is long out of production. Guitar Pedal X dates it to 1996 and notes it was "only in circulation for a couple of years"2. Pedal of the Day, reviewing the pedal in 2020, describes how limited Boss releases of this kind "usually get halted fairly quickly, and they die off into the history books, until years later" a new generation rediscovers them3. The circuit has since returned in digital form: Boss released the XT-2 Xtortion as one of the second trio of Model Passes for the Boss PX-1 Plugout FX in May 2026, alongside the CS-2 Compression Sustainer and PW-2 Power Driver4.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Output volume; "Level and Distortion do what they always do," per Pedal of the Day3 |
| Distortion | Sets the amount of gain3 |
| Contour | Cuts the highs or boosts the lows3 |
| Punch | Sets the distortion depth, adding in a bit of mid boost as well3 |
The Contour and Punch pair is the pedal's reason for being. Boss says the two controls let the player create scooped mids for heavy riffs, or boost focus and trim girth to slice through dense mixes1. That makes the XT-2 a midrange-shaping gain pedal in the same family spirit as Boss's other heavy-duty designs like the MT-2 Metal Zone and ML-2 Metal Core, though it is its own circuit rather than a variant of either.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's 2020 review treats the XT-2 as a rediscovered oddity worth hearing, and the site put together a demo video so readers could hear it in action3. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson is less generous about the original: "always felt that the Xtortion pedal never quite reached its full potential. There was something strange about those controls" and the overall circuit, he writes, a view he offered in the context of a builder reworking the design5.
"Contour and Punch unlock a huge range of midrange control."
Videos
Volt Boy Audio
Riffs, Beards & Gear
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Is the Boss XT-2 Xtortion discontinued?
Yes. The original XT-2 pedal was a short-lived release: Guitar Pedal X notes it was only in circulation for a couple of years after its 1996 introduction before production ended. Pedal of the Day describes how limited-run Boss pedals of this kind often die off into the history books until a later generation rediscovers them. The circuit lives on digitally as a Model Pass for the Boss PX-1, released in May 2026.
What does the Punch knob do on the XT-2?
Punch sets the distortion depth, adding in a bit of mid boost as well, according to Pedal of the Day. Together with the Contour control it is one of the two knobs Boss points to when describing the pedal's midrange control, which ranges from scooped mids for heavy riffs to a boosted, focused midrange that trims girth.
What does the Contour knob do on the Boss XT-2?
Pedal of the Day describes Contour as cutting the highs or boosting the lows. Paired with Punch, it gives the XT-2 its range of midrange shaping, letting the player scoop the mids for heavy riffing or boost focus and trim girth to cut through a dense mix.
When did the Boss XT-2 come out?
The original XT-2 Xtortion pedal dates from 1996, according to Guitar Pedal X, and stayed in production only a couple of years. Boss revived the design as a Model Pass for the PX-1 Plugout FX, released in May 2026 alongside CS-2 and PW-2 models.
Can the XT-2 do scooped mids?
Yes. Boss describes the Contour and Punch controls as unlocking a huge range of midrange control, and says the pedal can create scooped mids for heavy riffs or, at the other end of the range, boost focus and trim girth to slice through dense mixes.
Sources (5)
- BOSS - PX-1 | Plugout FX, BOSS (www.boss.info)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-05-21
- Boss XT-2 Xtortion Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2020-03-22
- BOSS PX-1 Plugout FX: CS-2, PW-2, and XT-2 Model Passes, BOSS (articles.boss.info), 2026-06-17
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-11-01
