The Old Blood Noise Endeavors Excess V2 Distorting Modulator is a distortion, chorus and delay in one compact stompbox, aimed at what MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley called "the pedalboard adventurist"1. It is the second version of the Excess, which the company first released in 2017, and it carries over the same distortion, modulation and delay circuitry while fitting it into a smaller enclosure1.
What it does
The pedal stacks three effects that can be used together or separately. The distortion section is flexible at both ends of its range: "You can run it as a low-gain overdrive pedal or dime it for saturated, hard-clipping distortion," according to MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley1. That makes it a candidate for players who want a single box covering everything from a mild push to full distortion, alongside the modulation and delay.
The modulation side offers three options via a three-way toggle switch: delay, chorus and Fifth. Fifth is the unusual one, described as "a harmonized delay in which your signal is repeated a perfect fifth above the note your are playing"1. In practice, each delay repeat comes back shifted up a fifth, giving a harmonized echo rather than a straight copy.
Controls and layout
The Excess V2 keeps the dual-footswitch design of the original, with modulation on the left switch and distortion on the right, so the two sections can be engaged independently or together1.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Volume, Tone, Gain (top three knobs) | Dedicated to the distortion section1 |
| Three-way toggle | Selects delay, chorus or Fifth for the modulation section1 |
| Expression pedal input | Controls Rate and Depth parameters on the fly1 |
An expression pedal plugged into the input lets you sweep the modulation's Rate and Depth while playing, which is handy for swelling a chorus or speeding up the Fifth harmonies mid-phrase1.
V2 versus the original Excess
The original Excess distortion/chorus/delay arrived in 20171. The V2 keeps the same distortion, modulation and delay but houses them in a more compact enclosure, so the main practical difference for a pedalboard player is size1. If you are after more from the maker's modulation range, the company also makes the Reflector V2, the Reflector V3, the Visitor and the BL-82, and there are broader roundups of chorus pedals, distortion pedals and delay pedals on the site.
The $209 US and £199 UK prices are the list prices MusicRadar reported when the pedal was announced as available in February 20221.
Videos
Old Blood Noise Endeavors
Old Blood Noise Endeavors
The Pedal Zone
Questions
What does the Fifth setting do on the Excess V2?
Fifth is one of three positions on the modulation toggle, alongside delay and chorus. MusicRadar describes it as a harmonized delay in which your signal is repeated a perfect fifth above the note you are playing, so each delay repeat comes back harmonized up a fifth rather than as a straight copy of what you played.
Can the Excess V2 be used as a low-gain overdrive?
Yes. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley notes that the distortion section can be run as a low-gain overdrive pedal, or dialed up for saturated, hard-clipping distortion. With the Gain knob low it behaves like a mild drive, and with it high it becomes a full distortion.
Does the Excess V2 have an expression pedal input?
It does. The Excess V2 has an expression pedal input so you can control the Rate and Depth parameters on the fly, sweeping the modulation speed and intensity with your foot while you play.
How much does the Excess V2 cost?
MusicRadar listed the Excess V2 Distorting Modulator at $209 in the US and £199 in the UK when the pedal was announced as available in February 2022. Prices may have changed since, but that was the list price at launch.
Is the Excess V2 smaller than the original Excess?
Yes. The original Excess distortion/chorus/delay was released in 2017, and the V2 takes the same distortion, modulation and delay circuit and houses it in a more compact enclosure, so it takes up less pedalboard space than the first version.
