Spaceman Effects Titan II

The Spaceman Effects Titan II is a fuzz pedal, or "Fuzz Machine" as the maker calls it, built as a unique discrete circuit using silicon transistors¹. It is a three-knob pedal that Spaceman says covers a wide range of fuzz territory: at full gain you get what the maker describes as splatty, nasty fuzz tones, while lower gain settings cross over into fuzz-tinged distortion and even low-gain overdrive territory¹. Spaceman Effects builds it entirely in Portland, Oregon, hand-soldered and handmade, and it is currently listed as sold out at the maker's site¹.

What it is and what it does to your sound

Spaceman Effects positions the Titan II as a fuzz first, but the gain range is what sets it apart from a one-trick fuzz box. The maker describes the sound as splatty, nasty fuzz at full bore, with great low-gain tones and fuzz-tinged distortion tones in between, so a player can dial it back toward overdrive or distortion sounds without switching pedals¹. The circuit also responds to the guitar's volume control: Spaceman says it cleans up nicely as you roll the volume back, adding additional levels of fuzz texture and expression¹.

The pedal sits in a cast aluminum shell with a durable, engraved vinyl faceplate and a vintage dim-able indicator light on top¹. It has been offered in multiple finishes, shown in Silver, Light Blue, Black, Copper, Chrome and OD colorways¹. Spaceman also fits a custom heavy-duty battery connector for battery power alongside the 9V DC input¹.

The controls

The Titan II keeps things simple with three control parameters, which Spaceman says still pack a wide array of distinct tones into the enclosure¹.

The maker's own emphasis is on how much ground the Gain control covers. In Spaceman's words¹²:

Beyond the knobs, the volume knob on the guitar itself works as a fourth control, since the pedal cleans up with the instrument's volume¹.

How it is built and powered

The Titan II is an analog, discrete circuit with silicon transistors, not a digital emulation or a germanium design¹. Silicon fuzzes like this tend to be more consistent from unit to unit than germanium circuits, which are sensitive to temperature. Players comparing it with Spaceman's germanium offerings, such as the Sputnik III, are looking at a different transistor type and a different character of fuzz.

Signal connections run through open-frame Switchcraft jacks¹. Power comes from a 9V DC input, with a current draw of 0.7 mA when bypassed¹. The pedal also carries a custom Spaceman heavy-duty battery connector for battery operation¹.

Where it came from

Spaceman Effects is the Portland, Oregon builder behind the Titan II, which the company describes as a unique discrete circuit using silicon transistors¹². The pedal's cast aluminum shell sits under a durable, engraved vinyl faceplate with a vintage dim-able indicator light¹.

What reviewers said

The Titan II has drawn positive press attention. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described it in 2018 as³:

Among those reviews, the pedal received the "Premier Gear" award in a Premier Guitar review in April 2017, as noted by Delicious Audio³. Delicious Audio also echoes the maker's description of the circuit as a unique discrete design using silicon transistors³.

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