Vertex Effects Vertex Boost MKII

The Vertex Boost MKII is a single-knob boost pedal from Vertex Effects that delivers up to +16dB of ultra-transparent level over unity gain¹. It is a clean booster at heart: with the Level knob up it will drive an amp into saturation or give a solo a clean level bump, without adding color of its own². Announced on 30 March 2021, it is the second version of the Vertex Boost, 33% slimmer than the MKI and fitted with two buffers instead of one³⁴.

What sets it apart from most one-knob boosts is the insert jack on the rear. This 1/8-inch TRS jack lets you attach an external volume or expression pedal, which then controls the level while keeping the guitar's signal isolated and free of tone suck¹⁵. Vertex also positions it as a problem solver for noisy rigs: it converts a noisy passive effects loop into what the maker describes as a max-quality, whisper-quiet active loop¹.

The Level knob and the insert jack

The front panel holds one control. The Level knob ranges from unity gain to a healthy +16dB, so at its lowest setting the pedal passes your signal at full strength and at its maximum it delivers the full 16dB boost¹. Guitar World described it as a single-knob design that functions as a "boost plus," because the insert jack gives that one knob extra reach².

The insert is where the MKII earns its keep. On the rear you will find the 1/8-inch TRS insert, which accepts an external volume or expression pedal for level control¹. Because the insert is a mini jack, it requires a special cord rather than a standard guitar cable⁵. Vertex specifies two cable types, both sold separately¹:

• 1/8-inch TRS to 1/4-inch TRS (stereo) cable
• 1/8-inch TRS to dual 1/4-inch TS "Y" insert cable

The external pedal behaves differently depending on whether the boost is engaged. When the Boost MKII is bypassed, the external pedal acts as a typical volume pedal, sweeping from zero to unity gain. When the pedal is on, it sweeps from zero up to the Level knob's setting, so the knob sets the ceiling and the treadle sweeps beneath it¹.

Vertex lists these volume and expression pedals as compatible with the insert¹:

Buffers and connections

The MKII carries a buffer at each end of its signal path, where the original Vertex Boost had only one². The 1-megohm input buffer compensates for pickup loading, and the 100-ohm output buffer, in Vertex's words, "tackles arena-sized cable runs like a champ"¹. Delicious Audio described the pair as ultra-linear buffers that condition the entire signal path, ensuring optimal input and stable output impedance³.

The pedal also accommodates both line- and instrument-level signals, so it can sit in an effects loop as well as at the front of a chain¹. GuitarPlayer's review noted the buffered input and buffered output alongside the insert, which together make the pedal usable as a buffer even when the boost is bypassed⁵.

MKI versus MKII

The original Vertex Boost, reviewed by Pedal of the Day in October 2016, was built as a clean boost, buffer and volume pedal in one, with the same +16dB of boost and an expression jack⁶⁷. The MKII, introduced in 2021, keeps that concept in a smaller box³:

What reviewers said

GuitarPlayer's Jimmy Leslie found the pedal did what it promises, writing that "the fact that it provides a totally transparent boost piqued my interest," while flagging the price as "a bit pricey" and noting the DC adapter is sold separately with no battery option⁵.

Guitar World's coverage framed the MKII as more than a level bump, noting it will "drive your amp into saturation or gives your solos a squeaky-clean level bump"².

Who makes it

Vertex Effects is led by owner and CEO Mason Marangella, who designed the Boost. Since the original's release in 2014, he used feedback from artists and customers to develop the MKII³. The pedal carries a lifetime warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee return policy¹.

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