The Aquaria V2 Extended Range Klone is my 5th Lichtlaerm Audio gain pedal, and it is beautifully versatile with its 10 controls

So I picked up this Aquaria V2 from Joe’s Pedals in the UK - just before Christmas - along with some essential and rare Skreddy Pedals. I acquired 5 Lichtlaerm pedals in 2024 - all courtesy of Joe’s Pedals, and all quite superb.

Your basic Klon / Klone has just 3 controls typically - Gain, Treble, Output, and some have the additional Buffer switch. Relatively few have 2 channels, and hardly any have 10 controls - like this Aquaria V2.

Essentially the topology is split in half - with 5 controls for the main Overdrive Channel, and 5 for the EQ + Boost Channel.

It requires a little due diligence on the dial-in - particularly when you are using both channels - so those render correctly. It took me a while to fine-tune it perfectly - while the end results are spectacular!

Controls : MAIN } Tone, Dynamics (Compression), Gain, Level, Blend, Bypass Footswitch; EQ + BOOST } Boost, Bass, Lo-Mid, Hi-Mid, High, EQ Footswitch.

Preferred Settings : Tone @ 2 o’c, Dynamics (Compression) @ noon, Gain @ noon, Level @ 2 o’c, Blend @ 2:30 o’c | Boost @ Max, Bass @ 10 o’c, Low-Mid @ 2 o’c, Hi-Mid @ 2 o’c, and High @ 11:30 o’c.

The Aquaria has exceptional playback dynamics too - so you can very nicely temper its gain output via your guitar volume knob!

This is a highly intuitive pedal, and super versatile! You can use the EQ + Boost channel just as an EQ, just as a Clean Boost, or any clever combination of the two - which gives you a little more gain and saturation too - particularly when the Boost dial is cranked - as I like it to be. That delivers the most perfect 2-Channel gain machine!

For sure one of the best Klones in my collection - and likely the most versatile too! I’ve really been so impressed with Lichtlaerm to-date. I’ve probably got a few more to go from that range, while I have all my prime targets now!

Interestingly the Aquaria V2 is best identified by its jellyfish, and ’Dynamics’ mini knob - which are different to the original, but on the Lichtlaerm Audio website the original variety is still listed for whatever reason. In any case - the price is still the same - €199 / $219 / £179, and the V2 is now actively filtering through into distribution - while there are still a lot of V1’s in circulation too. I had to wait a wee while before Joe’s Pedals got these in stock!

And there’s been another Licthlaerm launch event since then - the 60W PandorA Compact Pedalboard Power Amp - same price obviously, I will do a feature on that one when Joe gets some in stock.

Note that the Aquaria V2 is still relatively new, and that there are no demos out yet of the new version. So we’ve had to reference the original demos here - which still sound very similar!