MXR Rockman out on 23 January

Kebabkid

Whitecat said:

It sounds like crap into my cheap Black Friday Supro tube amp, that's for sure.

Need to pull out an FRFR I think for this one for when I want to fill the room. Obviously direct is best, but I don't like noodling through the computer/nearfield monitor speakers!

From the demos, I am starting to wonder if the best results are from it being plugged into a DAW or desk, or whether it sounds better through an FRFR as in the Leon Todd video you can hear the sound alters and becomes thinner when put through an amp and so I'd be interested to know your findings or from anyone else here who tries it with amp.

Liveplayrock release/sell various sound profiles for different modellers and I've noticed their most recent one is the Rockman X100 for Tonex. Maybe getting a Tonex One and decent, accurate profiles might be a better and cheaper way to go.

Revolutions

Plugging into a DAW will still require the circuit to be gain boosted, so maybe it needs a ss state amp?

Or you could plug a DS-1 & your least favourite chorus pedal in front of any amp to get the same nasally, compressed sound

Kebabkid

Revolutions said:

Plugging into a DAW will still require the circuit to be gain boosted, so maybe it needs a ss state amp?

Or you could plug a DS-1 & your least favourite chorus pedal in front of any amp to get the same nasally, compressed sound

For me, the appeal is the Rockman clean sound not the distortions. I can get close with pedals, but there's something about the feel of it, too, and specifically the way it's been EQ'd

Cols

Review here.

TLDR: it nails the ‘80s stadium rock’ sound, but hisses like a tyre bursting in a nest of vipers.

https://guitar.com/reviews/effects-pedal/hands-on-mxr-rockman-x100-review/

dindude

Kebabkid said:

Whitecat said:

It sounds like crap into my cheap Black Friday Supro tube amp, that's for sure.

Need to pull out an FRFR I think for this one for when I want to fill the room. Obviously direct is best, but I don't like noodling through the computer/nearfield monitor speakers!

From the demos, I am starting to wonder if the best results are from it being plugged into a DAW or desk, or whether it sounds better through an FRFR as in the Leon Todd video you can hear the sound alters and becomes thinner when put through an amp and so I'd be interested to know your findings or from anyone else here who tries it with amp.

That’s what hear from the demos too Cos, which makes it a bit odd that they released it in pedal format, can’t see many using it in line on a pedalboard, more as a stand alone. It’s a very specific sound, looks fun though. 

Whitecat

The best results absolutely are direct. If you have an interface with decent preamps, which these days is most of them, you don’t really need any additional gain boost. 

I have yet to try it through FRFR, I have a Fender FR10 to give it a spin through but too much going on around here to be able to turn it up yet - but I will do, and I can also try it through a Roland JC40 although that amp has a noise floor that’s pretty high already so combined with this pedal it might be ridiculous. 

ThePrettyDamned

It certainly has "that" sound, which I suppose plenty would like, but it's not my bag.

It's a properly cool pedal though, and much more interesting than the tubescreamers of old. Good job mxr! 

Kebabkid

Whitecat said:

The best results absolutely are direct. If you have an interface with decent preamps, which these days is most of them, you don’t really need any additional gain boost. 

Listening to more demos, I agree and today I've been moving more away from it based on these and a review.

Guitar Bonedo has a nice demo up and direct, it sounds great and as you'd want and expect it to, especially if used in stereo. Through an amp return though, it sounds like a generic OD pedal and generic chorus. None of that Rockman character or specific chorused clean sound comes across, but see what you think.

I said it earlier in this thread, I have a Zoom G1Xon pedal and the preset 'Big Rack' nails the Def Leppard/John Petrucci clean sound even allowing the expression pedal to introduce delay when pushed forward. I've tried it direct to PA and it's good and does the Rockman clean thing, but has more options available than the X100. If the Rockman really is limited to going direct to sound good and authentic, you could try the Zoom and save a few pennies -I got mine used for £25!



In view of the above, I'd be interested to hear how it sounds through your FRFR or from anyone trying it that way and also, if you can tell us if it's noisy?

duotone

MXR® Rockman® X100™ Analog Tone Processor

https://youtu.be/Ijf_OL8oJeM?si=hE79nmH0612FtocG

Really love this song from the Jim Dunlop YouTube channel.  Credit to the musicians: James Deprato (Composition & Guitar) Eli Nelson (Guitar) Jason Slota (Drums)

hollywoodrox

Kebabkid said:

The old ADA MP1 rack preamp had a Rockman option in it that was pretty decent.

I have a cheap Zoom G1xON (cost me £25) and that has a preset in it called 'Big Rack' that's absolutely fantastic and does that LA/AOR 80s studio clean so well and sounds so expensive and classy with its delays, micro-pitch, chorus, reverb, compression - think 'Hysteria', Dream Theater's intro on 'Pull Me Under'. Whilst it sounds great direct through a PA and absolutely fantastic on headphones, and I'm sure it would work well for recording, it doesn't transfer so well to being used on a board with other pedals for live and through an amp, and so if this pedal could achieve 'that sound' and be pedalboard and amp friendly, I'll be happy. If the ODs have that character, but are improved with a little more distortion, even better but my interest is really in the cleans.

Back in the day, I had the JHS Rock Box. It was ok and the Chorused-Delay Clean sound was its strong point, but I also tried the Rockman and that was better in that department.

I’ve got the JHS Rockbox it was used on Hysteria (not mine ) but they used one 

guyinlyon

They're gonna sell a million of these pedals.

Kebabkid

And for those that already have Fractal units and want the clean Rockman sound, Leon Todd shows you how you can achieve it - 

bloodandtears

need a Helix version..  and not one that uses a multitude of IRs ffs

Kebabkid

bloodandtears said:

need a Helix version..  and not one that uses a multitude of IRs ffs

I'm sure it'll happen and for the Quad Cortex, Tonex etc

digitalkettle

Kebabkid said:

bloodandtears said:

need a Helix version..  and not one that uses a multitude of IRs ffs

I'm sure it'll happen and for the Quad Cortex, Tonex etc

Then everyone can sound the same?

trying to find reasons to dispel the GAS here!

Kebabkid

So, who else has got one what do you think?

Danny1969

I remember the original one having a really cool echo ... the idea was not only could you record straight to cassette with a dirty guitar sound but you could add chorus and echo so it sounded (Tascam) studio ready !

I don't see an echo button on the MXR ?  But then I don't think this is a direct copy of the original thing as that was more designed to feed a lower impedance and tended to make a fair bit of noise when plugged into the input of an amp.

In the mid eighties these kind of things were wonderful. We had no speaker simm's, no power soaks except those of use who built big resistive loads so no means of getting a great Marshall type sound to track. But now you can buy a £55 Nux MP2 that can do that just fine and is an audio interface, drum machine and headphone amplifier at the same time. 

I think there will be the usual buy in for a while and then these things will be either put in the cupboard or sold. I just don't see the attraction now. 

Whitecat

Danny1969 said:

I remember the original one having a really cool echo ... the idea was not only could you record straight to cassette with a dirty guitar sound but you could add chorus and echo so it sounded (Tascam) studio ready !

I don't see an echo button on the MXR ?  But then I don't think this is a direct copy of the original thing as that was more designed to feed a lower impedance and tended to make a fair bit of noise when plugged into the input of an amp.

In the mid eighties these kind of things were wonderful. We had no speaker simm's, no power soaks except those of use who built big resistive loads so no means of getting a great Marshall type sound to track. But now you can buy a £55 Nux MP2 that can do that just fine and is an audio interface, drum machine and headphone amplifier at the same time. 

I think there will be the usual buy in for a while and then these things will be either put in the cupboard or sold. I just don't see the attraction now. 

They took the delay out. But it plays nicely with delay pedals afterwards, just pop one between it and your recording interface or whatever you're plugging it ino.

hollywoodrox

Kebabkid said:

Whitecat said:

Wow, Andertons sold out already. 

They're very niche or nostalgic sounds but it seems people want them. I know I do for both those reasons !

I love that niche & sound but £250 when I’ve already got a JHS rockbox  plus I’ve got my headrush with a nice landau patch 

wddonalds

If you have a ToneX, this guy makes a really good profile pack for only $10. I bought it yesterday and it sounds really good 

https://shoptly.com/i/325q