@Leon Todd Like you said that thing has an obnoxious raspy tone and the color of the faceplate of the unit matches it!!!! But I like it for certain things. Like we both said......"Tone Chasing".
It's funny, when you think of a Rockman, you think of that compressed, cocked wah sound. This is that to the extreme! I just got one for a little more than what you paid, the real challenge is finding a compatible power supply! A female XLR 12v ac adapter is not a common device on the US!
I just realized that the „Rockman sound“ is basically what makes the entire Magnum album „On a Storytellers Night“. And I always wondered about that kinda strange but oddly satisfying tone.
You've done well :-) Man, I had one of these in 1989. I tried so hard to work it into my rig along with my Quadraverb and Marshall 4210. Problem was the way we ran these things back then was always parallel: the Nobels rockman along side my Marshall mic'd up. That meant 3 channels on the FOH desk. That wasn't always possible, especially playing a big name support spot where we got 5 mins to sound check. Have a listen to the original mix of Rush's Grace Under Pressure tour if you can find it. That was Alex's Marshalls running in parallel with a Rockman X100.
Good god I used to have one of these!, I totally forgot about it until I saw this. I think it was during my rack phase in the 90's when I was just buying anything to fill up a 12 space roadcase.
@@LeonTodd I "used" it for as long as it took me to realise it was really just going to be some green lights in my rack. No more than 20 mins I suspect!
I was just going to type the same, I had this. Boss Micro Rack Compressor and EQ, Korg DRV-2000(?) reverb/delay, Marshall Jubilee Stack. Then one day I just plugged into the Marshall and the rack went in the bin! (Replaced by Boss BE-5 and Marshall Guv'nor - those were the days!)
Man I can't even remember what all I do have in my gator 12 unit roadcase.... I haven't fooled with it in years.... having children and life got in the way
I bought one of these SST-19s 3 years ago even though I knew that Rockmans weren’t my thing. Mine surprisingly takes clean boost in front very well, which helps out the cleans greatly. The chorus is worth it, alone. That said, I use it more to create soundscapes and transitionary tracks. I will need to do some recordings of mine here soon through my Tube Works power amp.
Actually, I just remembered, back in the day someone in a shop offered to throw one in for free if I bought an ART SGE (I think) "one of those pink things" he called it. I passed.
There were so many Rockman clones back in the day. I knew there was this JHS (not Josh's one) Rock box that was actually used on Def Leppard's Hysteria but this is the first time I see this unit. Besides, the XPR is so freaking rare and expensive.. Thanks for sharing Leon!
Cool 80s artifact indeed, a post eq would make it more usefull. Something like the rane midi eq used by Trevor Rabin in Yes. This review was missing to exist, thanks😎
Normally I watch these videos and then go searching for one of the units. Not in this case, although I suppose if I happened to stumble across one for cheap, I'd buy it.
@@LeonTodd True... It's definitely worth it for some of those clean sounds. And I suppose in the context of a full band mix, the OD/distortion sounds could have their place.
I ran a Rockman Sustainor in parallel with my Marshall back in the late 80’s.....at the time,I thought it sounded great,but I was probably high,so who knows.....
Hi Leon! Not aware of this unit! Thanks Troy! I've viewed Sensitive Sundays #47 half a dozen times, Very enjoyable to me! Thanks again Brother! Be Well All!
Hi Leon Great Videoreviwe as usual:-) But the delay unit seemes to be broken. Maybe one of the chips defect. Not very uncommon. Or related trimpots bad etc. With a Re-Caping and upgrade from noisy ceramic caps to film. The Noisefloor will go down for shure. And raspyness is gone. Have done this allready on many other amps and effects. Send it to Jason Tong he will fix it:-) Hahaa.. I'm thinking of purchaseing one pretty cheap Unit here in the EU. Cheers Maite
Very cool. I had a rockman which was the small box and it sounded ok especially for the time. It got stolen sadly. I've never heard of this thing, but I knew about their small box back in the day. Maybe I'm easy but it sounds ok to me really, especially for the time. Great video sir. Hope all is well down under. Good here.
I'm trying to achieve that Boston "More than a feeling" tone / sound, can it be done with a Helix stomp or an AX8? I have a Boss ME-50, do you think I can achieve it with that?
I have two of these, I set the eq to get a pretty warm tube like sound. I tried putting a delay pedal in fx loop but it kinda spoiled the tone, though it could just be that pedal. I've also tried using a NuX Steel Singer (Dumble inspired overdrive) added to the Nobels distortion/overdrive creating a great tone.
Near the beginning, you are scooping the EQ when the distortion modes are already scooped. That's why you are sounding like that you are in a cardboard box.
That kinda sounds like a Rockman, but not really, even the Nobels Sound Studio x1 isn't quiet the same. I have both and you know when the Rockman is plugged in vs the x1 sound studio, mined you the X1 does many other sounds from the 80s also.
@Leon Todd, You really need to check out the Yamaha stuff: DG-1000, Dg-stomp or (newer) Magic stomp - I always thought they sounded really great. Thanks for the cool vids! 🎸
I checked to see if this was uploaded on april 1st lol I think it doesn't sound anywhere near rockman preamps or the little boxes, it's more like the costco version of them. Maybe with a little bit more time it can be dialed into sounding like it's own thing.
I own 2 Nobels SST - 19 ‘s and a rockman XPR 100 😉 About the write up how these units came on the market and went off the market. Do you have a hint for googling that story?
@@LeonTodd There's a guy on eBay - donzi544 - who does refurbish work on the headphone amps. I need to send mine to him, although you need to contact him. He also sells some other Rockman stuff, although I'm not sure if the prices are competitive. I have learned it's hard to find someone to work on these units.
Is the Rockman modeled in the Fractal stuff? (I had no idea that there were massive racks of Rockman stuff, I only ever knew about the pocket thing until recently)
Not particularly appealing to me, but kudos to you for pulling some creditable tones out of it. In fairness, I have bad memories of a Rockman that the guitarist in our band made me try to record. It was put together with chewing gum, duct tape and solder blobs and drove me nuts. So I'm biased.
Why is there no high quality pocketable guitar amp? Phones have good amps. Manufacturers insist on making these tiny amplifiers with terrible speakers you can't carry around in a pocket or hang on your belt. I still have my Rockman, but I would like something smaller.
Plastic or fantastic? Why not both!
@Leon Todd Like you said that thing has an obnoxious raspy tone and the color of the faceplate of the unit matches it!!!! But I like it for certain things. Like we both said......"Tone Chasing".
Great video, horrible sounding unit
It's funny, when you think of a Rockman, you think of that compressed, cocked wah sound. This is that to the extreme! I just got one for a little more than what you paid, the real challenge is finding a compatible power supply! A female XLR 12v ac adapter is not a common device on the US!
I just realized that the „Rockman sound“ is basically what makes the entire Magnum album „On a Storytellers Night“. And I always wondered about that kinda strange but oddly satisfying tone.
Magnum! There's a band you don't hear about every day. That's a great album
Man the Schulz half rack modules blew up in price over the years.
The ART Rock Box was cool too.
Gloriously 80s... All you'd need is this for an 80s pop tribute band!
BYO Aqua-net
3:58: Whose come to slay the dragon, come to watch him fall?
Very cool! 👍
Cheers 🍻
You've done well :-) Man, I had one of these in 1989. I tried so hard to work it into my rig along with my Quadraverb and Marshall 4210. Problem was the way we ran these things back then was always parallel: the Nobels rockman along side my Marshall mic'd up. That meant 3 channels on the FOH desk. That wasn't always possible, especially playing a big name support spot where we got 5 mins to sound check.
Have a listen to the original mix of Rush's Grace Under Pressure tour if you can find it. That was Alex's Marshalls running in parallel with a Rockman X100.
Interesting, now do a review of the Gallien Krueger 250ML
I loved the creaminess of the rockman. And I still do ;-)
It's got "a sound" that not much else does
Needs more Def Leppard riffs. (And more cowbell.)
Good god I used to have one of these!, I totally forgot about it until I saw this. I think it was during my rack phase in the 90's when I was just buying anything to fill up a 12 space roadcase.
That's wild! Did you actually use it or was it just for the look?
@@LeonTodd I "used" it for as long as it took me to realise it was really just going to be some green lights in my rack. No more than 20 mins I suspect!
I was just going to type the same, I had this. Boss Micro Rack Compressor and EQ, Korg DRV-2000(?) reverb/delay, Marshall Jubilee Stack. Then one day I just plugged into the Marshall and the rack went in the bin! (Replaced by Boss BE-5 and Marshall Guv'nor - those were the days!)
Man I can't even remember what all I do have in my gator 12 unit roadcase.... I haven't fooled with it in years.... having children and life got in the way
I bought one of these SST-19s 3 years ago even though I knew that Rockmans weren’t my thing. Mine surprisingly takes clean boost in front very well, which helps out the cleans greatly. The chorus is worth it, alone. That said, I use it more to create soundscapes and transitionary tracks.
I will need to do some recordings of mine here soon through my Tube Works power amp.
Where did you buy it
What type of clean boost pedals are you talking about exactly?
How ironic lol I went down the rabbit hole last night on the Rockman. I want one so bad, awesome unit.
...just had to lissun to Robin Trower's Rockpalast performance. Thanks a bunch!!!
Intercontinental Ballistic Buzzsaw! Luv it.
Actually, I just remembered, back in the day someone in a shop offered to throw one in for free if I bought an ART SGE (I think) "one of those pink things" he called it. I passed.
There were so many Rockman clones back in the day. I knew there was this JHS (not Josh's one) Rock box that was actually used on Def Leppard's Hysteria but this is the first time I see this unit. Besides, the XPR is so freaking rare and expensive..
Thanks for sharing Leon!
I think I have an old "Rock Box" kicking around! Have to pull it out.
@@LeonTodd Yes please! Wait, if you happen to have a CS-5 type chorus that would be like the ultimate Def Leppard demonstration
You got me there, never seen this before in my life! But...try to find the blue ESP-version of the Nobels headphone sound studio :D
Cool 80s artifact indeed, a post eq would make it more usefull. Something like the rane midi eq used by Trevor Rabin in Yes. This review was missing to exist, thanks😎
Normally I watch these videos and then go searching for one of the units. Not in this case, although I suppose if I happened to stumble across one for cheap, I'd buy it.
Yeah for $100AUD it looks cool in the rack and the chorus ain't bad
@@LeonTodd True... It's definitely worth it for some of those clean sounds. And I suppose in the context of a full band mix, the OD/distortion sounds could have their place.
Hi, i have a Ultralight Version. In Germany there was another device which is also very good! Nobel's 1x sound studio.
You know how much I love 90's solid state amps...
"Does it Tabor?!"
@@LeonTodd YAAASSSS
I ran a Rockman Sustainor in parallel with my Marshall back in the late 80’s.....at the time,I thought it sounded great,but I was probably high,so who knows.....
Megadeth did that when touring for Peace Sells... But Who’s Buying in 86’
@@ValSchnitzel yeah…Bruce Kulick did it in Kiss in 87 or so too..that’s actually where I got the idea from…..
Love my old belt clip Rockman model II....lol noisy but sounds so good
Nothing else sounds like it!
Hi Leon! Not aware of this unit!
Thanks Troy! I've viewed Sensitive Sundays #47 half a dozen times, Very enjoyable to me! Thanks again Brother! Be Well All!
Strat magic!
@@LeonTodd "Indeed and then Some!"
Hi Leon Great Videoreviwe as usual:-) But the delay unit seemes to be broken. Maybe one of the chips defect. Not very uncommon. Or related trimpots bad etc. With a Re-Caping and upgrade from noisy ceramic caps to film. The Noisefloor will go down for shure. And raspyness is gone. Have done this allready on many other amps and effects. Send it to Jason Tong he will fix it:-) Hahaa.. I'm thinking of purchaseing one pretty cheap Unit here in the EU. Cheers Maite
Saw some Boston documentary that was fascinating. No idea Tom was such a genius.
Yeah the dude was an innovator on and off the stage
I thought I created that riff Ive been playing versions of this for over a decade wow
Very cool. I had a rockman which was the small box and it sounded ok especially for the time. It got stolen sadly. I've never heard of this thing, but I knew about their small box back in the day. Maybe I'm easy but it sounds ok to me really, especially for the time.
Great video sir. Hope all is well down under. Good here.
"Okayest gear ever" :p
@@LeonTodd hahaha. Indeed my friend.
I'm trying to achieve that Boston "More than a feeling" tone / sound, can it be done with a Helix stomp or an AX8? I have a Boss ME-50, do you think I can achieve it with that?
Boost 800hz by 10-12dB with a PEQ into a Marshall style amp and you'll be halfway there
I have two of these, I set the eq to get a pretty warm tube like sound. I tried putting a delay pedal in fx loop but it kinda spoiled the tone, though it could just be that pedal. I've also tried using a NuX Steel Singer (Dumble inspired overdrive) added to the Nobels distortion/overdrive creating a great tone.
Near the beginning, you are scooping the EQ when the distortion modes are already scooped. That's why you are sounding like that you are in a cardboard box.
That kinda sounds like a Rockman, but not really, even the Nobels Sound Studio x1 isn't quiet the same. I have both and you know when the Rockman is plugged in vs the x1 sound studio, mined you the X1 does many other sounds from the 80s also.
@Leon Todd, You really need to check out the Yamaha stuff: DG-1000, Dg-stomp or (newer) Magic stomp - I always thought they sounded really great. Thanks for the cool vids! 🎸
Analogkid85 should have some Magicstomp presets to share.
@@beargonefission6160 - I have a bunch as well. Some of the effects on that thing are cool even for today standards.
Once you get it in a mix dude, it all makes sense!!
"oh hey, you can actually hear the other instruments!"
@@LeonTodd But do you want to? lol
I wish there was a way to send out my Rocktron sidewinder.
$100 AUD,...eh it could be argued to purchase or not. But like you said, in this day of great emulation software it would be tough to find a real use.
I checked to see if this was uploaded on april 1st lol
I think it doesn't sound anywhere near rockman preamps or the little boxes, it's more like the costco version of them. Maybe with a little bit more time it can be dialed into sounding like it's own thing.
I own 2 Nobels SST - 19 ‘s and a rockman XPR 100 😉 About the write up how these units came on the market and went off the market. Do you have a hint for googling that story?
I always wanted a portable Rockman!
I have one but it needs some TLC. Funky little thing!
@@LeonTodd I just want to be able to be free from a amp and play. Rockman does that. Cheers Brudda!
@@LeonTodd There's a guy on eBay - donzi544 - who does refurbish work on the headphone amps. I need to send mine to him, although you need to contact him. He also sells some other Rockman stuff, although I'm not sure if the prices are competitive. I have learned it's hard to find someone to work on these units.
@@ianfurqueron5850 I'll check that out!
I still regret selling my Rockman XPR ages ago, and you just made it worse by reviewing a clone I had no idea existed 😂
Why do you have the low end turned all the way to 0 on the equalizer?
Is the Rockman modeled in the Fractal stuff? (I had no idea that there were massive racks of Rockman stuff, I only ever knew about the pocket thing until recently)
I did some tone matches of the little pocket rockman
@@LeonTodd it’s a cool tone for overdubs or special effect tracks in a recording.
There's a model on Amplitube, in the Satriani pack. Sounds like the real thing, but the real thing sounds like this, so......
@@myactiveimaginationit’s called ‘Boston’ as an Amplitude preset! 😉
Not particularly appealing to me, but kudos to you for pulling some creditable tones out of it. In fairness, I have bad memories of a Rockman that the guitarist in our band made me try to record. It was put together with chewing gum, duct tape and solder blobs and drove me nuts. So I'm biased.
Hahaha I'm amazed the Rockman made it on so many records TBH
Where can you buy one of these
They haven't been made for decades so keep an eye on 2nd hand retailers
@@LeonToddthanks man
I had one of these in the late ‘80’s. Just ok.
The sounds of ass, realized! The PRS almost looks embarrassed (“It’s s not me, I swear!”)
It's not that similar to the Rockman stuff - it's still got some low end :)
Might have to get one...
You're gonna make me take out my real Rockman again, arnchya?
I want to hear M@man on the Rockman!
Why is there no high quality pocketable guitar amp? Phones have good amps. Manufacturers insist on making these tiny amplifiers with terrible speakers you can't carry around in a pocket or hang on your belt. I still have my Rockman, but I would like something smaller.
80s in a single rack unit
Dude, you’re probably going to sell all of your amps now that you’ve got this. I mean, it totally sounds like a perfectly mix’d Marshall.
😂
Gee... I can't imagine why Scholz sued them LOL!!!
"We changed the colour though!"
@@LeonTodd
Right LOL!!!
Yeah yeah yeah, but does it Djent? 😂
no it's not a xpr
Ew to that 1k range here, sounds like beez in a box or a wah pedal half on
Sounds nothing at all like a rockman. More like a metal amp with every bit of lows and half mids taken out.
It's weird hey!
That thing sounds like hot garbage.