NAMM 2025: In perhaps the biggest gear release tease of the year so far, MXR has confirmed it will be reviving the cult classic Rockman headphone amp in a new pedalboard-friendly form factor later this month.
The news was officially announced in a not-so-cryptic Instagram post from MXR, which gave fans an early look at the forthcoming stompbox. There was no direct mention of the word “Rockman”, but commenters – having been shown the unit’s unmistakable blue slider-equipped control panel and iconic font – were quick to put two and two together.
The original Rockman was innovated by Tom Scholz of Boston fame in the early 1980s, and was hailed for its unique sonic character – one that became beloved for its crystal cleans, harmonics, nuanced modulation and gritty crunch tones.
The OG Rockman was released in 1982 and would help revolutionize the process of recording guitars directly into a mixing board.
“In 1982 there was no way to practice high-power rock guitar quietly,” Scholz once explained in a 2020 Facebook post (via Guitar Player). “What I needed was a way to get that maxed-out overdrive sound in headphones.”
Scholz’s resulting Rockman quickly found its way onto countless records, and was championed by names such as Phil Collen, Steve Clark and Joe Satriani, all of whom recognized its potential as a game-changing recording device. As MXR notes, it was “the sound of a thousand hits”, and was used by Scholz himself on numerous Boston cuts.
It is widely considered to be the first commercial amp simulator, a precursor to today’s multi-effects pedals, and still carries something of a cult status to this day. John Mayer, for example, dabbled with one to record Sob Rock.
MXR most recently reissued the Rockman template for a range of faithful headphone amps a few years back, but now the effects specialist has completely overhauled the unit in effects pedal form for the first time ever.
As such, the Rockman’s return as a conveniently sized stompbox that can be easily integrated into existing rigs has been met with much fanfare.
No concrete details have been released at the time of writing, but judging from the Insta clip – and an MXR Rockman manual that has apparently found its way online – the pedal will revive “the signature sonic character of Tom Scholz’s celebrated headphone amp and signal processor in pedal form”.
Boston – More Than a Feeling (Official HD Video) – YouTube
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It will have four tonal presets, a calibrated compression for clean and distorted tones, and the same bucket bridge chorus effects as the original. It will also reportedly feature both mono and stereo modes, and sliders for Volume and Input Gain.
The official launch date for the MXR Rockman pedal has been slated for January 23, at the start of NAMM.
Head over to MXR’s Instagram page in the meantime for updates.
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