Rockman XL100

rnolan · May 10, 2015, 06:06:41 AM

Ok, these are very old but RG was asking about this unit (I still have one). This track IIRC the guitars are all XL100. Recorded on a Tascam 688 (8 track cassette).

rnolan · May 10, 2015, 06:09:57 AM

And another one.

rnolan · May 10, 2015, 06:40:26 AM

to give some context (this was a long time ago). Although I suspect some of you are familiar with these (or the better rack versions)
The XL100 was like a sony walkman, it was designed to clip to your belt for practicing and had a bunch of AA batteries (power supplies for it came later). It had guit in, 1/4 TRS stereo in (to come off a headphone out so you could play along with it), and 2 x 3.5mm headphone outs, it's own (tweaked headphones), 4 sounds (slide switch, clean 1 and 2, edge and dist), also stereo chorus/delay. Had the Tom Schultz boston sound, very compressed but the bees knees in it's day, so many adds/jingles from that era are XL100. I used it for recording quite a bit back then, sounded great just line in. A mate of mine got one and modded it to be foot switchable (the sliding switch was a pain live). He also got an old fridge and mounted 6 x 12" speakers in it, So he had XL100, SS poweramp, fridge speaker cab. So early version of what ADA did. Sounded great but not as good as MP1/2.

rabidgerry · May 10, 2015, 06:52:15 AM

Quote from: rnolan on May 10, 2015, 06:06:41 AM
Ok, these are very old but RG was asking about this unit (I still have one). This track IIRC the guitars are all XL100. Recorded on a Tascam 688 (8 track cassette).

not keen on the rhythm sound in places, but the lead tone for me is f**king brilliant. I like it anyways. Good song man. Singing is very good.

rabidgerry · May 10, 2015, 07:00:22 AM

Quote from: rnolan on May 10, 2015, 06:40:26 AM
to give some context (this was a long time ago). Although I suspect some of you are familiar with these (or the better rack versions)
The XL100 was like a sony walkman, it was designed to clip to your belt for practicing and had a bunch of AA batteries (power supplies for it came later). It had guit in, 1/4 TRS stereo in (to come off a headphone out so you could play along with it), and 2 x 3.5mm headphone outs, it's own (tweaked headphones), 4 sounds (slide switch, clean 1 and 2, edge and dist), also stereo chorus/delay. Had the Tom Schultz boston sound, very compressed but the bees knees in it's day, so many adds/jingles from that era are XL100. I used it for recording quite a bit back then, sounded great just line in. A mate of mine got one and modded it to be foot switchable (the sliding switch was a pain live). He also got an old fridge and mounted 6 x 12" speakers in it, So he had XL100, SS poweramp, fridge speaker cab. So early version of what ADA did. Sounded great but not as good as MP1/2.

I really like this guitar sound Richard, it reminds me of late 80's Judas Priest. They were not using rockmans!! they had

Pete Cornish custom pedalboard with overdrive unit, flanger, MXR distortion unit, MXR Phase 100, MXR digital delay, MXR 12-band EQ, Maestro Echoplex, line boosters between each effect to preserve the signal from input to output, and a RangeMaster-based custom treble boost connected to the bass channel of Marshall 50 and 100 watt heads with no master volume Roland Chorus pedal
.

check this Richard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_1hLiqwq7c

ok how I know about Rockman stuff is purely because I was researching Judas Priest sounds back then, and I stumbled upon some guy on youtube with a rockman devise (forget the model now). Anyways he had used it to try and replicate it on of their songs and I thought he did a good job. It was the rocknman into his computer and nothing else if I remember correctly. Sounded great to me. Yes very 80's, so very f**king good :banana-rock:.

rnolan · May 10, 2015, 08:37:14 AM

That's a really similar sound to what the XL100 does out of the box, Live I just used it for lead (so Dist setting in stereo >:D ) and the '72 Marshall for rhythm. But for recording, it was great straight into desk (688). We had an Atari computer running notater (so sequencing) with Alesis drum machine and Korg M1 keyboard (bass, keys), we'd stripe a SMPTE track on one of the 8 tracks and this locked the 2 together so all the analogue (vox, guitars, sometime bass guit) were on the other 7 cassestte tracks. Vocalist is my friend Neil Young (his real name LoL), he's also quite a good guitarist (you should be able to pick us apart on those clips, he's more clinical than me, likes to practice his lead, I just go for it LoL). Been playing with him for over 30 years now I spose (though he doesn't touch it these days (I keep nudging him though...maybe one day)). I primarily wrote Babylon, he primarily wrote continental shelf (well they were both a collusion....).

Rockman were the first IIRC to get such a great sound from SS (albeit very compressed so have to be so careful placing in the mix), there were other pedals, but nothing like this thing >:D cost over $800 AUD back in 1987 (ish), we (The Queue) won a bttle of the bands comp. Part of prize was $800 at Pro Audio, I got XL100, and paid the others their 5th LoL. I haven't used it in years, I'll get it out and do some clips (nostalgia plus LoL). BTW MP1/2 crap on it IMO but it had its day... Never got to try the rack versions though, and they look very interesting (one of our guys here has them IIRC, maybe he could do some clips for us). They made a bunch of stuff, preamp, FX (half rack width I think, so you'd put 2 together). Actually, you could probably credit Rockman with the whole rack thing. I'm pretty sure they were the first.

rabidgerry · May 10, 2015, 12:52:43 PM

Quote from: rnolan on May 10, 2015, 08:37:14 AM
That's a really similar sound to what the XL100 does out of the box, Live I just used it for lead (so Dist setting in stereo >:D ) and the '72 Marshall for rhythm. But for recording, it was great straight into desk (688). We had an Atari computer running notater (so sequencing) with Alesis drum machine and Korg M1 keyboard (bass, keys), we'd stripe a SMPTE track on one of the 8 tracks and this locked the 2 together so all the analogue (vox, guitars, sometime bass guit) were on the other 7 cassestte tracks. Vocalist is my friend Neil Young (his real name LoL), he's also quite a good guitarist (you should be able to pick us apart on those clips, he's more clinical than me, likes to practice his lead, I just go for it LoL). Been playing with him for over 30 years now I spose (though he doesn't touch it these days (I keep nudging him though...maybe one day)). I primarily wrote Babylon, he primarily wrote continental shelf (well they were both a collusion....).

Rockman were the first IIRC to get such a great sound from SS (albeit very compressed so have to be so careful placing in the mix), there were other pedals, but nothing like this thing >:D cost over $800 AUD back in 1987 (ish), we (The Queue) won a bttle of the bands comp. Part of prize was $800 at Pro Audio, I got XL100, and paid the others their 5th LoL. I haven't used it in years, I'll get it out and do some clips (nostalgia plus LoL). BTW MP1/2 crap on it IMO but it had its day... Never got to try the rack versions though, and they look very interesting (one of our guys here has them IIRC, maybe he could do some clips for us). They made a bunch of stuff, preamp, FX (half rack width I think, so you'd put 2 together). Actually, you could probably credit Rockman with the whole rack thing. I'm pretty sure they were the first.

If the MP1/2 crap on it then drum me up a patch that can do that lead tone. I f**king love that man.

I hear what your saying, one trick pony of sorts. I personally love that lead tone though, think it's awesome. The rockman isn't trying to be all an MP1 is or marshal so I'm not comparing the two. If something can be used for something good it's good in it's own right in my opinion. I just find it cool that that little thing has a whole unique tone. I'm sure it can be copied with other stuff but it's still cool.

Wish I could find the clip of the kid on Youtube doing the Priest song using it. He is pretty close to this song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS6-vI70oc0

rnolan · May 11, 2015, 05:35:56 AM

Hey RG, cool track

enjoyed it (that tone has lots more dynamics than a Rockman BTW). The XL100 has a great tone, but it's very very compressed (so if you wanted to try to emulate it on MP1/2 turn up the compressor), so dynamically it's difficult (I think the rack versions were better dynamically (though didn't get to use them), and probably (sort of) the SS version of what MP1's were (in some ways) slightly later). It was the 1st thing I could plug in directly to the desk and get a decent tone. But also was a great lead tone for live (particularly combined with '72 Marshall). Squealed like an ban-chi though BTW, so much gain AND compression = squeals LoL...
When I get a chance I'll post some new audio of it, gives me an excuse to plug it in >:D

rabidgerry · May 11, 2015, 06:59:26 AM

why the hell not, let us hear what it sounds like 30 years later :)

Anyways yeah not quite the same as the Priest track but it has the mid rangey hum I like somewhere in the range. It's not exact same but you get me.

Compressor on MP1??? Where is the compressor on the MP1? Perhaps MP2? I could stick a compressor on MP1 with me effects unit. I only ever do if I want to change the attack and make it a little more spongey feeling.

rnolan · May 11, 2015, 07:30:51 AM

Hey RG, just read the MP1 manual, I forgot MP1 has compressor only in SS mode ?, MP2 has compressor and no SS mode..
Ok so I got out the XL100 and plugged it in, f%ck it's not bad at all

, I set it up to make you a clip, but then I (discovered) I have an issue with one input channel to pro tools, so I have to sort that out (and it's very late here LoL). But I wound back ~600k (maybe the low mid you like ?) (9 o'clock) and added some 10k (2 o'clock) on the desk, and it sounded pretty good. So when I sort out the input, I'll do some clips for you.

Dante · May 11, 2015, 10:28:54 PM

I love that ol' Judas Priest tone. Believe it or not, I used to get that sound out of a JCM 800 with a Boss ME-5 in front of it. I used the overdrive + EQ + Compressor to achieve a gain stack. Now, that seems like flying to the moon with 1970s technology, but it really did sound frickin' good.

I ran it through that JCM800 on one side and a Carvin X100B on the other side in stereo. That was just before I got bit by the rack bug.

rabidgerry · May 12, 2015, 02:54:46 AM

Quote from: Dante on May 11, 2015, 10:28:54 PM
I love that ol' Judas Priest tone. Believe it or not, I used to get that sound out of a JCM 800 with a Boss ME-5 in front of it. I used the overdrive + EQ + Compressor to achieve a gain stack. Now, that seems like flying to the moon with 1970s technology, but it really did sound frickin' good.

I ran it through that JCM800 on one side and a Carvin X100B on the other side in stereo. That was just before I got bit by the rack bug.

You mean the late 80's tone?

I love all their tones though the years but my fav is that 87-91 tone they had. For some reason I reckoned boss stomps would get that tone or their about as well. It's that weird mid hum that I can't quite put my finger on. Here is another example of it, but completely different band and guitars so it will sound a bit different but similar flavour.....................you'll know what I mean I hope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwAlZa35ZFE

rnolan · May 12, 2015, 07:41:24 AM

Hey RG, got the input issue sorted. Here's a doodling clip using the Dist sound and the eq I mentioned earlier (and tiny bit of reverb from MOne).

GuitarBuilder · May 12, 2015, 08:43:34 AM

Are you referring to the Rockman X100? I've never heard of an XL100...........

DaveM · May 12, 2015, 09:23:57 AM

I still have my old Rockman X100 I bought in spring 1989. I was really into Boston back then, and I thought the X100 nailed the tones from "Don't Look Back" quite well. Made an excellent practice tool. Couple of years later I bought the Zoom 9002, which was based on the X100 but had more bells and whistles. That Zoom came and went, but I wound up keeping the Rockman.

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Rockman XL100