Rockman (amplifier)
The Rockman is a small guitar amplifier for headphones, so the output of a keyboard can be connected.
Development
The original Rockman was developed by Tom Scholz, founder of the rock band Boston. Production and distribution of the Rockman was initially through the SR & D Scholz Research & Development Inc., which was sold to Dunlop Manufacturing Inc. 1995. Dunlop continues to produce the Rockman, the signature of Tom Scholz still appears on the unit.
In the early 1980s enabled the successful portable cassette player by Sony, the Walkman that a person could listen to music anywhere, without disturbing anyone - at that time an unusual innovation. 1982 Scholz used the same basic idea for the development of a portable guitar amplifier for headphones. The result was the Rockman, whose name also was inspired by the Walkman.
With the effects of distortion, Stereo Chorus, and Echo, the Rockman more than many ordinary guitar amp. He is also equipped with a stereo input jack, so a guitarist, a sound program from a different audio source and listen so you can play along. The excellent signal -to-noise ratio similar to that in a professional studio.
The Rockman quickly convinced by its diverse sound education, ranging from an almost neutral sounding gain towards a strong, distorted sound, so with Tom Scholz more famous guitarists such as Alex Lifeson of Rush, Charlotte Caffey of the Go- Go's and Billy Gibbons of ZZ TOP the used Rockman at an early stage.
Rock modules
In the late 80s, developed and produced the SR & D Inc. so-called rock modules, control units, which allowed the user to modulate the effects of Rockman and allowed for overall control of effect parameters. These units were still marketed under the Rockman - label.
The Rockman Sustainor, the heart of every Rockman system was essentially a configurable two-channel preamp with compression. Other rock modules possessed equalizer, stereo chorus, stereo echo, reverb and delay effects ( Delay), Distortion generators and compressors.
The rock modules were all analog devices. Therefore your sales slumped in the early 90s when the digitization of signals revolutionized the music technology because now a completely new production of reinforcing effects was possible. The product range has been consistently very limited. Today, an established market for used modules of the Rockman - line exists. Some units are even traded higher than the original list price.