The Boston Tone in a Box — Now Available Used
If you've ever tried to nail that shimmering, compressed, chorus-drenched guitar sound from 1980s arena rock, you already know the name Tom Scholz. In 1982, Scholz — the MIT-educated engineer behind Boston — released the original Rockman X100 headphone amp through his company Scholz Research & Development. It wasn't just a practice tool; it became a studio secret weapon that shaped a decade of guitar tones. MXR worked with veteran MXR engineer and SR&D alum Bob Cedro to bring that exact sound into a modern pedalboard-ready stompbox.
The MXR Rockman X100 Analog Tone Processor is a faithful, all-analog recreation of that original unit, delivering the same four tonal presets, carefully calibrated compression, and bucket-brigade chorusing as the headphone amp that defined the era. If you've been chasing that signature polished, expansive arena rock tone, this pedal is built specifically to get you there.
This is a used example in Excellent condition — a great opportunity to pick up one of the more distinctive and purpose-built preamp pedals on the market today.
This MXR Rockman X100 Analog Tone Processor is in Excellent condition. The guitar is fully functional and will go through a full tech set up prior to shipping. It has very light normal play wear. Please review the photos carefully for full condition.
Four Modes, One Classic Sound
The X100's MODE button cycles through four presets directly inherited from the original headphone amp. CLN2 is the default — crystal clear and balanced, the quintessential Rockman clean. CLN1 shifts to a more mid-focused EQ curve for a tight, punchy tone. On the gain side, Edge offers moderate clipping that responds dynamically to your Input Gain and cleans up nicely when you roll back your guitar's volume. Distortion mode brings high-energy overdrive and sustain built for fluid lead playing.
Dedicated Input Gain and Volume sliders give you hands-on control over how your signal interacts with each mode. Input Gain directly affects the tonal character — especially in Edge mode — while Volume sets your output level to the amp. The CTRL jack allows you to connect an external footswitch for hands-free mode switching.
Compression and Chorus That Make the Rockman Sound
Two elements defined the original Rockman X100 more than anything else: its compression circuit and its chorus. The compression circuit in this pedal is tuned just like the original — slow release on clean modes for a clear, present sound, and fast release on dirty modes for bold, articulate drive. The amount of compression tracks the Input Gain level, so more gain means more compression, giving you intuitive, dynamic response.
For chorus, MXR sourced the same classic MN3007 bucket-brigade chip found in the original headphone amp. The result is the lush, expansive, shimmering modulation that's immediately recognizable from that era of rock. A dedicated Chorus button engages or bypasses the effect, and the pedal supports an internally switchable stereo mode — use a TRS splitter cable from the output jack and the chorus effect is varied between left and right channels for a wider, more spacious sound.
All-Analog Signal Path, Buffered Bypass
Every element of the X100's signal processing is analog — no digital conversion in the chain. The pedal uses buffered bypass, which maintains signal integrity and prevents high-frequency loss when the pedal is engaged in longer cable runs. Power is 9V DC at 120mA; it is not battery powered.
Made in the USA, the X100 is compact at roughly 4.3" x 2.5" and fits comfortably on a standard pedalboard. It has a single ¼" input, a ¼" TRS output (for mono or stereo operation), and a ¼" TRS CTRL jack for off-board mode switching.
Product Features:
- All-analog recreation of Tom Scholz's 1982 Rockman X100 headphone amp in pedal form
- Four tonal presets: CLN1 (mid-focused clean), CLN2 (crystal clear clean), Edge (moderate clipping), Distortion (high-energy overdrive)
- MN3007 bucket-brigade chip for lush, expansive analog chorus
- Complex compression circuit — slow release on clean modes, fast release on dirty modes; compression amount tied to Input Gain
- Dedicated Input Gain and Volume sliders for hands-on level control
- Buffered bypass
- Stereo mode via internally switchable TRS output for wider chorus imaging
- CTRL jack for external footswitch mode switching
- Power: 9V DC, 120mA (not battery powered)
- Made in the USA
Brand: MXR
Model: Rockman X100 Analog Tone Processor
SKU: U-MX100|AC91N516
Condition: Used
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