I had a Nobels SST-! and I can tell you that the difference you are hearing here is not inherit in the unit but rather than by a poor job of volume matching between the two. I was able to get any tone that could be had by the Rockman plus more due to a more comprehensive feature set that gave more control over the sound and more in/out options while the Rockman was very much just a recreation of Tom's Boston sound and not much else.

I don't regret my purchase of the Rockman X100 in the mid 80's at all! It was an amazing little piece of technology that sounded fantastic to my ears at the time. It disappeared a few years later unfortunately...

Thank you for the comparison. Well done.

Thank you so much - great vid 👍 Finally I found a Rockman now, AND a Nobels as well ..... just great 😊

Thanks for sharing this! I'm glad there is a decent alternative to the original Rockman amps from the 80s. However, the *Rockman WINS!* The Nobels sounds very feeble and muffled by comparison. I'd be so happy if someone can release a *Rockman X100 in a pedal form,* something like the SansAmp or the Fly Rig. 👌

I still have my Rockman X100 unit with original box and accessories. Bought it in the early 80's. Played it through my Fender London Reverb amp's rear effects loop. Sounds amazing.

I have also heard that the nobles sounds more like the original Rockman that came out in 82. The x100 sounds brighter, cleaner, and more processed than the original Rockman. You can tune the nobles to sound identical to the Rockman. You just need to turn the compressor darn near all the way up which boost the highs and clamps just like the Rockman. This one sounds a bit muffed probably due to the compressor being broken

The Rockman is louder every time. I think you should have gain matched them. I know you said the Nobles seemed lower, but you should have turned it up.

Thx for the clip! A friend of mine bought a Rockman in the 80ies and I bought a Sound Studio - so we could compare ;-) I still think the Studio offers more possibilities but is a bit inferior in sound quality. As you mentioned it's lacking in brightness (it's clear to hear in your video), but as I use a Höfner with built-in equalizer or my custom Telecaster there is more than enough brightness in case I need it 🙂 What I'm missing is a mentioning on 'portability' - usually you can clip both multi-effects on your belt (your Nobels seems to have lost the clip) and run them on battery. That was always a point for them over floor-effects. Worst thing with the Sound Studio were the two cheap yellow rulers which tend to get broken soon. A friend of mine helped me solve this by fabricating a pair of pure steel for me. Much better since then ;-) Rock on!

I remember back then I bought the Rockman because it simply sounded so much better. On paper (or advertisment) I was first more interested in the Nobels, but when I compared them in a store I was sold to the Rockman right away ... to bad I don't have it anymore. I made all my early demos with an Rockman X-100 and a TEAC Porastudio 4-track cassette recorder ... great times!

Since my last comment I actually began to develop a re-vamp of the X100 and am now designing a X100(ish) pedal that will double as a headphone amp and in doing so I have studied the rockman circuit inside out and with that I was able to look at the Nobels schematic and understand what's going on. I was wrong about it sounding muff because of the compressor. Actually it sounds that way because it is a COMPLETELY different distortion circuit and cab sim than whats in the rockman. It appears Nobels copied the over all formula SR&D used Compressor, Chorus, reverb, edge, DST but the actually circuits that create those effects are not the same as in the rockman. The reason the nobels is somewhat muffed is due to its filtering and cutting higher frequencies than the rockman is which makes your ears perceive the rockman as cleaner, brighter and in general better sounding.

The Rockman X100 has MUCH more presence and character. The Nobels is a bit muffled by itself. It's not a horrible unit but the Rockman has the edge in my opinion. Also I'm sure the Rockman is a hell of a lot lighter to boot. It was made to be a portable amp so the plastic construction makes sense in that case. I still have mine and I love it to this day!

Rockman sounds so much better☝️

Cool Video! Thank you.

My first Amp was the Rockman x100 ... so much fun, still think it's at my Mom's as I don't ever remember letting it go !!!

I've had a used Nobels for about 25 years, I wore every knob and jack out on it, went through 3 power supply plugs, I whish I could find another cheap one to replace it. I have to admit the rockman sounds way better back to back. The nobels works great for that 80s Iron Maiden tone though. I used mine as a preamp into a peavy solid state amp for that classic metal tone. The stereo chorus and compressor are pretty cool on the nobel.

ive watch you earlier videos, how exactly do you have you rockman being routed via cables and other sound peripherals? id really like to know. thank taylor

I really like them both alot. The Nobels has a softer tone and touch. It just needs a bit of post processing. I bet these would be fantastic to use double tracked left and right

Only the children!!!! Amazing! Sounds exactly like the album!!!

Hi Taylor , I have the JHS rb22x which is exactly the same as the nobels unit. I just need a tiny bit more gain on the distortion channel. What is the best way to plug in a boost pedal and what equivalent would you recommend if possible. I know you said it was not great to plug a pedal in front . I don’t have an attenuator. I love my unit could just use more gain on the distortion channel . Thanks man 👍👍 🤟🏼🎸🤟🏼

Soon as I heard you play the intro to Devil's Tower by Toto i.got flashbacks to hearing them live back in October

You have to make sure the level and gain settings on compressor adjustments are set to match the Rockman.

I didn't even know the Nobels existed back then. I used the low quarter inch output on the X 100 into my Marshall JCM800 and it sounded great. I certainly could have used the foot switch feature like the Nobels had since I was playing live mostly.

Rockman for the win

Wow! instant 80s in a box!

Wow..... The Nobels is not even close or in the same room with the Rockman..... Tom Scholz.... Genius !

I got one when they came out and at the time, it was great. It was a lot better than what I was using to practice with; a Radio Shack 9 volt amplified speaker box ($5.00) that sounded similar to the clip-on 9 volt Marshall toy amp! 11:25 - Yes, the graphic EQ does make a huge difference. If I were to buy one of these, it would have to be the Nobels. It seems to be more versatile, whereas the Rockman is pretty much a 'one trick pony'.

What else do you need other than the Rockman?? Can you explain how everything is connected.

thumbs up ... rock out!

If you can't hear the difference, go with the SS1. It IS better built and more flexible, which are not unimportant. I bulletproofed and modded the piss out of my X100 (better shielding, lower noise modern parts, jack relocation and securement). The CLN2 sound just needs a little EQ to be sublime, and the DIST sound needs EQ and exciter/enhancer to give it more sizzle. The X100 has been on hit records of virtually every genre (especially cool when blended with other amps).

Can you use a Rockman combined with a different amp as if it was like a pedal? For example, plugging it into the effects loop of a Marshall JCM800?

i have the Nobels but haven't tried it in years- Rockman brighter for sure

Why didnt you run them together, 2 amps rockman for distortion and nobel for clean ?

Did you try to patch the Artec EQ in the efx loop of the Nobels ?

interesting review Nobels on the ss1 this has a lot in common with the stereo pak and bass pak models by Nobels previously sold under licence by fender which came with the no1 of Hamberg concept headphones the sound was paired with the phones and is vastly improved over test audio, also the pak have vastly improved connectivity option, stereo input from mixing desk could be balanced with guitar sound for in ears monitoring, they could also be stacked for a whole band and have a stereo recording of a complete track how about a three way shoot out

Can you get the Sustainor sound with guitar ace with eq abd compressor? Like tge sound but not for the price of Sustainor preamp $300 to $500

The sound studio 1 is clearly the better choice. The Rockman is nice though and I wouldn't mind having either.

I guess back in the day the Rockman was sensational due to being that small and getting a big rack sound. However for me it's all about getting that Boston tone. It's absolutely unique and if that's what you like then Rockman it is. I have not yet heard an emulator that would nail it...

Nobels way way better sound than the S..more organic sound better quality,I had many of them and will never change them for the S.

They don't sound gain matched, like the Noble is at a much lower signal level. But in other news, these tones can be made with the modeling software that has been around for years. Remember the Boston sound originated in a Wah pedal that was in a particular position.

if the comp on the nobels isnt working maybe thats why it seemed a bit less gainy and bright, even when it wasnt switched in

I have an X100 and a Soloist but really want a Nobels

Hands down, more depth and width and color from the Rockman. Bravo, Tom Schulz.

I seem to remember mine(nobel) being grey back on the 80's. Can't remember what ever happened to it though. Maybe it was another brand, now I remember it. It WAS. RED .

I´m sorry, but no matter how people complain about volume/gain not matching, Rockman just sounds like 10/10 meanwhile Nobles is like 7,5/10.

Rockman no doubt!

There was a dozen or more of these headphone amps in the 80's. Korg had one. Boss had a short lived half rack multi-effects that could nail any sound...........long before liine6 crap. A really good one if one can find it was called the hotwatt. A 1 watt headphone amp where two guitars could plug in and each had different settings. Plus these things are what? 35 years old. They could both use a refurbishing. Even cleaning the pots and switches will make a difference.

You have to remember that the Rockman was designed to be used with headphones, and clipped on your waist, and carried around. Like a Sony Walkman. That's why it was made of plastic and took batteries. Would you want to carry a heavy metal foot pedal box on your hip? I didn't think so.

I definitely prefer the X100 tones. And your X100 seems to sound better than mine, but it could be because mine is mounted in a RockMount rack which, has been modified for 240v here in Australia...and I'm not sure that it is functioning as intended. To get any reasonably sound out of mine Im still plugging directly into the X100 front panel and not the rack in/outs. Anyway, good video.

This could easily do Kim Mitchell rock and roll duty

Rockman has a belt clip hence the lightweight construction design, don't you think?

Taylor : Yup Yup another thorough demo and assessment. Several subtle differences but as you have said... the Nobels SST-1 with the insert point is discernibly more flexible, which is of paramount importance in the integration of all performance effects. Chorus / Delay appears to offer a poly dimension which in its self adds a unique property to the sound. I must say your Scholz rhythm guitar sound is incredibly impressive, something no one but you and Tom has mastered. How about doing a tube on the multi-track lead doubling sound you featured a few tubes back. Rock On Brother..!! Thanks Again.!

It will never make sense to me how come the hi-gain settings on these amps weren't assembled to blow the clean ones out of the water. I've always liked the sound, but who wants an amp whose drive/distortion sections are outdone volume wise by the clean ones?

Add some eq boost at 6500hz to the Nobels and the results would be much nearer.

The Nobels sounds like the Rockman but underwater

What song at 11:56 ?

Rockman. 👍🏼

I have a Tronix Sound Studio!

You have to play the Top Gun theme on these.

Nice, a tune from Toto 7! Great comparison. I've got a few others including the Boss Play Bus, KMD Stuntman, Fostex and Tascam units.

Maybe TRS jack since these 2 devices need +6V, Ground and -6V too. We can see that if we freeze your video at 6:05

the rockman sounds like theres more compression to it, i liked the nobels a bit more

Are you willing to sell your SST-1

ROCKMAN most definitely for the win.

The treble a bit too harsh on the rockman I think. I would go with the Nobels. Especially, for my guitar. I think if I had a guitar with darker pickups, the rockman might make more sense.

From Germany, land of Abmahnung.

#ROCKMANX100

All the old DOD ....80's-90's -00's used TRS for power.

What about a price comparison ? ? ?

great demo how much is x100 these days? found one for 200$, is it too much?

Estos efectos son interesantes por tener un comb filtering muy particular

Rockman X100 Wins .. Hands Down

Tom Scholz sued Nobels for patent infringement and lost. So he sued them again in a different state and lost again. So he sued again in another state and lost again. He kept this going until Nobels ran out of money and simply couldn't afford to go to court again so they had to stop making the Sound Studio 1 inspite of always having won in court. Not a legend.

damn, WHY don't you use an A/B switch??? The plug-in/Plug-out is annoying...though the review itself is pretty good

The Rockman is just louder. Turn up the other one that is the only difference.

More affordable?

While the Rockman sounds better, the Nobels has some relly cool features for playing live the Rockman hasn't.

I don't even have to listen to the drive distortion channels. Rockman wins hands down! Never mind the Nobels has more knobs and what have yous.....

Get a 50 watt plexi type amp from ceritone, with a ppmv on it. Then get a klon clone off eBay, now put a 22 orange drop capacitor on your treble tone on your les Paul, you will have the most realistic Boston tone ever, eq are to noisy, so maybe add a compressor or clean boost. That's it. Your done for less money then you spent on all these toy's with a more realistic sound.

Rockman tiene mas midrange frequency...!!! Dandole mas medios y agudos

The Nobels has breakup artifacts on the clean channel, the Rockman doesn't. I think that might be why I rejected the Nobels when I had one back in the day. The Rockman just sounds better anyway. I can't understand why people don't notice that annoying breakup in the Nobels. I suppose some are just into dirt and think it's cool, but it's an annoying clipped type of unnatural breakup that annoys the heck out of me.

Atari 2600 uſed þat ſame power jack, as well as early PONG units.

Match the volume levels on each unit, then compare.

Out of interest, why do you own an X100 when you have a sustainor?

Rockman = No Comparison.

Rockman for the win!

Too much volume diff to fairly judge 'em!

Y compresor interno para darle mas low frequency y sustain...

The Rockman blows that red piece of garbage away hands down

Rockman wins by miles

I guess Tom sued Nobels because their ripoff is actually an insult to Tom's products

Boss GT 6 for the win less than 100 $

It's a clone..I'm not against it because GREAT sounds belong to all of us. .having said that....Totally a ripoff...lol

Its plastic yes..what did you expect concreate

Does Rockman X100 works good with (no SR&D) common headphones?