“The sound of a thousand hits”: The Rockman amp shaped the sound of 1980s rock – now MXR is bringing it back in a new pedal form

MXR Rockman
(Image credit: MXR/Instagram)

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.

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Matt Owen
Senior Staff Writer, GuitarWorld.com

Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.