Rocktron Progap Ultra

[budalash]

Does anyone have any experience with this preamp?
I am buying one tonight for 150 EUR, but I will not have the time to test it thoroughly before I buy it. I still think it's a good deal so I will buy it anyway, Apparently it was very popular in the 80's. I just thought I'd ask if someone around here has used it..
thanks!

 

[devastone]

Re: Rocktron Progap Ultra

I really like the old Rocktron stuff. The PG Ultra is a digital preamp, it's basically the same preamp as the front end of the original Chameleons and Voodu Valves (except without the tube buffer on the VV). I like them much better than the new modeling amps, better tones, IMHO, but it takes a little more work to dial in exactly what you want. But, for that price, you might be able to find an blackface Chameleon which has the same preamp with the addition of effects, not really sure what they sell for these days.

The original ProGaps, the red and grey ones, are SS analog, also great sounding preamps and can be pretty tubey sounding. I've used alot of Rocktron stuff, I've had both the PG and the Ultra, along with blackface VV and Chameleon, Intellifex and Replifex not to mention ADA MP-1s, a Kasha preamp (very sweet) and hordes of other rack stuff. I think Rocktron was way ahead of the game back in the day and the quality of the old US made stuff was great, not familiar with the new MIC stuff, but I would guess it is still up to their standards. As always, YMMV.

I've since gone back to a head and pedals, the downside to the rack stuff was that I found myself tweaking more than playing sometimes...

 

[budalash]

Re: Rocktron Progap Ultra

I really like the old Rocktron stuff. The PG Ultra is a digital preamp, it's basically the same preamp as the front end of the original Chameleons and Voodu Valves (except without the tube buffer on the VV). I like them much better than the new modeling amps, better tones, IMHO, but it takes a little more work to dial in exactly what you want. But, for that price, you might be able to find an blackface Chameleon which has the same preamp with the addition of effects, not really sure what they sell for these days.

The original ProGaps, the red and grey ones, are SS analog, also great sounding preamps and can be pretty tubey sounding. I've used alot of Rocktron stuff, I've had both the PG and the Ultra, along with blackface VV and Chameleon, Intellifex and Replifex not to mention ADA MP-1s, a Kasha preamp (very sweet) and hordes of other rack stuff. I think Rocktron was way ahead of the game back in the day and the quality of the old US made stuff was great, not familiar with the new MIC stuff, but I would guess it is still up to their standards. As always, YMMV.

I've since gone back to a head and pedals, the downside to the rack stuff was that I found myself tweaking more than playing sometimes...

THANKS! I am also a fan of Rocktron, the old stuff in particular. Well, I had the old Chameleon and I sold it. That was a mistake. But a couple of days ago I found a cheap Intellifex LTD, and 5 minutes ago I came home with the PG Ultra. I also have the Midi Mate, so it should all work like a charm . Their older products had good build quality (all made in the USA I believe) and they have proved to be reliable. I am off now to connect everything and wake up the neighbours

 

[tone4days]

Re: Rocktron Progap Ultra

yup - old school rocktron lover in the house !! .. that is a ver 2.0 pro gap and a first generation intellifex - i bought them both new in the early 90s ... got the midimate (red buttons/lettering) to go with ... i have toyed with selling this stuff, but never have pulled the trigger ... i play it into the carvin and into a set of boogie 1x12" recto cabs with 90w Celestions ...

t4d

 

[budalash]

Re: Rocktron Progap Ultra

I have the same Korg DTR1000 that sits in your rack
If I were you I would keep all the stuff that you have on that photo, products like these are simply not made anymore..

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Rocktron Progap Ultra

I keep a Progap original (long chassis-modded by Rocktron for more bass range) and a V2.0 in my rack, and I won't sell them. They don't get enough money anyway. They absolutely smoke IMO. The Progap was the core of my rig in the early 90's.

I have 4 other tube pres, (Mesa, Marshall, H&K, and Crate TDP-yes I said Crate. It sounds fantastic) so the Progaps don't get tons of play, but I use them extensively for preamp blending. So I can start with a Boogie MK tone and then blend in a little sweet 'n syrupy Progap solo tone along with it. Or I can get the square wave chainsaw OD from the Rocktron and blend it with some fat tube half-grit.

Overall they're really underrated, fabulous sounding units. The pre-gain EQ is incredibly useful for mimicing various amp overdrive characteristics. And it's really responsive, like a tube pre. Not "digital" or "distortion pedal" sounding at all.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Rocktron Progap Ultra

I have been fascinated with using digital pre's into a Marshall for variety of tones

Do any of these give you an amp level signal that works good for getting different types of gain? ADA, Rocktron etc etc? If so, which ones?

 

[devastone]

Re: Rocktron Progap Ultra

I have been fascinated with using digital pre's into a Marshall for variety of tones

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking, but back in the day, late 80s/early 90s, my rig was an original Progap into a Digitech 128 and that fed a Marshall Superlead. Pretty large sound there! I never played anywhere I could crank the SL over 3 or 4 anyway so it was the ultimate power amp. Kinda overkill I know, but wasn't that what it was all about in those days:smokin:

You can feed a clean amp with pres if you keep the level out low. IIRC, the original Progaps (analog) even had footswitchable bypass so you could use it like a distortion box, again overkill, but anything worth killin' is worth overkillin'! I could even get tones similar to Nuno's WFTP cranked Fender tones out of the Progap with some tweaking.