Thoughts on the original "Blackface" Rocktron Chameleon?

[vklobucar]

Picked up a Chameleon yesterday during a pawn shop hunt.

Score it for $60 cash out the door. Arrived home too late to really try it out much.

Supposed to be much better than the later 2000 units given that it had XLR plugs and was made in the USA.

Is this pretty much just an Intellifex with a DSP pre amp?

What are your thoughts on this unit?

[akoch]

As it was made in the USA it would be a lot better than anything else within the local universe.

[Nightbat]

As it was made in the USA it would be a lot better than anything else within the local universe.

That's an optimistic statement, when, after you open it up, the words "Made in taiwan" grace most of the components

[vklobucar]

But at least the PDF manual came from a USA hosted server right? LOL!

[straycat]

Still run an old black face intellifex some great effects in there.

[vklobucar]

So this is the model BEFORE the Intellifex? or just a pre amp that came out around the same time?

[Frigo89]

I got some great home use tones out of a blackface Chameleon. Never used it live though.

[vklobucar]

"I got some great home use tones out of a blackface Chameleon. Never used it live though"

Can I ask why? To thin or buzzy?

[akoch]

I"m using the Prophesy, which is pretty much the Chameleon for all intents and purposes. I like it.

[Frigo89]

"I got some great home use tones out of a blackface Chameleon. Never used it live though"

Can I ask why? To thin or buzzy?

It was always just sort of my backup. I had a Modded ADA, a modded Soldano SP77 and a Peavey Rockmaster at the same time, so it was kind of outgunned.

I also feel that the Chameleon sounded best running with the Rocktron Velocity 300 (big 2 spacer)

[AdRock]

I have the blue faced 2nd gen model. Luckily its up there with the original. I agree that the later ones just don't seem as good. I bought mine new in the 90's and still use it paired with a Velocity 300. It's a great preamp. Most of the time when people says it sounds visage on the top end I've usually found that they had the presence cranked and/or were running it direct without the speaker sim on or using a red box Di box.


You got a good unit man. I'm sure you'll like it.

[lhrocker]

Great Preamp. I gigged it constantly between 1998 - 2005. Powered by a Marshall 8008, it was a compact but great sounding unit. I sold it off way back when but I actually scored another one last year and it's setup the same way as it was in 98. Great tones at low and high gain. Cool FX - it's a great stand alone preamp.