The J Rockett Airchild 660 is a compressor pedal from J. Rockett Audio Designs, listed at $229 in the US and £239 in the UK12. It runs on a 9V DC adaptor, which is not supplied, and draws 20mA2. Its controls cover Output, Tone, Blend and Threshold, plus a Bypass footswitch, with a standard input and output2. Guitar World's reviewer summed it up as a pedal where "signal enhancement opportunities abound via a combination of compression, boost and EQ, making this is a quite excellent"2.
Controls
The pedal carries four knobs and a bypass footswitch: Threshold, Output, Blend and Tone2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Threshold | Increases compression as you turn it; interactive with the Output knob2 |
| Output | Sets the level, with enough range to work as a boost2 |
| Blend | Mixes in a proportion of dry sound, letting your natural attack come through while the note gains the compression's thickness and sustain2 |
| Tone | A tilt EQ: right of its central detente it increases treble and decreases bass, left of it the opposite2 |
The Blend control is the familiar parallel-compression idea in pedal form: rather than choosing between fully compressed and untouched, you set how much of each you hear. On That Pedal Show, Dan and Mick described the layout as blend, so dry blend, threshold, which is where the compression sets in, output and tone3. Mick singled out the tone and mix controls as letting you dial the pedal in for anything, and thought J Rockett would have a very nice time with the Airchild3.
Using it as a boost
Because the Output knob has plenty of capacity, the Airchild 660 does more than compress. Guitar World's Trevor Curwen found that with no or minimal compression dialled in, the pedal can also be a great clean boost, and that it can bring in a touch of nicely organic grind at higher settings2. That puts it in territory shared with dedicated boost pedals, with compression and EQ still available if you want them.
What reviewers said
Guitar World's verdict was that signal enhancement opportunities abound via a combination of compression, boost and EQ, making it a quite excellent pedal for guitar sound and more than likely one that you won't want to turn off2. On That Pedal Show, the pedal was described as brand new from J Rockett, so new that the show could not release the video until it came out3.
That Pedal Show's video covers the pedal's controls and sounds in detail:
Related pedals
J Rockett's compressor line also includes the I.Q. Compressor, the Squeegee and the Airchild Six Sixty, a related take on the same Fairchild inspiration2.
Videos
Shawn Tubbs
Thomann's Guitars & Basses
Buddy Blues
Questions
Is the J Rockett Airchild 660 true bypass?
Yes. Guitar World's review lists true bypass among the pedal's features, so the signal passes straight through when the effect is off. The pedal has a single bypass footswitch alongside its four knobs.
Does the Airchild 660 take a battery?
The review lists power as a 9V DC adaptor, not supplied, drawing 20mA. No battery option is mentioned, so plan to run it from a 9V centre-negative supply with enough current headroom on your board.
What does the Tone knob do on the Airchild 660?
It is a tilt EQ. Turning it right of its central detente increases treble and decreases bass; turning it left does the opposite. That Pedal Show's Mick singled out the tone and mix controls as letting you dial the pedal in for anything.
Where is the J Rockett Airchild 660 made?
Guitar World lists its origin as USA. It is made by J. Rockett Audio Designs, which also makes the I.Q. Compressor and the Squeegee.
Can the Airchild 660 be used as a boost?
Yes. Guitar World's reviewer found the Output control has plenty of capacity for building in a boost: with no or minimal compression dialled in, the pedal can work as a clean boost, and it can bring in a touch of organic grind at higher settings.
How big is the J Rockett Airchild 660?
Guitar World lists its dimensions as 70mm wide, 108mm deep and 50mm high, a compact stompbox footprint that fits a standard pedalboard.
Sources (3)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-03-21
- J Rockett Airchild 660 review, Guitar World, 2024-08-20
- Beyond The MXR Dyna Comp & Boss CS-3 Compressor J Rockett Airchild, UA LA-2A, 1176 & Origin Cali76, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2024-03-22
