The J. Rockett Audio Designs Animal is an analog overdrive pedal built to put the character of a late-1960s British "plexi" style amplifier on a pedalboard. The maker classifies it simply as an overdrive, and it is aimed at players who want that amp's midrange push from a compact enclosure that fits any size board1.
Chris Van Tassel, co-founder of J. Rockett Audio Designs, describes the intent behind the pedal this way1:
"Plexi tone and feel in an enclosure that is ideal for any size pedalboard."
That last point matters for how players use it: like an amp on the edge of breakup, the pedal is designed to respond to the guitar's volume control, cleaning up as the knob is rolled back1.
Power and circuit
The Animal runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug and draws 10mA of current, so it fits comfortably on a standard pedalboard power supply alongside other common pedals1. Its circuit is analog1.
Where it sits in J. Rockett's overdrive range
J. Rockett Audio Designs builds a number of overdrives, and the Animal is the plexi-voiced entry in that lineup: RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as "Plexi tone and feel in an enclosure that is ideal for any size pedalboard"1.
For more on the category, see the site's guide to Overdrive Pedals.
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Questions
Is the J. Rockett Audio Designs Animal analog or digital?
The Animal is an analog pedal. Its circuit runs on 9V DC power with a center negative plug and draws 10mA of current, which means it can sit on any standard pedalboard power supply without special provisions.
What does the J. Rockett Animal overdrive sound like?
Chris Van Tassel, co-founder of J. Rockett Audio Designs, describes the Animal as an attempt to nail the tone and nuance of a real 1968 plexi amplifier, reproducing the classic tone with the midrange bark and grunt of the real thing. He notes that all of that bark and grunt can be cleaned up easily with the twist of a volume knob.
Sources (1)
- Animal by J. Rockett Audio Designs, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
