The Movall Audio Rocket Train is a multi-effects pedal that puts three effects in one box: a boost, an overdrive and a compressor. Pedal of the Day reviewed it in December 2015, describing it as the "Rocket Train Boost/Overdrive/Compressor"1. For a player, that means one enclosure covering the front-of-amp work usually spread across three separate pedals, with the added twist of an effects loop built into its own signal path.
Controls
Each of the three sections has its own set of knobs, laid out simply2.
| Section | Controls |
|---|---|
| Compressor | Sustain, Attack, Level |
| Overdrive | Volume, Tone, Drive |
| Boost | (adds a large volume increase) |
The compressor's Sustain, Attack and Level controls cover the usual compression work, and the overdrive keeps to the standard Volume, Tone and Drive arrangement2.
The effects loop
The Rocket Train's Send and Return jacks connect an FX loop, and Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, noted that they "place whatever you want to add in between the Overdrive and" Boost sections2. In practice, that means you can insert another pedal, say a delay or a chorus, so that it sits after the overdrive but before the boost, rather than hanging the Rocket Train's whole chain off the end of your board.
What reviewers said
Mike B's review at Pedal of the Day was positive on the compressor's evening effect on incoming tone2:
"It really evens out any tone brought in, and works great for finger-pickin', rockabilly-type string work"
On the boost, he found it "adds a big chunk of beef into your sound", while flagging one small caveat: "I noticed a little bit of distortion in this boost as well, nothing that you'd notice in a live setting, by any means"2. Players who want a perfectly clean boost should know that a trace of grit is there, though the reviewer judged it inaudible on stage.
If you are weighing the Rocket Train against single-purpose pedals, its three sections map onto the usual categories: see Compressor Pedals, Overdrive Pedals and Boost Pedals for how each effect type works on its own.
Videos
Riffs, Beards & Gear
Rabea Massaad
Steve from Boston
Questions
Is the Movall Audio Rocket Train true bypass?
Yes. The Rocket Train's three sections, the compressor, the overdrive and the boost, are all true bypass, according to Pedal of the Day's review. That means the pedal's circuitry is taken out of the signal path entirely when any section is switched off, so it should not colour your tone when it is not in use.
What power does the Movall Audio Rocket Train need?
The Rocket Train runs on a DC 9v adapter, as noted in Pedal of the Day's review. No battery option or current draw figure is given for the pedal, so plan your power supply accordingly and use a standard 9V DC pedal supply.
Can I put other pedals in the Rocket Train's effects loop?
Yes. The pedal has Send and Return jacks that form an FX loop, and Pedal of the Day's reviewer noted that these place whatever you connect in between the Overdrive and Boost sections. That lets you insert another pedal, such as a delay or modulation effect, partway through the Rocket Train's own signal chain.
How big is the Movall Audio Rocket Train?
Pedal of the Day's review gives the Rocket Train's dimensions as 145mm by 120mm by 53mm, in an all-metal casing. That is a fairly compact footprint for a pedal carrying three effects plus an effects loop.
Does the Rocket Train's Boost section add distortion?
A little. The reviewer at Pedal of the Day noticed slight distortion in the boost, but said it was nothing you would notice in a live setting. He described the boost as adding a big chunk of beef into your sound, meaning a large volume increase.
Sources (2)
- Movall Audio Rocket Train Boost/Overdrive/Compressor, Pedal of the Day, 2015-12-16
- Movall Audio Rocket Train Boost/Overdrive/Compressor, Pedal of the Day, 2015-12-22