The Rocktron HUSH The Pedal is a noise reduction stomp box from Rocktron, the company whose HUSH noise reduction Rocktron describes as the standard in most touring rigs worldwide since 19841. Unlike a conventional noise gate, it is a form of single-ended noise reduction that tracks your signal all the way and pushes the noise floor below audibility, delivering 65dB of signal cleanup while, in Rocktron's words, "your music signal integrity remains unaffected"2.
The pedal puts the same HUSH circuitry used in professional rigs into a floor box, with a single Threshold knob. Rocktron says it "does not hurt your sustain or chop off the end of your notes"2, which is the main practical difference between it and a hard gate.
Noise reduction that tracks your signal, not a gate
The core of the pedal is the distinction Rocktron draws between HUSH and a noise gate. A gate mutes everything below a set level, which can clip the tail of a decaying note. HUSH The Pedal instead works as single-ended noise reduction: it follows the signal continuously and pushes the noise floor down below where you can hear it, rather than switching your sound on and off2.
For a player, that means the cleanup happens under the note rather than at its edge. Rocktron claims 65dB of signal cleanup from the pedal while the music signal itself stays intact2, and states plainly that the pedal "does not hurt your sustain or chop off the end of your notes"2. That claim is the maker's own; it is the design intent behind the circuit rather than an independent measurement.
The circuit behind it is Rocktron's patented Variable Integrated Release, or V.I.R., technology. Rocktron says V.I.R. "utilizes a low-noise VCA with precision detector circuits to achieve the smoothest and most transparent" noise reduction1. In plain terms, a voltage-controlled amplifier turns the volume down only as far as the detector circuits say is needed, and the release behavior adapts to the signal instead of snapping shut.
The Threshold knob and where to place it
Operating the pedal is a one-knob affair:
- Plug the HUSH in after your distortion boxes, wah-wahs, noisy vintage effects or other noisy units2.
- Turn the Threshold knob until the noise goes away2.
- Use that same knob to smooth out your signal while wiping out noise3.
Placement matters. Rocktron says the HUSH is not designed to take the input directly from your guitar without some processing happening between the guitar and the HUSH3. It belongs downstream of the noisy links in your chain, cleaning up what those units add rather than gating a raw guitar signal. That is the opposite of where you would put a hard gate intended to silence an overdriven amp's hiss at the source.
Rocktron's placement guidance is specific: after distortion, wah and other noisy effects, not first in the chain straight off the guitar23.
Power: 9V battery or adapter, 10mA
The pedal runs on a 9V battery or a 9V DC adapter, drawing 10mA1. That is a light enough draw that a battery is a realistic option and a standard pedalboard power supply will run it without strain. Compare the rack-mounted Rocktron HUSH Ultra, which needs a 9VAC 2000mA supply4.
The HUSH circuit and its versions
HUSH The Pedal is the floor-level version of a circuit with a long lineage. Rocktron introduced its first products with built-in noise reduction in 1984, and the company says HUSH has been the standard in most touring rigs worldwide since then1. The pedal lets a player "tap into the same great circuitry on the floor"5.
The HUSH family has appeared in several forms over the years:
| Version | Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HUSH The Pedal | Stomp box | Single-ended noise reduction, one Threshold knob2 |
| Rocktron Reaction HUSH | Pedal, Reaction Series | Rugged metal slim chassis, 65dB of cleanup, 9V alkaline battery or Rocktron DC OnTap supply, negative tip6 |
| Rocktron MicroHUSH | Micro chassis pedal | HUSH noise reduction in a smaller board footprint7 |
| Rocktron HUSH 2X | Dual-channel unit | Two HUSH channels, sits on an amp head or in a rack drawer8 |
| Rocktron HUSH Ultra | MIDI-controllable rack unit | Version of the patented HUSH noise reduction4 |
Videos
RocktronUSA
73guy
YourGuitarSage
Questions
Does the Rocktron HUSH pedal cut off sustain?
Rocktron says it does not. The HUSH pedal is single-ended noise reduction that tracks your signal rather than a gate that slams shut, so it does not hurt your sustain or chop off the end of your notes while it removes up to 65dB of noise.
Does the HUSH pedal run on a battery?
Yes. The power requirement is a 9V battery or a 9V DC adapter, with a current draw of 10mA, so a standard 9V pedalboard supply or a battery will run it.
Where should the HUSH pedal go in my signal chain?
Rocktron says to plug it in after distortion boxes, wah-wahs, noisy vintage effects or other noisy units. It is not designed to take the input directly from your guitar without some processing happening between the guitar and the HUSH.
What is V.I.R. on the Rocktron HUSH?
V.I.R. stands for Variable Integrated Release, Rocktron's patented technology. It uses a low-noise VCA with precision detector circuits, which Rocktron credits for the smooth and transparent noise reduction the pedal delivers.
Is the HUSH pedal a noise gate?
No. Rocktron describes HUSH The Pedal as a form of single-ended noise reduction that tracks your signal all the way and pushes the noise floor below audibility, rather than a noise gate that simply mutes signal below a set level.
Sources (8)
- HUSH The Pedal Stomp Box, Rocktron, 2024-08-28
- Hush The Pedal, Rocktron (www.rocktron.com), 2024-08-28
- Rocktron, Rocktron (rocktron.com), 2024-09-24
- HUSH Ultra Guitar Noise Reduction, Rocktron, 2024-08-28
- Hush The Pedal, rocktron.com, 2024-08-28
- Reaction HUSH Stomp Box, Rocktron, 2024-09-24
- HUSH Micro by Rocktron, RockBoard PedalPedia (rockboard.de), 2026
- HUSH 2X Noise Reduction, Rocktron, 2024-08-28
