The Rocktron Utopia B100 is a bass floor processor: a multi-effects unit in pedalboard form, built for bass players who want their effects, tone channels and an expression pedal in one metal chassis rather than a row of single pedals. Rocktron describes it as the "Utopia B100 Professional Bass Guitar System," running on a Motorola 24-bit DSP engine1. It belongs to the broader family of multi-effects pedals for bass and guitar.
Effects and tone channels
The B100 organizes its processing into pre-effects, which shape the signal before the tone section, and post-effects, which come after it1:
- Pre-effects: wah, phaser, compressor
- Post-effects: chorus, flanger, tremolo, pitch shift, delay, reverb
Several of these correspond to effect types with their own pages on this site, including compressor, chorus, flanger, tremolo, delay, reverb, wah and phaser pedals, as well as octave and pitch effects for the pitch shift function.
For the core tone, the unit offers four channels labeled CLEAN, DIST1, DIST2 and DIST3, giving a clean voice and three distinct drive characters1. Players looking at those drive voices in single-pedal form would find them under overdrive and distortion.
Presets and control
The B100 holds 128 preset sounds, split evenly between 64 factory presets and 64 user preset slots, so edited sounds can be stored without overwriting the shipped ones1. Under the toe is a built-in expression pedal, which Rocktron describes as a "professional grade expression pedal made from metal"1. Players who prefer a separate pedal for other rigs can find standalone options among expression pedals.
Inputs, outputs and power
The input is a 1/4-inch mono jack with a 1M Ohm input impedance and a maximum input level of 0 dBu1. On the output side, the unit is stereo, with separate 1/4-inch Left and Right output jacks1.
Power comes from a 9VAC supply at 2.0A1.
The B100 runs on 9 volts AC, not the 9V DC center-negative supply used by most pedalboard power bricks. A standard DC output from a daisy-chain or isolated brick will not suit it, so plan to use the AC adapter specified for the unit.
Size and build
The chassis and expression pedal are made from metal, which Rocktron describes as a rugged professional grade build1. Because the expression pedal is part of the enclosure, the unit's height depends on the pedal's position1:
| Dimension | Toe of pedal down | Toe of pedal up |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 15 1/8" (387mm) | 15 1/8" (387mm) |
| Depth | 9" (228mm) | 9" (228mm) |
| Height | 3 1/4" (83mm) | 4 7/8" (124mm) |
Related models
Rocktron also made a larger Utopia model, the Utopia B300, another bass floor processor in the same family1.
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Questions
How many presets does the Rocktron Utopia B100 have?
The Utopia B100 carries 128 preset sounds, split evenly between 64 factory presets and 64 user presets. The factory sounds give you a starting point across the processor's effect types, while the user slots are where you store your own edited combinations of the pre-effects and post-effects.
Does the Utopia B100 have stereo outputs?
Yes. Rocktron specifies stereo outputs, with separate 1/4-inch Left and Right output jacks. That lets you run the processor into two channels of an amp or recording interface, or into a stereo rig, rather than being limited to a summed mono feed.
What power supply does the Rocktron Utopia B100 use?
Rocktron lists the power requirement as 9VAC at 2.0A. Note that this is an AC supply, not the 9V DC center-negative standard most pedalboard power bricks provide, so it needs the supply intended for it rather than a typical daisy-chain output.
Does the Utopia B100 have a built-in expression pedal?
Yes. The Utopia B100 has a professional grade expression pedal built into the floor unit, made from metal like the rest of the chassis. The pedal is part of the enclosure, so the unit's height changes depending on whether the pedal's toe is up or down.
What effects are in the Utopia B100?
Rocktron splits the effects into two groups. Pre-effects are wah, phaser and compressor. Post-effects are chorus, flanger, tremolo, pitch shift, delay and reverb. The unit also offers four channels of tone, labeled CLEAN, DIST1, DIST2 and DIST3, running on a Motorola 24-bit DSP engine.
Sources (1)
- Utopia B100 Bass Floor Processor, Rocktron (www.rocktron.com), 2024-08-28
