The Rocktron Gainiac 2 is a two-channel tube preamp aimed squarely at players who want a lot of gain. Rocktron claims over 100dB of gain, and describes the sound as running from the classic sounds of the 60s and 70s all the way to modern metal1. It is the second version of the Gainiac, and the maker presents it as the latest version of that preamp1.
What changed in the Gainiac 2
The Gainiac 2 carries two changes over the first Gainiac, both on the maker's product page1:
- An extra control for the clean channel, a separate master volume1
- An improved mid scoop on the distortion channel1
- More headroom, which Rocktron says means even more gain than before1
The Scoop control and EQ
The Gainiac's tone shaping centers on Rocktron's Scoop control. The maker says the Gainiac allows over 30dB of cut, or scooping, of the midrange, used together with the bass control, which Rocktron calls the Bottom control, and the treble control, called the Top control1. That kind of mid cut is a familiar tool for high gain playing, where scooping the mids is a common way to shape a metal rhythm tone.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Scoop | Cuts the midrange, over 30dB of cut, used with the Bottom and Top controls1 |
| Bottom | Bass control1 |
| Top | Treble control1 |
| Clean master volume | Separate master volume for the clean channel, new on the Gainiac 21 |
Where it sits in Rocktron's range
The Gainiac 2 is the simple, gain-focused end of Rocktron's preamp line. The maker's own history includes larger programmable tube preamps such as the Rocktron Chameleon and the Rocktron VooDu Valve, which added DSP effects and downloadable presets, and later all-tube designs like the Rocktron ValveSonic Plexi. The Gainiac 2, by contrast, is a straight two-channel tube preamp: clean and distortion, with the Scoop, Bottom and Top controls for shaping the gain tone1.
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Leon Todd
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Sources (1)
- Rocktron, Rocktron (www.rocktron.com), 2024-09-24
