Rocktron Prophesy

This unit is fairly easy to use. However, the "user interface" can always be better. In some cases we are expected to understand bandwiths and advanced EQ'ing. I think this is expecting a bit much. If Rocktron could address these issues they would certainly receive less tech support questions. However, in Rocktron's defense, it must have been a difficult task coming up with a user interface for such a powerful unit. A little time experimenting and a little time with the manual will get you going.

I use the Prophesy with a Mesa 20/20 power amp into a Carvin Legacy 2X12 cab with Celestion V30's re-wired for Stereo. The Carvin is the "weak link" in this setup but I can lift it with one hand!! I play a heavily customized Ernie Ball Silhouette Special about 80% of the time, an American Strat (stock) and a Squier Tele with 2 humbuckers.

This unit is very quiet, the Hush circuit does a great job where required to kill unwanted noise. The preamp tones are quite fantastic. There are 4 variations; American clean, Texas Blues, Vintage Marshall and "Mega Drive". I've only had the unit for about 10 days but I've been busy and I have found that I can get a great variety of tones and after many years of looking I've found "my sound". I am indeed very impressed. The effects are also very good. Rocktron brag that this unit has 12 times the processing power of their original Intellifex. Well if you've used an Intellifex you know that they are good. Imagine 12X the power! I am very picky about Reverb, Delay and Chorus. I am very happy with all of the effects and particularly happy with the Verb, delay and Chorus. The ADSR technology is very cool. I have only used it with some of the stock presets but nonetheless, very impressive.
Short answer: It sounds great!

I have had other Rocktron gear and it has all been reliable. I would love to have a backup rig but I can't afford it! However, I am confident that this unit will be solid.

I have dealt extensively with Rocktron and they are a great. Response is timely and they certainly want to help.

I play a wide range of music covering Jazz, Hard Rock, Fusion and blues. This unit is certainly versatile enough for all of this. I have been playing for about 30 years. If this unit was lost or stolen I would replace it, no hesitation. My favourite feature about this unit, easy: sound quality. Least favourite is the user interface for specifically the pre and post EQ section. Not a big deal once you get a handle on it but, I still think Rocktron should try to improve this. I compared to the Rocktron Voodoo Valve, Marshall JMP-1, Fender Cyber Twin, Line 6 Flextone combo and POD units as well as amp and Fx solutions. I chose the Prophesy because I wanted flexibility and quality. Simple! I did not compare to the Lexicon and TC units because of price and the fact that the Prophesy has a great Preamp built in with Fx.

I wish it came with a computer interface and some basic software for storing patches. I know that there are some solutions out there but perhaps Rocktron could help us here. I'm nitpicking.

Hats off to Rocktron, they've done a great job.

As with any processor it is good to sit down and get to grips with all the functions available. I found the Prophesy fairly easy to understand and set out very logically; the manual is also very informative.

I have been playing 12years, I run my Prophesy through a Marshall EL3450/50 & Marshall cabs. My guitars are Ibanez 7 string Universes. Now one thing about this unit is that it is QUIET, I found that I really had to drive my power amp at about 7/8 to get a nice live sound. (I play in a LOUD melodic metal/hardcore UK band check out www.junkdna.co.uk).
The HUSH facility is an incredible tool and really cleaned up my sound, the EQ section really lets you get 'in there' and bring almost any sound in your head to your fingertips...awesome!
The effects on this unit are simply stunning; Choruses, flanges & phases are lush and rich in sonic depth. One criticism of the unit though is the delays...there is no stereo panning!! There is virtually no colouration of the original signal and the ADSR technology opens up a whole new world of creative thinking. I have worked with many effects processors/pre amps all of varying qualities - Line6 Pod Pro's, Digitech 2120's, Boss, Marshall's, SansAmp's, Mesa Boogie's etc, but the Prophesy to me has to be one of the best units I have played through, warm crystal clear clean, spiky, crunchy overdrive and PHAT, chunky distortions, what more could a guitarist want?!?

Done a grand job on tours so far...Although I have noticed a couple of times when I turned on the unit there was no signal, I turned the unit off and back on again and it worked fine. Hmmmmm? As I don?t EVER want to have ANY problems whatsoever at shows/recordings/rehearsals etc I do have a complete back up rig.

Sent emails asking technical information, received replies within 1/2 hour, very good!

This unit is much more a serious tone tool than a mere toy as some processors are, the Prophesy is packed full with features and top quality sounds, if mine was stolen or lost I would sit and cry for a while, then get up and buy a new one IMEDIATLY, I would not be without this unit!
I work in a music shop so have had plenty of time to try all that is on the market, I found that I came back to the Prophesy every time, this was due to the gorgeous quality of effects and what you can actually do with the all the functions.
As I said I play in a UK band playing emo-hardcore-metal, the Prophesy certainly delivers, being the only guitarist in the band I needed a unit that cuts through live, sounded HUGE and had no drop outs - patches blend nicely together, you can change from one preset say with delays on to another with a different delay tempo and hear the original patch fade out behind the new one...as for ducking delays, wow, although, maybe the delays could be set to pan left and right, and a headphone jack possibly?
There are to many plus points to list, mainly the sound/effect quality that make this unit so great for me, yet it is the sheer creative possibilities that the Prophesy possesses (such as the ADSR) which make this truly a great addition to any guitarist rig.
The Prophesy really has inspired my playing, thank you Rocktron.

The unit is what I would call easy to use but I am a hard core computer geek so complicated is what I like the best. I found it very easy to edit patches all I had to do was follow the manual.
Not sure on the Firmware version.

Ibanez Guitars-VHT 2502 Power Amp-2 Mesa 4x12 Recto Cabinets for Stereo.

No noise but that is due to the hush circuitry...If you turn that off on the high gain patches it has noise.

I personally do not like the clean sounds on this unit but I do not hear the background noise others are hearing. I just don't hear a sparkling clean sound that I can get from a good tube amp (Fender Type Clean). I can get an excellent metal distortion with lots of balls and the really great thing about this preamp is you can change the single 12ax7 tube and completely alter the sound of the preamp. That means if you like NOS tubes, you put your best sounding tube in this preamp and it takes the tonal characteristics of that tube (like in the V1 position). I personally love the way it sounds with the new JJ 12ax7 ECC 83S tubes, very thick and not buzzy at all. I give it a nine because the clean could be better.

No Data

I personally find this to be one of the most useful items in my rack. The reason I say that is because I can go direct to tape (computer) with it in total silence and get some really great tones. I can play live with it and get compliments on my sound. I just wish the clean sounded more of a fender like clean but for rock and metal its very nice.

The unit is fairly easy to understand, although i think the eq section is a little hard to dial in.

I use this with a
furman pl plus
korg dtr1
bbe 482
mesa simul-class 2:90
the preamp section has a great distortion but the clean sound does have some sort of background noise or distortion. I have tried it with numerous power amps and guitars and changed the chords but nothing fixed it. I sent it back to Rocktron to get it fixed but it came back with the same problem. The effect section sounds great and is very versatile. I love the sound of the unit i just wish the clean sounds didnt have the excess noise.

It works great and outside of sending it off to have them try to figure out the background noise it has been ready when needed.

They are easy to deal with and seem to have great pride in there product. They were very helpful to me.

I play progreesive rock and this works perfectly with my style. I have been playing for 13 years and would buy another. I have compared it to the digitech 2101 and 2120, the triaxis, and a Marshall jcm 2000
For an all in one preamp processor i think its great probably the best there is and with the built in hush noise gate you have a completely quiet rig.

so far it is pretty easy to use,it takes time though,and you will have to spend time with any processor,unless you want cheap sound and settle for brainless pedals.the prophesy is set up very good,as you scroll the knobs under whatever you are looking at is the knob you use to tweak that specific function.anything else read the book its well written,unlike lexicon which ive had the pleasure to own then get rid of.mpxg2

now,im going to dig in,and rip the other reviews.1st off there is NO NOISE,i don't where you are getting noise from,maybe your power amp?maybe you just don't know how to use this.I played through one at guitar center in jersey,and it was also noiseless.learn to use the product please,before you submit your results.And use the hush in it thats what its job is anyway,getting rid of noise,and Its perfect.Now the preamp,ya baby,it kicks,it smokes,ive tried preamps looking for that sound,you know every guitarists perfect sound,lex mpxg2,mesa triaxis,and now the prophesy,I AM GLAD I DID NOT LISTEN TO THE REVIEWS,OR WHAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD TO SAY,if i did i probably would have not bought this.the preamp is awesome,you could do whatever you want esp,with 3 eq's.pump out the power and the bottom end.if dave mustaine uses it...it must be good.effects are nice also,i like the holy clean tone with delay and chorus,sweeeeeet.nice leads,this thing is truly smooth,but you have to work with it ,dont expect to plug any processor in and just have the perfect tones,take time and design your own,thank you rocktron!!!!!!!!!

so far... so good... so what???????

not yet but treat anyone with respect and you'll get respect back...remember you reap what you sow!!!!!!

we play metal,real metal,metal of the 80's n 90's,melodies,solos,great hooks,music that hangs on and on and on.I'm am totally happy i bought this,i was really leary because of all the drag reviews,but pssst on them!If you are looking to buy one guitar center has them in stock,play it through a tube amp and some good cabs,and take time with it,and you'll thank yoursaelf in the long run.
STONE MUSIC ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!

Playing through the presets is more than easy, of course, but trying to figure out every single function in all the pages in the menu is no piece of cake. i don't mean it's difficult, but I think it'll take whole lot of experiment for me to really get acquainted with this unit.
But then again, why would I pay for over a grand for something that looks like or works like a Boss pedal? I think the dufficulties of use is the inherent nature of something complex and versatile, at least for this unit. I give it a 5 because of 10 for versitality and 1 for 'ease' of use.

Top-notch. I think the 12x7tube in the preamp section helps quite a bit. But again you can't expect it to sound exactly like a real quality tube amp. That's why this unit requires a nice power amp for live use (or you can use the record out, with on board speaker simulation nad mike placement---not great, but it'll suffice, IMHO).

Some people complain about the background noice on some clean settings, and I notice that myself too. But fortunately, i don't think it's a real issue. Unless you're going solo (with no other sound coming from your band) with a very low volume and the audience is literally sticking their ears on your speaker, I don't think it's noticable.
The ADSR system works like a dream too. It really gives you a chance to let your guitar 'sing'. Too much to explain, if you're interested check out their website. I wonder why this system is still in its infancy. For example, the auto wah combined with ADSR control really makes this unit unique.
Pre-preamp eq and post effect global eq is yet another nice touch by Rocktron. Many guitarists using seperate pedal before will find it familiar and useful for sure.
Assignable Effect loops make this machine even more versatile, and because it allows further compatibility with any exansion of gears you make, this is likely to be a long-lasting product.

OK, those are the main features that stand out to me immediately. But about its sound, I think I'm just more than happy to report that it doesn't sound DIGITAL. I once owned a Eventide Eclipse and have played through several other Eventide models, so I think I know hat transparency in effects is. While no Eventide, the effects in Prophesy is more than capable of producing decent sounds.

I know I probably shouldn't compare a unit at this price range with other claimed 'all-in-one' unit, like GT6 or Digitech stuff. But I really think there's a distinction between a toy's sound and that of a pro unit. My personal advice for those who are like me, with not much cash but really like to have something decent, is two words: credit card! Some really good players I know are still using units like GT-5 or GT-3 and they sound pretty good too. But IMHO, a real decent unit like Prophesy will easily put them in another league in seconds.
Can I get the sound of my favorite artist? Well, pretty damn close, from Metallica to Dimebag, Aerosmith to Korn, and Gary Moore to SRV. The only thing(s) lacking in this unit, I'd say, is some more variety of effects, like envelope follwer/filter, fuzz, ping-pong delay...etc. Yeah Rocktron, how about throwing in something more to make this cool unit a GREAT one? Call me greedy, but I think with over a grand and what I expect from Rocktron, it's not too much to ask for, is it?

Looks tough to me. But I wonder how often I'll have to change the valve. Put it in appropriate rack it'll probably never come out again.

Never dealt with them. this is actually my first Rocktron that I bought. Hope I never have to deal with them.

It doesn't give you really whacky stuff, but it does what it does more than nicely. I think it really merits the title 'Best all-in-one unit'.

I play almost everything. My other gears include PRS Custom 22, Collings OM2H accustic, Cornford Harlequin 6w tube amp...etc. Been playing for more than a decade now but still feel like a beginner on a daily basis:)

My favourite feature will have to be ADSR. if there's something I hate, hmmph, the display, I suppose, oh and I think it doesn't look as expensive as it is (comon Rocktron, it's 2002 already, can we drop that 1980s look?)

I compared this unit with TC G-force (versatile and imaginitive, but too damn digital for my taste), Lexicon (pretty cool effects, but the preamp SUCKS), Boss GT6 (sorry, can't comment on that), POD (sorry, I know how many people think it's a great professional gear, so no comment again in case if I upset any one of you), Prophesy, while no winner in every aspect, stanbds out as the most practical, usable and versatile all rounder. It doesn't give you really whacky stuff, but it does what it does more than nicely. I think it really merits the title 'Best all-in-one unit'.

throw in at least two quality EQ pedal, one compressor, one VERY EXPRESSIVE auto wah, one cool phaser, chorus, reverb, delay, tremolo, oh, and a decent tube preamp (like Marshall JMP-1)...man, that's more than grand definitely, if you're smart enough to add the pedal carry case and quality power supply with good connecting cables, you know you're likely to go over 2 grand. This unit does most of what seperate pedals do (and sometimes better), plus, it saves you from doing the lap dance and give you instant change of patches with a midi controller. I can't complain, really.

If you want your own sound, this is a good piece of equipment to work with. However, like other reviewers have stated, don't expect to plug in and love every patch. The layout is confusing for the 1st month, but again, once you're comfortable with it, it's a lot of fun. If you understand frequencies(bandwidth, etc.), you will find a unique tone, and find ways for it to get along with the power amp you use.

I play original metal, something compared to Devin Townsend/Fear Factory in that realm of tones. However I like to use tones similar to Allan Holdsworth or Eric Johnson, too. So, having versatility as well as the chance to get a cutting edge tone attracted me to this unit. I play a Schecter guitar with and EMG 85 in the bridge. I use a Mesa 50/50 for power, and a BBE for enhancement. As far as a good, strong metal tone, it took a very long time to manipluate it so that the preamp and power amp made a unified sound. But none-the-less, I get great compliments on my live sound, and other players always wonder what's hiding behind the Marshall cab. :)
A reviewer mentioned the scratching sound when running clean tones with a power amp behind it. I agree. Rocktron told me it's the nature of the beast, and can understand that. There are so many factors concerning this, and I found that simply going to a lower-output pickup can help. Granted, this is not fun, but considering that ths is a one-in-all unit, I'll suffice.. I have never ran this thing direct for recording, but I plan to in the future. The bottom line- If you got the time(and I mean months)you'll get your sound. The effects are realistically good for the money, and it holds down the fort very well for what I do.

For the 8 months I've owned this thing, it's been dead-reliable. Unless you drop the damn thing, the Rocktron won't fail you. Also note, I got mine on ebay(brave soul) at a great price. No telling what this thing's been through, but the factory presets were intact and the unit's been rock-solid. I know I've gotten my coin's worth.

I EMAILED about the clean-tone issue(faint distortion), and they wrote back the next day. Like another owner said, it prolly wouldn't hurt to call instead. Other than that, no problems.

If you have had the 'tapdance blues', and really need to cover a lot of tonal ground in a live environment, this thing rules. Patch switches are fast and it's easy to adjust stage volume between songs if I need to. If you are a tone frrreak who wants to find a unique rhythm tone, this thing is the answer. Remember, the kind of power amp you use with it will determine your foundation for your tone. So if you backed it with a solid-state power amp, disregard anything I've typed.. I'd love an Eventide 'orchestrator' with a Soldano
'SR-71' etc, but I'd rather get groceries. Keeping that in mind, it's worth the dough.

All I have to say is that the processor is way faster than any unit I have ever tried. The gap between pluck and sound from speaker is light speed - the same as any analog circuit. The cleans, particularly the Jazz settings "Pat Martino" are like the best Evans' or Polytones' that I have ever heard. This is a better piece than a voodu valve which is a better piece than pretty much everything else out there. It blows the Lexicon away and it sounds way better than any digitech -absolutely smokes a pod. The setup I played it through sucked too and it still sounded awesome. I might even give it a 10 but that is just a reserved number.

very easy, but you need to learn it a little bit. some little errors in software (turning up and down effects).

I am very uneasy about sound quality... effects are great, but pitch shifter is fixed, I expected intelligent in this price category... wah is not very good and it is not programmable... chorus is very good, reverb is fantastic....

preamp sounds are good, BUT!!!!!!! on clean sounds I can hear something like "background distortion". It seems it comes from another circuit of Prophesy and mixes with main sound... this "wzoooooooom" on the background muddies clean sounds and are very unpleasant....

I tried to e-mail Rocktron tech support, many e-mails I sended and no responses, after long time somebody from Rocktron mailed me "this faint distortion is normal, it is something with software"... unfortunately it is not "faint" and when you want to use some clear strat type sounds, it is DISRUPTIVE....

so I can give 9 to effects and zero to preamp, because it is terrible, overal I will give 2, because this distortion makes it unusable

there are two possibilities: Prophesy is not usable for clean sounds, or my Prophesy is broken and Rocktron customer support is extremely bad... but both these possibilities are bad...

it looks very solid

THERE IS NO CUSTOMER SUPPORT FROM ROCKTRON!!!! I sended many e-mails and no responses... I wrote to Rocktron I can not call them from Central Europe, it is very expensive and my spoken english is bad... no responses...

NEVER I will buy another Rocktron product, that is all I can say. There is not possible "money back" in my country (I am not from US), I will try to sell my Prophesy, but it will be loss for me... and this all makes me very sad, I saved money long time to buy high-end guitar product and just now I have "wzooooooom" machine

This thing is easy to use if you know what your doing.

This Thing has it all. I currently have a VHT pitbull ultral lead 100watt head with a VHT 4/12 cab. BBE sonic maxmizer 482 Jackson SLh2 Soloist. And The Rocktron prophesy. My sound is killer.

Hellya i would depend on this

I've never had a problem to call the company.