Rotary speaker simulators

The GSi/Crumar "Burn" has wow'd me, a die hard real, working, Hammond B3/Lesle 122 player. Highly suggest real and clone players seriously looking at this and buying. Metal encased, ability to lock. Incredible sound and accuracy. Much better option over the Ventilator 1, mini, and vers 2 imo. Incredible edit ability including: - offers many different cabinet variances (122 and 147, Model 16, combo amps, etc. and the sound is amazing (and I never get wow'd by Hammond clones or Leslie pedals). - also offers non-leslie effects to call upon and tweak like delays (analog and digital), phaser, chorus, more so it pairs with other elec pianos/keys well, not just organ. - design your sounds/settings and save to any number of user presets. - has a standard ring-tip-sleeve REMOTE jack (for added stomp or halfmoon switch pedals) - MIDI In and Thru onboard. Easily control all effect aspects an your clones. - offers a "pass-thru" on the right input ch, allowing one to connect audio in from another source and play through un-effected. Great feature for many uses. - Has a nice, editable/flexible reverb to be called upon and used (or turned off). - True bypass, stop, and speed stomp swithes on the front. switches are not the "click" type. - 12AX7 tube inside, Overdrive can be turned one in addition to the simulated cabinet tube modeling for some really screaming and musical overdive. - Faithful reproduction of the leslie sound, but with tons more editable features compared to the current competition (Vent, Hammond Leslie pedal, etc). - ability to separately edit the upper and lower rotor aspects and operation compared to the competitive products. Quite important. - Headphone out with volume knob. - Upgradeable ROM (latest update 1.01 adds the 147 cainet, very nice). - Records well, fits in the studio scenario so nicely. UTILIZATION Easy editing, simple setup, clear to understand interface, MIDI ready, one incredibly MULTI-functional fantastic sounding leslie sim. Best of the bunch (and definitely the best bang for the buck) SOUND QUALITY I currrently use the Burn with my: Hammond B3/C3/A100, XK series clone, rhodes piano, wurli piano...more to come. I use real hammond/leslies for many years and did not think I would like any leslie simulator pedal. This one amazed me though, I was shocked. Use it all the time now (practice, recordings, performances). The Ventiliator (and Mini Vent and new Ventilator 2) is a good sounding 122 sim as well...but honestly, it's seriously limited in scope and way overpriced compared to the BURN. Plus with the Ventilator, you have to pay for modifications if you want the added controlability and accessories in many cases - no thanks. The Burn decision and choice was easy for me. OVERALL OPINION Thing I like most is what it's designed for - a leslie simulator, but one with added features galore. Have yet to find items I don't like about it. I guess perhaps the wall wart external power? (but 90% of these like items use that).

The Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII is rotary effect guitar pedal. As the name states, the pedal is Tube based and it has 1/4 inch connections. It is not rackable, as it a foot pedal and is powered by the power supply that comes with it. The pedal is bigger than most, but it is built like a brick and extremely sturdy. UTILIZATION The configuration of the pedal is pretty easy to follow. You've got knobs for drive and output, and another knob for rotor balance with each extreme being HF/LF, its kind of like a tone knob. There are then buttons for bypass, breaker, and to set how slow-fast you want the rotary to go. The end result is a sound similar to that of a Leslie speaker cabinet. The manual for this is well put together and is helpful when learning all the ins and outs of this pedal. SOUND QUALITY I sound quality of the rotary effect on the Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere is the best I have heard when it comes to pedals. It is rich and fat in tone and is an awesome emulator of a Leslie speaker. The tone is clear while the tubes provide for a warm, fat signal. It is easy to get a quick good signal from, and has a good amount of versatility. Overall, the sound quality of this pedal is awesome. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere for about a year and I have found it to be the best rotary guitar pedal out there. It is easy to get an awesome sound from it and the tubes provide a great deal of warmth and fullness. While this pedal is about double the price than the Boss RT-20 rotary ensemble, the sound is much better in my opinion, and I think the RT-20 sound pretty great! While the price will drive most away, this sound quality on this is worth it for professional players looking for an effect like this. Highly recommended to all interested in making your guitar sound like it is being run through a Leslie cabinet!

I'll admit I bought this having no idea what it did. I've been known from time to time to purchase something on a whim just because it looked unique. And after all, isn't that why they invented the 30 day return? I'm generally a traditionalist and I rarely use wacked out effects to tell the truth. But sometimes I'll be in the studio and I need something that sounds NOT like a guitar...but is still...a guitar? Yeah, I know. Anyway, I bought this a couple months ago and spoiler alert...I still have it. Turns out this is a rotating speaker emulator? Who would've thought. Controls are pretty simple for the most part. Level/bass/treble/drive. Then you have the position and the speed knobs which even I can mostly understand what these are, and I rarely use pedals like this. UTILIZATION The editing is pretty simple. It's nice to have a fast and slow switch in addition to the on off switch. This makes the pedal that much more versatile. The manual is good but personally I think this pedal is more like a tremolo/flanger than a rotary. SOUND QUALITY You can get a ton of sounds out of this box. Really. It can get choppy tremolo stuff or really phasy flanger airplane style sounds. It's a nice combo of modulation and tremolo functions. In fact, if you want a rotary pedal combined with a chorus...this is probably just what you need. Probably the best feature though is the drive control which lets you emulate that old busted out horn sound. Of course there's also the wacky crazy sounds you get when you go extreme on the settings. They usually end up sounding pretty alien. It's hard to get it to sound really bizarre though. Don't expect any chaos. It's still just a chorus rotary. OVERALL OPINION All the tech 21 pedals can go direct which is nice for recording emergencies. I rarely use this in a live situation only because I rarely need it and it takes up too much space on the board to warrant it being there. However I use it in the studio all the time, although in a more non-traditional way. Overall though this is a very cool pedal and worth the price. Definitely check it out if you want a rotary/chorus/tremolo type pedal.

The Boss RT-20 Rotary Ensemble is a digital guitar effects pedal that emulates a rotary effect. It has 1/4 inch inputs and outputs and is powered by the power supply that comes with it. It is not a rackable unit as it is a guitar stomp box. UTILIZATION The general configuration of the pedal is pretty simple, but takes a little time to get used to it as there are a lot of different parameters to control different things. The knobs it has includes one to choose between four different modes, one for effect level, one for direct signal level, one for rise time, one to balance between the bass and horn level, which is kind of like tone, one for overdrive, and one each to control either slow or fast, referring to the speed. The manual is complete and helpful when learning this pedal. SOUND QUALITY The sound quality of the Boss RT-20 is pretty awesome. It basically emulates all types of rotary sounds like a sound from a leslie speaker or a chorus like sound. I have only used this with guitar, as that is what I play, but it would definitely work well with other electronic instruments like an electric piano, or even an organ that needs a leslie simulator. The overall sound is rich and full and the variety of effects is pretty outstanding. The many different modes and parameters allows for this to be a pretty versatile pedal. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the Boss RT-20 Rotary Ensemble for about a year and I have found it to be a great tool when looking for rotary type effects. It is built extremely well, and has the Boss seal that I have come to trust. Once you learn what everything does on this pedal, the possibilities are pretty much endless. While it isn't the cheapest Boss pedal, it is reasonable considering how much you are getting with this pedal. It probably isn't as good as the Hughes & Ketner Rotosphere, but it will cost you less and probably has a wider array of tones. All in all, if you're looking for a leslie simulator or a rotary type sound, definitely check out this pedal.

HOW IT SOUNDS: The Micro Vent 122 nails that vintage Leslie 122 sound, perfect for keys, guitar and bass. The sound is clearly defined, whether blended in a small amount or mixed full (although at full you still have the instruments tone coming through), an impressive feat since including an effect to an analog signal can result in some mud, but not with the Micro Vent 122. In essence the 122 compliments and augments the original signal. What you get is a more organic outcome, rather than one that sounds overly-processed. You can vary the effect in different ways. Speed varies the rate of the rotor, from a subtle and swirling wave, to a tremolo-like pulse. The Blend knob controls how obvious the effect sounds (how much Leslie mix you want), and the Distance knob adjusts how close the mic is to the cabinet (turned low and the sound is less three-dimensional and softer versus up full for that full-on Hammond sound). The Micro Vent 122 sounds impressive with keys (watch demo included with the review), but certainly works with guitar or bass. It works best with a clean(ish) guitar/bass signal, although the pedal produces some very unique qualities (phaser-like in some respects) when blended low with an overdriven signal. GENERAL USE: How fast the speaker rotates, from a slow swirl to more of a fast tremolo-like pulse is controlled by the Speed knob. Mixing between the instrument’s signal and the effect is controlled by the Blend knob, with a 50/50 mix set at 12-noon. Distance (mic distance from the simulated cabinet) ranges from less intense (full counterclockwise) to more obvious (full clockwise). The Ramp knob controls the rotors’ acceleration and deceleration when shifting between Speed 1 and Speed 2 (via the footswitch); this can provide an abrupt or smoother change, depending on the selection. For example, when switching between a very pronounced Leslie effect to shutting it off completely (Ramp all the way down counterclockwise), there is a sudden termination of the effect versus the Ramp all the way up with an apparent slowing of the rotors. The footswitch combined with the Speed 2 toggle switch produces some very useful combinations. With the Speed 2 toggle switch flipped up, and the footswitch engaged, the speed of the effect reaches maximum, thus allowing a slow speed followed by a fast speed. On the other hand, with Speed 2 flipped down the effect produces the slowest speed of a Leslie 122, and this allows you to play with a faster effect followed by a slower speed. Next, with the toggle switch in the center position, there is a stop of the effect altogether, although depending on the Ramp (see paragraph above) there may be a sudden stop, a slow gradual stop or something between (depending on the setting). Another important operation of the Micro Vent 122 is the Global Settings (instructions outlined in the pamphlet). For instance, you can have the pedal operate in buffered or true-pass when off, or use the footswitch in a momentary or latched manner when shifting into the Speed 2 settings. The footswitch also has three modes of operation – when it is on, what happens when engaged once and what occurs when stepped on and held. As with any pedal, the LED lights when the pedal is on (solid red). However, with Speed 2 engaged, Global Settings can produce various changes by clicking the footswitch again or if holding for 1.5 seconds (again, see the pedal’s pamphlet). As well, you can turn the pedal off either by a single click of the footswitch or holding it down for 1.5 seconds. Depending on your needs and how you use it in a live setting, you can customize the footswitch. OVERALL IMPRESSION: The Micro Vent 122 is based on the Leslie 122, a famous speaker system designed originally for organ. Similar to the Micro Vent 16 (that emulates a Fender Leslie guitar amp), the 122 model produces very authentic rotary sounds, although more pronounced than the 16 model. Neo Instruments did a superb job in replicating the Leslie sound, but also with its flexibility. There is a wide range of speed, intensity and how the imitative rotor behaves when gearing up or down – as well as being turned off. However, one of the best features is the Blend control, which allows a modest amount of Leslie to creep into the mix, as opposed to turning it up for a very flagrant swirl that almost sounds three-dimensional. Priced at $349 USD, the Micro Vent 122 is somewhat costly for a pedal, but it does produce a high quality and realistic result. Comparably, there are less expensive Leslie emulators, but for those Leslie aficionados, the Micro Vent 122 is the crème de la crème. The pots turn smoothly and without any background noise. The footswitch is soft (no hard clicking) and silent (no ‘click’ in the signal when engaged). The toggle switch for Speed 2 has a solid feel and shifts into each position well. The signal processing uses a very powerful 32-bit SHARC DSP, which is the same one found in the larger Ventilator II, by Neo Instruments, thereby producing the same great sound in a smaller package. Both the analog digital and digital analog conversion is 48khz, 24-bit, with a -90dBA noise level. Current draw is 180mA and requires a standard 9VDC power supply.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: The Micro Vent 16, by Neo Instruments, is based on the Fender Vibratone, the latter of which has a 10-inch Leslie speaker. The signal processing uses a very powerful 32-bit SHARC DSP, which is the same one found in the larger Ventilator II. This pedal can be used with bass and keys, but certainly was developed with the six-stringer in mind. Although contained in a small stomp box, this pedal does emulate that rotary quality very well – and it does so in mono. Being able to blend a little of the Micro Vent 16 with a lot of the raw signal, so that the Leslie effect barely is audible, adds a new dimension to one’s guitar tone. Of course, you can blend in a lot of the Leslie for the swirling effect. The Micro Vent 16 retails for $349 USD, making it an important investment for most musicians, but for an authentic and realistic emulation, the Micro Vent 16 is at the top of its class. Consequently, if a quality Leslie effect is important to your sound and pedal board, the Micro Vent 16 is a no-brainer. Further on that point, hundreds of dollars can be spent on less authentic Leslie-based pedals as you search for the one that beats them all, and so do consider going this route first. Besides a great tone, there are several features that I’ll address in the Sound and Use section, including being able to customize Global Settings, e.g., able to bypass (either true bypass or buffered bypass) the effect or alter speeds (momentary or latched), and adjusting output level, all of which makes the Micro Vent 16 applicable for both studio and live use. SOUND: Smooth and lush definitely describes the Micro Vent 16. What I like about this pedal is that the effect is not overpowering, even at full blend, and remains very complimentary to an underlying guitar tone (do refer to the YouTube video for both sound and settings). No matter the mix, the Leslie effect remains clear, pristine and very organic in texture – and it does sound more realistic than other high quality Leslie effects I’ve tried (including those from Eventide). There are various elements that influence The Micro Vent 16 sound, with Speed being one of the most obvious. When slow it sounds like a smooth wave washing over the tone, whereas its fastest speed is more of a rapid pulse. What makes the Micro Vent 16 cool is that you can change rotary speed via the Footswitch (in conjunction with the ‘Speed2’ toggle), as explained in the General Use section. The Distance knob refers to ‘mic distance,’ which adjusts the strength of the Leslie effect – from subtle to intense. The Ramp knob adjusts acceleration and deceleration of the (simulated) rotor when switching between Speed 1 and Speed 2 (via the footswitch), so that you can cut off the effect suddenly or gradually (as though the rotor is slowing). The Blend knob is one of the best features, as you can determine the mix of a guitar’s analog signal with that of the Micro Vent 16. Mixing in a Leslie with a regular guitar tone has been used extensively by Stevie Ray Vaughn and David Gilmour, which gives a guitar tone a thicker and lush result. Even in a high-gain setting the Micro Vent 16 is very applicable, producing fatter and more sweeping rhythms, as well as full-bodied, melodic leads. GENERAL USE: You can create different Global Settings, as outlined in the user pamphlet, such as having the pedal true bypass or buffered bypass when off. You can alter the Leslie speed of the Micro Vent 16 by clicking or stepping on the footswitch (whether preferring a latched or momentary control). There are several ways to set this up, but this is my preferred method of operation: Upon initial operation, the pedal is on, as per its solid red LED. With a click of the switch (without having to hold it) it goes to Speed 2, which I’ll address later, as the red LED flashes. And then if I hold the switch for 1.5 seconds, it goes to bypass mode. Again, this can change, in that Speed 2 only engages if you hold the switch, whereas a click of the switch results in bypass mode. The various global and operational options make the Micro Vent 16 very customizable. The main footswitch is multi-functional and works in conjunction with the Speed 2 toggle switch. In the up position Speed 2 provides maximum speed of the Vibratone, so that you can switch from a slow(er) Leslie effect to one that is vivacious. In the middle position, Speed 2 causes the Leslie effect to stop (it may take several seconds to come to a full stop due to rotor inertia and Ramp setting). In the down position, Speed 2 slows the speed to the slowest of the Vibratone, so that you can switch from a fast(er) rotor to smooth wave. Again, the footswitch controls the shifting between speeds. Speed ranges from very slow to rapid. Blend control, which mixes how much of your analog signal you want to hear and how prominent you want the Leslie effect within that signal. At 12-noon the Blend is 50/50. The Distance knob controls the mic distance from the simulated cabinet, with full clockwise being the closest distance and counterclockwise the furthest distance. Think of that control as how intense you want the Leslie effect (which can vary further with how much Blend you have). The Ramp knob controls the acceleration and deceleration of the rotors when shifting between Speed 1 and Speed 2, providing either a smoother or more abrupt change between the speeds.

The Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere is rotary effect guitar pedal. As the name states, the pedal is Tube based and it has 1/4 inch connections. It is not rackable, as it a foot pedal and is powered by the power supply that comes with it. The pedal is bigger than most, but it is built like a brick and extremely sturdy. UTILIZATION The configuration of the pedal is pretty easy to follow. You've got knobs for drive and output, and another knob for rotor balance with each extreme being HF/LF, its kind of like a tone knob. There are then buttons for bypass, breaker, and to set how slow-fast you want the rotary to go. The end result is a sound similar to that of a Leslie speaker cabinet. The manual for this is well put together and is helpful when learning all the ins and outs of this pedal. SOUND QUALITY I sound quality of the rotary effect on the Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere is the best I have heard when it comes to pedals. It is rich and fat in tone and is an awesome emulator of a Leslie speaker. The tone is clear while the tubes provide for a warm, fat signal. It is easy to get a quick good signal from, and has a good amount of versatility. Overall, the sound quality of this pedal is awesome. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere for about a year and I have found it to be the best rotary guitar pedal out there. It is easy to get an awesome sound from it and the tubes provide a great deal of warmth and fullness. While this pedal is about double the price than the Boss RT-20 rotary ensemble, the sound is much better in my opinion, and I think the RT-20 sound pretty great! While the price will drive most away, this sound quality on this is worth it for professional players looking for an effect like this. Highly recommended to all interested in making your guitar sound like it is being run through a Leslie cabinet!