Gracias por tomarse el trabajo de tocar tantas veces la misma secuencia musical con el fin de que salga tan bien la comparación, y comparar tantos pedales, particularmente busco un sonido parecido a Leslie (movimiento rápido), los de la marca Vent, Leslie, Wampler fueron los que más me gustaron, aunque todos cumplen bien su función. No debemos olvidar de que es una emulación de un sonido real, solo una emulación. Si buscas la perfección, entonces uno debe conseguir un amplificador Leslie real. Excelente selección de pedales. Excelente video. Saludos desde Argentina.
Thanks for doing these demos guys. The only thing I would say is to also do arpeggios in order to hear the Leslie effect much better. Staccato is nice but legato or longer sustained arpeggiated notes bring out the Doppler effect much better IMHO.
It is hard to hit everything and please everyone. This was our first series. Now that we have been doing it longer I would love to do it again, but it wasn't easy to get our hands on all the pedals the first time.
(I feel the same way as you about picking a more illustrative demo tune. The repetitive version of what sounds like to me Hendrix's 'Wind Cries Mary' crammed into Gov't Mule's 'Soulshine' (if he had ever lived to hear it) with kinda loose timing, tuning & comping. Yeah, annoying or irritating? l-) He starts with them in fast mode, then brakes for the only short held chord. But then he taps the fast button on each, after more noodling (Doh!) to ramp up, but he doesn't sustain or arpeg. any sound because his hand is off his guitar pressing the button, so you never really get to hear a good example of how the pedals ramp up & the horns doppler. I had to go seek out other vids to hear examples and found many folk seem to think rotary is On/Off Fast'/Slow only. They are confusing it with a Univibe and/ot are just unworthy to be showcasing stompboxes that do more than 1 thing...? At my age/experience I'd of have to play that arpeggiated solo Clapton does before the ending jam on his classic 'Badge or do some Badfinger or Beatles, etc. YT's demonetizing algo be damned! A couple of years ago I did appreciate this video when I was studying brands/models for a rotary effect to buy. I ended up with the Nux Roctary based on price vs features. Solid & well-made. I found that about a 1/4th of the models demoed are np longer in production, or there simply aren't any used ones around as the new prices on many of these are way too high IMO! I don't use the Roctary's octave(s) feature that much, but at least the latency/tracking is acceptable. Cheers!
@@boboala1 Yeah, I guess it depends on what one wants with a Leslie pedal. I'm with yo on the Badge or even Clapton on While My Guitar Gently Weeps. You might as well get a real used Leslie for the price some pedals are asking! The new Strymon one looks interesting. They improved on the first one. I have a Univibe clone by the way and know exactly what you mean. I didn't get it to do the Leslie thing. It does the Univibe thing.
Thanks to this video I bought a Rototron (used, because it's no longer in production). Although Pigtronix tried to emulate a real Leslie, they made a pedal with a very unique sound, like mixing a phaser and a vibe. I love that.
I think you should look at a old rack unit made by DigiTech called RPM-1 vacuum tube rotary simulator. You will need 3 amps to use it correctly. Left/Right outs for the horn effects and a center out for the rotor effect. It is the only unit I could find that will do the horn and rotor like a Leslie.
This is just a great demo. But it would be better if just after a switch is engaged, the strumming would begin immediately so we could hear the ramp up and down. Really like the Neo and H&K.
I let it hang without strumming so you could hear what the pedal was doing to the signal without the strumming getting in the way. I should have tried to do both I guess. Thanks for the input!
This was an amazingly helpful video. I’m currently in the market for a Leslie sound but am stuck between the Neo and the pulse! Any recommendations on which is preferred? Which were your guys favorites?
You picked two of my favorites right there. They both sound amazing. I would say one thing to consider is that the neo gets the leslie 122 sound with the rotating horn. The pulse doesn’t have the rotating horn sound. That said, the pulse is kind of it’s own thing and absolutely nails that David Gilmore thing. I don’t think you can go wrong with either. -Jason
Hi guys I've got a suggestion for a new Rotary series... Comparing the rotary sounds on multi-effect type pedals For example: Wampler Teraform Boss MD-200 Boss MD-500 Strymon Mobius Nux Mod Core Line 6 M5 I thought the Teraform would be great for me.. But the lack of control over the slow speed is a bummer. Seems like with multi-effects you always lose something..
btw, there is no low speed control on a real lesie either...only a 3 pulley option in the top rotor...a 122/145 or any 2 speed leslie had set speed motors running it
The H&K is a favorite of mine. Mine does need a trip to the shop though. I’ve been using the big Neo Vent in its place. We have a video on that one but it is not in this video. I use the micro 122 on my smaller board. Both sound great. There are lots of great options out there.
Subbed on this . gassing bad for leslie/rotary pedal. Loved the lester k and boss pedal. The fact that the lester is made for keys and the leslie was made for organ is not lost on me
Thanks! We weren’t able to get our hands on the Lester G, that said EHX says the Lester K can be used for guitar right in the manual simplicity we included it. Good luck in your search. It’s a great sound!
I used to have a Rotosphere MKII. I sold it and have a Lester G. If I listen to your clips, the HK and the Lester K sound very good. Is there a reason you like the Rotosphere better than the other?
Probably mostly because I had it on my board for a long time. That said, I think there is a warmth to it that’s really nice. Of course, that comes with the large size and noise so it’s a trade off. Mine actually needs serviced now too.
@@stratojetb47 I think it just needs cleaned up. It’s doing this weird thing where all the highs disappear when I click it on. I use to unplug and plug it back in and it would be fine. That’s not working well enough now. I reached out to one of the designers and he said take it to a tube amp guy and get the contacts cleaned because they may be oxidized. I wondered if maybe the tube was going out too.
I think the Hammond Leslie G sounds the fullest and warmest when compared to the real thing. I see the note about the amps/guitar used, so assuming everything else is the same with the pedals (e.g., mic placement, video processing) the Hammond Leslie G is a deeper, wider sound like the actual Leslie. I was surprised in this comparison that the Neo and the RotoSPIN sounded much thinner and narrower, I thought they'd be the hands-down winners. Do you agree?
We did use the same amp, guitar, and mic but they were recorded on different days, so it should be pretty close. The Leslie G is definitely a great pedal. I think you hit a point where it just comes down to personal taste and features (not to mention price). The Neo pedals are pretty sweet. I really liked the RotoSPIN too. I have been using the Rotosphere by H&K for a long time and it is probably still my favorite. Of course, in the situation I am using it in I have the room for it and don't have to move it week in and week out. If I needed to be more mobile I would probably go with something else. Put it this way, if I could keep just one it would be a really hard call on which one it would be. There are definitely some great choices out there.
Thanks for the reply! I was **this close** to buying the RotoSPIN but ended up pulling the trigger on a used Leslie G that popped up for sale. Of course I wish I could compare them in person but that’s not easy. Btw, I recently discovered your channel (in my hunt for a Leslie pedal) and I’ve watched a bunch of your videos and so far I’m loving what you do! Thanks!!!! (Second Btw, if a decent used Leslie speaker comes up for sale locally, I might just have to snatch it up as there’s nothing like the real thing!!!!)
Richard Davidson I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the leslie G. Glad you’re liking the channel, we are having a blast doing it. We did pick up that Leslie 16 and you’re right, it is hard to beat the real thing. That said, the pedals are a lot easier to move!
@@PJandtheBeard I got the Leslie G and it's pretty darn awesome!!! Especially in stereo to two different amps. You can really hear (and practically feel) the rotating/swelling back and forth! And yes, it also sounds great in mono too. Without real horns actually moving air, I'm very impressed. And I do appreciate the different models, even more so in person vs watching videos -- depending on what guitar or style of music I'm playing I choose between the 122 (rounder, fuller), 147 (narrower, punchier for guitar) and the 18V (really, really nice on guitar, especially with the two horns rotating at the same speed). I also appreciate having the wet and dry volume adjustable for even further effect possibilities! It really does make a big difference how the wet/dry are dialed in, or out as the case may be. I can't compare it to other pedals in person, but I am very happy with my purchase (and a mint used one much cheaper than new to boot!). Thanks again for helping guide me through the plethora of options!
I find it especially hard to judge these samples since I can't really tell how each pedal emulates a true 3D sound. I liked the Hammond and the JHS best from the video but have no idea whether I would choose those two if I hears them in person. So I am very interested in what PJ and the B came away thinking about the various pedals. Also, did any of them really manage to emulate closely a real Leslie speaker box. In my experience nothing does, but then a true Leslie, you know the kind of big cabinet you can sometimes buy from someone getting rid of an old organ, is very hard to gig with!!
I think you are right here, you can replicate being in the room with the real thing. That said, I think many are close and so much better than hauling an actual leslie around or going without one. The JHS Chorus and based on the old Arion chorus pedals. Josh Scott told me that many of the Nashville guys use that to get their "leslie" sound. No surprise that one sounded good to you. The Hammond pedal is really nice too. We borrowed that one so it wasn't around long but I think it may have been a keeper. Certainly, any of the Neo stuff is great as well. We also still have the Strymon, DLS, Dawner Prince, Keeley, and Dawner Prince pedals. The H&K Rotosphere is still on my board as well. Probably my overall favorite, but almost as bad as hauling a leslie... Sorry for the delayed response... missed this somehow.
Oh my, that is almost like asking which one of my children I love the most. lol Seriously though, I love my H&K Rotosphere, but they are expensive now and a bit high maintenance. I use the Neo Micro Vent 122 a lot and love all of the Neo versions. The Strymon Lex and DLS Rotospin are really good too. If you want something a bit different the Dawner Prince Pulse is sweet, especially for that Gilmore sound. There are a bunch of good ones.
@PJandtheBeard I'm looking for something closer to Warren Haynes kinda thing. I know he uses the Rotosphere, but as you've said, they are expensive and high maintenance
@@Dojin007 I’ve never thought our video in this series on the rotospin did it enough justice. We did a jam at the end of our EchoTOUR video. PJ was using the rotospin and really nailed the Warren thing unintentionally. Take a listen and see what you think. Very end of the video. The ECHOTour by DLS Effects - Our new favorite analog delay pedal! czcams.com/video/8oqR3jM7X6A/video.html
Wow, sorry I am so behind in replying. I think we did in some of the individual episodes. Maybe when we play out at the end. For the most part we were covering features in this series.
I have a Lex and LOVE the fast sound, however, it is large and hard to power. Can anyone recommend a pedal that sound as good but has a smaller foot print, 9v power, and not as expensive as the Micro Vent? Thanks!
The micro vent is the ticket, but it can be cost prohibitive. Some suggestions. The Hammond Leslie G is really nice, but around the same size. If memory serves it uses 9v power. The cost and size are probably still a downside so that probably won't work. The NUX Roctary might be a good option when it comes to cost and power, but it is about the same size as the lex. The Keeley Dyna-my-rotor or Roto Sonic if you keep it fast all the time and don't need to switch to slow. Honestly, I would look for a used line 6 roto-machine (small but heavy) or a tech 21 Roto Choir. Both are really nice. If you can find the line 6 roto-machine that would probably meet the requirements the best. Sounds sweet too.
Not being a troll but I've come back to this awesome demo to hear these pedals. I've owned quite a few of these and I am still looking for one that satisfies me on the slow setting. Have you guys considered maybe using a looper to record your riff and hook the pedals up to that. Nothing wrong with the playing, I just thought it might be easier for you. Think I might get the DSL next. I had a Leslie 18 that a guy was going to sell me and the s.o.b. changed his mind !😡😡😭
We really love Dave from DLS effects. He is making some great stuff. We appreciate the suggestion too. We actually discussed your looper idea since we are moving into the tremolo series. In many ways it would be easier. I’m not sure we are going to go that direction as part of the fun of the channel for us is the headache of trying to play it. It is as much about hanging out and trying out new gear as it is anything else. Thanks for the comment!
The TR7 tremolo/rotary by Hardwire pops to mind as been really good and probably under appreciated. Of course there are some newer mod pedals like the walrus M1 and wampler terraform that can do it too. Both of those are nice pedals as well.
On some of the demos it sounds as if the EQ is completely different. For instance when transitioning from the Neo Mini Vent to the Rotospin, it sounds as if all of the low frequencies have been removed. I've heard that the Rotospin is exceptionally good, so I'm wondering, is this really the sound of the pedal or is it a difference in the recording? Very helpful video by the way I subscribed purely on the strength of this video.
Thanks for the sub! I believe all of the clips were shot during two different sittings. All the clip where I am wearing jeans were on one day and all of the clips where I am wearing dress pants were on another. The settings don't usually get touched on the amp and they definitely were not changed intentionally between pedals. I can't guarantee they were not moved between sittings, but I doubt it. I see what you mean about the DLS Rotospin. Not sure I have a good answer. It is a great pedal and one of the few kept. Really glad you found the video useful. Hoping to release a similar video this week for the Tremolo Series. That one uses some different amps and settings, but we didn't think it was as important with tremolo to try and keep everything the same.
@@PJandtheBeard I'm assuming that something has happened and it doesn't reflect the sound of the pedal in the room. It has some high profile players that recommend it. Thanks for the reply.
Not sure how I missed this. Someday we might add some of the helix and other multi effects pedals that include rotary. It is hard to fund everything and neither of us uses modelers right now.
Many of em are so cool, but nothing gets closer to the BOSS RT-20 just because of how it makes those amazing visualizations! BTW: EHX Lester G (not K, but G) is another great alternative!
I like the lights on the RT-20 too and think it sounds great. We did the Lester K but haven’t been able to get our hands on the G yet. Hopefully we will add it in the future. -Beard
Lester G (and K, probably) is great for really hot Leslie sounds. It adds some upper harmonics, but also muffles some of the high end. Neo Vent is the perfect clean Leslie pedal to me. I have both, and use both for different applications (sometimes within the same song!) Just don't buy more than four of these pedals, cause then you could have a used Leslie for the same price 😀
so what did you think of the DLS? i heard the Rotosim which was the previous version cuts through better and is a bit darker. i have Lex V1 and its nice but i dont like it too much that i have no control over the slow speed with a knob but just the secondary functions. and it seems to lose volume and some how disappear in the mix when i engage the drive. might be my amp (SLO100 MK1 with a +4dBu line level loop)
First, we are big fans of all Dave from DLS’s pedals and still have and use the rotospin. He makes great stuff! It’s funny when I listen back to the video we did for this series the rotospin doesn’t seem to sound a good as some of the others. I really want to revisit it someday because I think it does. We have used it a bunch in other videos and it always sounds really good. I wonder if we didn’t have it set up right that night. Seriously. Anyway, the end jam on the DLS Echotour is a great example of how good it can sound. PJ is using it on that with a Les Paul and I think it nails those Warren Haynes tones. Of course, PJ would tell you that was a happy accident. Here is the link: czcams.com/video/8oqR3jM7X6A/video.htmlsi=WmDmgLGOAS47KM89
@PJandtheBeard The Warren Haynes tone is exactly what I was looking for. The lex doesn't nail it, at least for me. Did you ever use the rotosim? How do they compare soundwise?
@PJandtheBeard hiw do you like the rotospin compared to the lex? Trying to decide between them. The RotoSPIN has no brake option which i rarely use, but it is useful sometimes.
@@Dojin007 that’s a hard call. I used the Lex on my board for a while before switching to the Rotosphere (awesome but noisy and big but my rig doesn’t leave the stage where we play). I don’t really use the drive option on the Lex or the rotospin. Honestly I would probably be happy with either. If it means anything they are both pedals we kept from the series. Those and the Rotosphere, Pulse, pigtronix, and all the Neo pedals.
most of these test are really unfair. For instance the pedals with complete stereo should be sent to totally separated speakers/amps to get the full sweeping sound. The NUX had the worst sound.
The stereo pedals were sent to two different amps mic’d separately and then one was panned left and the other right. Listen with headphones. We like liked the NUX.
This was the first series we did and pretty early on the channel. It’s possibilities any clipping could be our fault. Of course, that’s still true today but we are slowly getting better at the recording thing.
@@davidjames1858 my Rotosphere just went down. It has been a permanent fixture on my board for years and used weekly. I replaced it until I can get it fixed with the neo ventilator. The big one, which we did later in this series after this video came out. It sounds fantastic live too.
@@PJandtheBeard Cool. Funny thing is I thought my Rotosphere was broken for eight years and I wasn't using it. Turned out it was okay and I must've plugged a DC supply into it. It half lit up but had no sound, I tricked myself. Glad it's okay now heh
I think if you look around you’ll find that the K is often used on guitars as well. The big difference is that it is missing a built in compressor. It was not easy to source all of these pedals for the series, especially so early in the channels history. This is the one we were able to get access to and figured it was worth including. Someday we might add the G. We did imagine it, and research it, and concluded the difference wasn’t that big of a deal, but if one comes our way we will add it to the series.
Who wouldn’t want a Real Leslie! Unless you’ve got roadies as Frampton does, you have to forget it! I’ve considered the 70lbs. Leslie Model G37.. Too much money for an effect that I don’t use on most of my tunes..
The Fender Pinwheel has the closest midrange tone to the original Leslie 16 cabinet at the start & the slow speed of the panning of the Fender is also the most authentic. Why did you use that crappy tinny spring reverb on the left hand amp??? It sounds truly awefull and at times totally unbalanced. And why did you not demo the NUX Roctary in stereo? It has stereo outputs! Only the Neo Micro is mono & the MXR is really a mono chorus.
Interesting that you liked the Pinwheel the best. Definitely a cool pedal. As for the tinny spring reverb, it is just the reverb in the amp. If memory serves it would have been the Peavey Classic. This series was at the beginning of the channel when we still used that amp a good bit. The Peavey classics are great amps too, but I am sure we would have used our Tyler if we had it then. Anyway, the Roctary was recorded in stereo, look at the video and you will see both outputs are in use. I am not sure what you mean by only the Neo Micro being mono. If you look at the description we listed the clips that are in stereo and those that are in mono. There were several pedals in the series that were mono. Of course, the MXR is a mono chorus. It was listed under the alternative ways to get the leslie sound. It actually does a pretty good fast leslie thing. Links to full videos are in the description too. We explained that several times throughout the series. Thanks for the comment. Reminded me that I need to get in that description and add some links to videos that have been added to the series since the last update.
Interesting choices. Can’t argue with the Neo choice at all. They make great leslie pedals. The JHS pedal is a chorus really so that makes sense in this context. I will admit. I was surprised by the NUX, especially considering the cost. Thanks for the comment!
I've generally been impressed with Neo options, although both of the Micros seemed to be on the more subtle side than the Mini. They all retain good fundamental tone character. Several, if not many of the pedals had their own pronounced EQ response which dominated the pulse and swoosh, rendering the modulation an afterthought or emphasizing only a peaky part of the sweep. I hear more subtle modulation in a majority of this comparison, which is not something I associate with Leslie cabinets.
I really like the H&K tube Rotosphere too. That just has a really unique warmth to it. The Pigtronix was probably surprise for me. Probably one of the most unique sounding of the pedals in the series. And that thing you can do with expression pedals is over the top.
For God’s sake and my ears, please tune that Strat !!😫😫😫😫 One more thing. Most of these pedals sound great. An audience couldn’t tell the difference between most of these.
Your ears must be better than ours and the tuners we use every time before hitting the record button. Doesn’t matter how often or well we (or anyone posting on CZcams)tunes. Someone will always leave this comment. I agree with you in some respects about the audience not being able to tell the difference. I certainly can tell the difference and there are some I like better than others. It’s all about what inspires the player sometimes. If you don’t think it matters, quit watching and buy the cheapest one you can find and play on…. Glad we could brighten your day.
Gracias por tomarse el trabajo de tocar tantas veces la misma secuencia musical con el fin de que salga tan bien la comparación, y comparar tantos pedales, particularmente busco un sonido parecido a Leslie (movimiento rápido), los de la marca Vent, Leslie, Wampler fueron los que más me gustaron, aunque todos cumplen bien su función.
No debemos olvidar de que es una emulación de un sonido real, solo una emulación.
Si buscas la perfección, entonces uno debe conseguir un amplificador Leslie real.
Excelente selección de pedales.
Excelente video.
Saludos desde Argentina.
Very useful... but it might take me a week to get that tune out of my head.
Thanks Adam... I'm working on a similar video right now for our Tremolo series. The tune does get stuck in your head!
Thanks for doing these demos guys. The only thing I would say is to also do arpeggios in order to hear the Leslie effect much better. Staccato is nice but legato or longer sustained arpeggiated notes bring out the Doppler effect much better IMHO.
It is hard to hit everything and please everyone. This was our first series. Now that we have been doing it longer I would love to do it again, but it wasn't easy to get our hands on all the pedals the first time.
(I feel the same way as you about picking a more illustrative demo tune. The repetitive version of what sounds like to me Hendrix's 'Wind Cries Mary' crammed into Gov't Mule's 'Soulshine' (if he had ever lived to hear it) with kinda loose timing, tuning & comping. Yeah, annoying or irritating? l-)
He starts with them in fast mode, then brakes for the only short held chord. But then he taps the fast button on each, after more noodling (Doh!) to ramp up, but he doesn't sustain or arpeg. any sound because his hand is off his guitar pressing the button, so you never really get to hear a good example of how the pedals ramp up & the horns doppler. I had to go seek out other vids to hear examples and found many folk seem to think rotary is On/Off Fast'/Slow only. They are confusing it with a Univibe and/ot are just unworthy to be showcasing stompboxes that do more than 1 thing...?
At my age/experience I'd of have to play that arpeggiated solo Clapton does before the ending jam on his classic 'Badge or do some Badfinger or Beatles, etc. YT's demonetizing algo be damned! A couple of years ago I did appreciate this video when I was studying brands/models for a rotary effect to buy. I ended up with the Nux Roctary based on price vs features. Solid & well-made. I found that about a 1/4th of the models demoed are np longer in production, or there simply aren't any used ones around as the new prices on many of these are way too high IMO! I don't use the Roctary's octave(s) feature that much, but at least the latency/tracking is acceptable.
Cheers!
@@boboala1 Yeah, I guess it depends on what one wants with a Leslie pedal. I'm with yo on the Badge or even Clapton on While My Guitar Gently Weeps. You might as well get a real used Leslie for the price some pedals are asking! The new Strymon one looks interesting. They improved on the first one.
I have a Univibe clone by the way and know exactly what you mean. I didn't get it to do the Leslie thing. It does the Univibe thing.
Excellent pedal comparison. Very well done and useful.
Great set up and compilation. Cheers!
hey! love your channel! more than that show. i love the whole feel of your video, objective and straight forward! keep it on! you guys rock! \m/
Thanks! Really appreciate that.
I think the NUX Roctary is one of the closest to the Leslie cab, but I would have had the eq a tad more towards the bass for it to match the cab
Fantastic Episode - Thanks!!
Appreciate it. You’re welcome!
Great work guys!
Thanks! Appreciate it!
Greetings from La Paz, Bolivia!!! 🤘 🇧🇴
Nice to hear from you! Thanks for the comment.
Nice job for us Leslie freaks to enjoy ! I was surprised by the Mooer
It is amazing the sounds some of these inexpensive pedals are getting. The NUX surprised me. There is a lot of bang for your buck there.
Not so keen on the other pedal review duos. But these guys I like. It take a lot for me to subscribe to a gear channel and just did.
Wow, appreciate that! We are just having fun, glad you are hanging out with us.
Thanks to this video I bought a Rototron (used, because it's no longer in production). Although Pigtronix tried to emulate a real Leslie, they made a pedal with a very unique sound, like mixing a phaser and a vibe. I love that.
It gets even better when you start playing around with the expression pedals!
Strymon e boss really similar, ehx very musical, my prefer…. Keeley. Thanks guys for comparison
I think you should look at a old rack unit made by DigiTech called RPM-1 vacuum tube rotary simulator. You will need 3 amps to use it correctly. Left/Right outs for the horn effects and a center out for the rotor effect. It is the only unit I could find that will do the horn and rotor like a Leslie.
I added it to my watch list on reverb. Looks cool!
The milky tones and creamy motion of the Leslie is unmatched in this shootout.
Can’t argue that the real thing in the room is special. We need to do a full video on that!
How about the more intense Leslie 22 type sound? Thats what we want.
We did our best to cover the pedals. No doubt throwing some drive in front of them will get you that. I love that grinding leslie sound.
This is just a great demo. But it would be better if just after a switch is engaged, the strumming would begin immediately so we could hear the ramp up and down. Really like the Neo and H&K.
I let it hang without strumming so you could hear what the pedal was doing to the signal without the strumming getting in the way. I should have tried to do both I guess. Thanks for the input!
@@PJandtheBeard You are awesome and do a great job.
Anon iconoclast thanks!
Hughes and Kettner is the most familiar but for an ambient Leslie tone I like the Hermida.
This was an amazingly helpful video. I’m currently in the market for a Leslie sound but am stuck between the Neo and the pulse! Any recommendations on which is preferred? Which were your guys favorites?
You picked two of my favorites right there. They both sound amazing. I would say one thing to consider is that the neo gets the leslie 122 sound with the rotating horn. The pulse doesn’t have the rotating horn sound. That said, the pulse is kind of it’s own thing and absolutely nails that David Gilmore thing. I don’t think you can go wrong with either. -Jason
Hi guys I've got a suggestion for a new Rotary series...
Comparing the rotary sounds on multi-effect type pedals
For example:
Wampler Teraform
Boss MD-200
Boss MD-500
Strymon Mobius
Nux Mod Core
Line 6 M5
I thought the Teraform would be great for me.. But the lack of control over the slow speed is a bummer.
Seems like with multi-effects you always lose something..
It’s a great idea. Hopefully something we can do in the future.
@@PJandtheBeard COOL! Thanks for the vids!
And also add in the Keeley Monterey
btw, there is no low speed control on a real lesie either...only a 3 pulley option in the top rotor...a 122/145 or any 2 speed leslie had set speed motors running it
H&K is the tops.
After that, I felt the only pedals that retained the guitar tone were the Fender and Hammond Leslie G.
The H&K is a favorite of mine. Mine does need a trip to the shop though. I’ve been using the big Neo Vent in its place. We have a video on that one but it is not in this video. I use the micro 122 on my smaller board. Both sound great. There are lots of great options out there.
Subbed on this . gassing bad for leslie/rotary pedal. Loved the lester k and boss pedal. The fact that the lester is made for keys and the leslie was made for organ is not lost on me
Thanks! We weren’t able to get our hands on the Lester G, that said EHX says the Lester K can be used for guitar right in the manual simplicity we included it. Good luck in your search. It’s a great sound!
Great! Very useful indeed. Got me a Strymon Lex. Thank you!
Great choice!
I used to have a Rotosphere MKII. I sold it and have a Lester G. If I listen to your clips, the HK and the Lester K sound very good. Is there a reason you like the Rotosphere better than the other?
Probably mostly because I had it on my board for a long time. That said, I think there is a warmth to it that’s really nice. Of course, that comes with the large size and noise so it’s a trade off. Mine actually needs serviced now too.
@@PJandtheBeard They need service^? What kind of service?
@@stratojetb47 I think it just needs cleaned up. It’s doing this weird thing where all the highs disappear when I click it on. I use to unplug and plug it back in and it would be fine. That’s not working well enough now. I reached out to one of the designers and he said take it to a tube amp guy and get the contacts cleaned because they may be oxidized. I wondered if maybe the tube was going out too.
I think the Hammond Leslie G sounds the fullest and warmest when compared to the real thing. I see the note about the amps/guitar used, so assuming everything else is the same with the pedals (e.g., mic placement, video processing) the Hammond Leslie G is a deeper, wider sound like the actual Leslie. I was surprised in this comparison that the Neo and the RotoSPIN sounded much thinner and narrower, I thought they'd be the hands-down winners. Do you agree?
We did use the same amp, guitar, and mic but they were recorded on different days, so it should be pretty close. The Leslie G is definitely a great pedal. I think you hit a point where it just comes down to personal taste and features (not to mention price). The Neo pedals are pretty sweet. I really liked the RotoSPIN too. I have been using the Rotosphere by H&K for a long time and it is probably still my favorite. Of course, in the situation I am using it in I have the room for it and don't have to move it week in and week out. If I needed to be more mobile I would probably go with something else. Put it this way, if I could keep just one it would be a really hard call on which one it would be. There are definitely some great choices out there.
Thanks for the reply! I was **this close** to buying the RotoSPIN but ended up pulling the trigger on a used Leslie G that popped up for sale. Of course I wish I could compare them in person but that’s not easy. Btw, I recently discovered your channel (in my hunt for a Leslie pedal) and I’ve watched a bunch of your videos and so far I’m loving what you do! Thanks!!!! (Second Btw, if a decent used Leslie speaker comes up for sale locally, I might just have to snatch it up as there’s nothing like the real thing!!!!)
Richard Davidson I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the leslie G. Glad you’re liking the channel, we are having a blast doing it. We did pick up that Leslie 16 and you’re right, it is hard to beat the real thing. That said, the pedals are a lot easier to move!
@@PJandtheBeard I got the Leslie G and it's pretty darn awesome!!! Especially in stereo to two different amps. You can really hear (and practically feel) the rotating/swelling back and forth! And yes, it also sounds great in mono too. Without real horns actually moving air, I'm very impressed. And I do appreciate the different models, even more so in person vs watching videos -- depending on what guitar or style of music I'm playing I choose between the 122 (rounder, fuller), 147 (narrower, punchier for guitar) and the 18V (really, really nice on guitar, especially with the two horns rotating at the same speed). I also appreciate having the wet and dry volume adjustable for even further effect possibilities! It really does make a big difference how the wet/dry are dialed in, or out as the case may be. I can't compare it to other pedals in person, but I am very happy with my purchase (and a mint used one much cheaper than new to boot!). Thanks again for helping guide me through the plethora of options!
@@RichardReneeRachel Our pleasure! It is such a great effect. Glad you found one you are happy with!
Really wanting a Leslie style pedal or phaser… trying to figure out what I want and which pedal will get me there.
I find it especially hard to judge these samples since I can't really tell how each pedal emulates a true 3D sound. I liked the Hammond and the JHS best from the video but have no idea whether I would choose those two if I hears them in person. So I am very interested in what PJ and the B came away thinking about the various pedals. Also, did any of them really manage to emulate closely a real Leslie speaker box. In my experience nothing does, but then a true Leslie, you know the kind of big cabinet you can sometimes buy from someone getting rid of an old organ, is very hard to gig with!!
I think you are right here, you can replicate being in the room with the real thing. That said, I think many are close and so much better than hauling an actual leslie around or going without one. The JHS Chorus and based on the old Arion chorus pedals. Josh Scott told me that many of the Nashville guys use that to get their "leslie" sound. No surprise that one sounded good to you. The Hammond pedal is really nice too. We borrowed that one so it wasn't around long but I think it may have been a keeper. Certainly, any of the Neo stuff is great as well. We also still have the Strymon, DLS, Dawner Prince, Keeley, and Dawner Prince pedals. The H&K Rotosphere is still on my board as well. Probably my overall favorite, but almost as bad as hauling a leslie... Sorry for the delayed response... missed this somehow.
Short answer no. The Leslie rotary speakers has so much mass of pushing air it was a Doppler style effect.
Hi there guys well done. Just a typo You have labeled the micro vent as mini vent !!
Thanks for pointing that out. Hard to keep that micro/mini thing straight. It should be fixed now.
Great comparison, loved the Nux Roctary, The Korg Toneworks G4 (minus its size), Strymon Lex, and Boss RT20.
Can’t go wrong with any of those!
Kewl
Which one was your favorite?
Oh my, that is almost like asking which one of my children I love the most. lol Seriously though, I love my H&K Rotosphere, but they are expensive now and a bit high maintenance. I use the Neo Micro Vent 122 a lot and love all of the Neo versions. The Strymon Lex and DLS Rotospin are really good too. If you want something a bit different the Dawner Prince Pulse is sweet, especially for that Gilmore sound. There are a bunch of good ones.
@PJandtheBeard I'm looking for something closer to Warren Haynes kinda thing. I know he uses the Rotosphere, but as you've said, they are expensive and high maintenance
@@Dojin007 I’ve never thought our video in this series on the rotospin did it enough justice. We did a jam at the end of our EchoTOUR video. PJ was using the rotospin and really nailed the Warren thing unintentionally. Take a listen and see what you think. Very end of the video. The ECHOTour by DLS Effects - Our new favorite analog delay pedal!
czcams.com/video/8oqR3jM7X6A/video.html
Great video. Did you have a chance to try gain pedals before and after the rotary pedals?
Wow, sorry I am so behind in replying. I think we did in some of the individual episodes. Maybe when we play out at the end. For the most part we were covering features in this series.
I have a Lex and LOVE the fast sound, however, it is large and hard to power. Can anyone recommend a pedal that sound as good but has a smaller foot print, 9v power, and not as expensive as the Micro Vent? Thanks!
The micro vent is the ticket, but it can be cost prohibitive. Some suggestions. The Hammond Leslie G is really nice, but around the same size. If memory serves it uses 9v power. The cost and size are probably still a downside so that probably won't work. The NUX Roctary might be a good option when it comes to cost and power, but it is about the same size as the lex. The Keeley Dyna-my-rotor or Roto Sonic if you keep it fast all the time and don't need to switch to slow. Honestly, I would look for a used line 6 roto-machine (small but heavy) or a tech 21 Roto Choir. Both are really nice. If you can find the line 6 roto-machine that would probably meet the requirements the best. Sounds sweet too.
I'll send you a looper... ;-)
Ha! Cut all of these from the individual videos we did. The looper would have been a great idea if we had them here all at the same time.
Not being a troll but I've come back to this awesome demo to hear these pedals. I've owned quite a few of these and I am still looking for one that satisfies me on the slow setting. Have you guys considered maybe using a looper to record your riff and hook the pedals up to that. Nothing wrong with the playing, I just thought it might be easier for you. Think I might get the DSL next. I had a Leslie 18 that a guy was going to sell me and the s.o.b. changed his mind !😡😡😭
We really love Dave from DLS effects. He is making some great stuff. We appreciate the suggestion too. We actually discussed your looper idea since we are moving into the tremolo series. In many ways it would be easier. I’m not sure we are going to go that direction as part of the fun of the channel for us is the headache of trying to play it. It is as much about hanging out and trying out new gear as it is anything else. Thanks for the comment!
Could you say which leslie-pedal comes closest to a tremolo-pedal? Or in other words...is there a leslie-pedal that can also do tremolo?
The TR7 tremolo/rotary by Hardwire pops to mind as been really good and probably under appreciated. Of course there are some newer mod pedals like the walrus M1 and wampler terraform that can do it too. Both of those are nice pedals as well.
On some of the demos it sounds as if the EQ is completely different. For instance when transitioning from the Neo Mini Vent to the Rotospin, it sounds as if all of the low frequencies have been removed. I've heard that the Rotospin is exceptionally good, so I'm wondering, is this really the sound of the pedal or is it a difference in the recording? Very helpful video by the way I subscribed purely on the strength of this video.
Thanks for the sub! I believe all of the clips were shot during two different sittings. All the clip where I am wearing jeans were on one day and all of the clips where I am wearing dress pants were on another. The settings don't usually get touched on the amp and they definitely were not changed intentionally between pedals. I can't guarantee they were not moved between sittings, but I doubt it. I see what you mean about the DLS Rotospin. Not sure I have a good answer. It is a great pedal and one of the few kept. Really glad you found the video useful. Hoping to release a similar video this week for the Tremolo Series. That one uses some different amps and settings, but we didn't think it was as important with tremolo to try and keep everything the same.
@@PJandtheBeard I'm assuming that something has happened and it doesn't reflect the sound of the pedal in the room. It has some high profile players that recommend it. Thanks for the reply.
So I just saw this "thing" DB2 uses by analog outfitters for his leslie effects... can u get ur hands on one of those?
It is the thing listed on Reverb for around $10,000 right now?! I poked around a bit, looks like analog outfitters closed up their shop.
FM3 Helix versions are missing
Not sure how I missed this. Someday we might add some of the helix and other multi effects pedals that include rotary. It is hard to fund everything and neither of us uses modelers right now.
Is it just me, no ThorpyFX camoflange?
That is a pedal we need to check out. Would that be better for the univibe series we are starting?
You really should put the number of pedals compared in the title.. players shouldn't miss this.
I don't know how I missed replying to this. Thanks for the great idea.
Many of em are so cool, but nothing gets closer to the BOSS RT-20 just because of how it makes those amazing visualizations! BTW: EHX Lester G (not K, but G) is another great alternative!
I like the lights on the RT-20 too and think it sounds great. We did the Lester K but haven’t been able to get our hands on the G yet. Hopefully we will add it in the future. -Beard
@@PJandtheBeard Nice! :)
Lester G (and K, probably) is great for really hot Leslie sounds. It adds some upper harmonics, but also muffles some of the high end. Neo Vent is the perfect clean Leslie pedal to me. I have both, and use both for different applications (sometimes within the same song!) Just don't buy more than four of these pedals, cause then you could have a used Leslie for the same price 😀
so what did you think of the DLS? i heard the Rotosim which was the previous version cuts through better and is a bit darker. i have Lex V1 and its nice but i dont like it too much that i have no control over the slow speed with a knob but just the secondary functions. and it seems to lose volume and some how disappear in the mix when i engage the drive. might be my amp (SLO100 MK1 with a +4dBu line level loop)
First, we are big fans of all Dave from DLS’s pedals and still have and use the rotospin. He makes great stuff! It’s funny when I listen back to the video we did for this series the rotospin doesn’t seem to sound a good as some of the others. I really want to revisit it someday because I think it does. We have used it a bunch in other videos and it always sounds really good. I wonder if we didn’t have it set up right that night. Seriously. Anyway, the end jam on the DLS Echotour is a great example of how good it can sound. PJ is using it on that with a Les Paul and I think it nails those Warren Haynes tones. Of course, PJ would tell you that was a happy accident. Here is the link: czcams.com/video/8oqR3jM7X6A/video.htmlsi=WmDmgLGOAS47KM89
@PJandtheBeard The Warren Haynes tone is exactly what I was looking for. The lex doesn't nail it, at least for me. Did you ever use the rotosim? How do they compare soundwise?
@@Dojin007 haven’t had the opportunity to try the rotosim yet. I wondered that when you mentioned the SLO100.
@PJandtheBeard hiw do you like the rotospin compared to the lex? Trying to decide between them. The RotoSPIN has no brake option which i rarely use, but it is useful sometimes.
@@Dojin007 that’s a hard call. I used the Lex on my board for a while before switching to the Rotosphere (awesome but noisy and big but my rig doesn’t leave the stage where we play). I don’t really use the drive option on the Lex or the rotospin. Honestly I would probably be happy with either. If it means anything they are both pedals we kept from the series. Those and the Rotosphere, Pulse, pigtronix, and all the Neo pedals.
most of these test are really unfair. For instance the pedals with complete stereo should be sent to totally separated speakers/amps to get the full sweeping sound. The NUX had the worst sound.
The stereo pedals were sent to two different amps mic’d separately and then one was panned left and the other right. Listen with headphones. We like liked the NUX.
The Danelectro was the worst. No pedal should clip with a single coil strat plugged in!
This was the first series we did and pretty early on the channel. It’s possibilities any clipping could be our fault. Of course, that’s still true today but we are slowly getting better at the recording thing.
@@PJandtheBeard Nice job with the vid anyway. I've had a Rotosphere since '98 but always curious about the others!
@@davidjames1858 my Rotosphere just went down. It has been a permanent fixture on my board for years and used weekly. I replaced it until I can get it fixed with the neo ventilator. The big one, which we did later in this series after this video came out. It sounds fantastic live too.
@@PJandtheBeard Cool. Funny thing is I thought my Rotosphere was broken for eight years and I wasn't using it. Turned out it was okay and I must've plugged a DC supply into it. It half lit up but had no sound, I tricked myself. Glad it's okay now heh
Imagine if you'd used the Lester G (GUITAR) instead of the Lester K (KEYBOARD)🙄
I think if you look around you’ll find that the K is often used on guitars as well. The big difference is that it is missing a built in compressor. It was not easy to source all of these pedals for the series, especially so early in the channels history. This is the one we were able to get access to and figured it was worth including. Someday we might add the G. We did imagine it, and research it, and concluded the difference wasn’t that big of a deal, but if one comes our way we will add it to the series.
The pedals sounded good but the real leslie......
That reminds me that we still need to do an episode on that. Covid got in the way of taking it to a tech to get it oiled up for the first video.
@@PJandtheBeard really hoping for all of this ends and we can appreciate more of this comparisson! Great work! Thanks!!!
Who wouldn’t want a Real Leslie! Unless you’ve got roadies as Frampton does, you have to forget it! I’ve considered the 70lbs. Leslie Model G37.. Too much money for an effect that I don’t use on most of my tunes..
IMHO you didn't choose the best guitar part to showcase these pedals.
Sorry man. Little late to change it now.
It’s the perfect guitar part honestly lol
The Fender Pinwheel has the closest midrange tone to the original Leslie 16 cabinet at the start & the slow speed of the panning of the Fender is also the most authentic. Why did you use that crappy tinny spring reverb on the left hand amp??? It sounds truly awefull and at times totally unbalanced. And why did you not demo the NUX Roctary in stereo? It has stereo outputs! Only the Neo Micro is mono & the MXR is really a mono chorus.
Interesting that you liked the Pinwheel the best. Definitely a cool pedal. As for the tinny spring reverb, it is just the reverb in the amp. If memory serves it would have been the Peavey Classic. This series was at the beginning of the channel when we still used that amp a good bit. The Peavey classics are great amps too, but I am sure we would have used our Tyler if we had it then. Anyway, the Roctary was recorded in stereo, look at the video and you will see both outputs are in use. I am not sure what you mean by only the Neo Micro being mono. If you look at the description we listed the clips that are in stereo and those that are in mono. There were several pedals in the series that were mono. Of course, the MXR is a mono chorus. It was listed under the alternative ways to get the leslie sound. It actually does a pretty good fast leslie thing. Links to full videos are in the description too. We explained that several times throughout the series. Thanks for the comment. Reminded me that I need to get in that description and add some links to videos that have been added to the series since the last update.
Best in show: Mini Vent 2, Destination Rotation
Weakest performance: NUX, JHS
Interesting choices. Can’t argue with the Neo choice at all. They make great leslie pedals. The JHS pedal is a chorus really so that makes sense in this context. I will admit. I was surprised by the NUX, especially considering the cost. Thanks for the comment!
I've generally been impressed with Neo options, although both of the Micros seemed to be on the more subtle side than the Mini. They all retain good fundamental tone character.
Several, if not many of the pedals had their own pronounced EQ response which dominated the pulse and swoosh, rendering the modulation an afterthought or emphasizing only a peaky part of the sweep. I hear more subtle modulation in a majority of this comparison, which is not something I associate with Leslie cabinets.
I really like the H&K tube Rotosphere too. That just has a really unique warmth to it. The Pigtronix was probably surprise for me. Probably one of the most unique sounding of the pedals in the series. And that thing you can do with expression pedals is over the top.
I’ve had many of these and I’m sticking with the NUX Roctary. I’ve ordered the Big Neo Vent ll ( back ordered ) I don’t think I need it now.
For God’s sake and my ears, please tune that Strat !!😫😫😫😫
One more thing. Most of these pedals sound great. An audience couldn’t tell the difference between most of these.
Your ears must be better than ours and the tuners we use every time before hitting the record button. Doesn’t matter how often or well we (or anyone posting on CZcams)tunes. Someone will always leave this comment. I agree with you in some respects about the audience not being able to tell the difference. I certainly can tell the difference and there are some I like better than others. It’s all about what inspires the player sometimes. If you don’t think it matters, quit watching and buy the cheapest one you can find and play on…. Glad we could brighten your day.
@@RyanLee-hh7sw appreciate that Ryan
So sick of that riff 😂
lol. It was a good idea at the time… :)