A few weeks ago, a listmember emailed me off list to ask about how I liked my DLS RotoSim which is a rotary sound or Leslie simulator pedal.I sent him a detailed response. If anyone else is interested, here's what I had to say after several months of using the RotoSim regularly:
I am totally pleased with the DLS RotoSIm. Completely satisfied. It's harp friendly, true bypass, easy to set up and use and has separately adjustable fast/slow speeds, upper/lower rotor levels and ramp time. Has 2 inputs and outputs, each of which has a slightly different effect or can be used in stereo (I use input A). Has an overdrive toggle switch that i don't use. 2 footswitches on the pedal: one is on/off, the other is fast/slow. If you have it on and go from slow to fast it will ramp up like a real Leslie, which sounds very cool. You can adjust the ramping speed. You can also hook up a separate expression pedal to independently control ramp time/rotor speed if you want to, but i don't. (Yamaha makes a nice one that is compatible and relatively inexpensive, though.)
The RotoSim is a well built, very high quality pedal. Metal case, quality knobs that stay put. All jacks are metal and very tight. Very durable, gig worthy and extremely reliable. Works well with the MicroPog, but I used it by itself before i got the MicroPog and everyone (musicians and audience) loved it. Comes with a power supply (doesn't use batteries) and will work with a "One Spot" which is nice because a "One Spot" has a very long cord.
Costs $299. i got it with free shipping from Steve's Music on line. Their web site doesn't work very well, so i called and ordered by phone. They had one in stock and shipped very promptly. On a scale on 1 to 10 I give it 10 (maybe 11). Easy to use, great sound, harmonica friendly and not at all temperamental. Works well with every mic I've tried with it. You don't need to put a compressor or booster in front of it or behind it or anything like that, and it doesn't increase gain when it's turned on (so, if you don't feedback when it's off, you won't feedback when it's on). Very warm sounding when it's engaged and true bypass when it's off. And there's no audible click or anything when you turn it on or off or change speeds. Very smooth.
Funny story: The pedal has a green on/off light so you can tell when it's engaged, but it also has 2 small cobalt blue lights that stay on all the time and flash alternately at whatever speed you have it set to, so you can tell if it's on fast or slow and how fast or slow. There's this one band leader i play with regularly who is pretty laid back and favors legalization of marijuana. I wanted to make sure it was okay with him before i used the pedal at one of his gigs. Anyway, i got set up, plugged in, and the blue lights were flashing when i explained to him about the pedal and asked if it was okay if i used it. He kept staring at the lights for a while and finally said, "I think i like it already." He liked even more after he heard me play through it.
Btw, although the slow speed sounds very cool with the MicroPog, (as does the fast speed) the slow speed really doesn't do much for the harmonica when i am using the RotoSim by itself, unless i turn it on slow for a second and then switch to fast to get the cool ramping effect. So, unless i am using the MicroPog too, i just leave the RotoSim on fast and turn it on and off. But the fast setting is really nice and the speed and the bass and treble rotor levels are adjustable, and very easy to set up (just turn the knobs). There are also internal parameter settings you can fool with if you open the case, but i never have or felt i needed to.
If you are not interested in effects pedals, you can skip this post in good conscience.
JP
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