The DLS Effects RotoSIM is a rotary speaker effect pedal, built to imitate the spinning-horn sound of a Leslie speaker, with a built-in overdrive circuit on board. It is made by DLS Effects and carries an MSRP of $2991. Vintage Guitar's review called it a rotary speaker simulator that, in a stereo setup, "produced an accurate rotary-speaker simulation with a wide, spacious sound"2.
What it does to your sound
The RotoSIM's core effect is the rotary speaker simulation itself, and the built-in overdrive is there to support it. Vintage Guitar found that "the pedal's overdrive circuit is subtle, but adds a touch of analog dirt, allowing it to cut through the mix and thicken" the overall sound2. Premier Guitar's reviewer was more qualified about the dirt at extremes: "At high gain, the overdrive clipping is a little harsh for my taste, but it's quite good if you just want to throw a bit" of extra grit1.
Controls and connections
The pedal gives the player a good deal of adjustment. MusicRadar noted that it "offers lots of adjustment options, including seven inside the chassis," meaning seven of those controls sit on internal trimmers rather than the top panel3. On the outside, Premier Guitar describes the main features1:
- Individual horn intensity controls for Bass and Tweeter
- A built-in overdrive with an On/Off switch and a gain control
- A footswitch to toggle between fast and slow settings
- Two separate inputs and two outputs
The two outputs are not identical. In Premier Guitar's review, "Output A is more transparent, as advertised. Output B is thicker sounding, and seems to have greater presence" when using the second input1.
Expression pedal control
Beyond the fast/slow footswitch, the RotoSIM accepts an expression pedal for hands-free speed control. Vintage Guitar explains that "a Roland expression pedal plugged into the RotoSim bypasses the Fast/Slow footswitch, allowing blending between slow and fast speeds on the fly," which the reviewer compared to an old-school Uni-Vibe2. Players who want continuous speed swells rather than a two-position switch can plug an expression pedal into the RotoSIM to get it.
RotoSIM and RotoSPIN
DLS Effects makes a smaller rotary pedal alongside the RotoSIM. Delicious Audio describes the RotoSIM as "a larger, pricier Leslie simulator" compared with the RotoSPIN, and notes that "it appears all of the same controls are on the SPIN as the SIM"5. In other words, the two share their control set, and the choice between them comes down to size and price.
What reviewers said
- Vintage Guitar (2013) found an accurate rotary-speaker simulation with a wide, spacious sound in stereo, and judged the overdrive subtle and useful for thickening the sound2.
- Premier Guitar's reviewer confirmed the transparent character of Output A, praised the overdrive at low settings, and found the clipping a little harsh at high gain1.
- MusicRadar (2015) called it a USA-made boutique rotary speaker simulator with a boutique price tag3.
Videos
Texas Blues Alley
Prymaxe
Chicago Music Exchange
Questions
How much does the DLS Effects RotoSIM cost?
Premier Guitar lists the RotoSIM at an MSRP of $299. MusicRadar, reviewing it in 2015, described it as a USA-made boutique rotary speaker simulator with a boutique price tag, meaning a high price for a single-effect pedal.
What is the difference between the RotoSIM and the RotoSPIN?
The RotoSIM is the larger and pricier Leslie simulator of the two, while the RotoSPIN is a smaller version. According to Delicious Audio, all of the same controls appear to be on the SPIN as on the SIM, so the main differences are size and price.
Does the DLS RotoSIM have stereo outputs?
Yes. Vintage Guitar's review describes stereo In and Out jacks, and Premier Guitar notes it provides two separate inputs and two outputs. Output A is described as more transparent, while Output B is thicker sounding with greater presence when using the second input.
Does the DLS RotoSIM have a fast and slow switch?
Yes. Premier Guitar describes a footswitch to toggle between fast and slow settings. A Roland expression pedal plugged into the RotoSIM bypasses that footswitch, allowing blending between slow and fast speeds on the fly.
Sources (5)
- DLS Effects RotoSIM Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2008-10-15
- DLS TR1 Tremolo and RotoSim, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2014-04-21
- Six of the best: modulation pedals, MusicRadar, 2015-02-02
- Stomp on This! 28 Stompboxes Reviewed, Premier Guitar, 2008-10-15
- New Pedals: DLS Effects' Rotospin, Delicious Audio, 2015-06-23
