Leslie alternatives
Posted: 10 Dec 2013, 01:28
I have to admit; my complete C2 set including pedalboard, bench and small 12” speakers does fill my car –a stationwagon- almost completely. *)
One of the problems we run into is the Leslie-cube itself. The 3300 is not that heavy, you can haul it alone if you are a big guy, but to get in in and out a European wagon without damaging the interior or losing the lightweight bumper is an art on its own. If it fits at all. The original leslies are even bigger en heavier. In other words, almost unusable for gigs unless you have something like a van. The most fathers and mothers will not buy a commercial car or a van. So how do we do this?
I'd like to see a list of spotted alternatives, next of the Leslies themself and some specs, (dis)advantages etc. Keywords will be sound, usability (like connections), price and transport. If one of these aspects scores low, the mobile leslie becomes less interesting..
Imagine ... you are alone, it is raining, it is cold and windy, your small car is not next to your house, say, on the parking lot in front of it, with bad pavement. You like to go to the weekly rehearsal or play a gig somewhere. At 01.00 AM you have to bring the complete set back in your house without waking up the neighbours. Let's say you live on the second floor, but with an elevator to keep things reasonable. What kind of leslie solution do you prefer?
*)
For US and Canadian readers; a car of the size Ford Mondeo or Volvo V70 is considered 'large' in the Netherlands. This because gasprice is high and car ownership tax is rated by weight (3400 lbs dieselcar is about 190 USD a month). A van becomes less attractive for non-commercial use. With that being mobile with a large instrument.
I kick off with a Dutch company:
VanderPlas Baileo - POR500 - rotor speaker for organs and keyboards
website (in english) : http://www.vanderplasbaileo.com
Link to the speaker: http://www.vanderplasbaileo.com/index.p ... &Itemid=91
e-mail : info@vanderplasbaileo.com
This company offers two active (so amp included) systems; a small one for use o with vibraphone (PRV-60), and the POR500 for use with organ. They also build a midi bass pedal board.
This is a rotory speaker system in two parts. Therefore it looks transportable. The small wheels do not look as if they are ment to be bumped over the pavement to your car or to a cafe or stage and back again at least 2 times a week. But the good news is that It's weight isabout 25 + 12 kg in two units so a separate transporter will not be an issue. The top part seems portable enough. If it rains we can cover it all.
It uses a 2x500W Alto Power amp (class d technology) with two channels and a crossover (a crossover divides the signal in a high-frequency and low-frequency part before it goes into the amp). The original leslie does this at 800Hz so I assume it is like that,not sure yet. You can also order it with a different amp or without the amp.
The low freqs are covered by a 15 inch woofer (400W / 1500W max). Now we heard about the low-freq issues with the Leslie 3300 (drops at 70Hz). To solve that an active subwoofer can be connected to do that part. The 3300 does have a separate subwoofer output. I don’t know if the POR500 needs something like that and if it does have a separate sub-out..
The speed-up and slow-down rate is not adjustable, although is can be reprogrammed by the company. How the POR500 default response to the Nord Halfmoon switch is using the 1/4", is not clear yet, but I understood from the company that the they can make it work for you.
Update> because the 11 pins connector is available, it can be controlled by the C2 using the 11pins-cable.
It is available in red (hey!) and black.
Rotor/Lower part:
Freq range : 22Hz - 3500 Hz
Power : 400W / 1200W max
Size : 65 x 50 x 86 cm, including 8 cm wheels
Weight : about 25 kg
Horn/Upper part:
Size : 65 x 50 x 30 cm
Weight : about 12 kg
Did not heard it yet. The freqreange suggest something low, although not clear is how the response is from let's say 30 hz - 200 hz? Does it drop somewhere and how much? In other words, how does the bass kick?
I understood from an e-mail that the speeds and rise- en falltimes are programmed. This timing is fixed, but can be (re)programmed by the company. If you want it to control yourself, they can add a touch panel.
1/4" jack for audio, stereo 1/4" stereo jack for speedcontrol.
There is a demo-speaker with a 9-pins. 11-pins is also possible.
One of the problems we run into is the Leslie-cube itself. The 3300 is not that heavy, you can haul it alone if you are a big guy, but to get in in and out a European wagon without damaging the interior or losing the lightweight bumper is an art on its own. If it fits at all. The original leslies are even bigger en heavier. In other words, almost unusable for gigs unless you have something like a van. The most fathers and mothers will not buy a commercial car or a van. So how do we do this?
I'd like to see a list of spotted alternatives, next of the Leslies themself and some specs, (dis)advantages etc. Keywords will be sound, usability (like connections), price and transport. If one of these aspects scores low, the mobile leslie becomes less interesting..
Imagine ... you are alone, it is raining, it is cold and windy, your small car is not next to your house, say, on the parking lot in front of it, with bad pavement. You like to go to the weekly rehearsal or play a gig somewhere. At 01.00 AM you have to bring the complete set back in your house without waking up the neighbours. Let's say you live on the second floor, but with an elevator to keep things reasonable. What kind of leslie solution do you prefer?
*)
For US and Canadian readers; a car of the size Ford Mondeo or Volvo V70 is considered 'large' in the Netherlands. This because gasprice is high and car ownership tax is rated by weight (3400 lbs dieselcar is about 190 USD a month). A van becomes less attractive for non-commercial use. With that being mobile with a large instrument.
I kick off with a Dutch company:
VanderPlas Baileo - POR500 - rotor speaker for organs and keyboards
website (in english) : http://www.vanderplasbaileo.com
Link to the speaker: http://www.vanderplasbaileo.com/index.p ... &Itemid=91
e-mail : info@vanderplasbaileo.com
- POR500
- por500.jpg (75.02 KiB) Viewed 32163 times
This is a rotory speaker system in two parts. Therefore it looks transportable. The small wheels do not look as if they are ment to be bumped over the pavement to your car or to a cafe or stage and back again at least 2 times a week. But the good news is that It's weight isabout 25 + 12 kg in two units so a separate transporter will not be an issue. The top part seems portable enough. If it rains we can cover it all.
It uses a 2x500W Alto Power amp (class d technology) with two channels and a crossover (a crossover divides the signal in a high-frequency and low-frequency part before it goes into the amp). The original leslie does this at 800Hz so I assume it is like that,not sure yet. You can also order it with a different amp or without the amp.
The low freqs are covered by a 15 inch woofer (400W / 1500W max). Now we heard about the low-freq issues with the Leslie 3300 (drops at 70Hz). To solve that an active subwoofer can be connected to do that part. The 3300 does have a separate subwoofer output. I don’t know if the POR500 needs something like that and if it does have a separate sub-out..
The speed-up and slow-down rate is not adjustable, although is can be reprogrammed by the company. How the POR500 default response to the Nord Halfmoon switch is using the 1/4", is not clear yet, but I understood from the company that the they can make it work for you.
Update> because the 11 pins connector is available, it can be controlled by the C2 using the 11pins-cable.
It is available in red (hey!) and black.
Rotor/Lower part:
Freq range : 22Hz - 3500 Hz
Power : 400W / 1200W max
Size : 65 x 50 x 86 cm, including 8 cm wheels
Weight : about 25 kg
Horn/Upper part:
Size : 65 x 50 x 30 cm
Weight : about 12 kg
Did not heard it yet. The freqreange suggest something low, although not clear is how the response is from let's say 30 hz - 200 hz? Does it drop somewhere and how much? In other words, how does the bass kick?
I understood from an e-mail that the speeds and rise- en falltimes are programmed. This timing is fixed, but can be (re)programmed by the company. If you want it to control yourself, they can add a touch panel.
1/4" jack for audio, stereo 1/4" stereo jack for speedcontrol.
There is a demo-speaker with a 9-pins. 11-pins is also possible.