Back to navigation


Classic Leslie in a Stompbox





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





Neo Instruments packed their renowned Ventilator rotary speaker simulation technology into a compact guitar pedal form factor. But while they shrank its size, they super-sized its sound quality. The micro Vent 122 and its twin, the micro Vent 16, are packing crazy powerful DSP just like their bigger siblings, Ventilator II and mini Vent II. Neo Instruments even added a new circuit ? analog blend ? which allows for latency-free parallel processing of the wet and dry signals. Delivering killer sound in an attractive, roadworthy housing, Neo Instruments’ micro Vent ups the ante for rotary emulation effects pedals.





Related Videos: micro Vent 122 Rotary Speaker Simulator Pedal


Shining twins





The micro Vent comes in two flavors: the micro Vent 122 (black) and the micro Vent 16 (white). But aside from color, what’s the difference? Rotary sim fans and tonewheel mavens at Sweetwater will have already guessed: deriving its algorithm from the acclaimed Ventilator II (very popular here), the micro Vent 122 simulates the classic Leslie 122, while the micro Vent 16 serves up a newly designed simulation of a Vibratone guitar amp.





Modeled on the famous Leslie 122





As are its siblings Ventilator II and mini Vent II, the micro Vent 122 is modeled on the famous Leslie 122 rotary speaker. Neo Instruments’ algorithm simulates the classic miking technique with one mic on the horn and another on the drum rotor. The distance of both mics can be varied by tweaking the Distance pot. Just like the legendary original, the micro Vent 122 delivers a rich, intricate sound with deep modulation and movement ? ideal for rotary effects that really stand out!





Two speeds





The micro Vent has two adjustable speeds. Controllable via a pot, Speed 1 ranges continuously from slow to fast, while Speed 2 is selected via a 3-way switch offering the standard speeds ? slow, fast, and stop. There are special switch modes that allow flexible switching: for instance, from slow to fast, fast to slow, stop to fast, slow to stop, and more. The creative combinations on tap are mind-bending. The Ramp parameter determines the acceleration and deceleration between the two speeds. Take it from us: you’ll never tire of hearing the rotors spooling up and down, re-creating the legendary sounds that made the originals so magnificent.





Switch modes





The micro Vent’s Bypass switch is more than just a bypass switch. In addition to switching the effect on and off, you can select between the two speeds. It is either momentary or latching depending on the mode, and you can also use it to only select speeds while leaving the effect on. This is very useful for creative performances when the micro Vent is used with a switching looper.





Analog blend circuit





Legendary guitarists such as David Gilmour and Stevie Ray Vaughan achieved their distinctive sounds by miking rotary speaker cabinets and guitar amps and blending them together. To nail the essence of this effect with only one amp, micro Vent features an analog blend circuit that allows latency-free mixing of the dry and wet signals for that classic rotary sound we all crave.





Neo Instruments micro Vent 122 Features:


Modeled on the famous Leslie 122


Onboard SHARC DSP


2 adjustable speeds


Versatile switch modes


Analog blend circuit for parallel processing


Roadworthy housing with cool graphics


Power requirements: 9V DC (standard polarity)