# Neo Instruments Mini Vent 2



## Jim Jones (Sep 18, 2006)

Any of you guys own one of these? Thoughts?

I’m a huge fan of a slow Leslie “chorale” sound and in the clips I’ve heard the Neo Vent seems to do this better than most sims. At first I thought the “2 foot switches-only” configuration would be limiting but I now think I’d actually prefer something that could be set up and then left alone in a live situation. The less dinking around - the better for this guy. 

It’s obviously a fair bit of cash to drop on something that would be used sparingly so it’d be great to be able to try one in person but they seem a little thin on the ground here in Canada. Any firsthand insights appreciated!


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Very limited in the settings. I would look at the Hammond Leslie G pedal and a bunch of others long before the Neo Mini.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

These new Fender pedals are getting good reviews.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

What ever you get make sure it has a blend knob. That Fender doesn't have the blend feature as far as I can tell.


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## Jim Jones (Sep 18, 2006)

player99 said:


> What ever you get make sure it has a blend knob.


Thanks for the suggestions!

You’re right, it’s great to have a blend option. I made a mini Leslie out of a unit in an old console organ and ran it with an A-B-Y box and it’s definitely most useable in Y-mode.

The beast I built sounds really good but I would like something that’s easier to take out for gigs - especially short opening sets on crowded stages, etc.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

And please please please listen to it in stereo. Used in mono, rotating speaker emulators come off as slightly better chorus pedals and little more. When you hear them in stereo, they become more realistic approximations of true Leslies. The spatial swirl is fundamental to the sound.


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## jimmythegeek (Apr 17, 2012)

I demo'd an EHX Lester G and nearly brought it home. It's very sweet, even in mono. It took about 15 seconds to dial in a decent approximation of Robbie Robertson's tone on Tears of Rage. It is considerably cheaper than the Neo and easy to use. That being said, the demos of the Hammond pedal that I've heard are jaw dropping. I think faracaster has one for sale here on the forum.


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## mister.zed (Jun 8, 2011)

So I tried a Strymon Lex against a Fender Pinwheel (in stereo) at my local L&M. I bought the pinwheel immediately. Both sounded great but the fact that you could bump up the speed of the rotary based on picking dynamics sealed the deal. I also loved the stereo spread of the Pinwheel. (I could do without the sun-like intensity of the engaged light, which drowns out all the text on the face of the pedal.) I run a stereo rig at home and it's bliss. A ping-pong delay works really well and sits apart from the swirling rotary.

I have come to love rotary pedals and unless I'm using a ton of distortion, I always have it on. Because of this rotary addiction, I've since picked up at Tech 21 Roto-Choir. It's dirty tones are superior to the Pinwheel, which doesn't get too dirty. The Tech 21 is a bit noisier at higher gain (probably due to the gain part of this pedal being analog). The Tech 21 also has some great features like 'mic distance' that really lets you tweak the sound.

Both are amazing and I swap them on my pedal board when I want a new flavour.


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## Jim Jones (Sep 18, 2006)

I tried out the Lex myself a year or so ago (just in mono), and didn’t care for the slow speed. The Pinwheel has sounded good to me in a few clips I’ve heard. Thanks for the reply!



mister.zed said:


> So I tried a Strymon Lex against a Fender Pinwheel (in stereo) at my local L&M. I bought the pinwheel immediately. Both sounded great but the fact that you could bump up the speed of the rotary based on picking dynamics sealed the deal. I also loved the stereo spread of the Pinwheel. (I could do without the sun-like intensity of the engaged light, which drowns out all the text on the face of the pedal.) I run a stereo rig at home and it's bliss. A ping-pong delay works really well and sits apart from the swirling rotary.
> 
> I have come to love rotary pedals and unless I'm using a ton of distortion, I always have it on. Because of this rotary addiction, I've since picked up at Tech 21 Roto-Choir. It's dirty tones are superior to the Pinwheel, which doesn't get too dirty. The Tech 21 is a bit noisier at higher gain (probably due to the gain part of this pedal being analog). The Tech 21 also has some great features like 'mic distance' that really lets you tweak the sound.
> 
> Both are amazing and I swap them on my pedal board when I want a new flavour.


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## mister.zed (Jun 8, 2011)

Yeah - I don't usually buy pedals (especially $300 pedals) on a whim. But that one blew me away.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

mister.zed said:


> I could do without the sun-like intensity of the engaged light, which drowns out all the text on the face of the pedal.


I saw on a video you can turn the lights off on the end I think.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

No blend knob on the Fender pedal?

With the extra functions of the Fender unit I would probably get it and put it in the loop of a good blend pedal.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Bear in mind that any Leslie emulator will attempt to model one or more _particular_ Leslie cabs. If the model/s provided are not your preferred Leslie, or don't nail it in a way one likes, I can see that they'd prefer this pedal over that one, despite whatever controls it might lack.

It's not _*quite*_ as personal a taste as drive pedals, but is starting to lean in that direction.


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## mister.zed (Jun 8, 2011)

Yeah you can turn off the lights on the knobs, but that big jewel indicator light is very bright, and you can't turn it off. But some tape over it does the trick.


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## Jim Jones (Sep 18, 2006)

Just saw this today. The Micro Vent was never really on my radar anyway but further to Mark’s point - this being mono - it just sounds like a chorus pedal to me. I really don’t care for chorus pedals...


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

The vent guy is German and doesn't play guitar. That's why they are never designed so a guitar player would like them. I had the first vent and there were so many flaws... Like the in jack on the left and out on the right.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

How does the Rotosphere 2 stack up against these pedals?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

player99 said:


> These new Fender pedals are getting good reviews.


Blend knob or not, that clip sounds bloody awesome to my ear.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Milkman said:


> Blend knob or not, that clip sounds bloody awesome to my ear.


Yes I agree. The blend knob makes it sooooo much more usable though. Like when SRV uses one, he has is main amp(s) then the Vibratone is a separate speaker. His Vibratone sound is not 100% Vibratone, but rather a blend of his regular amp(s) with a Vibratone.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

player99 said:


> Yes I agree. The blend knob makes it sooooo much more usable though. Like when SRV uses one, he has is main amp(s) then the Vibratone is a separate speaker. His Vibratone sound is not 100% Vibratone, but rather a blend of his regular amp(s) with a Vibratone.


I do like the blend function on the Sparkle Drive I’m using, but in listening to the clips in this thread, blend knob or not, the Fender sounds MUCH better to my ear.

The Mini Vent sounds like a cheezy chorus.


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## Brian Johnston (Feb 24, 2019)

player99 said:


> The vent guy is German and doesn't play guitar. That's why they are never designed so a guitar player would like them. I had the first vent and there were so many flaws... Like the in jack on the left and out on the right.


Check out the Micro Vent 16 (which emulates the Vibratone)... and even the Micro Vent 122... both of which has the usual input/output on the sides.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Brian Johnston said:


> Check out the Micro Vent 16 (which emulates the Vibratone)... and even the Micro Vent 122... both of which has the usual input/output on the sides.


I know but they don't have all the other controls.


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## Brian Johnston (Feb 24, 2019)

player99 said:


> I know but they don't have all the other controls.


You were referencing the pedals not being set up for a guitar player and that's what I was referring to. From the demos I've heard, not sure if a person needs any more controls than what's available, but that's me. Typically we find 1-2 settings and leave it there. Who messes with 20 different Leslie settings over a number of songs, etc.?


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## Jim Jones (Sep 18, 2006)

I ended up grabbing Pete’s Hammond pedal so I’m hoping that’ll scratch the Leslie itch for me!

Thanks for all the comments, guys.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Brian Johnston said:


> You were referencing the pedals not being set up for a guitar player and that's what I was referring to. From the demos I've heard, not sure if a person needs any more controls than what's available, but that's me. Typically we find 1-2 settings and leave it there. Who messes with 20 different Leslie settings over a number of songs, etc.?


If you're OK with a guy in German who doesn't play guitar fixing and locking all the settings, then you will be happy. I like having all the options available on the Fender and Hammond pedals. How about you buy the Fender pedal, send it to me and I will crazy glue the knobs where I like them so you can't change them.


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## Jim Jones (Sep 18, 2006)

I don’t know about the newest Vent pedals but it’s my understanding the Mini Vent (2 footswitches), can be tweaked in essentially all the parameters as the original Vent. Those settings are saved and then for stage use you’re just changing speeds and braking. I personally like that idea a lot.


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## Brian Johnston (Feb 24, 2019)

player99 said:


> If you're OK with a guy in German who doesn't play guitar fixing and locking all the settings, then you will be happy. I like having all the options available on the Fender and Hammond pedals. How about you buy the Fender pedal, send it to me and I will crazy glue the knobs where I like them so you can't change them.


My eyes must be playing tricks on me because the demo I saw on these two pedals clearly shows knobs being turned and parameters/sounds changing.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Brian Johnston said:


> My eyes must be playing tricks on me because the demo I saw on these two pedals clearly shows knobs being turned and parameters/sounds changing.


There are a few knobs, just not all of them.


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## Brian Johnston (Feb 24, 2019)

player99 said:


> There are a few knobs, just not all of them.


No kidding... that was already established. You then suggested that everything is locked in place by some German guy and crazy gluing the knobs on a Fender pedal to equal the same results. Whatever... I promise not to reply to any future posts.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Brian Johnston said:


> No kidding... that was already established. You then suggested that everything is locked in place by some German guy and crazy gluing the knobs on a Fender pedal to equal the same results. Whatever... I promise not to reply to any future posts.


Cool story brah.


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