Pricing and availability

* Product prices and availability are updated by Equipboard every 24hrs and are subject to change. Equipboard may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. For more information, please refer to our affiliate disclosure.

Description

Discover the authentic Leslie tone with the Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII, an Analog Leslie Simulator. This meticulously designed pedal is built around a genuine Hughes & Kettner 12AX7 vacuum tube, visible on the front, setting it apart in the world of Univibe & Rotary Effects Pedals. This second iteration of the Rotosphere includes an innovative guitar/keyboard switch on the top, enabling completely distinct impedance and EQ settings.

Key Features:

  • Built around a genuine Hughes & Kettner 12AX7 vacuum tube
  • Fast and slow modes for varied sound options
  • Rotor balance controls for precise modulation
  • Separate knobs for drive and output to customize your tone
  • Innovative guitar/keyboard switch for distinct impedance and EQ settings

Product specs

Bypass true bypass
Power 9V
Vintage Stompboxes

Vintage Stompboxes

Strymon Lex Rotary vs Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere MKII

Video thumbnail for Strymon Lex Rotary vs Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere MKII by Vintage Stompboxes

Strymon Lex Rotary vs Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere MKII

Vintage Stompboxes

Vintage Stompboxes

Reviews

PROS

  • Best roto/Leslie sound, surpassing actual Leslie cabinets

  • Adds warmth and clarity to the sound

  • Offers instant control over EQ and signal levels

  • Remotely controllable, enhancing live performance

  • Stereo setup creates impressive soundscapes

  • Effective with both guitar and keyboards

  • Includes a unique background "wind" noise for authenticity

  • Drive gain adds nice tonal options

CONS

  • Bulky and can be a hassle to transport

  • Limited Leslie spin settings (fast or slow) without speed control

  • Can be noisy unless modified for lower gain

  • Fragile power supply unit, not roadworthy

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator.

Features and functionality

  • The Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere Mk II requires its own adapter and has been noted for being large and noisy compared to other models.

    Source

User experience

  • Owners appreciate the Rotosphere's authentic rotary sound, but find it challenging to dial in due to its complexity.

    Source
  • Owners mention a preference for the Rotosphere over other analog options due to its unique tonal qualities, despite its bulkiness.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The Tube Rotosphere Mk II is considered superior to the Pigtronix Rototron, which fails to deliver a realistic Leslie sound, especially at high speeds.

    Source
  • The Dynacord CLS222 rackmount unit is mentioned as a comparable product to the Rotosphere, though not necessarily cheaper.

    Source
  • The Strymon Lex, Leslie G, and Neovent are recommended as high-quality alternatives to the Rotosphere for those not strictly bound to analog.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • Despite its drawbacks, users find the Rotosphere Mk II worth the investment for its unmatched rotary sound, even at a premium price point.

    Source
  • The Rotosphere is noted for its convincing sound in organ settings, appealing to musicians seeking authentic rotary effects.

    Source

Build quality

  • The tube in the Rotosphere Mk II is seen as unnecessary, adding to the pedal's size and power requirements without enhancing sound quality.

    Source

Mods and upgrades

  • A suggestion exists to create a Rotosphere-like pedal without the tube for a more compact size and simpler power needs.

    Source
Add

4.5 out of 5

Based on 4 Reviews and 15 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
jimmarchi1

sounds amazing with caveats

I've had this a very long time... it can do a pretty convincing leslie in the right circumstances. Its a little noisey unless you really screw around with the tube in it for the lowest gain option.... the wall wart PSU is chintzy and easy to break on the road. Mine is broken. I'm not sure whats wrong with it but tis ot the tube. It passes signal but the output is crazy low and there's no low end. I don't miss it enough to worry about fixing it. Very cool effect though, just not very road worthy. Mine saw a lot of action on keys, obviously.

jimmarchi1

fixed... less noisy now

yannick_robert

Very close to the true B3

This is the best Leslie sound i ever heard, it give you also a small background "wind" noise, but it doesn't bother more than that, it could actually be a part - like with a true B3 - of the sound.

Roles:
jimmyhaggard

Sounds good, but....

It is bulky and a bit of a hassle. There are only two Leslie spin settings: fast or slow. Most of the time, the fast is too fast and there is no way to lower the speed. With the slow spin, many times it is too slow, with no way to increase the speed. It would be a great pedal if there was a control to adjust the spin speed of fast and slow, with no overlap (e.g. fast only slows to a point, and slow only speeds to a point). Meanwhile, the break works great and the drive gain is very nice.

tschaggon

Nice Pedal

It does what it says it does. It is a really nice leslie effect and I enjoy listening to its warm and clear sound.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Alex Turner uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Alex Turner

Guitarist

Arctic Monkeys

...
Verified via Photo

Guitarist Alex Turner uses the Hughes & Kettner Tube Tools Tube Rotosphere MKII during Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare era. This Pedal can famously be heard during the “Teddy Picker” solo. Pictured on the right of Turners pedalboard next to his TS808 on the left hand side of this picture.

The Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere II summons true Leslie tone in a hefty, steel-faced pedal through features like fast and slow modes, a rotor balance controls, and individual knobs for drive and output. Built on the foundation of an actual Hughes & Kettner 12AX7 vacuum tube which is visible on the front, the second iteration of the Rotosphere introduces a guitar/keyboard switch on the top which allows for wholly separate impedance and EQ settings.

The Rotosphere offers two rotation speeds and fine harmonic tube distortion generated by an ingenious high-voltage tube circuit. The Rotation simulations can be heard on the bands second album.

See how Jeff Beck uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Jeff Beck

Guitarist

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

...
Verified via YouTube

"The Rotosphere he just likes to add for color. It's not really a primary part of his tone, but he likes to kick that in for the big Leslie kind of sound. It only comes on every once in a while. There's not a set tune that it's on. He'll kick it in during a solo just because and then he'll kick it in a place where you wouldn't think that it would be," says Jeff Beck's guitar tech.

See how Joe Bonamassa uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Joe Bonamassa

Singer, Guitarist

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

...
Verified via YouTube

At 30:30 of this "Rig Rundown" with Premier Guitar, Mike Hickey, Joe Bonamassa's guitar tech, points out that the Hughes & Kettner Tube Tools Tube Rotosphere MKII is in the loop of the system.

See how Mike McCready uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Mike McCready

Guitarist

Pearl Jam

...
Verified via Effectsbay

Pictures of Mike McCready's pedalboard show a Rotosphere.

See how Mike Einziger uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Mike Einziger

Guitarist

Incubus

...
Verified via Tripod

Mike Einziger uses the Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII, integrating it into his setup with the signal coming from a Korf DTR-1 Rack-Mounted Tuner and leading to a Boss PH-2 Super Phaser pedal. This setup detail is documented on the Tripod page titled "Mike's Equipment."

See how Kim Thayil uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Kim Thayil

Guitarist

Soundgarden

...
Verified via Premierguitar

In this Rig Rundown, Kim states he runs a Rotosphere through the effects loop of his Mesa/Boogie Electrodyne.

See how George Lynch uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

George Lynch

Guitarist

Dokken

...
Verified via Photo

George has a rotosphere on his board live when I saw him two separate times. The above link also shows his rotosphere on Instagram on his page.

See how Warren Haynes uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Warren Haynes

Guitarist

The Allman Brothers Band

...
Verified via YouTube

At 3:07 in this "Rig Rundown" with Premier Guitar, Brian Farmer, Warren Haynes' guitar tech, points out a Hughes and Kettner Rotosphere while outlining Warren's pedals.

See how Doyle Bramhall II uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Doyle Bramhall II

Guitarist, Music Producer

Bryan Adams & Roger Waters

...
Verified via Photo

As spotted on his pedalboard, Doyle Bramhall II is using this effect.

See how Christian Bland uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Christian Bland

Guitarist

The Black Angels

...
Verified via Photo

In a photo shared by Christian Bland on Instagram, the Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII can be identified by the distinct MKII lettering, indicating its use during the ONEMINUTEAFTERPROJECT at Levitation France 2014.

See how Steve Rothery uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Steve Rothery

Guitarist

Marillion

...
Verified via Marillion

Then there’s my Lexicon MPX G2, which is a greatsounding unit by not very well thought-out; it has 300 presets but only 50 user presets—great idea, guys. I still have my Roland GP-16s, and I also used the Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere quite a lot, as well as the TC Electronic 2290,

See how Barry Stock uses Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

Barry Stock

Guitarist

Three Days Grace

...
Verified via YouTube

Used for "simulated Leslie sound", as he said at 4:34 minute mark.

Album Usage

The Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator has been featured on the following albums:

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

Community setups

Show yours
C

cadenclarkson

Gear IQ 103

laszlo_lukacs

laszlo_lukacs

Gear IQ 115

1 alternative for Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator, curated by the Equipboard community.

More Hughes & Kettner Univibe & Rotary Effects Pedals

Accessories & Related Items

Gear Guides