Rotary speaker cabinets sound amazing, but their size and weight make them impractical for anyone but the most dedicated vintage enthusiasts. Powered by the latest BOSS advancements, the RT-2 Rotary Ensemble distills this expressive spatial effect into a footprint that’s easy to integrate into every setup. This powerhouse pedal authentically recreates the complex sonic magic of its inspiration, supported by three sound modes, deep tonal shaping, and advanced operation with the onboard pedal switch and external control.
Rotary Magic
Initially developed for organs in the 1940s, rotary speakers produce mesmerizing modulation effects with motor-controlled components that physically spin within the cabinet at variable speeds. This impressive sound is a vital part of the classic combo organ voice, and guitarists and other musicians have also employed rotary speakers to infuse iconic tracks with their distinctively rich depth and movement.
Authentic Performance
The most revered rotary speaker designs feature a spinning high-frequency horn (treble rotor) and a woofer that feeds into a rotating drum (bass rotor). Changing rotor speeds between fast and slow creates a steady stream of tonal shifts that players have long used for expressive effects. The RT-2 authentically replicates these audio behaviors, coupled with two-way speed control, a Rise/Fall Time switch for adjusting the transition time between speeds, and a colorful indicator that shows the current rotation of the virtual rotors.
Three Versatile Tones
Use the RT-2’s three-position Mode switch to call up the classic rotary speaker voice and two modern variations developed with custom BOSS tuning.
Mode I—A faithful reproduction of the most famous vintage rotary speaker design, realized with the latest BOSS modeling technology. This mode adds traditional rotary color to any instrument, from guitar and bass to organs, electric pianos, synthesizers, and more.
Mode II—The vintage rotary sound, enhanced with a wider tonal range. This mode provides increased spatial performance when paired with overdrive and distortion pedals.
Mode III—Provides enhanced definition with intense modulation and drive settings, adding power and presence to arpeggio playing and solos.
Vintage Saturation and Tonal Balance
Inspired by the tube amplification circuits in vintage rotary speakers, the RT-2’s Drive knob lets you add pleasing distortion to the sound, from mild to gritty. Via a rear-panel switch, this dual-function control can alternately adjust the volume balance between the treble and bass rotors to dial in different tonal characteristics. Your most recent settings for drive and balance are automatically stored in memory and instantly recalled on the next power-up cycle.
Deep Expressive Control
Real-time speed control is essential to the rotary experience, and the RT-2 includes many options to achieve it. The pedal switch offers four operation types with many clever ways to bypass the effect and change speeds as you play. You can also connect up to two external footswitches for independent speed control and access to a “brake” setting that stops the virtual rotors at their current positions for unique tones. Alternately, an expression pedal unlocks continuous control of level, drive, balance, and speed, complete with assignable settings for each parameter.
Features
- Authentic rotary speaker sounds and behaviors condensed into a space-saving BOSS compact pedal
- Three versatile modes include a vintage rotary sound and two modified tones with enhanced spatial effects
- Virtual rotor display with lights that indicate treble and bass rotor speeds
- Fast/slow rotor speed control
- Drive knob to add vintage tube saturation
- Rise/Fall Time switch adjusts the transition time between rotor speeds
- Drive/Balance switch assigns the Drive knob to control the saturation amount or the volume balance between the treble and bass rotors
- Four selectable pedal switch modes for bypassing the effect and controlling the rotor speed in various ways while performing
- Support for advanced control with external footswitches or an expression pedal (speed, brake, and other functions)
- Mono/stereo input and output
- Two stereo output modes: standard stereo (default) or individual wet and dry outputs
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