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Leslie-Type Spinning Speaker Systems? [message #28227] Mon, 07 May 2007 07:36 Go to next message
Ricardo is currently offline  Ricardo
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I used to own a pretty decent Yamaha amp with spinning speakers for a combo organ. The bass speaker didn't have a spinning baffle, though.

I've noticed a couple newer ones with spinning speaker effects in magazines, and I was wondering if anyone has used them?

I've never owned a Leslie cabinet, personally.

Re: Leslie-Type Spinning Speaker Systems? [message #28228 is a reply to message #28227] Mon, 07 May 2007 19:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
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Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

I don't know if it's this way everywhere, but in Tulsa, there are a suprising number of churches with Leslie speakers in storage. I grew up going to a church that had a pair in a loft that was used to project out into the congregation. They had upgraded organs and left the Leslie's there, disconnected. I know of two other churches that also have unused Leslie's that are collecting dust.


Re: Leslie-Type Spinning Speaker Systems? [message #28229 is a reply to message #28228] Tue, 08 May 2007 09:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ricardo is currently offline  Ricardo
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I guess that makes sense. I have heard of really good organs like B3s coming from churches.

In some cases, I'd think that the churches would like to sell the Leslies and use the money elsewhere.

I don't think I've ever seen a Leslie in a church here in Ontario, Canada.

Re: Leslie-Type Spinning Speaker Systems? [message #28233 is a reply to message #28227] Tue, 24 July 2007 19:30 Go to previous messageGo to next message
granch is currently offline  granch
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Allen, the US major mfr of electronic organs, used to make a "Leslie-Like" speaker they called the Gyrophonic - mid range cones and horn tweets on a circular rotating soundboard, open rear cabinet. If you spun it fast you would get the "Leslie" FM effect from doppler. However, the really big deal of this baby was a dead slow rotational speed - maybe 20 rpm or less. The point was this: all electronic sources are fixed in space and the ear quickly realizes this. In a pipe organ the number of such fixed positions is very large and constantly changing. The ear easily sorts out the difference. BUT, put one source in slow motion, and all the reflections and multipaths are constantly changing and the ear immediately senses this as a very "Live" organ sound. I have one I added to my big Allen long after they had stopped making them. Now, if the Leslie's had a similar very slow speed option, they would have been used for the same effect. Never saw a real Leslie, but maybe you guys would know

Re: Leslie-Type Spinning Speaker Systems? [message #28271 is a reply to message #28227] Sat, 28 July 2007 11:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ivan Beaver is currently offline  Ivan Beaver
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Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Down here in the south you will see lots of churches (mainly Black congregations-but not all) with a Leslie 147 and Hammond B3 combo. They will bring a pretty penny when sold. There is nothing like the sound of the B3 overdriving the amp in the leslie. It is a great sound-but is hard to deal with because of all the sound it puts into the room. BTW the old/origional Leslie 147's are much better than the new ones, at least the new ones that I have seen.

The only Yamaha with rotating loudspeakers that I have seen had styrofoam tweeters rotating vertically. That is totally wrong. The idea is to get envelopment and therefore you have to rotate horizontally-as in the leslie. That way it bounces off of all the various walls around the room.

Re: Leslie-Type Spinning Speaker Systems? [message #28281 is a reply to message #28233] Fri, 03 August 2007 23:54 Go to previous message
granch is currently offline  granch
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Registered: May 2009
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In fact they worked so well that I never understood why they stopped making them. I now suspect that they got the Leslie's barking at them about infringement. I was so taken with the idea that one of the first things I did at Bell Labs was have some guys "witness and understand" a page where I described a way to accomplish the same thing without spinning the speaker. I didn't do anything with the idea for various reasons. Now I recently saw where someone else patented the idea and is selling it - 54 years later.
Dick

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