The Strymon Lex V2 Rotary is a stereo pedal that realistically simulates the effect of the rotating Leslie speakers, including the iconic slow/fast speed ramping, delegated to a separate footswitch.
The second version, released in 2022, improves the input circuit with a premium analog JFET and adds two new knobs (Dry and a +/- 6dB Volume) to the four found in the original (Speed, Preamp Drive, Mic Distance, Horn Level) and two toggle switches offering front or back mic emulation and 3 ramp speeds.
The Horn Level control is particularly useful, because it adjusts the output level of the high-frequency rotating horn, allowing your tone to stick out in a dense mix or, at lower settings, blend in.
The Mic Distance knob adds some ambiance to the tone, therefore acting as a reverb, while the preamp can give some grit to the signal.
Selectable Cab Filter and full Midi compatibility are useful extras.
We added the Strymon Lex V2 to our guide to the best Rotary pedals and Leslie emulators.
Strymon Lex V2 Rotary, Builder’s Notes
There is something uniquely powerful about the sound of a vintage rotary speaker system. The organic chorusing as the treble horn and bass rotor start speeding up. The grit of the internal tube-driven amplifier, creating additional harmonics that spin around the room. Plug into Lex, close your eyes, and be transported by this classic sound, recreated with astonishing realism and depth for your pedalboard.
The Complete Rotary Speaker System.
Lex provides you with a complete, accurately reproduced rotary speaker system: the low-frequency bass rotor, the rotating treble horn, the tube-driven amplifier, finely tuned microphone placement, and all the complex sonic interactions between these elements. Powerful, intuitive controls mean you can quickly dial in just the customized sound you desire.Classic Sound, New Features.
Our second generation Lex gives you the same rich rotary sounds of our original and adds significant new features, incorporating technological advancements, hardware improvements and design enhancements to give you additional flexibility, power, and ease of use on stage and in the studio.MIDI
Full MIDI implementation means you can control just about every switch, knob, and setting remotely by sending MIDI commands from your controller or DAW via Lex’s EXP/MIDI jack or USB-C connection.Rotor speed can be synchronized via MIDI Clock Sync, and the sync setting can be saved for each preset.
300 MIDI preset locations are available for loading and saving your favorite settings.
Hardware Improvements
A premium analog JFET input circuit ensures superb responsiveness to your playing, and you can select mono or stereo input with the flick of a rear panel switch.All this, plus a new ARM DSP chip provides more processing power for every sonic nuance, with less energy consumption on your pedalboard.
User Interface
A more powerful and intuitive user interface gives you instant control over mic position and distance, dry level, acceleration speed, volume boost/cut, and easy customization of rotor speed.Everything you need for the full rotary speaker experience is at your fingertips.
Dial Your Dream Tone.
Our goal with Lex was to create the most realistic sounding, flexible rotating speaker effect ever fit within a pedal.As part of that, Lex features a full suite of practical controls to help you shape your rotary tone to your heart’s content.
A major part of that is Lex’s dedicated Horn Level control, which adjusts the output level of the high frequency rotating horn. Turn it up for added output that will help your rotating effect cut through the mix, or dial things back to mellow out Lex’s higher frequencies.
For this new generation of Lex, we’ve added a Dry mix control, which allows you to add more dry mix to your signal for a cleaner, clearer tone — or go full wet, and truly immerse your signal in rotating speaker goodness.
For added flexibility, we’ve also included a Volume knob for control over Lex’s significant +/-6dB boost/cut — perfect for dialing in the best level for a live or studio mix.
Analog Touch.
Uncompromised dynamics and feel. Exceptional touch sensitivity and responsiveness. Lex feels just as good as it sounds, thanks to a high impedance ultra-low noise discrete Class A JFET preamp input.On another level.
Pedals aren’t just for guitarists. Lex’s adjustable input signal level makes it a versatile tool for endless applications from the studio to the stage.By setting Lex to line level input mode, you get 10dB of added headroom, allowing you to use Lex with bass guitars with active pickups, synthesizers, keyboards, effects loops, and more.
