Dynacord CLS-222 Leslie Simulator

This thing is a snap to set up, on the back is a single input (mono) and a set of stereo outs (a set of both 1/4 inch instrument jacks and XLR!)
then there is another single mono out, and a foot switch jack where a pedal that controls speed (fast/slow) and the brake can be used.
On the front theres knobs for volume, gain (pre-volume), rotor balance, stereo selector switch (mono, stereo, stereo 1 and stereo) and a switch for slow/fast and pedal use and a switch for bypass of the effect.
Thats it!! These features are all you really need if you ask me. Theres also pots on the back for fine tuning of the speed of the rotor and the bass [+/- %10]

Im using a Voce V5 into a volume pedal into the CLS-222. Then Post CLS-222 i run the signal through a sonic maximizer to keep fat bass and boost the high end a touch. In my opinion this set-up sounds ridiculously amazing. I usually play through our P.A. system and this thing sounds like a well mic'd leslie!
This thing is so quiet too, i had been using a Digitech RPM-1 for years and that thing was soooo noisy, then again it did have a 12ax7 tube preamp which was the best feature of that thing. It honestly sounded like a crappy stereo vibrato tho. No comparison there.

I've only had it for 2 weeks, so its hard to judge, but its clean and relatively sturdy. It seems to me that if you treat this well it was last a long time.
If something happened to it i would begin saving my money and the search for another one would continue.

The Dynacord website doesnt even have any information in their archives. Why dont companies keep an archive of all their equipment anymore?

I've been playing for 10 years now and i play in 2 bands. Rock, funk, jazz, jam, blues, reggae and hip-hop are all in my repertoire, and as long as there is an organ sound in need of being sounded this will shape my tone. Whats great about the CLS-222 is that even if its leslie simulation wasnt the best the color it adds to your tone is incredible, it has 2 separate analogue processors for the rotor and bass that are separated by a 800hz crossover which is consistent with a real leslie cab. I paid alot on ebay but it was worth every penny.
The rear panel also has XLR outputs, but they're not balanced outputs. Early units do not have standard IEC wiring for unbalanced outputs does anybody know how to rewire this and ground these puppies?

First I havo ton apologize for my bad English but I really have to write a review.
CLS 222 is one of the best leslie simulations I ever listened to.
Very easy to use. I got one on Ebay for ? 190!!!
I did not get a manual but this does not matter. You can find out everything by yourself

As I mentioned above, the best leslie simulation that I know. Otherwise you had to buy a real hammond leslie (there is a new product, very light but ? 1.000,- or above)

I think it works well. Anyway I have a H?K Rotosphere for backup. But you can't compare this two things. The CLS 222 sounds more realistic.

I don't know. Dynocard does not build that thing anymore...

I have been searching for a good organ sound for many years
Old Korg CX 3, Roland VK 7, Oberheim,
at least I found Voce V 5 which is really great!
I run it through a reu?enzehn tube preamp (built in germany) an finally through the CLS 222. A fantatstic Combination!
I also tried the new CX 3 which looks and sounds good (also the built in leslie) but the distortion inside is very bad.
unfortunately, you can't insert an external tube before the leslie, only after the internal leslie. Bad thing.
For a good organ sound I recommend Voce V 5, a tube and the CLS 222.
It's a great machine. if you find one on Ebay, just buy it. It is worth the money anyway. I woul have paid up to ? 500 for it or even more....

If you know how to turn a knob you will figure it out. Not really deep, as it's an one fx device. Manual is nice but hasn't got much to say, naturally. The CLSs usually come with electric layout and repair manuals and that's something other companies never do. So repairs are no problem, even decades after the unit is out of production!
There are two versions, a black and a white one. I've got both and can't hear any difference so I guess the white one was for all the showy Wersi owners and the black one for the steady Hammond players
:-)

As a Leslie sim this is IT. No way to come closer to the real deal (and I have a real Leslie to compare it to). A real Leslie has got the sexiness of a massive hunk of vibrating wood etc. but it gets very unsexy if you have to lug it around. Soundwise I would only use the CLS222. Full sound, authentic (and infinitely manipulable) slowin/speeding up settings, stereo spread etc. Too much to tweak to list it here. I compared it with Dynacord's SL22 (utter crap, take care, it's only the CLS222 that's good, the SL is digital, not analogue), Korg G4 (rubbish, you'll be ashamed when you thought it was good and then hear a CLS next to it. I sold it immediately after I tested my first CLS) and Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere. The last device actually comes pretty close soundwise but you can't adjust speeding up and slowing down to your liking (what a bummer!!!) and to my taste they are faaar to fast in the Rotosphere. I hoped it would sound good because the built-in tube is a good idea (saves you the trouble of an external distortion pedal) but the Rotosphere distortion was very bad and unconvincing (thin, digital) and the CLS just blew the Rotosphere out of the water. For clean sounds - perfect. For distortion you'll need some fx to give the CLS to rotate. I tried Hughes & Kettner's tubeman (old version) and it was pretty good but (shame on me!!!) I liked (after lots of tweaking) the distortion plus some EQ settings of my AX30G even better. Makes your organ scream like the real deal. The CLS is the best piece of equipment I own, honestly!

Well, that's a difficult question. I actually owned three Leslies, one crapped out after a while (added some noise). It could certainly be fixed but I rather sold it and got a new one, they are so cheap at ebay (no-one seems to know them), cheaper than what a repair would cost at any rate. The one that made problems was modified by a former owner so maybe that was the reason. I won't give any rating here because I just don't know if it was Dynacord's fault or the previous owner's. If you look inside it certainly looks very tidy and well constructed. Easy access and all.

It's old. I've got the service manuals so if they become rare or if their prices adjust to their real value I can have mine repaired. 10 for the service manuals!

Full marks for being the only portable leslie worth its name. I use it for for organ only, so I can't comment on how it sounds with guitar or vocals. For organ it's perfect. Why can't any of the fx manufacturers just built something like that again? Why go digital when digital just doesn't work? Oh well, I've got my Leslies (am even thinking about getting a third one just in case) so I shouldn't complain...

nothing can be easier.
this is how you make great music.

I use it for synth keyboards, organ, guitars and vocals.
I sold my leslie because of it and I bought another CLS-222.
the sound is pure and real.
nothing can get close to this amazing analog sim.
I am going to sell my Korg G4 too.

made by synacord and everything from Dynacord is a tank.

I oncwe called them and bought a IC for my ADS sampler
they sent it asap.

I operate a pro studio since the early 80's.
I used a real leslie and ytied any possible digital/analog simulator
nothing can touch the synacord.
simply the best and the easiest to operate.
I love watching the 2 leds acting individualy.
if you find one - jump on it.
Pink-floyd's guitarist David Gilmore is using it too...

Input a signal and turn it on. That's all there is to it . You can tweak the sound to taste and adjust the rotor speed, but if it's set up correctly it is hard to get a bad.

It sounds like a leslie. Warts and all. Exactly what I wanted.

It's old. It works.

No idea.

I was tired of terrible digital simulations but didn't want to mic up a cabinet every time I wanted to hear a leslie effect. This is perfect for my studio.

The CLS-222 Leslie simulator is extremely easy to use without a manual- does ANYONE have a manual??? Adjust a front panel knob and you get what you want, that's it.

What this one rackspace unit did for my organ sound blew me away. A Leslie speaker is a noisy beast, the CLS-222 is way quieter. Stereo spread is adjustable, which is great.
I've owned a bunch of Hammonds and Leslies, and while there's no substitute for the real deal in terms of a Leslie speaker spraying a room or hall with moving, vital sound I'd have to say this is the next best thing. In my opinion it's WAY beyond, VK-7/8, CX3 and XK-2 emulations.

My unit, when I got it, looked like it it had been through a war (no bullet holes though) but it worked fine, scratched up, loose bolts and all. It still works perfectly. I'm not concerned about it's reliability.

I've been playing over 30 years. I'd buy the CLS-222 again in a minute, it's an inspirational piece of gear that helps you to transcend.

Easy, plug and play and you're good to go. I've never adjusted the knobs for the rotor speeds, just used what came with it, liked that enough. Mine came with the footswitch (kick ass). Controls leslie on/off, leslie slow/fast. Perfect.

Love it. I'm a harp player that is a huge fan of what John Popper (Blues Traveler does). I put up a review for the Peavey Delta Blues Amp if you want to see what my rig looks like. Anyway, he uses the Leslie as his generic comp effect (so naturally I had to as well.) I tried a wide range of phaser, flangers, distortions, reverbs, delays to recreate the Leslie sound. I heard guitar people say "use this, then this, then this, then this" and it never cut it. One day in Nashville I was in a used equipment store and saw the Dynacord. Tried it out and was amazed. Unfortunately I didn't have the $250 to buy it so I let it slip. Big mistake. Regretted it for a year or 2. Then, came back and found another one. Got it and it's been true love ever since.

This is very noisy, in my opinion. Just turning the unit on (no sound going through it) and I can hear the warble.

I'm throwing this through a Peavey Delta Blues so I'm getting a bit of an overdrive sound through it (so it sounds more like a rotating horn/tube amp). It's very warm sounding, perfect.

I'd have to say that the quality is the best for the size and the money.

That being said: If I could afford and move a real Leslie Cab, I'd definitely give it a whirl b/c it would be really nice.

Hmmmm...

I use to use the footswitch as the on/off and kept the speed at high so I could switch between all of my effects and then just hit the switch when I went to comping. Unfortunately the switch became a little tempermental and didn't work as often.

I had one incident when the effect just stopped working. I put it into the shop, and naturally...it started working again.

Now the preamp has a tendency to overdrive and peak if I have too hard of an attack. This is a new problem. I've just learned to play around it. This is the oldest effect I have, so I chalk this up to age.

But I stand by this product as it has no other competition.

Perfect. I'd love to play a guitar through it, would be nice if it had dual inputs...but such is life. Excellent buy. Glad I have it, and it's probably one of the best effects I have.

No other product comes close.

This thing is dead easy to use, mono in, stereo out. A breeze.

I use a Voce V3 taking an out from the FX send jack socket into an ARTdualMP tube pre-amp and thence to a JoeMeek Vc3Q optocompresser; this gives me tube-fat warm growly organ sounds for the CLS222 to rotate. I don't find the Dynacord Leslie sim noisy, the V3's output is pretty hot so no noise is heard at all.

It's old, it works. Vorsprung Durch Technique, or something similar sounding; it's German, it's tough, it's ugly but who cares.

Long since out of production. N/A

I play all sorts. If I can read the music, I'll play it.
I have a Voce V3, and E-mu B-3, Evolution keyboards, a Technics KN5000, a Hammond M100, a real deal Leslie 145 and sundry effects and processors.
If it was lost I wouldn't be happy so I bought another one as a spare.
I love this thing beause I can play Hammond(Voce Clone) and listen on headphones to a very realistic rotary cabinet. ( Sounds just as good through speakers) Probably the very best made simulator ever produced unless the new CX3 and Clavia Electro can give it a run for its money. Best sim I've ever heard and I've heard and used a few including Rotosphere, G4, Spin and the Hammond-Suzuki's very own Digital Leslie. The CLS222 sounds close, close, close to my 145 and is very musical and a delight to use, its ramp up/down is particularly accurate. It's the business. Don't know whether their later digital DLS223 and 300 were as realistic. I'm hoping to find out

This 19" / 1HE rack unit is build along the 'less-is-more' philosophy! Just the necessary knobs and switches and no 'gimmiks' else..:-)
Like someone said before, there are: Preamp gain knob with peak LED, Rotor balance knob, 4-position rotary switch for stereo spread ('mono' to 'super stereo'), output volume knob, bypass toggle switch, 3-position rotor control switch (fast / slow / stop) with 2 according LED's which give visual control of the selected speed for horn and drum. This switch can be overridden when the remote footswitch is plugged. The only little lack is that the bypass switch does not appear on the remote :-(. Power switch, build in power supply, so no trouble with wall warts.
Rear panel: input 1/4 jack; outputs mono, left + right on 1/4 jacks, the right channel jack is also providing the left+right signal for a stereo 1/4 jack when notihg is plugged to the left output. The left + right outputs appear on XLR male, too, but the wireing is unbalanced (...was said before, i think..); remote switch connector,; adjustment trimmers for rotor speed separate for horn and drum.
I think this unit is build with keyboarders in mind, because it take a huge input level to get the clip LED light up. If you're a guitarist you might have some noise problems due to the low levels guitar provide....With propper input level, it's not noisy at all.

I've listened to real Leslies and some emulators like the Leslie mode from the Boss SE-70 multi-effector, this one is the closest thing to real world! Perfect matching between rotors and realistic speed-up and speed-down behaviour :-). My setup is something weird, but sounds incredible :-). NordLead 2 (has some quite usefull 'Hammond-a-like' patches) into Fender Blues DeLuxe (40W all Tube Amp, 1x12", has a nice 'drive' feature) and the CLS222 located in the amps insert point = great, crunchy, realistic organ sounds :-).

The housing is a normal quality rack unit, so mounted in a rack there should not be any problems with reliability. I opened it up for visual inspection, the PCB is good example of propper work and craftsmanship :-)

Never dealed with them, i think this unit is discontinued long before...I heard Dynacord stuff is hosted by ElectroVoice now...

Usually, i play more kind of Weather Report-like stuff, but sometimes i do backup jobs for a blues-rock band in my area. When it comes to this, this is the thing i go for for leslie-ing :-)
Surely, sound-wise, the 'real thing' is the limit, but if you're on a small club stage, this unit safes a lot of space, so i can bring my Rhodes along :-) Never would give it away now...

It's a one unit rackmount stereo analog Leslie Simulator that weighs only eight pounds, instead of 150 in the real thing :) Easy to use - all knobs, no menus or LCD. You can't store sounds on it. Just dial your settings and go.

On the front panel there's a power switch, input gain with overload LED, speed switch (fast/slow/stop), rotor balance, stereo/mono mode, and output level. There's also a pair of LEDs for the rotors, green for the bottom and yellow for the top; these show the speed so that you can tell at a glance whether it's in tremolo, in chorus, or stopped. It's way cool to watch the LEDs while holding a chord and changing speeds.

On the rear there's input, mono output, stereo outputs, fast/slow/stop footswitch, and trimpots for speed of the rotors. No MIDI - this thing was built before those days. Proper IEC power cord - NO WALL WARTS!!!

The rear panel also has XLR outputs, but they're not balanced outputs, they're single ended. A waste. Early units do not have standard IEC wiring for unbalanced outputs; mine has a sticker on the top that says that the unit now complies with IEC wiring. If you find an early one, don't sweat it's a simple 5-minute wiring change inside.

This is the best analog Leslie Simulator ever made. I've played with a Hammond Porta-B and Leslie 760 since 1981 and I bought the Dynacord in 1990 to use with my Hammond XB-2. It's *that* good and it's *that* authentic.

It's totally analog. It uses BBD delay lines - TDA1022s.

Why does the Dynacord sound so accurate? They use separate processors for the top and bottom rotors. It's the only way to do it. They even implemented a proper 800hz crossover between the rotors, just like the real thing. Digital FX boxes and phasers can't separate the rotors sounds, forget it. Dynacord replaced the CLS-222 with the MIDI-capable programmable digital DLS-223, but when Keyboard mag reviewed it they still liked the sound of the old CLS better.

The Leslie simulation in the XB-2 is crap; the CLS-222 is the real deal. When I played out live, I've had musicians come up during the break and ask me where I was hiding the Leslie cabinet. You should see their eyes swell when I show them the box :)

It has some noise, but you can minimize it with the right gain settings. The effect will only go out to 16Khz, but what the hell, a real Leslie barely makes it to 16Khz anyway!!! If you're using a guitar with it you might want bandwidth all the way to 20Khz - subjective issue.

The neat part is that it's a stereo Leslie Simulator. You can do Mono or three modes of stereo, depending on the spread away from center. It's ultra cool to hear those rotors whipping around the stereo PA in a live club :) Being able to balance the top and bottom rotor is crucial for duplicating your favorite sounds. I can get jazz, I can get blues, I can get progressive, and I can get rock. It does it all.

Some other makers of Leslie Simulators have more parameters, such as mic distance, ramp time between speeds, etc but they still don't sound as good as the CLS-222.

Dependable. Can't afford a backup, but has never broken down.

No experience. Dynacord is owned by Electro Voice now (EV). None of the repair shops had schematics, I found a studio that had them and got a copy.

If you want the best Leslie simulator, you HAVE to get one of these; many other CLS-222 owners agree. I've used a Leslie long enough to know the difference and this box is the real deal. When Keyboard magazine reviews Leslie Simulators, they still put 'em up against the Dynacord. It's the standard of measure and it still wins for authenticity.

Nothing beats a real Leslie with the sound going around the room, but the Dynacord is the closest thing to the animation to the sound. It's got the right amount of amplitude modulation and frequency modulation that a live Leslie cabinet has. This balance is important for anthenticity. The newer boxes made these days have the separate processing for the rotors, but not the proper modulation; they don't sound right.

Look at most touring bands that use a Hammond clone and you'll see that they use a CLS-222 for the Leslie sound. Studios and rental outfits keep them on hand too. They seem to be relegated to the professional circuit, it's not the kind of thing you'll find in a club band.

Unfortunately Dynacord has discontinued them in the mid 90s, although I have seen them used on the net for as low as $250. I first read about them in Keyboard magazine in 1989 and could not find them anywhere until I went on a business trip to LA. One listen was all it took; I was sold. Even though I have back issues of Keyboard all the way back to 1977, I've never seen an ad for this box. They've been around since 1981. Talk about underground secrets!

There were at least two panel variations, one white and one dark grey like I have. I don't know if the circuitry is any different.

I modified my Hammond XB-2 so I can control the CLS-222 speed from the XB-2's Leslie switch by the drawbars. I use a 5-wire MIDI cable; three for MIDI and two left over, so I used one for Leslie speed. Then I have a jack panel in my rack where I just route the wire to the footswitch. This way I can also have MIDI-controlled analog stereo Leslie from my sequencer when I write songs. Heaven.

If I lost it, I'd have to get another one. Nothing else sounds like it.