From BenWaB3@aol.com Tue Feb 8 11:13:40 2000
Subject:Re: V5 vs. Roland Vintage Keys


Sorry, couldn't remember the exact name of the thread. Anyway, as far
as getting the Roland Keyboards of the 60's & 70's card instead of the
V5, I have both (my main keyboard is the Roland XP-80). That card has
some good sounds in it, but IMO the worst sound out of a V5 will sound
better than the best organ sound out of the Roland card. In all fairness
I'm not too good at programming the newer synths, so the Roland sounds
could possibly be made to sound better. That said, just the basic tone
out of the V5 sounds much better. The chorus/vibrato section sounds much
more authentic (one caveat - the Voce c/v sounds are modeled after the
50's Hammonds, not as intense as the 60's & 70's Hammonds). ALso, & this
is a BIG point: The attack on the Roland isn't there, especially on a
patch w/ a lot of drawbars pulled out. If you try to do rolled chords
a la Jimmy Smith on the last chorus of Satin Doll from the Organ Grinder
Swing album all you get is a mushy hodge podge w/ no definition at all.
The V5 will give you every note w/ instant attack & solidity. You will
a Leslie simulator for the Voce, but the internal sim on the Roland is no
great shakes either. If you can try them both out extensively in a store
by all means do that. I'd just hate to see you shell out the money for the
expansion board, decide it's not adequate & then have to shell out additional
money for a V5 & sim. I actually did an unwanted comparison of the 2 last
Fri. night when the V5 problem I wrote about last week came up (the
guitarist, bless him, was able to get the boards apart, resolder the
power socket & get Humpty Voce back together again). I tried to get by
on the Roland board for the night, but it only took about 20-30 seconds
for the "This aint-a gonna cut it" mode to set in. Apologies for the length
of the ramble - guess this is my $0.04 worth. Anyway, you'll be happier w/
the Voce in the long run.

Ben Ninmann