From tilmann.zwicker@t-online.de Fri Nov 18 00:01:31 2005
Subject:Re: Hammond vs. Korg vs. Roland etc.


I bought the VK-7 when it first came out (when was that ... 1997?
Could it be that long?) and played it a lot, and although I am
tempted every time a new clone comes out, I still have not found one
which will solve all the issues I have with the VK-7 and NOT
introduce serious new ones!

What I don't like about the VK-7
- no waterfall-keyboard
- no pitch & mod wheels
- no direct access to selection of C/V (only on/off)
- upper octave is a tad too "screamy"/too loud
- C-3 C/V is too intense (so I use C-2 ...!)
- the very bland factory presets with the slow leslie speed all wrong

What I like:
- the sound in general
- the distortion (in particular the "modded leslie"-sim)
- the leslie-sim (not too phasy, not too wobbly, well adjustable)
- having all parameters stored in each memory space so that each
memory can hold an entirely different organ/leslie setup
- easy editing

As Tony points out, it is of some importance that one knows the
instrument one works with. I now know the VK-7 quite well and have
tweaked it A LOT. In the memories I now have what could be considered
distictly different organs & leslies, and I know what to adjust to
get what I want. I also find it crucial to edit sounds or build them
from the gound up to make them "my own".

Comparing the VK-7 to other (more recent) clones I would rate the XK-
3 highest. In fact, this is the organ I would get if the VK-7 was no
more, although I have a space problem and the XK-3 is really wide and
reall pricey. In second place (but still not preferable to the VK-7)
I would put the CX/BX-3 which are great organs but I find the
distortion and the C/V not as convincing. Next would be the Electro
which has obvious advantages (weight, great addt'l sounds) but I
cannot live without real drawbars, and I'm not quite happy with it's
leslie sim not with a certain mellowness in the sound. Sorry to say
that I would rate the VK-8 last simply because I strongly dislike the
leslie sim and the fact that editing is a real pain. I still find it
strange that Roland did not build more on the strengths of the VK-7
when they developed the VK-8 - but then it's all a matter of taste.

In summary: I still consider only the XK.3 a real improvement in the
VK-7.

I still wonder about the Viscount DB-5 organ. I have never had the
chance to play one but have heard great comments from trustworthy
sources.

Tilmann (from Southern Bavaria)

--- In CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com, tonysounds wrote:
>
> Mark
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