From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Sun Oct 23 18:58:28 2005
Subject:Re: Used CX-3 Issue

Hi John,

No, you're not full of it. Both versions of the CX-3, as well as the BX-3 -- which is the same sound engine as the CX-3 v2 -- have programmable leakage. I never even considered that as being the noise, because all Hammonds have at least a little of it, and road warriors often have quite a lot of it. It's caused by the proximity of the coils on the tonewheels to each other, and exaggerated by any less-than-perfect ground connections in the organ. The sound isn't static (white noise), it's a combination of all 91 tonewheels sounding off at once.

The first Vanilla Fudge album features a B-3 with leakage coming out its ears!

Most players think that it's highly desirable, because it adds to the authenticity of the sound. In fact, the CX-3 was the first clone that I played that actually provides a slightly different amount of leakage for different key ranges, just like the real deal, because some of the tonewheels are closer to certain neighbors than others.

You can turn the leakage down all the way if you want, but I like a moderate level (25-30) in my BX-3 patches.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions™ http://consult.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389 voice/fax
bruce@ashbysolutions.com

At 09:35 PM 10/23/2005 -0400, you wrote:
>I've got a BX-3 (2 manual version of the CX-3) and if I understand your
>description correctly then yes, I hear it also. I'm still fairly new
>to the BX-3 so I am assuming it is programmed into the BX-3 to
>duplicate leakage, etc. I've never actually sat down and played a real
>B-3 so I can't swear to it that what I am hearing is an accurate
>duplication of what a real B-3 sounds like. However the sounds I hear
>duplicate things that I hear on recordings where a B-3 is used, so I'm
>just going with the flow. Yes, the noise that I hear that I think is
>"leakage" has a swirly character to it. I wouldn't characterise it so
>much as static but more of a very quiet hissy sound with some
>musicality to it. Like someone is pressing a whole lot of keys down at
>once that you hear behind the actual note you're playing. Unless I'm
>wrong I understood this to be typical tone-wheel leakage. Sorry if my
>description is lacking. However I think it sounds pretty cool and, as
>I say, is like, sounds I have heard coming out of B-3's on recordings.
> It's pretty obvious on some songs by Vanilla Fudge where the song gets
>quiet and only the B-3 is playing. Gotta listen real careful though.
>
>I hope I'm understanding this correctly and I'm not just full of
>baloney and leading you down the wrong path. Like I say, I'm a
>complete novice at this.
>
>John
>
>> Have any of you other CX-3 players experienced this? The
>> noise does have somewhat of a chorus-like swirl to it and is more
>> noticable in the upper register but I have heard nothing like it on
>> my NE2 or a friends VK8 that I have played quite a bit. The NE2 is
>> dead quiet in comparison. Comments?
>
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