From kziss71@yahoo.com.au Wed Mar 29 20:43:02 2006
Subject:Re: Viscount DB5 - opinions?

Hi Josh and everyone.
l own an Oberheim OB-5 which is the same organ as the Viscount DB-5.
I bought my OB-5 in 2001 and that was the first version that was
available before the updated version came out so therefore l am not
sure how representative my OB-5 is of the Viscount DB-5 that you are
interested in.
The basic drawbar organ sound is quite good . I have A/B tested it with
my 1963 Hammond C3 organ through the same Leslie 122 and it comes close
to the sound of the C3 but it it not absolutely 100 % identical but
then all Hammonds sound slightly different so you could say that it was
like having two Hammonds next to each other.

There are four choices of the basic organ sound thus simulating the
effect of four slightly differently calibrated Tone wheel Generators
but there is no simulation of the organs with aged wax capacitors on
the Tone wheel Generator.

The chorus / vibrato effect sounds fake . With the real Hammonds , when
you are using the chorus effect he vibrato part of the signal is
mellower whilst the straight part of the signal is brighter thus
resulting in that distinctive shimmering sound. With my OB5 the vibrato
signal and the straight signal are of a similar brightness and this
causes the chorus effect to sound too warbly and fake.
The updated version of the OB-5 apparently has a more realistic
simulation of the chorus / vibrato effect.

The key click in my OB-5 is too weak but apparently this has been
improved in the updated version.

The harmonic percussion is OK and the key click audible on the
percussion notes sounds more like the real Hammond key click.

The Leslie simulation is very shallow and squirrely sounding in the
fast speed setting. The slow setting is better sounding but it still
sounds too shallow. There is an attempt to simulate the treble roll off
of the treble horn driver .
You have the option of having a Leslie with the treble horn or a single
wood rotor Leslie. The single rotor Leslie simulation sounds more
natural than the treble horn simulation.

The overdrive effect on my OB-5 sounds thin and raspy. Apparently the
updated version has improved on this.

There are a variety of different digital reverb and delay effects.
The bass and ttreble EQ is useful .

Overall it is a decent Hammond clone and if you can afford it them i
wouyld recommend that you give it a try. It does sound very good
through a real Leslie cabinet.
All the best.
Kon

>
> I was doing some search for a dual-manual clone, and came across the
> Viscount DB5. Anyone remember this? Did you own it, and if so, what
> did ya think? I'm seeing it on closeout in a few places, and it may
> be worth it to me to purchase one, if not for anything else but to get
> a dual-manual controller for B4.
>
> Ideas?
> --
> Josh Lawrence
> http://www.hardbop200.com
>