From Markweisgram@aol.com Wed Sep 27 10:31:22 2006
Subject:VK8m through 122/ Hammond A029 - more research

Hi Again

Since I got my Vk8m a little while back, I have been doing tests running it
through a Hammond A 100 A029 preamp and leslie 122.

I think it was Steve Czarnecki ( sp.?) who pointed out how good both the
Roland VK8m and the Voce V5 plus sound when run through a real Hammond preamp
and leslie. I would imagine Steve and I share some similarities in how we like
an organ to sound. I heard some clips of his playing and he is a great
player who works around the SF Bay area.

Several weeks ago I reported that I was getting some "upper octave
weirdness" from the Vk8m. I think I have corrected this.

I also demoed a Hammond XK-1 awhile back ( through the same set up ) and I
noticed that with slow percussion decay I could not get the XK-1 percussion
volume level to accurately match the A 100. It would just not get quiet enough
for me.My apologies to you XK-1 guys. I liked it otherwise.

The Roland seems to be little more flexible in this regard. It has a
(slightly) lower percussion volume. With some tweaking and a slightly faster decay
time, I have achieved some pretty satisfying results.

I really like how the VK8m compares to the real deal. The chorus vibrato as
I have said before is my favorite among clones. But interestingly enough,
Roland also did some amazing things duplicating crosstalk on their "Vintage 1 "
tonewheel setting. These overtones are remarkably like my A 100. Switch to
'"Vintage 2" or "Clean" and that all changes.....It's not just some fluke.The
crosstalk overtones are virtually identical - they really captured a similar
character to my 1962 A 100 . Wow.

As far as fatness and balsiness, I don't know what all the complaints are
about with Roland. EQing the bass to about plus 2, this thing sounds as fat as
the A 100. And there is nothing wrong with this A 100 , I assure you. The
overdrive gives it even more fatness.... and sounds natural and warm.

The main difference I notice between a real Hammond and any clone I have
tested is the way the "straight " non vibrato sounds mixes with the chorus
vibrato in the upper octave. There is a difference in this regard between ALL
CLONES I have tested, and I have tried them all with the exception of the Voce V5
plus.

I think the main difference is that clones do not mix the chorus and
straight sound in the same way. What we are getting is an approximation of the way
chorus vibrato behaves, and it is most noticeable in the top octave.

We are also getting an approximation of key contact behavior. Roland tried
to deal with this on the VK8..... the results are a matter of opinion.

But still the Roland sounds good in the top octave. I cut back the long
percussion decay time and set the EQ to minus 2.

I had at least one private e mail warning me that the VK8m was "shrill". To
me, it seems less shrill than the A 100 - with slight EQing. Of course you can
make it shrill. I think Roland recommends the minus 2 setting.

With all drawbars pulled out, the real Hammond is the one that is more
shrill. Of course the fidelity is nice on the real Hammond. That sort of blows the
"VK8m is shrill" theory.

I am wondering how many of you guys have actually heard a VK8m plus with the
leslie sim bypassed. And I bet there are fewer who have heard it run through
the preamp an A 100/ 122 leslie.

If you were able to hear what I am hearing, I think you might be surprised.

Mark Weisgram
Salem Oregon

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