From jblann1@yahoo.com Wed Apr 18 18:01:27 2007
Subject:CX3 troubles and interesting stuff...

I'll try to keep this short, for more intricate details, feel free to
email me, I'll fill you in...
First my apologies, I can only keep half my promise. Before I could
get to recording samples, I ran into a number of hardware/firmware
problems that after only having it for 3 weeks, prompted a swift
return. I have yet to decide wether to get another one or not.
First off, the CX3 is a fine instrument, despite its quirks, and it
has some sonic qualities that I think are too much hidden in the
background regarding its tonewheel tone and leslie sim.
For less than $200 you can vastly enhance the organ sound and get a
more Hammond-like sound than its stock setup.
I used a dual-channel 15 band EQ, and a small Behringer mixer (with an
FX out-bus)
Taking the main outs of the CX3 straight to the EQ. Turn off the
right channel and turn up the left.
CX3 of-importance settings:
TWG type: Vintage
DBar Curve: BRIGHT (Mellow doesn't do it right and the 000800000 is
lost in the mix)
Overtone:12
Leakage 30 to 50 (yes its a moderate amount, but we'll tame that
later)
Amp Type : 1 ONE
Speaker Sim: OFF OFF OFF (this was a bad effect from the start)
Amp Gain: 50 ----- Expression/Ctrl knob at about 10:00 or to taste
Leslie balance Horn:80 Rotor:20 (trust me)
Horn up and down transit : 0 Zero
Horn mic spread :73
Horn mic distance :45
Rotor mic spread :44
Rotor mic distance :85
EQ settings (I used 15 band)
20 to 32hz -12db
40-60hz +9db
80-120hz +5db
150-400hz +9db
500-700hz +5db
800hZ-1.2khz +12db
1.6khz +9db
2.5-3khz 0db Zero
3.5-6.5khz -2db
8khz to 20khz -12
You'll have to play around with the 1.2-3khz bands to shape the upper
tone you find smooth. With the speaker sim ON, it gives an extremely
sharp boost (over 20db) near 2.5khz which is where the shrill thing
comes into annoyance for many.
Now here comes the complicated part. With a mixer (I used the
Behringer 1202FX --Xenyx or the older UB works easy as well as
others) with a mono FX out bus and a balanced input. I have the CX3
to EQ to stereo unbalanced inputs (hard-panned left/right) into the
mixer, all eq's flat and levels at equal settings. Both input
channels fed equally to the FX out bus. I loop that FX out thru a
1/4" to balanced (XLR) and polarity-reverse adapter and into a mic
channel on the same mixer. (Email me if I've lost you on this one)
Turn off leslie sim so that you have just the straight organ tone.
Turn up the "mic channel" level until you start to hear phase
cancellations (reversed phase tones cancel out the same postive ones)
Next on the EQ, start to match the EQ settings on the right channel
that you settled on the left. Soon you will start to hear more phase
cancellations. Adjust the "mic channel" until the sound is almost
completely gone, and continue to match the EQ's from each side to near
exact positions.
When you have achieved this, start to back down the level on the "mic
channel" until the sound STARTS to come back; then turn on the leslie
sim...
Enjoy.
If anyone finds their sweek spot and wants to post up audio, we might
just be able to hear after-all what in the world gibberish I've been
blabbing for the past 20 minutes.
Cheers, and good luck!
JB