From tonysounds@yahoo.com Sat Dec 15 10:08:15 2007
Subject:Re: XK1 v nord C1

As someone who owns an XK1 and used to own the XK3, and had the C1 for a couple of weeks, here's a comparison of various features: you decide from there which you THINK is a better fit. Then you have to try them, but here they are....

Through a a leslie: BOTH ARE WINNERS!
Leslie Sim: C1 the hands down winner.
Overdrive: C1 the hands down winner.
Chorus/Vib: that's a tough one, too subjective (do you use it a lot? If not, like me, not an issue)
Percussion: You'll be happy with either one...you'll probably dial DOWN the Xk1's)
Drawbars: Xk1 the winner.
Basic Hammond sound: Xk1 (comes closer to the that beefy low grunting midrange)
Ease of use/layout: probably the XK1, although you'd adjust quick enough to C1 too; neither of them are ideal.
Weight: neck and neck.
Stackability with another keyboard: XK1 the clear winner. (The c1 is really not conducive to stacking: it's too deep front to back to put on TOP of another keyboard cuz you can't reach the controls comfortably for constant tweaking, which if you're playing Hammond, you tend to do; and because it's controls are on top and at the back, you can't stack anything on TOP of it because then you can't get to the controls. The Xk1's controls are primarily to the left of the keyboard itself, and on a small 2inch "ledge" right above the keyboard, which means I can stack it on top of my Motif 8 for easy tweaking, or under the Motif 8 for easy tweaking. These days, I actually put it under my Motif 8.)

Myself, with no leslie, I'd take the C1 hands down. If the stacking thing is an issue (it is for everyone I would think), the C1 isn't the ticket. But then I'd consider the Electro. It stacks on top of my Motif 8, and because I have the 73, left hand splits are very comfortable to play that way. With no leslie, I still take my Electro over my Xk1 because of its leslie sim. And of course, I have just fallen in love with my Electro again, after almost 5 years, because now I can't live without my clavinet wahwah with distortion and leslie!

Budgetwise, the Electro is more in line with the Xk1 (the C1 is almost $1000 US Dollars more than an XK1), is lighter than either, and smaller. And for those gigs where you just can't fit ANYTHING on stage, it's wurli, Rhodes and clav sounds are excellent. (I think they're better than the Stage sounds.)

And of course, if you can afford a C1, you might want to look at a Nord Stage Compact as you'll get almost all of the C1's organ benefits and more because of the multi layer ability with the pianos, electric pianos and synth sounds. But as you said you can't afford an XK3, doesn't that make the C1 a no go? I would definitely go Electro.


chorusthree wrote:
hey guys. just trying to decide which to go for. Alot of people are
saying the nord is good but from what I can see it doesn't have any
drawbars. And I read the XK1 is a budget version of the XK3 (is that a
bad thing as i cant afford an XK3?) I am thinking the drawbars would be
more useful than a lower keyboard. I play in a 60s/70s cover band
(twice a month) which is mostly piano and synth but do need a hamond
organ sound sometimes. (have been using patches on my Korg X5 which are
ok but not like my old mans A100)

Andy



"The meek shall inherit nothing." -FZ
"You don't get tone on a diet." -T
"Hitting 'play' does not constitute live performance." -T
www.myspace.com/tonyorant



---------------------------------
Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]