From ccmacdon@rogers.com Mon Jul 11 06:35:30 2011
Subject:Re: Has anyone compared the SK1/XK3c side by side? Was: New Vid Hamm

Gus,
 
It's really hard to believe that yourself, and a few others on the list, can't tell much difference between the XK1 and the XK3 series (for me it's like night and day), and it's also hard to believe that you find the NUMA too mellow!  However.... this serves as a perfect example of how we all hear things differently.
 
Generally speaking, the fundamental problem with all of the first generation digital clones has been the fact that they sound too "digital" and they can't seem to create the mellowness and warmth of the real Hammond/Leslie sound. So to say that you found the NUMA too mellow not only surprises me, but it serves to point out that the NUMA certainly has resolved the problem of digital clones sounding too digital, AND they've done so without introducing a real tube stage. So kudos to Studiologic.  BTW Gus I'm not sure how much time you had to spend with the NUMA, but if you adjust the EQ and/or the Overdrive you can certainly tune down the mellowness and turn up the brightness.
 
For the record, I'm a big fan of my new NUMA, BUT I also love my NORD C2 and my VB3 VST (which is amazingly warm and rich for a piece of software!!), and I think the XK3c is a terrific clone as well.. They're all great and it's really just a matter of personal taste, and what aspects of the sound/feel/interface you value most.
 
Regards,
Craig MacDonald

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Re: Has anyone compared the SK1/XK3c side by side? Was: New Vid Hamm
Posted by: "Gustavo Pezzi" gustavocp@gmail.com   gcpezzi
Sun Jul 10, 2011 8:15 am (PDT)

Like people here get offended when you say you don't like their clones!!! :)

The strange thing is that I don't see a big difference between the Xk1
and the Xk3c. Even with the tubes and all, they sounded the same when
I played them side by side.

About the second thing... yeah, I must agree... These new engines,
specially some Italian clones, are at least making Hammond (that was
alone at the top in clonewheel quality a couple of years ago) run for
it. Which is awesome!

Speaking Of Italian engines, although I really like Vb3 sound and use
it today in most of my recordings, I was not so impressed with the
Numa. I actually think I would stay with the Xk1 instead of that Numa
I tested... I don't know why, sounded too mellow. It's ok for one or
two hours, but it gets boring.
But, like always, we are all looking for different things on a clone.
These impressions are subjective as hell!

Gus

On Saturday, July 9, 2011, ccmacdon
>
> At the risk of offending the XK-1 owners on this list, I have to say that I have never been particularly impressed with the XK-1. To me it's very medeocre in sound quality overall, poor leslie sim, lacking warmth (kind of antisceptic/ digital sounding), just not up to par with the other new clones on the market. I always attributed this to the lack of a real tube when compared to the XK3 and XK3c (which to me sound much better). The newer Nords blow the XK-1 away in almost every respect IMHO (except for drawbars of course), and so does the new NUMA. The XK1 isn't even close to the sound quality of the NUMA.
>
> I highly doubt that the SK-1 organ is the same as the XK-1 organ, it's got to be better, and I'm sure someone on this list will be able to articulate the difference in technology, some time soon.
>
> I'm still waiting to try and SK1 first hand, and looking for some of the new owners to post their thoughts!
>
> Craig

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