From jackoverfull@gmail.com Tue Apr 03 15:09:20 2012
Subject:Fwd: KeyB Mark III and LeyB Master & Expander

Another video from sunday…

http://youtu.be/iyPlEORwQKs

keyB Duo Mark III:
-Morphing system when changing preset (the old register morphs into the new one, without a "cut". I think VB3 works the same way, should check…how does this work on a real hammond?);
-"Pedal legato with same generator of the pedalboard, not another one" (taunting the C2D…);
-new detachable hand switch (on the video it isn't shown very well, it's very practical, I think magnetic, you pull it in to connect, pull it out to deconnect, no screws and no cables you can damage);
-11 pin connector for external Leslie, supports hand switch or optional footswitch;
-Direct out from the same audio out (on the old keyb there was a dedicated one, now works more or less like the other clones…Not sure that's a good idea to put the control on the handswitch, tough, I can forecast people turning the leslie emulation off instead of changing leslie mode);
-option to have only pedals on direct (no other clone has this at the moment): you can have the manuals channeled through the leslie emulation while retaining the clean sound of the pedal (that, as always, you can channel on the lower manual as well…), without having the rotary or the chorus scanner affect it (the chorus scanner?! That's odd…There is no chorus on the pedals! Am I missing something?);
-separated equalization for pedalboard and manuals;
-26 KG;
-new foldable "70s" stand (nice, imho, never cared much for the line of the MKII…nor that I actually worry too much about these things, as long it sounds good and has all the functions…);
-"the usual" three clones (that are?), "hoping to expand the library sooner or later";
-you can now disable the background hum (always been possible on VB3, it isn't on VB3CE2, no idea on the C2D);
-optionally, the swell pedal minimum is off instead of a minimum volume (I'd like that…since on VB3 there is a minimum that's quite audible with my usual settings when I want to fade in on something I now have to use the volume knob instead of the pedal);
-both these new options are turned off when you reboot the organ, since those are "unnatural things" (what?! why?);
-Since it's mostly modular if you own a KeyB Duo MkII you can take it in and upgrade it to MkIII specs.

KeyB Duo Master & KeyB Expander:
(first, sorry for calling it "KeyB Manual" yesterday…As written back then, I couldn't remember the right name nor truly read it on the photo)
-the expander has been presented last year, it's now in production, "no problems";
-Expander has same sound and functions of the keyB Duo;
-Expander has an audio in, so you can channel other instruments through the leslie emulation (want to play your real hammond with headphones? Want Leslie effect on a guitar? could be the right thing for you…);
-The Master replaces the master keyboard released one year ago;
-The Master you're seeing is still an incomplete prototype;
-4 Sets of drawbars (not 6, sorry! 2 are useless);
-"You can use the Master with my Expander -thanks!- or with a plugin…B4 or…something else" (guess what? You can hear everyone giggling…);
-4 presets+2 sets of drawbar+cancel/local off for each manual;
-pitch wheel;
-Since basically every control is on the keyboard itself you're not going to use much the controls on the expander if you use the two of them together;
-18KG (hopefully) and very small size (really?! whell, if compared to the keyB it's true, but it's still a lot bigger than the competitors)
-You can use it with non organ sounds as well (I think that the local off works like it does now on Mojo/Hamichord since the last firmware update: you enable it and it enables velocity and switch to a different midi channel);
-You buy both of them and you can have a fully working organ habitually and still a small device that you can bring with you, ask for a DX7 (he said DX7, that's right! Unfilmed…) and obtain a great single manual clone.

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