From ozmusicman88@internode.on.net Tue Jan 08 21:42:22 2013
Subject:Re: Live From Darryl's House--Christmas episode Hammond SK-1

There are a couple of slightly different questions here.

1: Which clonewheel is the most authentic (i.e., most satisfactorily replicates the sound and feel of a Hammond tonewheel console and Leslie speaker)?

This often elicits a retort like "Which particular Hammond & Leslie setup do you mean? Different players, different techniques, different models, different production years, even different serial numbers have different characteristics that produce different sounds."

However, most people who ask the question already know this and are asking about "universals" rather than "particulars"; in other words, they have in mind a general "sound" - the "classic tonewheel" sound - that results largely from the interaction of a fairly well-established set of primary parameters (including tonewheel character, keyboard mechanics, key click, chorus-vibrato modulation, percussion envelope, overdrive warmth, cabinet resonance and rotary simulation) that together produce an overall tone quality recognizable when listening to virtually any live or recorded performance in any style on any model of tonewheel console and Leslie speaker in any condition but primarily to the combination of a well-maintained and well-recorded Hammond B3/C3/A100 and Leslie 122.

Of course, there are considerable differences between the "sounds" of different players from different genres, from an Ethel Smith to a Jimmy Smith to a Keith Emerson to a John Medeski, and even between different performances on different instruments by the same player, but there is also a recognizable something that they all have in common.

Different players and listeners vary in their sensitivity to different parameters, and those who have spent many years playing and listening to many different instruments may be more able to discern small differences between otherwise similar instruments.

Having said all that, I feel that overall, the sound of most current clonewheels through a suitable amplifier/speaker (particularly a genuine two-rotor Leslie) is very close to, but not indistinguishable from, "the classic tonewheel" sound. No clonewheel that I have ever heard or played sounds or feels quite like any classic tonewheel that I have ever heard or played. Today's "perfect replica" is tomorrow's "fair emulation".

2: Which clonewheel is the best?

This often elicits a retort like "Well, brand/model X is closest to the classic tonewheel sound, but parameters Y and Z are not quite accurate". This indicates that some seek authenticity for its own sake. The Hammond organ itself originally attempted to emulate the general sound of a pipe organ; the clonewheel attempts to emulate the classic tonewheel sound just as it is.

Another common retort is "Well, brand/model X is closest to the classic tonewheel sound, but parameters Y and Z are not quite satisfying". This indicates that some seek the classic sound not merely for the sake of authenticity but because it continues to please listeners as well as inspire players, which is what makes it classic.

Another common retort is "Best for what purpose?" This acknowledges that factors other than sound sometimes carry critical weight, including size, weight, price, and extra features like MIDI functionality and additional non-organ sounds.

I have been playing tonewheel and clonewheel organs for 40 years. I used to own a Hammond M100 with a Leslie 145, and a Hammond B3 with a Hammond PR40 and a Leslie 122. I now have a Hammond XK1 and XK3c, both with JBL 515XT speakers. My new Hammonds do not sound *exactly* like my old ones, but I am happy with the design and feel of them, and I find their sound satisfying, with the one disappointing exception of the chorus-vibrato, which is too warbly and not like any tonewheel that I have ever heard.

In summary, "the sound" of most current clonewheels seems to be "good enough" for most purposes for most players, but I suspect that in a forum like this one, there will always be those who see room for improvements, even though they may be ever smaller ones, which is why many of us are here. :)

Gary Brumm wrote:
> ... all of this VASE is no good, Numa is the best, you have to have a Nord, etc. is baseless, subjective opinion, nothing more.

Every B3 or C3 I had over the years sounded different ... which one was "better"? ... you cant really say....

Bruce Wahler wrote:
>> It's very easy to find faults in the SK1, NE3, Ventilator, etc. -- none of them are perfect. Then again, neither are the old-school options ....