From ccmacdon@rogers.com Fri Sep 13 18:09:09 2013
Subject:Re: VR-09 vs SK-1 tested side by side today
Pete,
Thanks for the quick review.. The organ is definitely better in the SK, at least that's my perspective as well, and the question really is how much better and does it warrant the additional $$ (really fussy players will probably think so, others may not). However, there are things I like about the VR-09 organ and the leslie sim is one of them. I actually prefer the VR-09 leslie effect. I didn't play much with the transistor organs in the SK1, but I personally think the VR-09 transistor organs suck.. (for some reason they sound thin and just don't cut). As far as the AP/EP and Clav sounds go, I've heard as guys say they prefer the VR-09 sounds and I've heard guys say they prefer the SK1 sounds so I think it's a matter of taste, and maybe it's a wash there. I do wish the VR-09 allowed the expression pedal to be used with the Wah Wah effect that would be great.. the SK1 one allows for that and it's very cool.
A couple of things you didn't mention... The SK1 has a downloadable library.. but it sucks.. if it was as good as the Nord library it would be a big plus but it's not.. the SK is also missing some pretty basic sounds (like warm strings?). The library of sounds is not as comprehensive as the VR-09, but it has most of the basics. The VR-09 built in virtual analog synth is a fantastic feature, and if you're a player that values a cool synth as much as a drawbar organ then you'll love the VR-09. Neither keyboard can create 3 sounds at once. both are limited to two sounds only, with the SK1 you're limited to Organ plus one other sound, whereas with the VR-09 you can combine any two sounds, which is a plus for the VR-09.. That said, using the looper function on the VR-09 I believe you can add numerous sounds on top of drum sounds, and with the looper there isn't the same limitation to two sounds only. The VR-09 also has a built in GM2 synth that can be
addressed via midi. As I sit here I'm creating some splits for my VR-09, and one is electric piano and nice warm strings, and you simply can't do that on the SK1 because one part has to be organ (and it doesn't have nice warm strings).
I think that the bottom line is that if you want to save money and pick up an all-in-one with a great synth engine, because the synth is just as important to you as your drawbar organ, you might choose the VR-09. On the other hand, if you have a bit more cash and you place a higher priority on your drawbar organ, and you want the waterfall keys along with your bread and butter sounds, and synth sounds aren't as important, you may prefer the SK1. I think that the VR-09 will appeal to a lot of younger players who have never played a real Hammond but want one (who are obviously a bit less fussy about their hammonds than some of us seasoned guys), and they'll love the synth section and the free iPad interface. Seasoned Hammond guys and pro players will no doubt prefer the higher quality organ in the SK1. For myself, I like having a 12 pound all in one keyboard that I can use for rehearsals, or really small gigs.
I'm going to use my VR-09 by itself tomorrow night at a gig.. we are really tight for space at this venue, and I am rushing from a baseball tournament to the gig and I won't have time to set up my full rig so I'm excited to see how things work with nothing but an x-stand, the VR-09, a stool and a QSC K10 (plus damper/expression pedal and various cables and chords of course).
Thanks again for the quick review. I just added my 2 cents worth as well.. again..
Regards,
Craig MacDonald
________________________________
From: Pete Nalda
To: "CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com"
Sent: Friday, September 13, 2013 8:24:57 PM
Subject: [CWSG] VR-09 vs SK-1 tested side by side today
Hi all, This is a run down of what I thought of these two. As ya'll know, I'd been thinking about a lighter clone/stage keyboard with drawbars to replace my Stage. Keep in mind, I love transistor organ sounds just as much as the Hammond (Hey, clones can be combo organ clones too). So my review will reflect that. These keyboards are different things, the only thing in common they have is their weight, but anyway, here goes. I thought the organ sounds in the Hammond *are* better, in they have a more "woodier" character, and the SK1 features a feature you'll only find on a Vox Jaguar, and that is manual bass. I know this is not a traditional Hammond feature, but I love it for self entertainment, makes my left hand sound really big. The SK1 Piano's ARE weaker, I'll buy that, but some of the extra voices are really cool, like the "Lucy" G101 sounds in the keyboard extra voice section. I was in Lowrey heaven playing Lucy 2 (with the repeats) over a
farfisa with leslie as the organ voice. I'm sure I could program stuff like this on the Roland synth section, but It's nice to have it as it's own preset. I also liked that you could split an upper, and lower organ, with manual bass, and then an extra voice on top. This is coming close with what I do with my Stage using panel a/b on organ, piano then synth, except I only get 2 instruments on the Hammond, iE piano/split organ/or split organ and synth (extra voice) I couldn't get the Roland to do this either. Finally, on the SK, I like that there are dedicated Pipe and Farfisa engines, along with the Vox ones. The drawbars sort of act like they would on a Farfisa VIP though, since the footages are gradual (rather than duplicating the on/off of older Farfisa's (which Imo is kind of cool.
Now on to the VR09. I still think its' effects can be goofy fun, and can really get "out there", and the synth section is way more tweak-able. The pianos have way more punch and character, as everyone has said. I also have some fun jamming with the rhythms, and like that I could, with a battery powered speaker, power it up on a camping trip. Plus, it's a good value at half the cost of the SK1, the big trade off is the organ engine, and difference in synth/extra voice architecture, as well as the keyboard, which the SK1 has beat.
So, bottom line for me is price/portability versus organ detail. and feel. It's a tough call, and I'm not sure 2000 Plus can be obtainable from selling my old Stage classic, with 2 missing end screws, where as $1000 might be easier to obtain, but I don't really want to worry about price, so then it really comes down to the stronger organ and feel vs. portability.
So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Egun On, Lagunak! (Basque for G'day, Mates)
Louie P. "Pete" Nalda
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