The B5 sounds like the real deal while the B3x sounds noticeably synthetic. Both sounds really good though! The Waterfall B3 from UA is also really good. My main gripe with the B5 is that it has soo many options. Which is cool for the Hammond nerd because you can really dial in like you want it, but for the rest of us it can be a bit overwhelming and you can get lost quite easily.
Your and Will's review of these virtual organs are the best I've seen. I've gone back and forth through your videos and ultimately decided on the B3-X. Just installed it today and I love it. Thank you to you and Will.
The B3X breathes like a Hammond through a 122 when you’re recording it in a room, and the tremolo effect sounds more natural...at least to me. The B5 isn’t bad, but the Leslie’s tremolo effect sounds a bit scrambled for what I’m hearing. They’re both good though and would gladly use either one live or in a recording.
Man that took me to church. Thank you very much, I thoroughly enjoyed the two reviews on the B-3X. I find the B-3X sounds far more realistic, but there's something really cool about the B5's saturation characteristics. It sounds hyped in a good way. Definitely could find uses for both. Cheers from Vancouver Canada
The B5 has more body, warmth, growl in the lower end, but the interaction between the notes sometimes sounds like samples firing at once and they dont always sum together and the room tone needs to be added to get that reverb sound for closer realism. Ik definitely wins every department except for low mid realism.
The B-3X sounds like I'm in Church, the B5 sounds like a polished studio organ. As Brother Suddeth played both, I liked the chords from both, but I think nostalgia is winning for me.
Using headphones. Straight from the start B-3x has difference in tone and sounded better for my needs! Boils down to your preference. B5 sounds good also. They both sound similar but NOT IDENTICAL. B-3x is now on my iPad $39.99 2022! You can't go wrong using both either if undecided. God bless both of you brothers! Bro on organ can get down, man...
@@dtrelzmusic To me it sounds excatly the other way around - the B3-X is too bright, hifi and a bit flat, whereas the B5 sounds a bit more "mono" but with more bite and more analog.
Heard someone play both live a few weeks back , he was also using a neo vent , I can say the B5 was by far the better sound. A perfect set up with a B5 and vent 👌
Comprei o B5 faz anos por $99, espero poder atualizar para a V3 de graça. Preciso estudar ele, é muito parâmetro e não sou bom em orgão, mas parece impressionante nas mãos de quem sabe tocar.
I had to listen to this shootout again, Acoustic Samples B5 just went on sale, 30% off @ 69 euros=$76 us. I love the fact that the IK/Hammond version has an iPad option, as I use MKSensation and Ravenscroft on iPad, BUT! I cannot pass up this sale event. This will be used on my Roland VR-09 at my home studio, and on stage, via MIDI and laptop with the Hammond SKX. the top draw bars on the SKX alone are just too thin and digital sounding. This is going to be great!
B-3X is more dimensional, has more depth. The high frequencies of the B5 do not blend with each other the way a Hammond and Leslie would do. It sounds like a bunch of independent samples as opposed to a cohesive sound. The B5 lacks mids, however the low end is nice, but would get lost in a mix. The lack of mids give an overall thinner sound, outside of the low end. The B-3X has a nicer mid range. The B-3X has a bit more of a typical B-3 plug in sound. The B5 sounds a bit more like samples.Just My 2¢. Both sound good, but I’d have to hear them in a mix to judge.
If you listen carefully, the B5 sounds richer and more like a real Hammond. It also has more authentic features such as loudness robbing and a more realistic key click. The top octave cuts through better when soloing up there whilst chords are held down lower down the manual. On the B3x upper octave notes get lost when doing this. B3x has nice interface and aspects of the Leslie are really good. Leslie on the B5 is more versatile though with many more mic positions and angles. Thanks for doing this test.
And the winner is, The UAD waterfall...by a mile I feel like. Their Leslie simulation is just the most real sounding to me at least. Everything else Ive heard just is missing something. And you can tweak the power amp bias on the Leslie, which is a good work around for not having the bias on the organ itself, which I think is an oversight because it drastically changes the sound. There is some great videos showing Hammond techs setting it on real B3s and some others which is a dude that's more of a rocker who just set it himself to get more drive out of the organ, which is awesome. Hammond built some of the best Tube amps and power amps ever made in my opinion and there Transformers are really special, I'm pretty sure they made the Transformers themselves which actually affects the sound of an amp a lot. Usually the bigger the more saturation and the better just analog goodness that we love anyways. I have wanted to build a guitar amp out of an old Hammond organ for a while. I will one day.
They both sound great and I could use eithet but to really get a feel for either Is to run them thru a PA with subs and put mics on the speakers. ...but these are the best 2
The B-5 is so much better, but I can't get rid of the clicks and pops it produces every few seconds, even if the CPU usage is below 12%. That makes it unusable for a live situation.
Do you think sampling makes a bigger difference then modeling in a VST?, could that be the reason the Acoustic Sample B-5 has the edge over the BX- 3, both sound great, I always preferred sampling over modeling, great playing too
If you think about it, B3-X has 1) a WAY BETTER Leslie (quintessential!!), and 2) more possibilities of varying/tweaking the sound. So I think the B3-X is objectively better, regardless of the fact that B-5 has an absolute amazing sound in all of its personality. I rest my case
I'd be interested in knowing if you have any knowledge or experience with actual Midi controllers working with these organ VST's. Years ago, I invested (and still have) the Native Instruments B4 (in which was VERY nice), which is no longer made or sold. I ended up getting the M-Audio Keystation Pro, not just for organ playability obviously, BUT it had a PRESET for the NI B4, to be able to do live drawbar settings, and both of the kbds of the organ could be played because that setting on the M-Audio was SPLIT. Well, fast forwarding to today's time, since the B4 is no longer here in terms of product availability, these newer Midi controllers don't have settings for it. Do you have any experience with Midi controllers and sliders as drawbars?
The Preset for NI B4 on your M-Audio will work quite well on the B3-X. I have two M-Audio Oxygen 61 (gen 1) once set to B4II and the drawbars settings could be used for B3-X immediately. B3-X appears to have "copied" a lot of CC# settings from the NI B4. B3-X can also auto MIDI-LEARN CC# from your MIDI controllers if there is any difference. B-3X Default MIDI CC# Parameter
1 Leslie Speed (Fast/Slow)(modulation wheel 7 Master Volume (volume) 11 Expression Pedal/ Swell (expression) 12-20 Upper Manual Drawbars 1-9 21-29 Lower Manual Drawbars 1-9 33 Pedal Drawbar 1 35 Pedal Drawbar 2 36 Percussion On/Off Switch 37 Percussion Volume Switch 38 Vibrato Type 39 Vibrato Great 40 Vibrato Swell 41 Volume 42 Leslie Amplifier Gain 43 Percussion Decay 44 Percussion 2nd/3rd Switch 50 Overscream on 51 EQ PG on 52 Chorus Cl on 53 Spring Reverb on 54 WAH on 55 WAH Pedal 56 Compressor on 57 EQ-81 on 58 Reverb on 64 Sustain 93 Leslie Brake
I immediately heard a thickness & richer fuller tone over all. to the X5 and so far I felt the Leslie was also better in the X5 software. But that was based solely on the type & style of music he was playing to use as an example. That may not Hold up in other types of music. Either way thank you both for spending the time to learn to use both softwares. My one question for both of you is this. Have you ever noticed the difference a Virtual Instrument can sound when using Different Controllers ? I have even when using hardware synth work stations to play internal patches. Specifically when I fist tried to use My Korg Triton for my top parr of a Hammond Dual manual then with a Roland work station as the lower manual. Then reversing them ? Sounds crazy & it should not matter but it does. Thanks
It does matter....different keybeds on different keybeds give different results because not all velocity curves on each board is created equal...so that’s why you get a different tone and feel
@John Mike I have some midi organ pedals that are amazing. Reach out to me at herrodwalter@gmail.com I’ll send you a picture of my setup that I use with the B-5 setup.
At the time I recorded this video the B-3X was $199...it has now increased to $299
John Mike it's Wall Street
For $299 they better send me a Hammond T shirt 😂
Wow.. Just got it on iPad on sale for $60 .. quite a bargain for what you get!
Now as of April, 8 2024 it’s $100
The B5 sounds like the real deal while the B3x sounds noticeably synthetic. Both sounds really good though!
The Waterfall B3 from UA is also really good.
My main gripe with the B5 is that it has soo many options. Which is cool for the Hammond nerd because you can really dial in like you want it, but for the rest of us it can be a bit overwhelming and you can get lost quite easily.
The organ part of the B5 sounds more realistic to me but I prefer the IK Leslie.
Your and Will's review of these virtual organs are the best I've seen. I've gone back and forth through your videos and ultimately decided on the B3-X. Just installed it today and I love it. Thank you to you and Will.
Dope! Thanks!!
I’ve got the b-3x but am having issues installing it
The B3X breathes like a Hammond through a 122 when you’re recording it in a room, and the tremolo effect sounds more natural...at least to me. The B5 isn’t bad, but the Leslie’s tremolo effect sounds a bit scrambled for what I’m hearing. They’re both good though and would gladly use either one live or in a recording.
Do you mean “scrambled” as in “not enough separation between the horn and drum” or something else?
The B5 man!
Man that took me to church. Thank you very much, I thoroughly enjoyed the two reviews on the B-3X. I find the B-3X sounds far more realistic, but there's something really cool about the B5's saturation characteristics. It sounds hyped in a good way. Definitely could find uses for both. Cheers from Vancouver Canada
I agree...at first I was thinkin tie but after listening on a better system...that B3X does sound more realistic...
The B5 has more body, warmth, growl in the lower end, but the interaction between the notes sometimes sounds like samples firing at once and they dont always sum together and the room tone needs to be added to get that reverb sound for closer realism.
Ik definitely wins every department except for low mid realism.
The B-3X sounds like I'm in Church, the B5 sounds like a polished studio organ. As Brother Suddeth played both, I liked the chords from both, but I think nostalgia is winning for me.
Excellent playing and demonstration! Thank You !!
Using headphones. Straight from the start B-3x has difference in tone and sounded better for my needs! Boils down to your preference. B5 sounds good also. They both sound similar but NOT IDENTICAL. B-3x is now on my iPad $39.99 2022! You can't go wrong using both either if undecided. God bless both of you brothers! Bro on organ can get down, man...
Love the warm tone of the B5...The B3X has the better Leslie though...I am adding both of them to my library.
A better leslie is the biggie for me.
The B3-X sounds better to me, B5 sounds more digital to me!
exactly
@@dtrelzmusic To me it sounds excatly the other way around - the B3-X is too bright, hifi and a bit flat, whereas the B5 sounds a bit more "mono" but with more bite and more analog.
@@beatz04 The guy Erron Williams Plays organ at a high level so I will agree with him, however it's not to say I don't like both of them...
@@dtrelzmusic I agree with whatever my ears tell me...;)
Great video bro as always! The B-5 all day!!!!
Heard someone play both live a few weeks back , he was also using a neo vent , I can say the B5 was by far the better sound. A perfect set up with a B5 and vent 👌
B3x is good, but B5 is dope! awsome B5
Comprei o B5 faz anos por $99, espero poder atualizar para a V3 de graça. Preciso estudar ele, é muito parâmetro e não sou bom em orgão, mas parece impressionante nas mãos de quem sabe tocar.
B3x more realism, feels good, b5 is good but b3x is the real deal
Not gonna comment on the sound and not acknowledge that this brotha is PLAYIN' these keys.
V3 of B5 is a noticeable improvement over V2. Would be interesting to hear how that compares!
Phenomenal comparison. Rock on guys!!
I had to listen to this shootout again, Acoustic Samples B5 just went on sale, 30% off @ 69 euros=$76 us. I love the fact that the IK/Hammond version has an iPad option, as I use MKSensation and Ravenscroft on iPad, BUT! I cannot pass up this sale event. This will be used on my Roland VR-09 at my home studio, and on stage, via MIDI and laptop with the Hammond SKX. the top draw bars on the SKX alone are just too thin and digital sounding. This is going to be great!
so you bought it?
The Leslie on the B-5 sounds noticeably phony.
I'll take the B-3X
B-3X is more dimensional, has more depth. The high frequencies of the B5 do not blend with each other the way a Hammond and Leslie would do. It sounds like a bunch of independent samples as opposed to a cohesive sound. The B5 lacks mids, however the low end is nice, but would get lost in a mix. The lack of mids give an overall thinner sound, outside of the low end. The B-3X has a nicer mid range. The B-3X has a bit more of a typical B-3 plug in sound. The B5 sounds a bit more like samples.Just My 2¢. Both sound good, but I’d have to hear them in a mix to judge.
If you listen carefully, the B5 sounds richer and more like a real Hammond. It also has more authentic features such as loudness robbing and a more realistic key click. The top octave cuts through better when soloing up there whilst chords are held down lower down the manual. On the B3x upper octave notes get lost when doing this.
B3x has nice interface and aspects of the Leslie are really good. Leslie on the B5 is more versatile though with many more mic positions and angles.
Thanks for doing this test.
i realize this is old but the b5 is just thicker and richer by a mile sweet playing!!
Good stuff guys, you need to do this again, as B5 has just released Version 3, which knocks it out of the park.
Thanks! We will soon!
And the winner is, The UAD waterfall...by a mile I feel like. Their Leslie simulation is just the most real sounding to me at least. Everything else Ive heard just is missing something. And you can tweak the power amp bias on the Leslie, which is a good work around for not having the bias on the organ itself, which I think is an oversight because it drastically changes the sound. There is some great videos showing Hammond techs setting it on real B3s and some others which is a dude that's more of a rocker who just set it himself to get more drive out of the organ, which is awesome. Hammond built some of the best Tube amps and power amps ever made in my opinion and there Transformers are really special, I'm pretty sure they made the Transformers themselves which actually affects the sound of an amp a lot. Usually the bigger the more saturation and the better just analog goodness that we love anyways. I have wanted to build a guitar amp out of an old Hammond organ for a while. I will one day.
They both sound great and I could use eithet but to really get a feel for either Is to run them thru a PA with subs and put mics on the speakers. ...but these are the best 2
Hey John Mike, can you comment on the CPU and RAM usage differences between these two? Ps love your vids.
can you please do a review on Gospel Musicians Gospel organ VST!
Thanks for the review!👍🏽🎹
Today B5 99euro vs B3 99$ 🔥😎
I just bought the Hammond B-3X for 39.99. I think this sale goes until Oct.1. Cheers
Great review brothers 💪🏽
thanks!
@@Johnmike The b3x sounds very big and roomy, whilst the b5 sounds more introvert, so to speak.
The B-5 is so much better, but I can't get rid of the clicks and pops it produces every few seconds, even if the CPU usage is below 12%. That makes it unusable for a live situation.
I would like to hear the pedals...also at 2:19 I noticed a volume change when you put the B5 in chorus...that Whitfield crying vibrato-priceless!
Kenneth Donelson You are correct. I have this software and it does increase in volume when you put the chorus on.
What software is that?
Did you review the iPad version?
If you change the mic position on B5 Hammond, the high frequencies cut through much better.
B-3X sounds right to me
Do you think sampling makes a bigger difference then modeling in a VST?, could that be the reason the Acoustic Sample B-5 has the edge over the BX- 3, both sound great, I always preferred sampling over modeling, great playing too
What about the Logic Pro X's Vintage Organ B3?
Wow, I have the B5 the B3x is in my Cart. Have you check out the Neo Ventilator?
It’s on my list to check out...need to get an organ first ha ha
If you think about it, B3-X has 1) a WAY BETTER Leslie (quintessential!!), and 2) more possibilities of varying/tweaking the sound.
So I think the B3-X is objectively better, regardless of the fact that B-5 has an absolute amazing sound in all of its personality. I rest my case
I'd be interested in knowing if you have any knowledge or experience with actual Midi controllers working with these organ VST's. Years ago, I invested (and still have) the Native Instruments B4 (in which was VERY nice), which is no longer made or sold. I ended up getting the M-Audio Keystation Pro, not just for organ playability obviously, BUT it had a PRESET for the NI B4, to be able to do live drawbar settings, and both of the kbds of the organ could be played because that setting on the M-Audio was SPLIT. Well, fast forwarding to today's time, since the B4 is no longer here in terms of product availability, these newer Midi controllers don't have settings for it. Do you have any experience with Midi controllers and sliders as drawbars?
The Preset for NI B4 on your M-Audio will work quite well on the B3-X.
I have two M-Audio Oxygen 61 (gen 1) once set to B4II and the drawbars settings could be used for B3-X immediately. B3-X appears to have "copied" a lot of CC# settings from the NI B4. B3-X can also auto MIDI-LEARN CC# from your MIDI controllers if there is any difference.
B-3X Default MIDI
CC# Parameter
1 Leslie Speed (Fast/Slow)(modulation wheel
7 Master Volume (volume)
11 Expression Pedal/ Swell (expression)
12-20 Upper Manual Drawbars 1-9
21-29 Lower Manual Drawbars 1-9
33 Pedal Drawbar 1
35 Pedal Drawbar 2
36 Percussion On/Off Switch
37 Percussion Volume Switch
38 Vibrato Type
39 Vibrato Great
40 Vibrato Swell
41 Volume
42 Leslie Amplifier Gain
43 Percussion Decay
44 Percussion 2nd/3rd Switch
50 Overscream on
51 EQ PG on
52 Chorus Cl on
53 Spring Reverb on
54 WAH on
55 WAH Pedal
56 Compressor on
57 EQ-81 on
58 Reverb on
64 Sustain
93 Leslie Brake
I immediately heard a thickness &
richer fuller tone over all. to the X5
and so far I felt the Leslie was also
better in the X5 software.
But that was based solely on the
type & style of music he was playing
to use as an example. That may not
Hold up in other types of music.
Either way thank you both for spending the time to learn to use
both softwares. My one question
for both of you is this. Have you
ever noticed the difference a Virtual
Instrument can sound when using
Different Controllers ? I have even
when using hardware synth work
stations to play internal patches.
Specifically when I fist tried to use
My Korg Triton for my top parr of
a Hammond Dual manual then with
a Roland work station as the lower
manual. Then reversing them ?
Sounds crazy & it should not matter
but it does. Thanks
It does matter....different keybeds on different keybeds give different results because not all velocity curves on each board is created equal...so that’s why you get a different tone and feel
B3x Hammond sounds the best it’s the same people who create the Leslie sim
Will Suddeth a bad man! Phew! 🤴🏽..🎶
Its the Bx3 for me
Sorry, for me B-5 sounds better...
Concuerdo contigo 🫰
Have you tried the Arturia B3V, John?
Yes I covered it in this video:
th-cam.com/video/rWymVu9ZEhc/w-d-xo.html
@@Johnmike Thanks!
Arturia is great except for the poor rotary simulation.
@@Johnmike They released a new version (B3 V2). It's really better than the one you tested, but still not on the same league as B5-V2 or IK Hammond.
B3X sounds wider, clean, and more realistic.. also this modeling algorithm was develop in conjunction with Hammond company
1:14 *Keith Emerson wants to know your location*
Why are we all sleep on the gsi vb3 🤦🏾♂️ I can’t describe why it sounds like it does.
How can I use the bass pedals?
You’d have to have a midi pedalboard to play them...I’m working on getting one
@@Johnmike Ok thanks great video
@@Johnmike love to hear it with the B 3X
@John Mike I have some midi organ pedals that are amazing. Reach out to me at herrodwalter@gmail.com I’ll send you a picture of my setup that I use with the B-5 setup.
Those percussion weren’t turn off on the Hammond I hear it
you going make me shout up in hear
🤣🤣🤣
B5 ed day
Right now the B3X is $70 and the B5 is $120. Come BF, maybe both will be discounted.
Where at?
X has more room tone... Kinda sounds more digital too.
Great demo. IMO B3x = more sterile, B5 = more musical
I agree. I mean, just the very first note he plays on the B5 tells you already who the winner is.
B3X definitely sounds better
Tooooo much talking, where is the sound examples?!?
Flipping heck. So many huge messy chords.