However, those that have been exposed to the versatility of a real Hammond in multiple genres can compare how it made us feel and how these make us feel. So if you want to say it’s not a perfect comparison, so be it. It is a comparison by simple terms anyway. Music conveys feelings and we all have feelings. It more of a performance comparison than of the instruments though.
I’ve owned a B3 since 1977 and played most of them, own Nord , studiologics and I recently purchased the XK5 with the lower manual. Hands down...no comparison! Hammond blows them away. Start with the key feel, the speed, the way the keys bottom out, the multi contact buss bar simulation that allows left hand palm chirping, then go to the engine..everything is super faithful, the overdrive and tube preamp, virtually every aspect is programmable...this is the deal. It’s the first Hammond since my B that is genuinely want to play....for hours and hours. Live, it’s an amazing machine! Run and get it. It’s expensive...but it’s worth it!
One of the more interesting musical demonstrations I've ever heard. That said, IMHO the Crumar Mojo, Viscount Legend, and Hammond XK-5 are doing it for me from a Jazz/Gospel standpoint. Thanks for posting.
The ones that sound right to me are the ones that emulate the C/V the best, when a chord is being held down. That would be, in these videos, the Mojo and the XK5. The Viscount's C/V is not right to me.
I heard the modern-day Vox Continental sounds significantly different from a vintage one. But having owned a Farfisa VIP400 back in the late 70’s, I remember having to take the cover off and tune each note separately with a little screwdriver every once in a while. I believe these were distinct oscillators for each key and they did drift with changing room temperature and humidity. Real transistor organs were a bitch. If I could buy my old Farf back at a reasonable price, I might just for the nostalgia. But if I was touring, I’d rather have a digital sampling/modeling organ any day. As the Dead Kennedies famously said in a song: Give me convenience or give me death!” The Dexibel sounds like a toy. The Roland sounds “synthy “. The Hammond XK-5 with accoutrements would force me to sell my Ducati motorcycle to finance. But it has a gorgeous sound and the percussion/key click are sweet. For the money, the Mojo sounds great in the hands of a master. But I hear they have a quality control problem and Crumar has poor customer support. I’ll stick with the C2D for now.
Been comparing clones for years. My conclusion [works for me]. It is not the BRAND...its the PLAYER. Any beginner player can make a wonderful instrument sound terrible. Seasoned players can make an inexpensive clone sound awesome. A student player can make a old time well functioning Hammond sound horrendous. Same for Sax.s and guitars for example. There are those among us who are POETS and others who just mumble [best we can]. Many of us are in between somewhere? It is easier to earn the money to buy an instrument than it is to acquire the immense skill to perform really well. i can acquire an instrument but I may never play it well. CHops take SOOOO long to acquire and own. I have owned many clones and played many others. Including several old Hammonds. So what is it exactly we are chasing? There are only two artist in the vid I really enjoy although the others have skill sets. The two I like play in a Genre that speaks to me emotionally. Who speaks to you emotionally> Now...who agrees with me? I have the hammond XK5 [$3300+], the Yamaha Genos [$3500+]amongst others. Yet daily I play on my Casio WK-7600 [$500]. Do not try to figure it out according to the AXE I use. The answer to this seemingly paradox is: "Who is at the keyboard?" Not what keyboard. Kernel of TRUTH #1...Any BRAND dealership will bring you [ear candy] expectations. Kernel of TRUTH #2...Only YOU can deliver the MAGIC after years of study. Now who agrees? Have I deaf ears out there?
I agree. The Beatles didn't have always have the finest Steinways or Bosendorfers (spelling) at their disposal, but look at what they did with what they had available...no one ever really listens to Lady Madonna for example, and picks holes in the fidelity of the piano. These days we have so much technology at our finger tips, far superseding that of the 60's, we tend to get very nit-picky about everything; From converters to mikes, instruments, mixes (and mixers), we are spoiled for choice. And ok, it's a buyers' market out there, so go for it, and make your choices, but the best everything money can buy means nothing if your vocals/song writing ability/lyrics/instrumention is rubbish. Most big name instruments are probably all within 5% of each other's performance levels, but we get into such wars over this one and that one. Sure, try them all and go for the one that you like and connect with, and play the heck out it for as many years as possible, get your moneys' worth, then trade in for the next model then. I buy a new keyboard approximately every ten years, that way I feel like I have got my money out of it. Of course, and as always, YMMV.
richievpiano I agree! In this video I loved the Vox Continental but I know I wouldn’t be happy with it, I’m a very poor player. I like it for the way it is played there.
I agree with things like guitar, violin, horns....but with keyboards, its a little different...you arent really controlling the sound after youve triggered a note, so much potential expression is taken out of the picture with keyboards. Ive heard plenty of great professional players on either older boards, or just choosing cheezy sounds, and it either ruins the experience completely, or at least they dont play to the sound they are using, they just play as if the sound they are producing is a real piano or rhodes or organ. at least listen and take into account the sound you are using! But a GOOD multi-sample or modeled sound, you can just sit on it, you dont need fast phrases with gimicks and tricks.
The Mojo tears it up! I own a Mojo 61. It duplicates the Hammond B3 sound better than any of these keyboards plus the Rhodes sound is also so genuine sounding as well. The dexibell came a little close but too thin and scratchy sounding. The Mojo is in a class of it's own.
For my tastes it would be the Mojo. Of course he’s playing with a drummer which gives it a leg up on some of the other ones, but still it sounded the most authentic with The Nords in close second. I just hate the way their action feels
I switched from a Nord to a GSI Gemini, which is the same as Crumar. The B3 does sound better in Crumar. It has a little more high end and character in the percussion and drive. The Gemini came packed into their DMC-122, which has 20 drawbars and two manuals and retails for about what a new Electro would. My only issue thus far has been a higher number of MIDI glitches than I ever got on the Nord. But they have good customer service. (The clav is better on the Gemini as well, though I think the Wurlitzer was better on the Nord, but that's a different video.)
I def. noticed loking the wurli on the Nord 6d better then the Mojo, but i didnt get into the editing. I like the clavs on both, you really think the mojo does it better?
For Hammond B3/C3/A100 emulations the XK-5 is amazing, and is my preference as a Hammond player for many many years. Jim Alfredson doing the demo is a bit unfair to the others in this series. However.... I really liked listening to all of them as they each have their own sound and playability. Can’t say I’ve played them all, but a good lot of them. If I had some these bears in a live show, I know I’d have a good time with them. For purchasing purposes, this type of video is only a start...
So funny From the midwest and saw Jim play live a while back. One of a kind player with his own style and total use of the drawbars while playing. I bought an XK-5 even though its way over priced it is configurable to make it sound exactly like any hammond you every heard and the touch is very close to my 61 A102 with the hammond fast keyboard.
Mojo is the king of the tone wheel top end. They get right. The others try to mimic the pure organ sound, except Nord that actually sounded like it was coming from the Leslie.
Interesting, I liked the Crumar Mojo, nice, funky. And the Ham at the end which looks to be running through a real Leslie which is cheating! I had a real Vox Conti, Brit made and wasn't really convinced by any demos, must be the AC117s ;) Nord good but not funky.
The problem with deciding between Hammond clones is they all have ‘particular’ sounds or patches that can be made to sound very authentic while listening via TH-cam, recordings or whatever. But real Hammonds are very dynamic and dirty, so you really need to hear or try the clones in real life like to see how they respond to being played dynamically i.e. manipulating the drawbars and controlling the overdrive with the swell etc. (also many of the clones don’t get the crosstalk right - again that is a dynamic thing). I’ve tried 3 or 4 so far and been slightly disappointed, mostly with how the Leslie and overdrive feel - the sense of space and moving air is very lacking (TBH I can get as good or better results with a £50 VST plugin and some decent amp and speaker emulation - although that is not very ‘playable’ in a live situation). I’m looking forward to trying the Legend next - fingers crossed. Who would have thought that recreating something as simple as a Hammond in this day and age would be so difficult
I totally agree. Most reliable observation. I have the Hammond SK-1 73, the Hammond xk-5, Korg Kronos II. I compared these organ voices to my 12 year old Tyro II Hammond voices and the Tyros competes with them well. Just add Chorus and reverb. Dramatic results. The Tyros Leslie is adequate too. There is a reason the Tyros was $4200 new. I am selling everything 'cept the hammond XK-5. Selling my Tyros IV also. Getting Yamaha Genos eventually. I use two JBL G2 EONs. Great. You got to hear these things LIVE with very good 15"" speakers. I've spent way too much $$$ and owned four different Hammond Consoles w Leslie Cabs. Listening to this video was NOT illuminating Nor a game changer.
REthinking to mention: the Hammond SK-1 73 was the least expensive board to purchase and it is close to the electro-mechanical Hammonds of yesteryear. Besides great speakers...These boards need a skillful player to produce the magic. Some frequencies are only found in the old organs w Leslies IMHexperience.
I am talking those 'mystery frequencies' that most folks will never hear because the old Hammonds are gone or rare. Many folks will only hear the digital clones and won't know what 'those Hammond" tonewheels sounded like. Won't have a clue, won't know the difference...a time gone by.
Tyros is absolutely crap compared to clonewheels. Its adequate for it being a "1 man band Keyboard" sounds ok in the mix, but the organ sound + leslie .. especially the leslie sim is horrible when standing alone. Its been 20+ years since the P9000 came out with a decent Organ section for that time, and Yamaha has done nearly nothing to develope the organ into a decent Hammond sound, wich is a bit strange since the "Euro organ" of the newer Tyros models sound really well, and the Genos is primary just a Tyros V with a few new samples, a new look and more "pro" electronics .. better DAC's etc. for a very steap price. Still a great keyboard, but a tad overpriced imo, but the Organ World engine is exactly the same as a T4/5. But it is like others are mentioning up to the player to make it sound well. Nothing sound like a 60 year old B3 + 122, but any of the new clone wheels will sound well in the right hands, and It would never bother me if I had to watch a 2 hour gig with a top player if he was using a B3, SK/XK, Mojo or Legend .. as long as they use a real Leslie be it a 122 or 3300 no matter. The Leslie sims is great for small gigs where space is a big problem, but they still can't give the right 4 dimensional sound a real leslie creates. But even an old Yamaha P9000 can sound decent if you run the organ sound thru a real leslie. Its not a real Hammond sound but run thru just a cheap 760 It will sound like a decent 70-80's organ.
Not a fair comparison, as different recording methods is evident throughout as well as different playing styles:The Grandstage was recorded in mono, the 1st C2D demo was overloading, the Vox and Crumar was with a band. The Viscount was 2 organists at the same time. The worst of the lot: Combo J7 Dexibel. IMO, the C2D and the Crumar were the best, and maybe the Viscount but Id need to hear just one of them. Shame the Nord Stage 3 doesn't have the same pipe organs as in the C2D.
A LOT of it is a good Leslie dual rotary speaker. You can put almost anything thing through a well "directed" Leslie and you have something worthwhile.
great comparison , enjoyed it . variety & it really got to give a snip of what the different organs can do under different players . I guess you could stand them all in a row & play the same sound on each,. I came for great organs, great sounds , great players & when I 'm ready , I'll buy them all. . I'm considering getting the Vox for portability , I've got a Kronos 2 in my studio which is perfect , & also a Yamaha Reface YC , brilliant little keyboard . I liked the Mojo . Thanks for this post.
Guess it will always come down to personal refferences, but hands down imo, nothing sounds like the real deal, but Crumar Mojo and Viscount legend is the only ones that actually sound close to a real B3. Love the thaught of the Dexibell with motorized faders, but apart from the Italian sounds its such a disapointment soundwise. Could on a bad day use a Nord if nothing else was available. Hammonds own CX-5 sounds nice but too expensive compared to all other clones. If Crumar would reintroduce the B3 design ... The Legend wins on being the closest look and feel like a B3, Mojo Wins soundwise.
Don't need to bother with Yamaha, and really Korg could have been avoided too. they don't have anything usefull. The CX-3 engine of the Kronos is soooo disapointing. There really is only 2(3) choices if its pure B3 sound your looking for .. Crumar and KeyB. The expensive XK-5 comming in on 3'rd place. They all 3 will do a great job and are good for not hurting your back, but put up beside a real 50's B3 and a 122 leslie there still is no comparison but seriously can live with it for carrying 10-20kg instead of 200 + 75kg. The mojo61 is the best for small gigs. Only thing Crumar needs to do is to hire a new Painter, since the black finnish scratches very easy.
I listen for the C-3 Chorus/Vibrato setting and see if it’s as good as on a real B3. Most clones I’m not impressed. Which is very ironic, because I’m much more forgiving of the internal Leslie sim, than most people ever are.
It doesn't say whether or not any of these keyboards were running through a real leslie or the boards's internal rotary effects. The MOJO sounded like it was running through a leslie cab. If not,. it has an incredible built-in rotary speaker effect. Like none I've ever heard before. Even surpassing the Nord. And the Nord sounds great. Of course this is just my opinion, as it's all subjective.
I've learn to play organ on a old Gulbransen Theatrum (very bad Swedish clone of Hammond), I had a nord C2 Organ before a burglary in 2014, now i play on a CRUMAR Mojo, i regrete that in 2014 Viscount don't purpose de Legend, it's my favorite clone of Hammond B3 sale today !
And the Nord has fairly credible Farfisa and Vox Continental models plus some pretty nice pipe organ presets. If you’re into classical/pipe organ, you would have to spend anywhere from twice as much as a C2D to ten or more times the price.
Hot 88s, I pretty much agree, had a real Hammond/Leslie for years, hard to beat the real thing. However, there are 3rd party sound sets, at least for the Kronos (a ton of them!), which can really take your Kronos to the next level, we're talking a truly rich and authentic sounding VOX/pipe/church organ type of sound. Using the factory doesn't really represent what the Kronos can do, i just bought the VOX Continental sound set and this incredible pipe organ set, and it sounds far better than anything you heard in this demo. Done right, I think the Kronos or any other synth with a solid sampler and great 3rd party sounds, is going to blow all these demo's out of the water. It's all in what sounds you're programming, not so much what synth you're programming it on.
@@peterstanton4283 But we never heard what the Roland vr-09 can do, the guy was playing a load of crap, I've heard other players on it and it sounds good for the money, you also get Rolands synth sounds which are hard to beat.
I personally think that the Crumar sounds much better than the Nords do, B3 wise. The Nords still sound good, but they need to compete with the latest and greatest: Legend and Mojo, and arguably the XK5 as well.
I have the Roland Vr09- which is close to the best for a normal keyboard that is simulating organ sounds, As far as the real deal or close to a B3 is Mojo Crumar, then maybe Hammond xk5, or Viscount,or Combo7 , the Nord nails the farfisa, and Vox continental almost exact
The second clip is of the roland vr-09, not the vr-730 (that apparently has better organ sounds). However Im not sure it matters when its being played as badly as this. How am I supposed to know anything about rolands new VR series when this is the best demo they can muster?
Shame if it does. I had heard that the vr 730 has a few extra improvements over vr-09B. Specifically the organ and EP sounds. There are definitely around 30 extra sounds in the vr730, though most will be junk I imagine
I got my info from a guy who works for Roland. The only difference between them is the extra octave, a few more sounds, waterfall keys and the wood end panels. In the UK it looks like we're expected to pay twice as much for those improvements! I'll stick to the 09 myself.
Yea, it does seem a bit steep for these extras. However, if its the keybed roland used in the vk700/780 ... well thats a nice keybed. Though I don't think that the keys on the Vr-09 are nearly as bad as everybody makes out!
Frank Morris's playing speaks to my emotions. Thanks for all the hard work all these years Frank Morris. Made my day. Write a book explaining your technique so there is a Legacy for the future. Please continue to have purpose and an inspiration for many of us.
Mojo was coming through an actual Leslie but was an accurate replication of the Hammond b-3 sound. The dexi bell rotary effect is trash but the scanner the vibrato chorus was really good when the Leslie effect was in the off position... and of course nord is king 👑 the viscount legend is great through a Leslie as well as the Hammond Suzuki x5 but the Mojo is best modeled to me after the hammondUSA SOUND
Excellent demo! Changing players was brilliant! I have the Kronos 2, the VOX factory is horrible, so I went searching for a real VOX Continental sound set to make the Kronos sound real. Found it, and it blows away Korg's newer VOX, not to say it's bad, but not quite there. Hard to pick between these, but Nord 3 has some great (and not so great) organs, it seems most are pretty good, and it will come down to your settings and speaker - even a real Hammond B3 can sound lousy without the Leslie, that's really what makes the Hammond so dam good, trying to emulate it on all these other synths, well, they do a pretty good job, but as someone commented, it's hard to beat the real thing. However, on the VOX sound set I just bought for my Kronos, it sounds exactly, and I mean exact, like the Doors "Light My Fire" or "When the Music's Over", type of sound. Wish you could have added that, I think that would take the Kronos up to a much higher level. But fantastic job! Really good!
Kronos is a different and magical Board in many ways. Apples and Oranges. I sold mine. It is not an organ experience for me. It is a vastly opened ended keyboard with huge potential and concept... I do not consider it a fair comparison to the Hammonds. It is okay if I am very wrong about this. I did not like the Kronos keybed feel, its rhythm structures and its horribly small LED screen for playing Organ material. I played it for a year, could not wait to sell it, lost money on it, and glad it's gone. The Kronos is [though] a magical board in ways... that are not useful to this player.
They are comparing the sound. And, I agree with Chuck Sylvester below - not a really good comparison. It is more than a demo of each. HOWEVER, as I started to say, they are comparing the sounds but there is never any discussion of the touch, the feel of a keyboard against the feel of a Hammond B3 class machine. There is a touch to the keyboard that I haven't seen mention of in any of the "clonewheel" keyboards demonstrated in this video.
I bought a Hammond SK2 in 2015..ran it through two KB550's and a 147...it sounds really decent...then bought the JDF Viscount Legend and Hurricane 210 speaker in 2018 JUly...gotta admit with the ease of tweaking with the controls sitting on both left cheeks I like it a lot better...tried the Nord back in 2013...and I have a Yamaha MOXF 8 with good organ sounds...my Kurzweil as well..but, I like the Viscount and I will gig with it...especially since it is so damn easy to move..just my humble opinion..
The Suzuki Hammonds are not like the old B3s L100s etc. They miss out (as do most of the organs tested here) on the niceness of the old Hammond sound, which did not come just from the sine wave tonewheel generation, but also from the amplifiers in both the organs themselves and the Leslies. That's why they won't give you the Jon Lord or Keith Emerson sound.
Don't forget that both of the players mentioned had their Hammonds jacked up to the max. A stock Hammond ALWAYS sounds like a Hammond and the rest are just good copies >
I missed the Uhl X3-2 smooth which I play and love :-) Few days ago i played the vox continental and it was great fun. Although it uses the sounds of the Kronos, which i also love ;-) i´m going to get one because of the waterfall keys, the whole real time controlling stuff, it has a real tube in it and it looks great....in a live situation, i would play all of those tested ones; sounding good depends on several things, and if you do not have a state of the art pa etc, the audience is not going to get the differences imo.....
how's the Vox , I'm thinking of getting one for portability , my Kronos 2 is too heavy for me . I got lots of small mini boards , microkorg , Yamaha reface , for gigging , but be nice to have all in one , with great keybed.
dexibel loves using a ring mod for there organ i gotta say the legend sounds fantastic love that band as well wish they added a vox or a farfisa organ to the organ for prog rock
moodyk1979 Yep, Dexibell ruined their otherwise fine instrument with a lousy overdrive and that ridiculous fast Leslie. I always wonder what they paid to all those testers in order to ignore it.
octopus34 not being funny, but the fast Leslie on that is so crap I have heard better on keyboard no where near the same price bracket. How could they get it sooooo bad. Literally it's like they have up and got too tired and thought, sod it, that will do
Not convinced by the leslie emulation on the nord. The crumar and the hammond sounds the best in my ears. Unfortunately the combo j7 seems like a complete missfire, by far the worst of the bunch. .
Playing organ includes pedals and strong, proper use of the volume pedal. Otherwise, you're playing keyboards with some organ sounds. BIG difference. They do obviously have their place for effect. One is either an organist, a pianist, or a keyboardist. For example, a player who takes a B3 out with a rock band sans (without) pedals is playing keyboards in the band. So we need to stay correct on the types of players we're talking about. I've done all three over the years and have always added value, including being a keyboardist with keyboard stacks. But over the last 15 years re-focused on my roots in jazz B3 with Leslies and pedals. Main point? Always keep makin' music!
The mojo is boss. The authenticity, warts and all, are what give it a character that is missing in the others. The others sound sterile. Nord is second.
Different players, different drawbar settings, different venues, different amplification, different styles of music. This is not a comparison.
I couldn’t have said it better.......
Lol you sure ?
Yeah, but i think its quite nice to see the variety of organ keyboards back-to-back.
However, those that have been exposed to the versatility of a real Hammond in multiple genres can compare how it made us feel and how these make us feel. So if you want to say it’s not a perfect comparison, so be it. It is a comparison by simple terms anyway. Music conveys feelings and we all have feelings. It more of a performance comparison than of the instruments though.
I’ve owned a B3 since 1977 and played most of them, own Nord , studiologics and I recently purchased the XK5 with the lower manual. Hands down...no comparison! Hammond blows them away. Start with the key feel, the speed, the way the keys bottom out, the multi contact buss bar simulation that allows left hand palm chirping, then go to the engine..everything is super faithful, the overdrive and tube preamp, virtually every aspect is programmable...this is the deal.
It’s the first Hammond since my B that is genuinely want to play....for hours and hours. Live, it’s an amazing machine!
Run and get it. It’s expensive...but it’s worth it!
how is the key feel on the Mojo, compared to the xk5?
@@marvinkmooneyozdepends
One of the more interesting musical demonstrations I've ever heard. That said, IMHO the Crumar Mojo, Viscount Legend, and Hammond XK-5 are doing it for me from a Jazz/Gospel standpoint. Thanks for posting.
Couldn't agree more, Legend, Mojo, and XK5 are the 3 to beat currently.
The ones that sound right to me are the ones that emulate the C/V the best, when a chord is being held down. That would be, in these videos, the Mojo and the XK5. The Viscount's C/V is not right to me.
I think Nord and Crumar have best sound, best effects and controller and best keyboard too. I use both.
I heard the modern-day Vox Continental sounds significantly different from a vintage one. But having owned a Farfisa VIP400 back in the late 70’s, I remember having to take the cover off and tune each note separately with a little screwdriver every once in a while. I believe these were distinct oscillators for each key and they did drift with changing room temperature and humidity. Real transistor organs were a bitch. If I could buy my old Farf back at a reasonable price, I might just for the nostalgia. But if I was touring, I’d rather have a digital sampling/modeling organ any day. As the Dead Kennedies famously said in a song: Give me convenience or give me death!”
The Dexibel sounds like a toy.
The Roland sounds “synthy “.
The Hammond XK-5 with accoutrements would force me to sell my Ducati motorcycle to finance. But it has a gorgeous sound and the percussion/key click are sweet.
For the money, the Mojo sounds great in the hands of a master. But I hear they have a quality control problem and Crumar has poor customer support.
I’ll stick with the C2D for now.
Thanks for the feedback
This is not really a fair or good comparison. All the clips are no recorded under the same conditions - equipment etc.
Mojo does it for me. The rest are either thin or too digital sounding!
Nope, I think the Hammond!!!!!
Been comparing clones for years. My conclusion [works for me]. It is not the BRAND...its the PLAYER. Any beginner player can make a wonderful instrument sound terrible. Seasoned players can make an inexpensive clone sound awesome. A student player can make a old time well functioning Hammond sound horrendous. Same for Sax.s and guitars for example. There are those among us who are POETS and others who just mumble [best we can]. Many of us are in between somewhere? It is easier to earn the money to buy an instrument than it is to acquire the immense skill to perform really well. i can acquire an instrument but I may never play it well. CHops take SOOOO long to acquire and own. I have owned many clones and played many others. Including several old Hammonds. So what is it exactly we are chasing? There are only two artist in the vid I really enjoy although the others have skill sets. The two I like play in a Genre that speaks to me emotionally. Who speaks to you emotionally> Now...who agrees with me? I have the hammond XK5 [$3300+], the Yamaha Genos [$3500+]amongst others. Yet daily I play on my Casio WK-7600 [$500]. Do not try to figure it out according to the AXE I use. The answer to this seemingly paradox is: "Who is at the keyboard?" Not what keyboard. Kernel of TRUTH #1...Any BRAND dealership will bring you [ear candy] expectations. Kernel of TRUTH #2...Only YOU can deliver the MAGIC after years of study. Now who agrees? Have I deaf ears out there?
I agree. The Beatles didn't have always have the finest Steinways or Bosendorfers (spelling) at their disposal, but look at what they did with what they had available...no one ever really listens to Lady Madonna for example, and picks holes in the fidelity of the piano. These days we have so much technology at our finger tips, far superseding that of the 60's, we tend to get very nit-picky about everything; From converters to mikes, instruments, mixes (and mixers), we are spoiled for choice. And ok, it's a buyers' market out there, so go for it, and make your choices, but the best everything money can buy means nothing if your vocals/song writing ability/lyrics/instrumention is rubbish. Most big name instruments are probably all within 5% of each other's performance levels, but we get into such wars over this one and that one. Sure, try them all and go for the one that you like and connect with, and play the heck out it for as many years as possible, get your moneys' worth, then trade in for the next model then. I buy a new keyboard approximately every ten years, that way I feel like I have got my money out of it.
Of course, and as always, YMMV.
richievpiano I agree! In this video I loved the Vox Continental but I know I wouldn’t be happy with it, I’m a very poor player. I like it for the way it is played there.
I agree with things like guitar, violin, horns....but with keyboards, its a little different...you arent really controlling the sound after youve triggered a note, so much potential expression is taken out of the picture with keyboards. Ive heard plenty of great professional players on either older boards, or just choosing cheezy sounds, and it either ruins the experience completely, or at least they dont play to the sound they are using, they just play as if the sound they are producing is a real piano or rhodes or organ. at least listen and take into account the sound you are using! But a GOOD multi-sample or modeled sound, you can just sit on it, you dont need fast phrases with gimicks and tricks.
The MOJO sounds great!
The Mojo tears it up! I own a Mojo 61. It duplicates the Hammond B3 sound better than any of these keyboards plus the Rhodes sound is also so genuine sounding as well. The dexibell came a little close but too thin and scratchy sounding. The Mojo is in a class of it's own.
Dang, that Nord Stage 3 sounds good!
For my tastes it would be the Mojo. Of course he’s playing with a drummer which gives it a leg up on some of the other ones, but still it sounded the most authentic with The Nords in close second. I just hate the way their action feels
Should have also added the Yamaha Reface YC to this comparison... just for fun (and it does look like fun)
It's amazing for size , what a sound . I love mine !
The dude on the Grandstage was smokin' !!
The Mojo has the most realistic B3 sound! The overdrive is warm ! The percussion and chorus sound the best!
I switched from a Nord to a GSI Gemini, which is the same as Crumar. The B3 does sound better in Crumar. It has a little more high end and character in the percussion and drive. The Gemini came packed into their DMC-122, which has 20 drawbars and two manuals and retails for about what a new Electro would. My only issue thus far has been a higher number of MIDI glitches than I ever got on the Nord. But they have good customer service.
(The clav is better on the Gemini as well, though I think the Wurlitzer was better on the Nord, but that's a different video.)
I def. noticed loking the wurli on the Nord 6d better then the Mojo, but i didnt get into the editing. I like the clavs on both, you really think the mojo does it better?
For Hammond B3/C3/A100 emulations the XK-5 is amazing, and is my preference as a Hammond player for many many years. Jim Alfredson doing the demo is a bit unfair to the others in this series. However.... I really liked listening to all of them as they each have their own sound and playability. Can’t say I’ve played them all, but a good lot of them. If I had some these bears in a live show, I know I’d have a good time with them. For purchasing purposes, this type of video is only a start...
So funny From the midwest and saw Jim play live a while back. One of a kind player with his own style and total use of the drawbars while playing. I bought an XK-5 even though its way over priced it is configurable to make it sound exactly like any hammond you every heard and the touch is very close to my 61 A102 with the hammond fast keyboard.
Mojo is the king of the tone wheel top end. They get right. The others try to mimic the pure organ sound, except Nord that actually sounded like it was coming from the Leslie.
Interesting, I liked the Crumar Mojo, nice, funky. And the Ham at the end which looks to be running through a real Leslie which is cheating! I had a real Vox Conti, Brit made and wasn't really convinced by any demos, must be the AC117s ;) Nord good but not funky.
The problem with deciding between Hammond clones is they all have ‘particular’ sounds or patches that can be made to sound very authentic while listening via TH-cam, recordings or whatever. But real Hammonds are very dynamic and dirty, so you really need to hear or try the clones in real life like to see how they respond to being played dynamically i.e. manipulating the drawbars and controlling the overdrive with the swell etc. (also many of the clones don’t get the crosstalk right - again that is a dynamic thing).
I’ve tried 3 or 4 so far and been slightly disappointed, mostly with how the Leslie and overdrive feel - the sense of space and moving air is very lacking (TBH I can get as good or better results with a £50 VST plugin and some decent amp and speaker emulation - although that is not very ‘playable’ in a live situation). I’m looking forward to trying the Legend next - fingers crossed.
Who would have thought that recreating something as simple as a Hammond in this day and age would be so difficult
I totally agree. Most reliable observation. I have the Hammond SK-1 73, the Hammond xk-5, Korg Kronos II. I compared these organ voices to my 12 year old Tyro II Hammond voices and the Tyros competes with them well. Just add Chorus and reverb. Dramatic results. The Tyros Leslie is adequate too. There is a reason the Tyros was $4200 new. I am selling everything 'cept the hammond XK-5. Selling my Tyros IV also. Getting Yamaha Genos eventually. I use two JBL G2 EONs. Great. You got to hear these things LIVE with very good 15"" speakers. I've spent way too much $$$ and owned four different Hammond Consoles w Leslie Cabs. Listening to this video was NOT illuminating Nor a game changer.
Yet,,,it made me appreciate what I have and had.
REthinking to mention: the Hammond SK-1 73 was the least expensive board to purchase and it is close to the electro-mechanical Hammonds of yesteryear. Besides great speakers...These boards need a skillful player to produce the magic. Some frequencies are only found in the old organs w Leslies IMHexperience.
I am talking those 'mystery frequencies' that most folks will never hear because the old Hammonds are gone or rare. Many folks will only hear the digital clones and won't know what 'those Hammond" tonewheels sounded like. Won't have a clue, won't know the difference...a time gone by.
Tyros is absolutely crap compared to clonewheels. Its adequate for it being a "1 man band Keyboard" sounds ok in the mix, but the organ sound + leslie .. especially the leslie sim is horrible when standing alone. Its been 20+ years since the P9000 came out with a decent Organ section for that time, and Yamaha has done nearly nothing to develope the organ into a decent Hammond sound, wich is a bit strange since the "Euro organ" of the newer Tyros models sound really well, and the Genos is primary just a Tyros V with a few new samples, a new look and more "pro" electronics .. better DAC's etc. for a very steap price. Still a great keyboard, but a tad overpriced imo, but the Organ World engine is exactly the same as a T4/5. But it is like others are mentioning up to the player to make it sound well. Nothing sound like a 60 year old B3 + 122, but any of the new clone wheels will sound well in the right hands, and It would never bother me if I had to watch a 2 hour gig with a top player if he was using a B3, SK/XK, Mojo or Legend .. as long as they use a real Leslie be it a 122 or 3300 no matter. The Leslie sims is great for small gigs where space is a big problem, but they still can't give the right 4 dimensional sound a real leslie creates. But even an old Yamaha P9000 can sound decent if you run the organ sound thru a real leslie. Its not a real Hammond sound but run thru just a cheap 760 It will sound like a decent 70-80's organ.
Not a fair comparison, as different recording methods is evident throughout as well as different playing styles:The Grandstage was recorded in mono, the 1st C2D demo was overloading, the Vox and Crumar was with a band. The Viscount was 2 organists at the same time. The worst of the lot: Combo J7 Dexibel. IMO, the C2D and the Crumar were the best, and maybe the Viscount but Id need to hear just one of them. Shame the Nord Stage 3 doesn't have the same pipe organs as in the C2D.
You nailed it
Both the Viscount and the Crumar sound great, I've tried both. I just need to try the XK5 before making a final decision, personally.
5:30 holy crap
What you do is astounding. You are a God to me.
I'm all about the Mojo Dual. I own one and the sound is incredible!
You are happy with your choice. That is all that matters
MOJO MOJO MOJO FTW but I still love my Roland VR-09 and might get the VK-730
While there are many variables that make comparisons difficult, based on what I heard here, I definitely liked the MOJO.
Dexibel has a very original sound, I love it!
The fast leslie is absolutely hideous.
I didn't think it sounded that great but motorized drawbars are super cool.
A LOT of it is a good Leslie dual rotary speaker. You can put almost anything thing through a well "directed" Leslie and you have something worthwhile.
Although this is not an accurate comparison...to my ears the Mojo is in a class of its own.
Anyone notice the white Mellotron with the white Mini-Moog on top
great comparison , enjoyed it . variety & it really got to give a snip of what the different organs can do under different players . I guess you could stand them all in a row & play the same sound on each,. I came for great organs, great sounds , great players & when I 'm ready , I'll buy them all.
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I'm considering getting the Vox for portability , I've got a Kronos 2 in my studio which is perfect , & also a Yamaha Reface YC , brilliant little keyboard . I liked the Mojo .
Thanks for this post.
i bought a vox continental & it's great , & Korg have still got a re-introduced black version available
I love hearing the sound of the Organ
In this video, the best, imho, viscount and mojo. Thus viscount were playing two organs... like too vox cntinental, coool
i migliori sono come sempre gli italiani , MoJo Crumar e legend Viscount!
Guess it will always come down to personal refferences, but hands down imo, nothing sounds like the real deal, but Crumar Mojo and Viscount legend is the only ones that actually sound close to a real B3. Love the thaught of the Dexibell with motorized faders, but apart from the Italian sounds its such a disapointment soundwise. Could on a bad day use a Nord if nothing else was available. Hammonds own CX-5 sounds nice but too expensive compared to all other clones. If Crumar would reintroduce the B3 design ... The Legend wins on being the closest look and feel like a B3, Mojo Wins soundwise.
Several good sounding options here! WOuld like to have heard what Kurzweil and Yamaha organ engines has to offer
Don't need to bother with Yamaha, and really Korg could have been avoided too. they don't have anything usefull. The CX-3 engine of the Kronos is soooo disapointing. There really is only 2(3) choices if its pure B3 sound your looking for .. Crumar and KeyB. The expensive XK-5 comming in on 3'rd place. They all 3 will do a great job and are good for not hurting your back, but put up beside a real 50's B3 and a 122 leslie there still is no comparison but seriously can live with it for carrying 10-20kg instead of 200 + 75kg. The mojo61 is the best for small gigs. Only thing Crumar needs to do is to hire a new Painter, since the black finnish scratches very easy.
@@mrdali67 how important is the multi contact thing?
I listen for the C-3 Chorus/Vibrato setting and see if it’s as good as on a real B3. Most clones I’m not impressed.
Which is very ironic, because I’m much more forgiving of the internal Leslie sim, than most people ever are.
It doesn't say whether or not any of these keyboards were running through a real leslie or the boards's internal rotary effects. The MOJO sounded like it was running through a leslie cab. If not,. it has an incredible built-in rotary speaker effect. Like none I've ever heard before. Even surpassing the Nord. And the Nord sounds great. Of course this is just my opinion, as it's all subjective.
I've learn to play organ on a old Gulbransen Theatrum (very bad Swedish clone of Hammond), I had a nord C2 Organ before a burglary in 2014, now i play on a CRUMAR Mojo, i regrete that in 2014 Viscount don't purpose de Legend, it's my favorite clone of Hammond B3 sale today !
Ludovic GAUTHIER
Korg grandStage
Hammond B 3 being the standard, they all sound like crap except for the Nord and the Hammond. (and the Crumar surprisingly good).
And the Nord has fairly credible Farfisa and Vox Continental models plus some pretty nice pipe organ presets. If you’re into classical/pipe organ, you would have to spend anywhere from twice as much as a C2D to ten or more times the price.
Hot 88s, I pretty much agree, had a real Hammond/Leslie for years, hard to beat the real thing. However, there are 3rd party sound sets, at least for the Kronos (a ton of them!), which can really take your Kronos to the next level, we're talking a truly rich and authentic sounding VOX/pipe/church organ type of sound. Using the factory doesn't really represent what the Kronos can do, i just bought the VOX Continental sound set and this incredible pipe organ set, and it sounds far better than anything you heard in this demo. Done right, I think the Kronos or any other synth with a solid sampler and great 3rd party sounds, is going to blow all these demo's out of the water. It's all in what sounds you're programming, not so much what synth you're programming it on.
@@peterstanton4283 But we never heard what the Roland vr-09 can do, the guy was playing a load of crap, I've heard other players on it and it sounds good for the money, you also get Rolands synth sounds which are hard to beat.
I personally think that the Crumar sounds much better than the Nords do, B3 wise. The Nords still sound good, but they need to compete with the latest and greatest: Legend and Mojo, and arguably the XK5 as well.
Wow, I didn't know Scott Tibbs could play organ solos like that... nice
synthartist69 Tibbs can play anything. He’s seriously “held back” by Roland.
so dexibel has a ring mod for the Leslie nice
I have the Roland Vr09- which is close to the best for a normal keyboard that is simulating organ sounds, As far as the real deal or close to a B3 is Mojo Crumar, then maybe Hammond xk5, or Viscount,or Combo7 , the Nord nails the farfisa, and Vox continental almost exact
The second clip is of the roland vr-09, not the vr-730 (that apparently has better organ sounds). However Im not sure it matters when its being played as badly as this. How am I supposed to know anything about rolands new VR series when this is the best demo they can muster?
I agree about the demo, but the organ engine is identical in both the VR09 and the VR730.
Shame if it does. I had heard that the vr 730 has a few extra improvements over vr-09B. Specifically the organ and EP sounds. There are definitely around 30 extra sounds in the vr730, though most will be junk I imagine
I got my info from a guy who works for Roland. The only difference between them is the extra octave, a few more sounds, waterfall keys and the wood end panels. In the UK it looks like we're expected to pay twice as much for those improvements! I'll stick to the 09 myself.
Yea, it does seem a bit steep for these extras. However, if its the keybed roland used in the vk700/780 ... well thats a nice keybed. Though I don't think that the keys on the Vr-09 are nearly as bad as everybody makes out!
if you use ctrlr.org/roland-vr09-vr730-v-combo-editorto access the +/- 1000 additional sounds those few more in the 730 do not matter any more :)
Big thumbs up to Frank Montis on the Mojo, but sorry man... It's Legend hands down for me!
Frank Morris's playing speaks to my emotions. Thanks for all the hard work all these years Frank Morris. Made my day. Write a book explaining your technique so there is a Legacy for the future. Please continue to have purpose and an inspiration for many of us.
Mojo was coming through an actual Leslie but was an accurate replication of the Hammond b-3 sound. The dexi bell rotary effect is trash but the scanner the vibrato chorus was really good when the Leslie effect was in the off position... and of course nord is king 👑 the viscount legend is great through a Leslie as well as the Hammond Suzuki x5 but the Mojo is best modeled to me after the hammondUSA SOUND
Don't know which is 'best,' but my favorite is that Vox Continental.
The Nord! Holy shit!
I still take the Hammond over all of them
The hammond was being played through a real leslie, the others were not.
I agree, I have the Hammond first version SK1, it is awesome.
@@dyinbreedbandThe Crumar Mojo was being played through a Leslie here as well.
Excellent demo! Changing players was brilliant! I have the Kronos 2, the VOX factory is horrible, so I went searching for a real VOX Continental sound set to make the Kronos sound real. Found it, and it blows away Korg's newer VOX, not to say it's bad, but not quite there. Hard to pick between these, but Nord 3 has some great (and not so great) organs, it seems most are pretty good, and it will come down to your settings and speaker - even a real Hammond B3 can sound lousy without the Leslie, that's really what makes the Hammond so dam good, trying to emulate it on all these other synths, well, they do a pretty good job, but as someone commented, it's hard to beat the real thing. However, on the VOX sound set I just bought for my Kronos, it sounds exactly, and I mean exact, like the Doors "Light My Fire" or "When the Music's Over", type of sound. Wish you could have added that, I think that would take the Kronos up to a much higher level. But fantastic job! Really good!
Kronos is a different and magical Board in many ways. Apples and Oranges. I sold mine. It is not an organ experience for me. It is a vastly opened ended keyboard with huge potential and concept... I do not consider it a fair comparison to the Hammonds. It is okay if I am very wrong about this. I did not like the Kronos keybed feel, its rhythm structures and its horribly small LED screen for playing Organ material. I played it for a year, could not wait to sell it, lost money on it, and glad it's gone. The Kronos is [though] a magical board in ways... that are not useful to this player.
They are comparing the sound. And, I agree with Chuck Sylvester below - not a really good comparison. It is more than a demo of each. HOWEVER, as I started to say, they are comparing the sounds but there is never any discussion of the touch, the feel of a keyboard against the feel of a Hammond B3 class machine. There is a touch to the keyboard that I haven't seen mention of in any of the "clonewheel" keyboards demonstrated in this video.
I bought a Hammond SK2 in 2015..ran it through two KB550's and a 147...it sounds really decent...then bought the JDF Viscount Legend and Hurricane 210 speaker in 2018 JUly...gotta admit with the ease of tweaking with the controls sitting on both left cheeks I like it a lot better...tried the Nord back in 2013...and I have a Yamaha MOXF 8 with good organ sounds...my Kurzweil as well..but, I like the Viscount and I will gig with it...especially since it is so damn easy to move..just my humble opinion..
The Hammond isn't the most Hammond sounding to my ears, I suppose it depends what you play, I'm more used to hearing Jon Lord or Keith Emerson.
The Suzuki Hammonds are not like the old B3s L100s etc. They miss out (as do most of the organs tested here) on the niceness of the old Hammond sound, which did not come just from the sine wave tonewheel generation, but also from the amplifiers in both the organs themselves and the Leslies. That's why they won't give you the Jon Lord or Keith Emerson sound.
Don't forget that both of the players mentioned had their Hammonds jacked up to the max. A stock Hammond ALWAYS sounds like a Hammond and the rest are just good copies >
Of course the Hammond was connected to a Leslie but still has that digital organ undertone.
I play a B3, and a Nord electro 5, only the XK5 can keep up those, to me anyway. I’d like to play them all and hear them all in person though.
The Mojo and Legend also sound incredible. I've tried both. I am trying the XK5 soon, too.
Nick Yates how do those compare to Nord (C2D/electro/stage)
I missed the Uhl X3-2 smooth which I play and love :-) Few days ago i played the vox continental and it was great fun. Although it uses the sounds of the Kronos, which i also love ;-) i´m going to get one because of the waterfall keys, the whole real time controlling stuff, it has a real tube in it and it looks great....in a live situation, i would play all of those tested ones; sounding good depends on several things, and if you do not have a state of the art pa etc, the audience is not going to get the differences imo.....
how's the Vox , I'm thinking of getting one for portability , my Kronos 2 is too heavy for me . I got lots of small mini boards , microkorg , Yamaha reface , for gigging , but be nice to have all in one , with great keybed.
Boston - Long Time. Almost
I was impressed by some brands but then the Hammond came along (and the guy playing it!) and it just blows everyone else out the water for me.
It's not fair because the other vids didn't have pedals.
The XK5 was being played through a real leslie, the others weren't.
@@dyinbreedbandThe Mojo was being played through a Leslie though.
A very random review. Mojo sounds the best, but wonder why you didn´t include any Hammonds.
Sorry for that :-) How do I edit my comment?
No need to. These are trying to emulate the Hammonds
Where would someone be able to go to play a bunch of these to see which one they like best?
For me the Mojo stands out. That's the one for me
Raktim Parashar the mojo is great but oran is all it does...
O mais real a Hammond B3 é o crumar mojo.
dexibel loves using a ring mod for there organ i gotta say the legend sounds fantastic love that band as well wish they added a vox or a farfisa organ to the organ for prog rock
After decades of trying all their models I have to say: KORG has nothing to deal with authentic organ sounds.
17:33 - DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMN
Is it me, or is the Combo J7’s Leslie simulator tinny?
Hideous is a better word, especially tremolo
Anyone know who the band is for the Vox? Were they just put together for the ad? I’d like to hear more of them.,
For me number1 Crumar- sound+ price
some great players here. thank you.
Crumar Mojo by a mile along with the Hammond
Yhe Modjo is the best and the Nord is good also
For me. its the Nord and the Mojo. I own an RD800 for the piano--not in the running here for organ patches.
what is that dexibell imitating, if anything? it sounds like it's defective.
chieftp sounds like a machine gun with fast Leslie attached, other sounds from Dexibell sound much better
moodyk1979 Yep, Dexibell ruined their otherwise fine instrument with a lousy overdrive and that ridiculous fast Leslie. I always wonder what they paid to all those testers in order to ignore it.
octopus34 not being funny, but the fast Leslie on that is so crap I have heard better on keyboard no where near the same price bracket. How could they get it sooooo bad. Literally it's like they have up and got too tired and thought, sod it, that will do
Go into the MENU. It's adjustable
i played and adjusted one. It's horrible, especially tremolo.
Loved the Vox but maybe it was more the song😉
Same here!
Studiologic numan????
Great sound!
Next time, how about featuring more proper organs and fewer stage pianos and synths with organ sounds?
What is the song at 4:25? Almost sounds like something from the Doors...
yes, it is the doors - riders on the storm
Not convinced by the leslie emulation on the nord. The crumar and the hammond sounds the best in my ears. Unfortunately the combo j7 seems like a complete missfire, by far the worst of the bunch.
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Cómo lo consigo uno de esto teclados soy de Hidalgo me hiteresa y cuánto cuesta
Where is the Tokai TX5 Organ?
If you’re gonna bother with pipe organ patches, you need to do sixteen or more. Doing just two is sad.
2:16 sound like rhodes/synthesizer lead
Playing organ includes pedals and strong, proper use of the volume pedal. Otherwise, you're playing keyboards with some organ sounds. BIG difference. They do obviously have their place for effect. One is either an organist, a pianist, or a keyboardist. For example, a player who takes a B3 out with a rock band sans (without) pedals is playing keyboards in the band. So we need to stay correct on the types of players we're talking about. I've done all three over the years and have always added value, including being a keyboardist with keyboard stacks. But over the last 15 years re-focused on my roots in jazz B3 with Leslies and pedals. Main point? Always keep makin' music!
Ok, so that drummer near the end was a joke. Yes, we have a sense of humor.
welp, the korgs sure do sound like thin shit, don't they.
The Hammond always sounds the best ....the others are good some even close , but the Hammond sounds like a ....well... Hammond
What about gulbransen ?
Rotary sim on the Dexibell sounds dreadful.
Yeah, Dex gave it a good try but sounds too unique. I would pick out that tone on a track
The mojo is boss. The authenticity, warts and all, are what give it a character that is missing in the others. The others sound sterile. Nord is second.
I thought NI’s rotary sim was garbage… then I heard the Dexibell. The organ by itself seems alright though.
3:20 Synthesizer lead 2
Any Hammond B3 clone have the same number of drawbars than the B3, except the Viscount Legend !!!! Garanty to have the B3 sound !!!
Vox Continental
Nord C2d and Crumar Mojo i think are the best clone wheels out there.
2:37 sound like even warmth
4:26 sound like square synth
No shit, this is the Farfisa module on display here
Real Leslie makes the biggest difference. All keyboards using Leslie simulators sound terrible
love budos band @7:00
what song is at 7:00 ?
As for piano, Roland is mediocre at organs. Fortunate for them they do decent synths.