Hammond-Suzuki XK-2

This is an update review of the Hammond-Suzuki XK-2. My original review was submitted on 2/15/2001. My overall opinions of the XK-2's ease of use are much the same as before, although on reflection I now feel that the owner's manual doesn't go into sufficient detail and explanation about the lower manual and pedal sections, and how to set up the sounds for both of these sections. A more detailed explanation of how to add an additional keyboard (or even another XK-2) to create a two-manual organ would have been useful as well. But, overall, the XK-2 is easy to use.

This is an update review of the Hammond-Suzuki XK-2. My overall opinions of the XK-2's features are much the same as before.

This is an update review of the Hammond-Suzuki XK-2. My overall opinions of the XK-2's expressiveness/sounds are much the same as before. However, since my original review was submitted, the new Korg CX3 has been released. I've yet to play this keyboard, but having seen and heard one in action, and spoken at length to its owner, there is no doubt that the XK-2 now has serious competition. Certainly, with its twin sets of drawbars, one for each manual, the new CX3 seems well in front of the XK2 for stage set-up of a twin-manual organ. I personally prefer the sound of the more mellow XK2, particularly if it's played through a Leslie cab. If you're looking at buying a Hammond clone, both organs need to be properly accessed.

This is an update review of the Hammond-Suzuki XK-2. In my original review (submitted 2/15/2001) I mentioned a little glitch that had begun to emerge: having had the XK-2 on for a while but not using it , odd drawbars would suddenly come up over the top of a preset without me touching anything. This alarming glitch actually worsened the more I owned the XK-2, and, worse, it started to happen at gigs. Eventually I contacted Hammond UK. Their service department was most helpful. After a number of discussions and the keyboard going in for repair, it turned out that my XK2 was one of the first to come into the UK. At some stage since I bought my XK-2, a version 2 software update was made. The drawbar glitch seems to have been corrected on the new software, which has now been installed on my XK-2. So far, so good, though sadly I'm going to have to dock a point for reliability, as the glitch was very irritating, and affected one or two gigs.

Darren Brown at Hammond UK has been utterly terrific in all my dealings on this keyboard, and particularly helpful with the drawbar glitch. Top-notch support.

I still rate this keyboard a great deal, but there's no doubt that it faces serious competition from Korg's new CX3.

Once through the very clear manual, the XK-2 is easy and logical to operate, both in the studio and live. The presets are showy and unsubtle; however, it is quite easy to edit them and store changes.
For live performance, I have programed a range of "neutral" pre-sets (all volumes at 0 and everything OFF) with different combinations of settings and features, namely, (1) "stock," which has the character-istics of a stock B-3 (C-3, RT-3, A-100, etc.); (2) "pro," which has settings which reflect re-wiring often done by pro's (e.g., defeating percussion drawbar cancel and percussion -3db adjust); (3) "dirty," with a pre-set overdrive and increased key noise; (4) "H-100," with the brighter characteristics of later Hammonds (i.e., the H-100, Concorde, and X series); (5) "sine waves," which offers a duller tone.
The keyboard split feature which allows the effect of two keyboards on one is very easy to cue and adjust.
Generally, set-up is straightforward and simple.

While the keyboard features Hammond-style "waterfall" keys, the ac- tion is somewhat stiffer than a real Hammond (comparisons throughout this review are made with the RT-3 through the Leslie 145). Build- ing a virtual two-manual (+ footpedals if desired) Hammond is as easy as plugging in another MIDI keyboard. The XK-2 has inputs, which are a real convenience on stage: another keyboard can be plugged into
one of these and its signal fed along with the XK-2 through a single wire (two, if stereo).

There have been many criticisms regarding the lack of warmth and "balls" of the XK-2. (Using an RT-3 through a Leslie 145 as the standard) it is possible to achieve something like the depth and growl of "the real thing" thus: (1) turn the bass control on the back of the XK-2 all the way up and the overdrive to the 9-o'clock position; (2) use mono (left channel) signal only (using the stereo in the XK-2 ruins the chorus; forget the XK-2's Leslie simulation, which is thin and unnatural); (3) play though a Leslie OR a Motion Sound Pro-3/Low Pro with pre-gain at 5 and the contour at 0 (i.e. = 147), bass cabinet volume 8 and bass control 3. With these settings, the XK-2/Motion Sound offers all of the virtues and quirks one craves and suffers (let's be honest) from a full-sized Hammond and a Leslie--without the impossible load. (One person can get all of this stuff into a normal car, go to the gig, and sound great.) The "Hall" and "Church" reverb options--through the set-up described--are quite reminiscent of the reverb in the old Hammond PR tone cabinets (or the on-board reverb of the E-100 series).
The XK-2 lost points in this rating because it can't stand alone: The Leslie simulation is not adequate. Further, the internal Leslie effect smears the chorus into an unpleasant warble, even at the slow setting. (Using mono signal only from the XK-2, the choruses are acceptable; with the right settings they are quite useable.)

So far (February to July 2001), no problems whatsoever.

No dealings with the company so far.

An XK-2, especially supported by a full Motion Sound rig, is rather expensive. For those who own one, three, or nine keyboards already, one of the modules might be a better bet. (I used the Viscount D9e for several years; it's a nice item which houses all of the standard features needed to have one drawbar keyboard--but with one glaring omission: NO CHORUS. The D9e was played through a Leslie 145.) Being something of a purist, swayed initially perhaps by the Hammond name, I opted for the XK-2, especially given its capacity to be supplimented into a virtual full-sized organ. It has performed well in a number of venues, covering a range of styles and various room sizes (including outdoors).

Having read some of the previous reviews of the Hammond XK-2, others have got there before me: ? the waterfall keys. These, without doubt, lift the XK-2 miles above any previous Hammond impersonators, modules, soundalikes, etc. And I've played many of them ? Korg's CX3 and BX3 Hammond impersonators from the 80s, Roland's VK 09, Hammond's own XB2 (which I had for eight years), Roland's VK7 (shop demo only, I liked it) and Hammond B3 samples from EMU's first version of the Vintage Keys module.
Once you've adjusted to them, the waterfall keys allow palm smears, glisses, etc, etc, to be performed very easily, and encourage you to play in a more authentic Hammond style. Having occasionally played original tonewheel Hammonds (such as the A100 and M100), the feel and styling of the XK2's waterfall keys is extremely authentic. Ten out of ten for the keys themselves.

The XB2 was always a tricky beast to play on the fly. To get the best out of it, it required a lot of set-up of the presets and other controls prior to playing live ? fine in the studio, but a bit of a pain when gigging. The XK-2 has certainly addressed this problem and I much prefer playing it live. I particularly like the POD (priority on drawbars) feature, allowing me to select a preset, then add additional drawbar settings over the top. Essentially you're able to play using the drawbars, but having a preset as a basis for your sound. Most top Hammond players constantly adjust their drawbars while playing ? the XK2 allows you to do this. Knockout.
And compared to the XB2's presets (which in version 1, that I had, were little short of disastrous), Hammond have really worked hard on the XK-2's library presets. The first two or three banks are usable straight out of the box, although I've gradually been tweaking and rearranging them in the last few months. If I have a criticism (and it's been noted before in a previous review), it's easy to change presets within a bank of 8, but it's tricky (three buttons to hit in a particular sequence) to step from one bank to another. Therefore on stage, I tend to keep my top eight favourites in Bank A, and my next 8 in Bank B, and rarely step much further, although they are there should I want them.
The instruction manual is easy to use and a vast improvement on the old XB2s. Within weeks I'd been able to get a tremendous amount out of this instrument; two years after I'd got the XB2 I was still struggling and tweaking.
So, overall, an easy keyboard to master and the waterfall keys really make a difference, giving an authentic Hammond touch to your playing. Tremendous.

I'm unclear on the polyphony. Other reviewers are suggesting 16, which could be the case. So far it hasn't proved a problem for me, and I haven't noticed any dropout. Keyboard action is good, possibly not quite as fast as the XB2. Rapid single-note repeats aren't quite as easy, but then I'm still adjusting to the waterfall keys and how the velocity percussion triggers with them.
The keyboard split button is terrific, perfect for quick stage use, as are the volume, reverb and overdrive pots, which are easy to adjust with the left hand. It does take a bit of adusting to the way the reverb and overdrive controls take over from a preset's settings, but once you've mastered that technique, you're away.
The vibrato and chorus section is easy to use, although at times it's not as convincing as it should be. It does need some prior work (setting parameters, etc) to get the best out of it.
The in-built Leslie is a vast improvement on previous Leslie simulators I've tried (and much better than the XB2s). I like the five different Leslie options and the variable parameters (speed, rise, fall, miking positions) that are available. Overall the simulator is more than acceptable, and I've actually been using it live, but nothing, repeat nothing, is as good as playing the XK-2 through a proper Leslie. I use a very rare Leslie 310 (a solid-state two channel Leslie amp with a 122 horn and a bass rotor simulator), warming the sound a little through a VKP1 (a rare 19-in rack British valve keyboard preamp). Of late my Leslie channel has gone down, and I've been using the XK-2 through the clean channel with its internal Leslie. It's acceptable, but to my ears still not top dollar.
(I've just been recording with the XK-2 by the way, and found I achieved an acceptable sound using the internal Leslie. After some experimentation I found it best to run both left and right channels into a stereo mixer, then mix them into mono, and have more volume on the left channel than the right to improve the Leslie effect. This was far better than taking the XK2's left channel/mono only output as suggested in the manual).
On my XK-2, the pitch bend wheel is not as smooth as the XB2s, but again this is a matter of adjustment since I really liked the XB2's wheel.
I haven't really used this keyboard for Midi because I don't need to within the jazz/blues/funk quartet I now work in, so I can't comment here. In my old band I used the XB2 for some Midi work, and there were problems and compromises. It may be the same with the XK-2, but I couldn't say for certain. Primarily I bought this keyboard for its ability to produce Hammond sounds without the vast weight and inconvenience of an original tonewheel. It does this job extremely well.

Very good Hammond B3 samples (but then you'd expect it). I've managed to reproduce the bulk of my tweaked and honed XB2 presets on to this instrument and come up with many more by either working on the drawbars or making adjustments to the library presets.

I find the overdrive too "tizzy" for my ears, and prefer to use my valve preamp. However, the overdrive is useful to add a touch of grunge to my basic sound. If I have a complaint, it's that I cannot connect my valve preamp to the XK-2 other than in-line to the Leslie. (On the XB2, there were effect in/out 1/4in jacks, prior to the reverb and internal Leslie. I miss these effect in/outs on the XK-2).

The organ works extremely well for jazz, blues and pop. Much more of a live performance keyboard than the XB2,it's nearly as as stage friendly as the Korg CX3, although you have considerably more options to play with.

So far, no major problems. When you first turn it on, the priority on drawbars appears to come in over whatever preset comes up on the screen, which is slightly disconcerting, but simply select a new preset and you're away. However recently while recording and not using the XK-2 for a little while but with the power on, POD has occasionally taken over a preset without me touching anything. Most odd. Also, while on headphones, I've occasionally noticed a slight hum which seems to come through the phones when the chorus/vibrato is selected. I've had to re-boot to clear it.

I would definitely recommend using this keyboard with an anti-surge mains device to avoid any spikes causing damage to the components.

I have been able to depend totally on this keyboard so far. I haven't needed to consider taking a backup to a gig.

So far I've had excellent customer support from Hammond UK. They couldn't have been more helpful. They seem to really rate this instrument and are keen to foster good customer relationships. They've offered me some very helpful advice on mounting the keyboard within my rig, while the custom semi-flight case they supplied on request (made to their specification, I believe) by Buster (UK) is very good, although it's quite a heavy combination of XK-2 and the case. The case, while good, could do with two handles to ease transport.

While admittedly being an extremely expensive keyboard, the Hammond XK-2 is a king among Hammond soundalikes. True, the samples can sound a tad too clinical and I prefer the sound through my valve preamp and my Leslie, but even through a clean channel and using its internal Leslie, the XK-2 is an impressive bit of gear. Apart from the aforementioned lack of effects in/out 1/4 in jacks, I really rate it.
If I had the time, money, and 20 roadies to shift an original tonewheel monster around then I'd do it, but the XK-2 ? particularly with its waterfall keys ? is a more than adequate substitute, particularly through a Leslie.

I use this board for live performance only. I know some people like to be able to tinker with absolutely every aspect of every sound, but I don't. I don't have the time or the patience. The presets on the XK-2 are very good, and if they aren't quite right, you can adjust the IMPORTANT aspects of the sound, such as the key click, leakage, leslie rise and fall speed, etc. Those types of things are all I care about. I could care less about adjusting the EQ of the second F# of the 3rd preset when using overdrive in conjunction with percussion. People who do these things have too much time on their hands in my opinion (hopefully I'm not offending anyone).

The manual is great, I'm sure, but I've never used it. This thing is so simple to use I've never had to. I'm not even sure where my manual is.

While polyphony is important to me for my other gear, it's not that important to me as far as an organ is concerned b/c I play rock organ, which isn't that layered most of the time. That being said, I think the polyphony is only 16, which isn't that impressive. This is something I guess you should consider when shopping.

I have no complaints about the effects, especially the accessibility and versatility. Accessibility for the reverb and overdrive, versatility for the Leslie control and B3 nuances. Everything important is capable of being tweaked.

I'm not real experienced with this board's MIDI capabilities b/c I have a controller I use for those things - a Roland A70 to be exact, if I may plug it here. Read my review on it as well if you are interested in a controller. I did try to use the XK2 once as a controller and could not get the sustain pedal to work properly. I didn't try to fix it, I just switched boards. It wasn't a polarity problem, but I'm sure whatever it was is fixable, I just didn't need to fix it.

I know that the drawbars don't send or receive any type of MIDI signal, but again, I don't care. I use it for an organ. Period.

I tried this board and the VK7 when deciding. I have to disagree with the guy who posted earlier about the VK sounding better. To me it simply isn't even close, but that's probably just a difference in preference. This board sounds so close to the real thing that I would probably have difficulty telling it apart from a B3 if it were plugged into a leslie which, by the way, you can do. I must admit that I've never heard a Voce V5, though, and from what I hear these are a little better in tonal quality. A voce was not an option for me b/c I didn't want to haul around a separate sound module, leslie simulator amp, and controller. I like the all-in-one format of the XK2 and VK7 better.

I've played a B3 only a few times, so the feel of the keys and their size was never something that became inbedded in my playing style. But, I do know, after playing organ sounds on a controller with synth keys for so long, that the waterfall styling is so much better that I might would by this board for that feature alone. Smearing the keys is effortless on this board, whereas my hand used to get stuck and stabbed all the time with my synth. Its feel is simply unmatched.

So far so good. If it lasts as long as some of these B3's out there I'll be happy.

Never used customer support yet. I hope they are good.

This board is an integral part of my get-up. I couldn't do without it and, after having it, I could never bear to listen to a B3 sound from a synth or module again. If you use organs a lot in your music, do yourself a favor and get a modeled organ. I would recommend the XK2, but if not, go ahead and get VK7 or Voce. The difference is simply infinite.

Very easy to use. The top side is well laid out and pretty easy to follow. I've now had it for awhile(8 mos.)and find that changing patches can sometimes be not so straightforward as I originally thought it would be. In our rock/pop/blues band, I change patches frequently in a gig. Finding those could be a bit easier with a patch listing, or setting up your own bank, or somesuch. I don't think you can set up a bank of your own with this, but I may be wrong. The board is so easy to use that the manual may not even get cracked open for ahwile.

Feature set is robust. I've yet to hear a dropout during a heavy gliss, so polyphony is very good. Has three dials on top-volume, distortion, reverb. The reverb can be a bit heavy...but the dial is nice to "match up" with the sound you're playin with quickly. I like the distortion to get more grit..you can make it stand out quickly doin this. As most of the other posters have called out...the action is fantatic. Never owned a B-3, but did have an L-100, and I'd say it's about as authentic as you can get as far as feel. Workin the drawbars, I'd say that they are a bit "sticky" and kind of shallow..ya can't really grab on to them...not much of a knock though, you can still tweak them and get that nice Hammond sound.
Regarding the MIDI thing....if you want this to be a controller..don't.

I personally think it's pretty ballsey and comes off well in band situations. The presets are nice, require little tweaking and stand up well. The Leslie is OK. If you REALLY gotta move some air..get a real one, or a Pro-Motion. Nice part on that is you're all set with a jack in the back. If you don't want to haul around a cab...you can get away with what you have. One of the things is that the Leslie is
configured through menues, so you can't really change it on the fly...or at least I haven't been able to figure out how.

Been cartin it around in it's case since I got it. No problem. Matter of fact, it hit the pavement(while in it's case). Fell out of the back of the van. Scared the bejesus outta me. Still works flawlessly. Gotta love it.

This company doesn't even have a friggin answering machine on it's phone for messaging after hours. It's on-line support is pitiful. Good thing the board's so nice, reliable and dependable..wouldn't want to deal with the company if something critical happened.

I REALLY like this board. It FAR exceeds playin a synth action board. It's light enough to cart around, yet substantial enough so that it FEELS like you're playin a Hammond. Can't say enough about the action. I wouldn't even consider hauling around the real thing, but hated playin cheesy sounds on some of the synths I've owned, nor could you get the feel on piano type keys. I'd definitely buy it again.

Extremely easy if you are just looking for a Hammond emulator. If you wish to use it as a MIDI controller too, there are work-arounds that you must deal with. But overall very good. The keyboard itself is excellent. I have a B3 and Leslie at home and playing the XK2 keyboard is the closest you can get to the original's action. I can do Hammer trills, smears, and windmill chops without worrying about slicing up my hands. Could not do that with the VK7! I used to own a VK7 and liked that keyboard too.. but it doesn't come close to the Hammond's.

The XK3 has a polyphony of 16 notes. Although I thought this may be a problem, it really has not turned out to be... I used to own a VK7 which has full polyphony and I do not miss this feature.

Regarding authenticity of the Hammond sound, there is a major tuning problem with the samples in the XK2. If you use a real Leslie or Pro3, you will hear harmonic beating with the Leslie on "tremelo". You would have figured that Hammond would have fixed this problem after experiencing the same problem with the XB2. Although in a live band mix this fault is somewhat hidden. I use it for rock and use distortion liberally to add presence to the sound. To my ears, and with no Leslie effect, it has the best sounding B3 emulation among all digital imitators. The Leslie effect stinks! That is why I use a Pro3T with it.

I have owned this keyboard for 4 months with no problems encountered. My classic rock band playes about five time a month.... My VK7 would intermittently shut down.... Not good when playing live....

No problems.. yet...

If stolen I would purchase it again. My VK7 was stolen and I replaced it with this instrument... I am glad I did...

The XK-2 is a Hammond B-3 simulator, with onboard leslie effect. Starting with my background, I'm one of those players who owns a B-3/Leslie, who considers it very important to his sound (my "go to" keyboard), and who, because he is not willing to haul the real thing around to gigs and practices, is forever looking to stay on the cutting edge of B-3 simulator technology. In fact, I will often forego other keyboard purchases so that I can afford whatever it takes to have the best B-3 sound. I feel this is important information because it is understandable why most keyboard players would be willing to settle for a merely "good" B-3 simulator whereas players like myself (I know I'm not alone) will lay awake at nights trying to figure out how to improve this one aspect of their sound. I purchased the Roland VK-7 when it came out. I own a Voce V5, and more recently purchased an XK-2. I've reviewed the VK-7 and the V5 on this site. Think of it as a tribute to how good each these instruments are that I would go to the trouble to own all three. Its like a guitar player owning both a Les Paul and Strat (OK, I don't know if that's a perfect analogy, but hopefully it works to some extent). After using a good old Korg CX-3 for many years, its a pleasure to have so many good choices for B-3 lite. Not an inexpensive pleasure, however. But I figure in writing these reviews I might help others make their choices. Not every keyboard player is serious enough about the organ to own a dedicated keyboard or module. Fewer still will go to the trouble I have to find a set-up that satisfies.

I give the XK-2 high ratings on ease-of-use. Real-time control of sound is critical, and the XK-2 gives you lots of it. The layout of the buttons and knobs is well-thought out and implemented -- a step ahead of the VK-7 or any other B-3 simulator. For instance, having a button dedicated to turning the keyboard split on and off, allowing that button to be used to easily change the split point on the fly, and making that button BIG and within easy reach of the left hand, these are great features all of them, and this is just one example out of many. The physical set-up makes this a player's keyboard. One problem inherent in designing any B-3 simulator is how to approach the fact that there are two manuals on the real thing (plus pedals, which are less-often used with a simulator, I believe), and most players will want to have real-time control over both. Both the XK-2 and the VK-7 give you one set of drawbars and a set of 3 buttons to switch between upper, lower, and pedal. Its a system that works well enough once you've trained yourself to think that way, though frankly I'd love to see a keyboard like the XK-2 with two sets of drawbars -- I think that would be a very worthwhile use of space and technology. I've noticed that in manipulating the XK-2 drawbars, you're palm can accidentally hit some other controls located nearby. This is a minor criticism -- one of those things you can avoid if you think about it, but that means you have to think about it. I will address portability here. Obviously, anything is more portable than a B-3 (mine is chopped, and its still a royal pain to move). The VK-7 weighs about 30 pounds. The XK-2 weighs 42 pounds. Why the difference? The fact that XK-2 is encased in hefty real wood paneling has alot to do with it, I'm sure. Personally, I don't appreciate that. Its not likely that this is going to be the only keyboard in someone's rig. I also carry around an 88-key digital piano. Wood paneling does nothing for my playing, and I could certainly live without the extra weight. All that time I played the Korg CX-3 I don't think I ever once looked down and said "ah, if only it had some real wood on it." I don't know, maybe some will consider back problems to be an integral part of the B-3 playing experience and therefore necessary to any good simulator -- its the only explana

Not sure, but I believe it has total polyphony. The keyboard action is where the XK-2 really shines. The XK-2 is king in this regard. The keys are actual Hammond-size, meaning a bit larger than on a piano, and they are waterfall style, meaning no little ridge at the front end. So your fingers can glide with ease and without much fear of pain or injury -- a nice attraction for organ players who make liberal use of the glissando. Anyone who puts in alot of time on a real B-3 will appreciate having the same size keys on the XK-2, it means not having to "recalibrate" your licks for different keyboards depending on whether you are home or away. The action is probably better than any B-3 you have played, since most real Hammond keybeds have been tickled, massaged, and plunked for decades. In short, the XK-2 keybed is a dream come true for any true Hammond player. On the other hand, for someone who primarily plays synths and other regular keyboards, these nuances may not be appreciated, or may even be a hindrance, since it will mean adjusting from their normal modus operandi. In other words, whether you dig the XK-2 action or not may depend on what you're used to. Objectively speaking, the waterfall aspect is nice and all organ keyboards should have that, but is there any real advantage to playing larger keys? No. If you're not used to it, it just feels awkward until you adjust to it.

I'm not going to attempt to list all the features. I don't have THAT much free time. You can find good summaries on the web. Suffice it to say there are many ways to alter the sound of the XK-2 within the realm of normal B-3 possibilities (and then some, such as velocity response). You can add in leakage, or not. Adjust the percussion volume. Add in the right amount of key click. And so on. The leslie simulator is extremely flexible in its parameters. Unlike the VK-7, which typically gives you a parameter range of, say, 1-10, the XK-2 often gives you choices of "small-medium-great." In other words, 3 gradations instead of 10. I find that to be adequate. Midi implementation is extensive, much more thorough than the VK-7, with many ways to assign different controller functions to different places. The VK-7 doesn't even have a pitch bend and modulation wheel, for chrissakes. The XK-2 does, and you can assign anything to them. However, with the VK-7, you can assign any controller to any of the harmonic bars. I don't think you can do that with the XK-2, or if you can, I haven't figured it out. For reasons I'll explain below, that makes a big difference to me, and gives the VK-7 a big leg up as a controller.

It pains me to say that I find the XK-2 dissapointing in this most-important category: sound quality. Painful because, as I said, the physical keyboard is so well conceived and constructed. But I find the sound of the XK-2 to be rather thin and digital. Not glassy-digital, like many B-3 sounds you find on multi-purpose synths. It has grit. But its not warm and ballsy. The B-3 is a low frequency instrument, which is to say, the low end is what makes it or breaks it, rocks the house or doesn't. IMO, the XK-2 just doesn't have it where it counts, down there. Two important qualifications here. First, in making this statement, I am comparing the XK-2 to 3 things: the VK-7, the Voce V5, and, of course, a real B-3. Even if its the worst of the bunch in this regard, its still better than any other organ simulation you'll find out there, including the sounds onboard the high end Kurzweill, Korg, and Yamaha boards. Second, there is the commonly acknowleged point that, sure, B-3 simulators sound different, but so do real B-3's. And not just subtle differences. But there's a good reason why people use the expression "balls" when describing a great-sounding B-3 (I'm sure female players hate that terminlogy). I think the Voce V5 rules in this department, and because of that, it makes one aware that the XK-2 could be better at what it sets out to accomplish. Voce modules are analog. The XK-2 and the VK-7 are digital. To me, that explains everything. As everyone knows, analog is just fatter. Also, analog tends to retain more of a rough edge, a element of randomness in the basic sound quality. These characteristics of analog sound are so basic to the qualities of a B-3, I just don't find digital simulators to be as convincing a substitute. After much thought and experimentation, I've gone with the Voce because I can't settle for less. I also tend to think the VK-7 has more low end and warmth than the XK-2, but that's a closer call. The XK-2 does have a very convincing leakage sound, which the Voce does not. While this is not unimportant, I consider it window dressing. I'll worry about the foundation and the house before I get around to windows.

The onboard leslie simulator in the XK-2 is not at all bad. But not very convincing. The Voce Spin module and the Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere are both vastly better. Anyone serious about emulating the leslie effect would do well to get one of those. Then there is also the whole Motion Sound line of gear, all of which is excellent but entails a significant step up in price and commitment to gear-fussing. The "leslie effect" is more than just a dual-phased doppler processing of the incoming signal, it is also the tube circuitry. Maybe the easiest way to raise the level of realism on the XK-2 is to run it through a Blue Tube or some such thing to warm the sound up and hide some of the digital character.

I'm giving this an 8 for its merit relative to its current competitors, but again, it holds its place among this elite group.

Seems very solidly constructed and reliable. At 42 pounds, it should be.

Haven't dealt with the company.

I'm not sure whether I'll hang on to my XK-2. I may sell it while its still a hot item. I've been using it as a controller, with the Voce V5 as one of the sound sources. An extravagent way to get the best simulated B-3 experience, I'll admit, but if it's important to you to have both the B-3 sound AND feel, I can't think of a better way short of bringing along the beast itself. But when I use the VK-7 as my controller, I can use the drawbars on the keyboard to control the settings of the V5, both upper and lower (though not at the same time). This has distinct ergonomic advantages versus sitting the little V5 module on your keyboard and using it that way. The drawbars on the Voce tend to be a little bit sticky. Combine that with the less-than-rock-solid velcro connection and, well, it just don't quite feel right. I can't speak for all Hammond players but for me there are certain tactile aspects of playing that are rather important and this is one of them. I'm always messin' with them drawbars and it really helps if there's a solid connection to the keyboard. Therein lies the main physical problem I have with the Voce drawbar system. The keyboard action on the VK-7 is quite good, compared to most synths, but its not the Hammond action. I wish the XK-2 had that drawbar controller capability. Not that I realistically think Hammond-Suzuki will redesign their flagship keyboard to make it easier to circumvent the internal sounds. But I think most of us who post reviews on sites like this would like to think that the design engineers for these companies might read them for the "man on the street" viewpoint, so we have to make our wishes known.

The XK-2 is a great keyboard. Maybe the next generation ("XM-2," or whatever) will improve on the sound quality and thereby force me to spend another $1500 to have the best thing available. As it is, the XK-2 is probably an excellent choice for players who want a very convincing B-3 sound and physical playing experience. I think the XK-2 succeeds more on the latter than the former, but its still going to be more than good enough for most players. But I would urge anyone burdened with a critical ear for the B-3 sound to check out a Voce V5 or V3(if you can find one used) and consider whether that doesn't get you closer to portable B-3 happiness.

Extremely easy to use! Drawbars are active at ALL times, unlike the VK-7. Chorus/Vibrato toggle buttons are extremely nice, too!

Two words: waterfall keys. What a difference they make! If you're playing organ on a synth-style keyboard, spend one hour at the XK-2...you'll never want to go back again!

The overdrive is very powerful, but seems to raise the volume...would've been nicer to put in the grit without the hassle.

The sound is authentic as any I've ever heard. For those who say it's not realistic, play two different B-3's back to back, and see if they sound extactly the same.

The presets are very nice as well! Some seem rather redundant, but they included Smith's, Holmes' and many others/

Haven't had it long enough to test...

I would definitely buy it again...in fact, it's probably cheaper to buy two XK-2 and a pedalboard than to buy a new VK-77 (or even a completely restored B-3...but who would pass that up?!).

Definitely has a better sound than the VK-7, and cheaper too. If you're looking for the best sounding Hammond-clone on the market, who would make a better one than Hammond.