Hammond-Suzuki XM-1

The presets are OK, but one of the reasons I bought the module was the drawbars. Although there are quite a few cool Jimmy Smith-like sounds.

Editing is not at all hard if you're used to synths, but if you're used to Hammonds, you should consider the Voce V5 instead.

The drawbars are of course a great feature. They give you the real Hammond feeling, and I wouldn't consider a B3 simulator if it wasn't equipped with drawbars.

Somehow, I wish there were more than one MIDI in. If you're going to use it with two keyboards and a pedal board, you'll need a MIDI merge box. Although that isn't really a problem for me, as I only need one manual.

The drawbars sound quite good, and the harmonics come out pretty well. The only big problem is the beating that occurs when playing certain chords. This is especially noteable at Leslie fast speed, and it takes some of the punch away from the Leslie.

The Leslie sim is not bad. It does an OK simulation, but it is not the kind of sound that will take you to 7th heaven (which a real Leslie will). Anyway, it sounds pretty similar to a miked Leslie, and most of your audience probably won't be able to tell the difference. I did have some trouble finding the right microphone angle. When using more than 60 degrees, the Chorale sounds really good, but the Tremolo looses some of its punch. If the setting is 60 or less, the Tremolo is much better, but you narrow the stereo field, and a kind of phaser effect occurs. I use mostly a 90 degrees setting.

The chourus/vibrato and key klick effects are very good. The reverb is OK. The overdrive is a bit too fuzzy, although a small amount makes a nice, almost tube-like sound.

I have had no problems with it so far and use it without backup on gigs (I can't afford a backup anyway :-) ).

Haven't needed any yet.

I am going to get the Voce V-5 and a Motion Sound Pro-3t when I have the money. Nothing can beat the sound of a real rotating speaker with tube overdrive, and the beating on the xm-1 is quite annoying. Anyway, its basic Hammond sound is very good, and used with a Leslie (which a lot of people probably will), the result will be more than satisfactory.

OK for those used to synths. Not real intuitive.

Drawbars, percussion, overdrive, and presets. It's an organ. Leslie Out. Midi in.

I still have a Korg CX-3 and Leslie. (Soon to go). XM-2 and internal Leslie doesn't touch that combo it for the balls, authenticity, grit, and fun factor. Better percussion on the XM-2. If the CX-3 and leslie is 90% of a B-3, and if playing the XM-2 through a synth keyboard and anyold speaker is 90% of that combo, then this is about 80% of the way there.

This is a much better bang for the buck and the size. BTW, nothing in a synth holds a candle to these emulators. Saying this has less balls or less grit than a Leslie/B-3 combo is comparing Macintosh apples to Golden Delicious apples. Comparing the XM-2 to a synth/sampler is like comparing a Freshly picked Apple against a rotten Orange.

If you like the Talking Heads "Take me to the River" sound or the Doors "Soft Parade" Hammond sound, this is great.

Some of the grit in comparison doesn't actually make its way to session or performance because that low end stuff is most noticeble in performance comparison mode (whose is bigger) then in performance mode.

The XB-2 gets you a decent keyboard and increases the fun/authenticity factor. Gotta have a Leslie to get the full fun/authenticty factor right. This is one of a handful of devices that does well in this simulation arena.