Hammond SK2

[strom@linkinternational.no]

Terje,

Are you playing bass? What style of music?

I really like the Yamaha DXR10 powered speakers. If you're playing bass and doing the jazz organ thing, you might look at the DXR12 or DXR15, which have bigger woofers.

For headphones, I use the Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones in the studio and on the road.

Hi,

Yes, I play left hand walking bass on old standards such as Georgia, Sweet Lorraine, Satin Doll, Honysuckle Rose etc.

I will check out the DXR series and the headphone.

Have you tested the new Leslie studio 12 ?

[Jim Alfredson]

No, I have not heard the Studio 12 but I don't think it is made for live use but rather studio use, hence the name. I can't imagine the bass response will be any better than the Leslie 3300 and I find you need a subwoofer cabinet with the 3300 to get good pedal bass from it.

[Snakehips]

Hi again !

I see Hammond-Suzuki have brought out a new model - Hammond XK1-c

Looks like a similar XK1 casing with the left half of the control panel from an SK1.

(I checked the dimensions - the XK1c is longer/wider than an SK1)

Why didn't they just do a simplified SK1 without the extra voices ? !!

ie. An organ without the pianos, e.piano and other extra voices (although it has the Vox+Farfisa+Church organs).

The right half of the XK1c "instrument panel" is "empty" - nothing on it ! Looks silly ! Space for a Ventilator to sit on though !!

I have an SK2 but I'm really not interested in the pianos and other sounds.

Would have been cool if the SK2 had a simpler "cousin" - dual manual and just the organ stuff.

The empty right-hand side instrument panel could EASILY fit another set of drawbars - surely ??? !!!!!!!

The only other thing that would be great (and I wish it did this on the SK2, although tell me if I'm wrong !) - would be to have presets buttons specific to each manual.

My SK2 preset buttons bring up drawbar settings for both manuals together.

If I want to jump to a different drawbar registration on the top manual, the bottom manual registrations will change too. Doesn't do that on a real B3 !

An SK2 with 2 sets of drawbars, and no extra voices, and seperate preset buttons for each manual. It's not rocket science !! Then it would be even more desirable.

(sure, keep a fancier model WITH extra voices, and only one set of drawbars, for those that want it !)

Edited October 31, 2013 by Snakehips

[Jim Alfredson]

Why didn't they just do a simplified SK1 without the extra voices ? !!

That's pretty much what the XK1c is. I think they decided to call it the XK1c rather than the SK-something-or-other because SK stands for Stage Keyboard, indicating it has other sounds than organ.

The right half of the XK1c "instrument panel" is "empty" - nothing on it ! Looks silly ! Space for a Ventilator to sit on though !!

I don't think it looks silly but I agree that they should've put at least another set of drawbars in there. Maybe they are saving such a creation, with two manuals, for NAMM 2014.

I have an SK2 but I'm really not interested in the pianos and other sounds.

I just received an XK1c today from Hammond. They want me to make a tonewheel set for it. Away I go!

[Jim Alfredson]

My SK2 preset buttons bring up drawbar settings for both manuals together.

If I want to jump to a different drawbar registration on the top manual, the bottom manual registrations will change too. Doesn't do that on a real B3 !

You can turn this off in the menu. My SK2 is set so that when I press the Preset buttons, only the top manual changes. The bottom manual always stays on my bass / comping registration.

[Snakehips]

Hi again !

Had a look at the SK2 manual.

Page 76 - damned if I can understand what it all means !!!
Will have a bash with the actual SK2 buttons and try to figure it out.

Thanks for the help.

[strom@linkinternational.no]

Terje,

Are you playing bass? What style of music?

I really like the Yamaha DXR10 powered speakers. If you're playing bass and doing the jazz organ thing, you might look at the DXR12 or DXR15, which have bigger woofers.

For headphones, I use the Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones in the studio and on the road.

I ended up with Beyer Dynamic DT770 80 ohm headphones after a blindfold test with a recorded Hammond SK1 mp3 file on my iphone. When I plugged the headphoes to the organ i discovered that the signal from the Organ was too weak...

So to the point: I then bought a Musical Fidelity headphone amplifier that turned out to be a very nice surprise. Besides that the sound become stronger, the sound quality was also significally better. Much warmer and more Class A tube amplifier like. I also tested to plug the headphone amplifier between the organ and the Roland PM-10 drum speaker monitor I use at home. It also sounded much better, much more like my A102/145 :-)

Check at the headphone amplifier: Link

[ThomasK]

Dear Jim,

many thanks for the great setup for my SK2.

I got the SK2, XPK200, EXP50 and Softbag last week. I use the Neo Ventilator,

which is the best Leslie Simulation. The internal Leslie simulator

is good, but not as good as the NV.

The Chorus vibrato is also better than on my old XK1.

I also compared it with my old B3.

The SK has an improved DSP.

I heard the XK1-c and there is a good feature implemented,

which has the possibility to mix chorus and direct signal.

Hammond will come with a Release 8 for SK, which will have

this features in the next weeks I heard.

I also are happy with only one drawbar set. There are good tools

in the SK to change quickly from upper to lower manual.

I see no real big advantage for a XK1-c with double manualsand two drawbar sets.

The engines are still VASE III and this is fine.

HX3:

This is a pc board from Carsten Meyer from Germany. It sounds killer.

But it is no instrument.

I talked with him and he would do the midi implementation for SK2.

He also wants to make a box for that board. The board costs only

430 Euros, which is nothing.

It is worth to look at and to buy.

You find also some examples on Youtube. HX3 organ.

So I am happy with the SK2.

If you count all together it is the best.

Sound, accessories, quality, service and software releases.

Kind regards

Thomas K.

from Stuttgart Gerrmany

[Jim Alfredson]

Terje, glad you got your setup squared away.

Thomas, I've heard the HX3 online. I'd love to get one to play with. It sounds great.

[ThomasK]

Hi Jim,

Carsten Meyer will come with a HX3 board in a box in December.

Price is round about 550 Euros.

It is plug and play over Midi.

He still has to implement the SK2 protocol for SK2.

If you wish, I keep you updated.

He also wants to come with an expander module with drawbars in the new year.

That's for people with a normal Keyboard, which has no drawbars unit.

You can see the unit on his website:

www.keyboardpartner.de

It is also in English language written.

Setups for SK series.

It would be great, if the community of SK users could communicate theirs

setups on this platform. I recognized that your setup is fantastic and it is

not easy to programm a more realistic setup than this.

But we never know.

Maybe Hammond does one.

Do you know, whether there are additional custom wheel setups in the new

XK1-c?

Kind regards

Thomas

[Jim Alfredson]

The XK1c can accept custom tonewheel sets. I'm making a set for it right now, as a matter of fact.

[9TS]

Hi there !

I'm new to the forum here and got my SK2 just over a year ago.

Loving it !

I play e.piano (Roland RD700GX) and my SK2 in a blues band in Scotland, UK.

There doesn't seem to be a very ergonomic way of arranging my keyboards, especially on a stage where there is little space (virtually all my gigs).

So far I have the E.Piano on a super-strong folding out stand (the one that came with the first modern Rhodes e.piano keyboard with hammond sounds, circa early to mid 1990's - the 88's that had a full set of 9 drawbars, can't remember the model).

Then i have the SK2 on a standard x-stand above/behind it

So, I sit at the e.piano, and stand to play the SK2, reaching over the piano (and have to push away my stool from behind my knees).

Thinking of getting the K&M Omega stand to replace my x-stand, for holding my SK2 above my e.piano

(X-stands are not exactly the most stable things on the planet !)

Sorry for such a long story to a simple question :

Please tell me, is the K&M Omega stand wider than the SK2 ?

Mamy thanks in advance.

PS. I love how you take the time to try out, talk about and demo all sorts of equipment that we all want to know about. Thanks for that.

First post

As you can tell from the last mistake.

I have my Sk2 on a K&M and it's almost an exact fit. I also have the Korg SV 1 on the extension but I lose a little on access to the Sk2 buttons.

I need to play around to get the best configuration but I also have an old Rhodes stand and may just copy your idea.

Let me know the name of your band so I can say hello.

We play the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh next year.

Cheers

T

The XK1c can accept custom tonewheel sets. I'm making a set for it right now, as a matter of fact.

Hi Jim

Downloaded your most recent album last week and fantastic as usual.

Gonna try out your settings again with a new USB stick this weekend.

[Snakehips]

Hi 9TS ,

I'm in a blues band called the Jensen Intercepters. Lead guitarist is Al Brown, from Glasgow.

He is an amazing guitarist, and plays in a number of bands. You heard of him ?

We are gigging on sunday, in Haddington, East Lothian (Railway Hotel, 4pm), and in Peebles, at the Eastgate Theatre, Saturday 29th Nov.

The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh is a really nice venue - I've played there quite a number of times now.

They have their own in-house PA system and sound men.

The name of your band ?? Will keep an eye out for you.

Edited November 23, 2013 by Snakehips

[9TS]

Indeed I do. You are very well known band!

Fantastic band, I caught the last few number of your set at the Tron in the summer. Really like you're playing.

I will keep an eye on your web / Facebook for future gigs and hook up when in the Glasgow area.

I came out of a 15 year retirement to rejoin my old band last year, Lights Out By Nine.

Bought the SK2 then and Korg SV1. We only go out about once a month and are

Currently undergoing a few personnel changes and moving to a Soul Funk sound from an R&B groove.

We recently played an up and coming venue in Glasgow called The Glad Cafe in Shawlands. Tell Joe (from TGC) that Tom from LOBN recommended you contact him.

Great room with a superb sound and light system. Good walk in crowd too.

Catch up soon

Tom

[Snakehips]

Hi Tom !

Will PM you so as to not clog up this thread with chat about us !!

[ThomasK]

Hi Jim,

today I made the double cable from 8-pole connectot of the SK2 to the Neo Ventilator for Input and Remote.

It runs perfect. Then I made the sound test between the output of the 8-pole connector and the Mono output

of the SK2 without internal leslie (Stop) and the result is, that it sounds better over the Mono output from the SK2.

The next invest is a preamplifier with a tube. Maybe this is something good and brings the old sound?

Greetings

Thomas

[Jim Alfredson]

A good tube preamplifier is never a bad idea.

[ThomasK]

Dear Jim, dear all,

has anyone investigated and tested a tube preamp,

If yes, what is the experience and which one is good enough.

Please let me know.

Kind regards

Thomas

[ThomasK]

Dear Jim,

I made some tests with the Mono Output and the 8-pole Output connected to the Neo ventilator.

The Mono Output sounds different from patch to patch, because of the internal different tone cabinets.

So what is your impression. Which output are you using?

HX3 engine. I helped carsten Meyer with the Midi implementation. I gave him all the datas,

which I recorded with Software out of the SK2. Next week, he will be ready with it. So you can get a unit.

The unit will also run with the XK3- series.

Kind regards Thomas

[Jim Alfredson]

Dear Jim,

I made some tests with the Mono Output and the 8-pole Output connected to the Neo ventilator.

The Mono Output sounds different from patch to patch, because of the internal different tone cabinets.

So what is your impression. Which output are you using?

Yes of course the 1/4" outputs sound different due to the Leslie sim. If you bypassed the Leslie sim on each patch, the two outputs would sound the same.

I use the 8pin DIN output with a custom cable to the Vent because I like to control the Vent from the SK's buttons and the halfmoon.

[ThomasK]

Hi Jim,

I use now the 1/4" output, have all used patches programmed with Leslie Stop,

the advantage is the different basic sound of the cabinets. PR-40 and 122 are sounding

nearly like the direct output of the 8-pole connection. The other cabinets have a special colour in sound.

The halfmoon CU-1 is directly connected to the Remote input of the Neo Ventilator.

Runs perfect.

kind regards

Thomas

[Jim Alfredson]

Leslie STOP is still imparting the sound of Hammond's cabinet emulations to the sound. If you wanted to make a direct comparison between the 1/4" output and the 8pin DIN output, you'd have to make sure the BYPASS is engaged on the 1/4" output.

[ThomasK]

Hi Jim,

I like the sound of the different cabinets in "Stop" function.

Now I am waiting for the HX3 engine. It should be ready next week.

I will let you know..

Kind regards

Thomas

[ThomasK]

Hi Jim,

I got the HX3 Expander.

As you know, I love my SK2. It is the best unit for me to play

regarding weight, sound and functions.

Your tonewheel setup is great and I made some new organ sounds

with the internal cabinets, etc. So it is perfect.

Now I tested the HX3 Expander and I must say, that the sound is

like a real B3. I was surprised. The designer had a B3 from 1957

to copy the sound.

The designer had no SK2 for testing and investigating the Midi implementation.

I helped him with MidiOx, which is perfect for recording Midi datas.

I tested it with the SK2 and I found only 2 bugs in the Midi controlling,

which the designer will make the correction in the next days.

the HX3 Expander is a must for you. You will be impressed

from the sound. You can also edit round about nearly 100 parameters,

if you want.

Once you have made this, it is ready.

You need 2 hours to understand this part.

It has a display and two up and down menue buttons.

You see the drawbar settings in the display.

You also have LEDs in the front panel for the different

status of Percussion and C/V. Great.

You will love the C/V and the sound, if you pull out

all drawbars to 8.

The unit is small and the weight is around one pound.

Less weight than the Neo Ventilator, but the same size.

The price is more than fair, because you get the best.

550 Euros.

You also can connect it to the XK3.

I know, that you like the SK2 for gigs and I do it also.

And then you use the HX3 Expander as tone generator,

you will love it.

I will make an adation for the Expander at my Omega stand.

I know, you use it as well.

I will adapt the HX3 on top of the left side of my SK2.

Please let me know, as soon as you have the unit.

So you must buy it. You will be impressed.

Regards

ThomasK

[ThomasK]

Dear SK2 users.

I got an email from Gregg from Hammond US.

Release 8 will be available next week.

I hope, that there are some good improvements implemented.

Regards

Thomas