HX3 MIDI expander module

[hardware]

Remote is up and working to assign MIDI CC#s to those fantastic C3 controls.

Thanks TT & KeyP.

Also really loved the quality of sound through Tubes so got me a new Radial Space Heater.

This 1U is fantastic on Keyscape Rhodes, Zebra2 HZ, Solaris hardware synth and extremely desirable on HX-3.

It's so good I use Tube Amp gain on the HX-3 like a Swell Pedal now.

Value of 20 low volumes and max dirt at a value of 40.

 

Extremely Happy Camper....

 

upload a picture

[KRK]

just a test for some new settings.

the Roland SA-1000 is the right solution (it seems to have a leslie in front of me).

 

not the very last firmware upgrade (but the last but one).

the new chorus make the difference.

I think overdrive and leslie sim are better too?

 

OK, with my 3300W leslie and with my Tornado the sound is obviously still better, but the internal drive and rotary sim are now really convincing

 

[Doerfler]

anybody using an HX3 module with a Neo Instruments Ventilator? I'm happy with the internal sim but what about you?

[hardware]

I just sent a pm to the guy in classified.

My whole idea is to use the Radial Tubes for distortion.

Then output via DB-25 to a Vent.

 

The other reason is the Leslie Sim on the HX-3 sounds best with less Spread.

But that defeats the idea of stereo Sound System.

If it's better I win.

If it sucks I can run Sampled Instruments into it maybe.

Then if that sucks Merry Christmas Jr.

[KRK]

just a test for some new settings.

the Roland SA-1000 is the right solution (it seems to have a leslie in front of me).

 

not the very last firmware upgrade (but the last but one).

the new chorus make the difference.

I think overdrive and leslie sim are better too?

 

OK, with my 3300W leslie and with my Tornado the sound is obviously still better, but the internal drive and rotary sim are now really convincing

 

 

other experiments, testing different setting...

 

AUDIO

 

[LX88]

It's been a while since I posted about this, but how have the chorus vibrato updates been going on the HX3?

 

As I said previously, at least the designers were listening and presumably changed it. I am hoping for good things because the price on these - particularly on the used market - has been tempting.

 

I liked everything else about it back in 2015, except the CV.

 

I would also be curious if anyone knows how well it would interface with a Hammond XK2 as a controller.

[bill bosco]

we've been using a UHL x3-2 through a vent , the updated sim in

the uhl is very good but it's mostly a tone thing , the vent's got it.

between that and some mild overdrive from the organ it's got

this warm tube saturation , lovely . also we run it to the board

in mono and the vent sounds fuller than the uhl's sim in mono .

[TKN]

There is a beta 4.25 now:

 

https://github.com/keyboardpartner/HX3/tree/master/BETA

 

I like the 4.11 much better than the 4.22. Hope the final 4.25 will be even better than the 4.11!

 

[hardware]

It got beefier with the overall sound, Rotary throb adds more wooden cabinet tone too.

Had to boost C3 a little more to compensate.

Sounds nice and Flash works flawlessly maintaining all Custom MIDI CCs, etc.

[TKN]

I love the 4.25 beta!

 

[LX88]

Still trying to get some idea about the C/V update.

 

I went to the Keyboard Partner site and they have some live clips. Of course they are still running the leslie sim and the C/V together.

 

It's not my favorite sound. When it gets into the upper octave you can tell it's not a leslie. It's a decent sim but this is what sets it apart from the real deal. Especially with C/V on.

 

The other companies Like Crumar ( Tony Monaco, Max Tempia and Mitch) and Key B ( Pat Bianchi, Joey D) have recorded all kinds of clips showing us what C/V sounds like with out the sim. Even Numa put out clips back in 2011 with Brian Auger and Joey D. using just C/V and no sim.

 

Why is this important? Because if I have to run in MONO, at least I can use C/V and get a decent sound.

 

So far I haven't been able to find clips of the HX3 with the leslie sim OFF.

 

Sorry to get back on this rant but I just don't get it.

[mate stubb]

You probably meant C/V with the sim stopped, not turned off.

[LX88]

I meant turned off actually.

 

Once again I apologize for the rant. Anybody can do anything they want with these things, that's their business,

 

The HX3 is a hell of a tease , because the price is so good. But going back more than 15 years ago I was able to get decent CV from the Roland VK8m. The only problem with that is that the leslie sim is out of date, and you have to perform some major sysex magic to get the sim turned off.

 

So yeah I turn the the sim off most of the time. I am different... if I had my way I would run my B-3 through a tone cabinet, but I don't have one.

 

There are some fairly good deals on used HX3's out there and I am in need of something because my Numa is down, unfortunately. I am tempted by the Mojo 61 but I need a new roof after a tough winter. So a module in the 500 dollar range makes sense right now.

 

The VK8m with the leslie bypassed and on slow percussion 3rd harmonic is actually a good clone sound. I like 3rd harmonic slow decay, but the majority like percussion to thunk. I like it to blend with the C/V... I heard it from Don Patterson and Jimmy Smith. It's a jazz thing I guess, but I grew up hearing that as the ultimate Hammond sound. No leslie spin either.

 

[Doerfler]

So a module in the 500 dollar range makes sense right now.

 

OK. So it's the best thing going for the money you want to spend. Regardless of whatever shortcomings someone might find, it's a lot of bang for the buck.

[hardware]

Lord forbid ...LX88 might finally break down and buy one.

[LX88]

I wouldn't buy one based on the Martin Meixner sound clips that are posted on Youtube, that's for sure.

 

During the whole presentation it states that "Internal leslie simulation " ( or something to that effect) is being used. To my ears whatever Meixner is doing is causing the tone to sound less than convincingly authentic. It doesn't convince my ears that I might actually be listening to a Hammond rather than as clone.

 

When I listen to Joey De Francesco on Key B with David Sanborn or Pat Bianchi playing the Key B Live, or I hear Tony Monaco or Mitch Towne playing the Mojo, it perks my interest that a clone can approximate the real thing.

 

It isn't the fact that they are all great players, but at least they stay with one thing long enough to give my ear a chance to tune into something sonically interesting.

 

In many cases these examples feature at least some degree of playing with the sim turned OFF. It's much easier for to tell if what I am listening to approximates a Hammond if it is not being altered by the leslie effect.

 

I don't care low good the internal leslie sim is. If it isn't doing a Hammond in the first place no amount of leslie "sweetening' is going to make it better.

 

For whatever reason, many people make the assumption that if you use a Hammond, there has to be some sort of leslie connected to -at all times!

 

I made this mistake when I was first getting started.Eventually I listened to the Hammond with all spinning motors OFF. By the way, this is how Hammond intended their instrument to be. And this is why they perfected CV.

 

I am trying to get a sense of whether the HX3 has made progress on their CV and whether I could take another chance on it two years after I sold the first one I had ( briefly).

 

Here is a "hint". Keyboard Partner could greatly improve upon what is out there in the sound clip department. Otherwise we have to buy it to find out what it can do,or what progress has been made. It isn't like this thing can be demoed at Guitar Center.

 

[Markyboard]

Seems like there's enough owners here that one of them could demo what you're asking for (hint hint).

[TKN]

Send me a MIDI-file with the playing style you like to test the HX3 with, and I can send a audio-file back.

 

I can record one instance with no Leslie, no C/V, no percussion and then with just C/V, then with C/V and Leslie and so on.

[LX88]

Thanks TNK. That sounds like a solution.

 

Are you asking for a midi file of my playing and then you add effects?

 

And once again sorry about the rant. All I know is ...somehow Crumar and Key B seem to come up with sound clips that get into the zone that lets me know what is going on. I haven't heard this from HX3.

 

But who am I to be so presumptious that they would do what I need? Their main thing seems to be to provide a convincing leslie sim. It is in every video clip. I have heard their sim and it is good... I have no issue with it.

 

I think Mitch Towne said somewhere above that the CV is the deal breaker for him. My issue is that there are few if any examples of HX3 CV that I have found without the leslie effect masking it.

[vanderSchoot]

I don't know about the authenticity of the CV , i like my hx3 with c3 into a leslie.

But the organic tone, balsy character and keyclick is much better in the HX3 than my Numa organ and the Roland VK engine in my Integra7. Nord isn't a match either and i played the Crumar Mojo a couple of times and think it is the most overhyped clone of them all. Not because it diesn't sound good, but because i don't think it sounds better than the rest.

 

When i played it at the Messe 2016 i thought it sounded very good, but reading so many positive things about the Mojo it upgraded my initial findings i guess......

When i played it a few weeks ago in a musicstore i expected something very special.

Wow ......it was a real let down, not because it didn't sound good, but because it didn't sound very special.

I compared to the Nord electro5 next to it and i couldn't pick one over the other.

My Numa is still good enough for an airy/ breathy sound with a mild character and HX3 is still a league of it's own for fat and screaming organic Hammond sounds that no other clone seems to capture, no matter how flattering the comments are.

 

 

 

 

 

[M_G]

 

..... since the 4.11 the CV is spot on!

 

With the 4.25 beta the complete TG model is revised.

First beta testers say it's better again!

 

The HX rocks!

 

Like a Pro said when I asked him about the KeyB Legend:

Nice sound but the MAG (HX3) has "balls"....

;-)

 

 

[The_Star_Guy]

Like LX88, I still own a Hammond XK-2, which really does have a nice waterfall keybed and great control layout with PB/Mod wheels. Is there any update to the MIDI control protocol which would allow it to fully control the HX3?

[hardware]

The new Remote allows extensive MIDI control.

I even change audio routing to go through Tubes for non Leslie styles.

Jon Lord or Booker T.

Piece of cake.

[The_Star_Guy]

That is what I first thought. But earlier in this thread I was advised by Diversi that the Hammond XK-2 was not supported? I assume that they were referring to direct drawbar control?

[bill bosco]

i own an x3-2 and i have to say ,at least to my ears, it

sounds alot better in person than it does in any of the

video clips , with or without stopped rotors . it's got an analogue quality to it is how i would describe it , very

gutsy ' i think maybe a little midrangy , some hammonds are

like that , but very authentic

 

[hardware]

That is what I first thought. But earlier in this thread I was advised by Diversi that the Hammond XK-2 was not supported? I assume that they were referring to direct drawbar control?

 

Never looked at the XKs much, but if the drawbars and other parameters send out MIDI CC Data you can control the HX-3.

Things like fading from Vibrato to more Chorus, which can't be done on Real Hammonds can be done.

It sounds great and blending in a Phaser to the excessive Chorus is sick.

 

I love Earl Grant. He got crazy sounds from his Hammond.

I blame him.

[The_Star_Guy]

Apparently, XK/SK protocol is supported, but the XK-2 might not use MIDI CC for the Drawbars?

[M_G]

 

All Hammonds use different midi implementation.... wierd....and even the

data in the manuals have faults....

 

Back in 2014 I had both: SK2 and XK3c. Me and another guy provided all the correct data (midiox) to Carsten Meyer to setup the cc sets.

XKset is for the XK3!

Sk set is for Sk1/2!

 

XB2 or XK2 (and even the newer XK1c) use different midi ccs or NRPNs....

Same for Nord.... Stage, electros and C1/2 are different ....

 

 

[The_Star_Guy]

hmmmm...so my only option would be to buy the module and then experiment with the remote editor??

[LX88]

There is SOME evidence that Hammond XK-2 drawbars can be assigned to midi CC's. But a lot of functions are NPRN based.

 

Too bad... the XK-2 keybed feels wonderful to me and there is plenty of room to place a module or laptop or even a lightweight midi controller for dual manual.

 

Once again... I apologize for the CV rant but it's just frustrating that there are no soundclip examples of just CV. It's pretty hard to gauge " balls" , but I can hear if CV works or not. Even Diversi demos do not display this which once again I do not understand.