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The inevitable SV2/Crumar Seven/Legend 70s comparison thread


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I know there's not a whole lot to compare yet since no one has gotten their hands on two of those instruments. But here's what we know so far:

 

Seven:

Sounds: modeled EPs, Clav, CP, DX7, MKS piano, and vibes; sampled AP.

Split/layer: No

Keys: 73 E-E, TP100

Speakers: No

Legs: Yes

Flat top: Yes

Built-in case: Yes

Weight: 33lbs alone; 58 lbs with case and legs

Price: $2300

 

SV2:

Sounds: Sampled AP, EPs, Clav, DX, and various pads, strings and synths.

Split/layer: Yes

Keys: 73 E-E or 88, RH3

Speakers: Optional

Legs: No

Flat top: No

Built-in case: No

Weight: 38 lbs (73, no speakers); 40 lbs (73, speakers); 45 lbs (88, no speakers); 47 lbs (88, speakers)

Price: $1900 (73, no speakers); $2100 (73, speakers); $2000 (88, no speakers); $2200 (88, speakers)

 

Legend 70s:

Sounds: Modeled EPs and Clav, sampled AP, pads, strings, synths

Split/layer: ?

Keys: 73 E-E or 88

Speakers: No

Legs: Yes

Flat top: Yes

Built-in case: No

Weight: 35 lbs (73), 42 lbs (88)

Price: ?

 

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I have a Crumar Seven. I bought it only for the Rhodes simulation. I have two real Rhodes pianos, and have had years of Nord ownership behind me.

 

Likes: it gives me a very organic sound. Playing it has elements of playing a real Rhodes, the way it reacts to my playing is great, no other keyboard does that. Bandmates remark on the cool look, it's relatively light, sounds much better than the Nord Rhodes samples. When using an external proper Fender Twin simulation (the built-in one is not that good) it has all aspects of playing a real Rhodes.

Dislikes: It's typical Italian: great design, bad execution. It gives too much (digital) noise in live situations. The construction is bad, after owning it for 1 day, I already had some defects on the case. And I still think the sound is not that perfect. I hated the keyboard in the early days. Now I've been used to it. For a real Rhodes you have to work hard playing it, and with the Crumar Seven thats the same. I hate that the volume knob is an encoder and not a potentiometer, I cannot do some volume tricks I can do on a real Rhodes because the encoder needs many turns to have any effect. I don't care for the non-Rhodes sounds. I have almost as much fun playing a Rhodes sounds on my Modx8.

 

I am very interested in the new Yamaha one, and the Legend.

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We know which will be best for stacking. Both Crumar and Viscount are flat tops, but the Viscount appears to have a somewhat taller deck. By the time you add the height of a second board, you're reaching up a bit. Seven will be cozier.

 

Given my hate-hate relationship with 2-tiered stands, both Crumar and Viscount get big points for making that unnecessary. Korg obviously went in the other direction.

 

Is the Zarenbourg really in the mix? I have no idea what it sounds like, only know that it's heavy and expensive.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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We know which will be best for stacking. Both Crumar and Viscount are flat tops, but the Viscount appears to have a somewhat taller deck. By the time you add the height of a second board, you're reaching up a bit. Seven will be cozier.

 

Given my hate-hate relationship with 2-tiered stands, both Crumar and Viscount get big points for making that unnecessary. Korg obviously went in the other direction.

 

Is the Zarenbourg really in the mix? I have no idea what it sounds like, only know that it's heavy and expensive.

 

$4300 US - yeah it's expensive, and heavy. big flat top though and sturdy build. I suspect this Viscount is going to be pricey as well once you stick in all the modules.

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

 

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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  • 1 year later...

Just to add a bit to the Viscount.

Legs are optional. Actually it is a stand with 4 attached legs.

Split=Yes

Pitchwheel=Yes

Modwheel=Yes

 

It came in 3 models with 2 options for each.

Compact = 73 keys

Artist = 88 keys

Artist W = 88 keys wood

All of this with Sound Module and EP module.

 

Then there is the the EX model of the three above, with Sound Module, EP Module, AP Module and Clavinet Module in the Compact EX, and in the Artist EX and Artist W EX version the External Module is added. All the sounds from the modules can also be found in the Sound Module with reduced quality.

Optional, so far, a Synth Module can be added.

 

Another thing to add is that it have a impressive effect section X 2 that can bring you back to the 70" with several Phaser, Flanger, Chorus ++ models to choose from.

 

For US pricing, I found them at Kraft Music : https://www.kraftmusic.com/search?q=viscount+70s

/Bjørn - old gearjunkie, still with lot of GAS
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If I was in the market (which I'm currently not), I'd be a little hesitant on the Crumar and Viscount 73 just because Fatar is introducing the TP110 action, claimed to be a significant upgrade on TP100. Will I like TP110 more than TP100? Dunno. Will TP110 be in Crumar and Viscount within a year? Dunno. But my issues with TP100 are enough to make me ask these questions.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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I own a Crumar Seven, and have used it at a few gigs, but the widespread stories of unreliability have meant I tend to avoid taking it out of the house....
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Unless you are experiencing reliability issues I'm not sure why you avoid taking it out of the house, just because others have reported issues. Let's say the unreliability rate was 3%; that means 97 of 100 units work as they should. You could be one of the three or one of the 97. It doesn't seem logical to me under those conditions to leave it at home if you personally haven't had any issues. For redundancy purposes I have alternatives to get me through a gig in case something were to go down but unless I actually have experienced problems I'm not going to make a sizeable purchase like a Seven and leave it at home for fear that it might fail at a gig because others have reported issues (unless the purchase was intended to be only for home use, like my B3/122). My two cents.

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

Exit93band

 

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I own a Crumar Seven, and have used it at a few gigs, but the widespread stories of unreliability have meant I tend to avoid taking it out of the house....

Yikes - I haven't been following too closely. What type of issues? Hardware?

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Hiya just to follow-up. I'm on the Crumar group on Facebook and it's a fairly regular stream of complaints about the Seven dying mid-use or suddenly not being able to the switched on. It may be only 3% Dave, true, but I've never been involved in another group devoted to a particular board that has the level of issues the Seven does. That said, Crumar appear to be very responsive in fixing issues (they certainly were with me - my first Seven came with the lid smashed on one side, which is not strictly their problem either so kudos there). It's just that it seems they have more than their fair share of issues.

 

Also for further context, the Seven was a 'nice to have' at some gigs, more for fun than utility and only a handful of songs we play need piano. So I've decided not to risk it and enjoy playing it at home. If my type of gig changed I'd probably take it out more and hope for the best / have my second board well configured with piano sounds :thu:

 

One last thing that refutes my own claim to some extent: the very first person I interviewed for my podcast lugged a Seven around Europe on tour and had zero issues.

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The Zarenbourg was vaporware for the longest time. They kept bringing a prototype to NAMM in various stages of development - non operational, partially featured, etc. And then at some point the hardware was ready to go and some shipped, but owners were waiting for a promised software editor, which I do believe got finished eventually. But generally speaking, it was simply a very expensive digital instrument that would cost you in the ballpark of getting your Rhodes restored, a VV64 Classic, a Yamaha CP1, etc. Not that I don"t think the Zarenbourg would be great fun to own and play. But, for me, it would be a home instrument. The speakers are for the player, and it"s not very schlep friendly.

 

I don"t think Waldorf is making them anymore. But maybe with some effort you can find one in great condition for a grand or more less than it was new.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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