Mr. Nightime Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I just got this today from the Hammond XK-3C forum. Thought it would be of interest here NEWS UPDATE In answer to many questions - As of today, the Neo Ventilator 1 is no longer available as a new product. Most dealers are out of stock, and unfortunately, there will be a gap in supply until the new Ventilator products ship. The first new product will be the Mini Vent, which will be available for purchase in mid-September. It will include the famous Ventilator drive and user programma...bility. Neo has taken extra time to add as many features and controls in this small package and it looks and sounds amazing. Like the name implies, the unit is smaller, less expensive, and has less features than the original Ventilator. But most importantly, it has the "soul" of the original Ventilator in it, and sounds great. Good things come to those who wait - for keyboardists: the updated Ventilator (which I will call the Ventilator II) is projected for delivery for late 2013 or early 2014. It will be a pedal like the original Ventilator, with different cosmetics, and some slight feature tweeks and updates that you've been asking for. Neo also has plans for a rack mount version sometime in 2014. The Ventilator has been used on so many tours this summer, including the Rolling Stones - we thank everyone for your support. Neo is ready to up the ante and the new series will be even more amazing, but keeping the soul of the machine intact. "In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome. So God helped him and created woman. Now everybody's got the blues." Willie Dixon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 OK that's good. Let's hope if doesn't carry a $500 dollar price tag. "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Too bad there is such a gap, I'm sure they did the best they could to avoid it...then again, this way you won't get the "I just bought v1, it pisses me off that v2 is out a week later!" customers I wonder if the competition (Burn etc) will take advantage at all. Competition is good! btw any thoughts on how much improvement a vent would make over the pc3 double leslie, in a large classic rock band setting?...I can't really complain about the sound I'm getting but it might be out of ignorance of what is possible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammondDave Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Pretty dumb business decision... Would be OK if you were the only game in town... If I were manufacturing the Burn I would be rushing stock out immediately! '55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Pretty dumb business decision... I doubt it was intentional. Ideally, you try to schedule production so you have enough old inventory available in the interim before a new model is ready to ship. But if your sales pick up unexpectedly, or if the replacement model unexpectedly takes longer than planed to go into production, you have a gap. Even the big boys get bit by this now and then. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie_Chicago Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 From what I was told by the US distributor of neo, they are having problems with the mini vent right now, and whatever units are here, are being sent back for re working. I don't know any more details than this, maybe this set back with the mini's has delayed the V2 ? Im imagining the neo company is not that big.... "Ive been playing Hammond since long before anybody paid me to play one, I didn't do it to be cool, I didnt do it to make a statement......I just liked it " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Ventilator Rack..... Hmmm. Yeah Baby. Will ir cost an arm and a leg.... or just a leg. LOL! "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 They got to do what they got to do. It is important the product going out the door is right. Think, DMI. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 According to the website, the Mini Vent is a stompbox for guitarists. It has two switches on top (bypass and fast-slow) and that's it. Us guys will just have to wait I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesG Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 The mini vent is not as configurable w.r.t. switching, overdrive and mic placement as the original..and it only has 122 and 147 cab sim.. but that doesn't mean it won't work for organ; Neo has said that they will be posting an organ demo at some point. If it sounds good and it's cheap enough, I might actually take one apart and add a jack for a halfmoon switch... "cheap enough" being the operative words there! I suppose the other important detail would be whether or not that's a soft switch or a mechanically latching switch to change speeds....soft switch would be a lot harder to rig up to a half moon... Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3 Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9 Roland: VR-09, RD-800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I'm pretty sure the switching is software based. The specs on the new Vent are awesome. I can't divulge them but it will be worth the wait. Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I just want buttons that don't make a loud clacking sound when you hit them. After that, MIDI control would be nice. At least for active/bypass. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwyn Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I'm pretty sure the switching is software based. The specs on the new Vent are awesome. I can't divulge them but it will be worth the wait. Well, can you say if it will have reverb? For some reason I don't like any of the reverbs on my SK2. I'm ok with the Leslie though, well maybe the OD could use a little work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmammal Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 btw any thoughts on how much improvement a vent would make over the pc3 double leslie, in a large classic rock band setting?...I can't really complain about the sound I'm getting but it might be out of ignorance of what is possible! I did several of those gigs this summer using my PC3 76. One band had the SRV wannabe guitarist directly in front of me with his amp directly beside me with his open back speakers blasting the crap out of me. I had to use my earplugs. In a situation like that a Vent is overkill, my PC3 sounded great to me and everybody else thought it sounded great too. This was an old school screaming B3 rock gig where I had the mod wheel overdrive up. A Vent is probably better but with all the noise I doubt I could tell the difference and I know the audience could give a crap. However I also do jazz trio gigs like Alfredson does and in that situation I want as close to a real B3 sound as I can get and while the PC3 is pretty good for that it's not great. I won't pay $500 but if I could get a Vent level leslie effect for half that I would go for it. Bob Hammond SK1, Mojo 61, Kurzweil PC3, Korg Pa3x, Roland FA06, Band in a Box, Real Band, Studio One, too much stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I am looking forward to the rack mount version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bif_ Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 btw any thoughts on how much improvement a vent would make over the pc3 double leslie..... I'll echo jazzmammal's comments. In that context you probably wouldn't hear any difference between the Vent and the PC 3 double Leslie. In a more exposed context the Vent would be a better choice. It's important to note that the difference between the Vent and the PC 3 double Leslie is not earth-shattering. When I first got mine I was underwhelmed. (The Vent has a woodier tone and better overdrive and there's a slight difference in the Doppler effect in the high rotor.) The Pc3 has a very good Leslie effect. To invest $500 in a Vent is a significant commitment for an effect. Make sure you need to spend that money before you do so. I enjoy mine but it is a guilty pleasure for me. Kurzweil Forte, Yamaha Motif ES7, Muse Receptor 2 Pro Max, Neo Ventilator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Nightime Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 I got my vent to couple with a Hammond XB-2. Definitely needed there. Since I started using the XK-3C I haven't connected it. I probably will next gig, though. While I like the XK-3C's Leslie effect, I like the ease of control on the vent. Plus it would be interesting to hear the XK-3c overdrive full on, and the Vent's overdrive full on. May be as big a growl as I got from my XB-2 going through a 147 with the preamp and amp on 10. I just need to RTFM on the XK-3C to find where to shut the internal Leslie off. "In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome. So God helped him and created woman. Now everybody's got the blues." Willie Dixon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaware Dave Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 "..while the PC3 is pretty good for that it's not great. I won't pay $500 but if I could get a Vent level leslie effect for half that I would go for it. Used Vents are still closer to $400 than to $500. Given that the difference in sound between the double leslie and the Vent is substantial (IMO) I'd still make the investment and buy one. I also don't agree with another poster's comments regarding the Vent's switches as being that noisy. They are quieter than the switches on my motion sound pedal and i can't say that i've ever noticed the noise and i'm 100% certain no one in the crowd has ever heard the switching noise. I've also used the Vent in the studio and have not even noticed the switch noise in a studio environment. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyoctave Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 "..while the PC3 is pretty good for that it's not great. I won't pay $500 but if I could get a Vent level leslie effect for half that I would go for it. ........... Given that the difference in sound between the double leslie and the Vent is substantial (IMO) I'd still make the investment and buy one......... + 1 Make that very substantial. The PC3 Leslie's may 'get you through a gig' but it is night and day between them and the vent. (IMO of course). Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK-1 + Ventilator, Korg Triton. 2 JBL Eon 510's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Loving Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 I can't imagine how they can improve on the Vent's sound. Can't wait to see if they do. "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcazzy Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 I can't imagine how they can improve on the Vent's sound. Can't wait to see if they do. +1 The only thing I could see them doing is to add a few effects similar to what the Burn is doing and adding more control over the parameters. I'll stick with the original Vent I've got as it really makes my digital Korg CX-3 come alive. Love the growl I get with it. Not sure I need anything else but who knows? John Cassetty "there is no dark side of the moon, really. As a matter of fact it's all dark" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmammal Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 And then after that SRV guy's gig we went to his buddies nice house close to the fairgrounds where he has a killer man cave with some Harleys, a nice flatscreen and....wait for it....a killer 1962 B3 with a 122 all mic'd up through a JBL system with a full drum kit and a rack of guitars. I knew right away it was an old one because it had the blank drawbars. The case was beautiful and the guy who owns it is good friends with a tech who is a good player and services it all the time. Even though I was beat after the gig, he fed us and then I proceeded to play that thing for about 2 1/2 hours straight until I practically fell off the bench I was so tired. That thing was SWEEEET, blows anything else away. The leslie was right next to the organ and he had 4 JBL's in each corner of the room. It was awesome. I would rank that right up there with the best B3 experiences I've ever had and I had one for 25 years. Ok, back to reality. Yes a Vent is worth it to a lot of folks, just not to me. My PC3 is good enough. At my age and experience it's like, yeah, it sounds great but who cares, really as long as you're above a certain minimum as to sound quality. Each of us has a different opinion of where that minimum is and how much we want to shell out to improve it. I love my PC3, it has so many great sounds in it plus, not the best but still a pretty good B3. If it got sideswiped by a garbage truck, I'd buy another one. Bob. Hammond SK1, Mojo 61, Kurzweil PC3, Korg Pa3x, Roland FA06, Band in a Box, Real Band, Studio One, too much stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaware Dave Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 I won't pay $500 but if I could get a Vent level leslie effect for half that I would go for it. Here's your chance. Looks as though he might accept a low ball offer .... https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2520909/Re_Neo_Instruments_Ventilator_#Post2520909 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammondDave Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 Leslie sims are great for one thing only... Playing live where you would have to mike a real Leslie.... I am much too spoiled with rotating horns bouncing the sound off of walls to ever think that a Vent or Burn would be a good substitute for the real thing. But if I were playing live in a large venue, the Vent or Burn is the way to go.... I hope that Neo carefully considers their pricing. The new Vent really has to be competitive with the Burn. Especially if it offers fewer features.... '55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 Thanks for the pc3 feedback, hopefully I did not derail the thread too bad. For size gigs we do, and the size and nature of our band (loud classic rock/some blues) I have higher bang-for-buck things I can do instead of bringing in a vent over the pc3--like work on my technique--but down the road if I get a bit of folding $$ and don't have another pressing gear need, we'll see. I just bought in-ears and would like to pick up a used stage piano (cp50 or similar) so by that time Vent 1s will surely be blown out used for $200!! (fat chance) I did try out my buddy's rotosphere, but was underwhelmed. Added a bunch of noise and just made the sound muddy. I'm not sure that something wasn't wrong with it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluzeyone Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Man that is great news!! I've been patiently waiting for something like this. Quick question to vent owners..Do you ever use it as a studio piece? If so, how does it sound to you in that environment? Do you go direct or mic a cabinet?? Just curious .. "A good mix is subjective to one's cilia." http://hitnmiss.yolasite.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmp Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Man that is great news!! I've been patiently waiting for something like this. Quick question to vent owners..Do you ever use it as a studio piece? If so, how does it sound to you in that environment? Do you go direct or mic a cabinet?? Just curious .. I go direct. It sounds great right out of the box. If I were in a real studio environment I'd try out other things too, but in my cluttered place the Leslie 3300 can't get loud enough to do any good without rattling stuff. When I get things buttoned down a little better I want to try the Vent into a pair of speakers along with the the 3300 for that two Leslie effect. Coupled speed switching, independent switching, clean and dirty Leslies at the same time. Some other time. For the moment just playing a real B3 in headphones with a convincing Leslie is a treat and some. That's been a fantasy of mine since I was a kid. It's great direct. Dry or with a splash of reverb. I'm replacing my stolen PC3X with a PC3K8 next week. I never loaded the 2.0+ operating systems on the old board. I prefer the XK-3 (not 3c) sim to the older 1.x PC3 Leslies. Neither compare well to the Vent. I like to have piano and organ on two different boards. I don't want to monopolize that much of the PC3's effects processing power with the Leslies either. For that reason alone I'd route PC3 organs (and some other sounds as well) to the aux outputs through the Vent for a single keyboard rig. I'd probably want some Ocean Beach Drawbars for that too so I could use the PC3 sliders for other stuff. I wish the OB drawbars came in black. I know there will be lots of great new boxes out soon for $250 and less. How do I know that? Because I recently bought a Vent for $450. --wmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTeechur Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 With the possible exception of the XK-3c, in my experience there is NO Leslie sim out there that is "good enough" when compared to the Vent. The Vent makes a mediocre Hammond sim sound acceptable, and a great Hammond sim sound freaking incredible. Before I bought my Vent, my wife had recorded my band doing a couple tunes at a gig. We plugged her iPhone into the car stereo on the way home to listen. I immediately exclaimed: "Why didn't someone tell me my Leslie Sim (PC1x) sounded SO FREAKING BAD?!!!" It was just AWFUL. No, the Vent isn't an actual Leslie. Nor does it cost $1000+ or weigh 300 pounds. There are plenty of comparison vids out there. Jim Alfredson did a particularly good one, and that's the one that convinced me to spend the money. Since that time, I've gotten nothing but compliments on the authentic B3 sound I get with my Kurz. Honestly, I don't know what they needed to change on the new Vent, but let's just hope they didn't mess with perfection! Muzikteechur is Lonnie, in Kittery, Maine. HS music teacher: Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Chorus, Music Theory, AP Music Theory, History of Rock, Musical Theatre, Piano, Guitar, Drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 With the possible exception of the XK-3c, in my experience there is NO Leslie sim out there that is "good enough" when compared to the Vent. Others that people at least mention in the same breath are the sim built into the KeyB/Numa organ and VB3/Mojo. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Loving Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 The Ventilator is the best I ever used. I did all I could to avoid using a real Leslie: sims in all boards, Voce V3, voce spin, almost every rotating speaker Motion Sound ever sold - Low Pro with Pro3, the tilt back all in one rotary (I liked it), the later pro3Ts. I can use it to make my XW-P1 organ sound authentic. I'll probably take the XK3 w/vent tonight, but with the vent, it usually gets down to weight. Maybe I will take the Casio. It's fun to hear "where's the B3?" The vent will make about anything sound good, even the player, thank goodness. "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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