Aperkeys Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I might have a good deal on a second-hand Korg CX3 V2 (Digital version of course). I got to play one for some time, and sure liked it. The tone is familiar to me as I own a Kronos too. I'm about to buy some B3 and Leslie VSTs, and I would love to use it as a controller too. In the end, the CX3 should work as a clone for live work and studio, but also as a controller? Should I make deal or save some money for a newer clone? Would you recommend using it with plugins like Blue3? Gear: Nord Stage 3 76HP, Korg Nautilus 61, Hammond XK5 My Bands: Aperco, Ummagumma, Amity Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Ferguson Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I still have a CX3 and although it doesn't get much use right now, I don't really want to part with it. It's a good clone, and it has two sets of drawbars despite being a single manual, which is nice. I think the Leslie sim is the worst part of the sound, so I run it through a Tall and Fat and a Vent pedal. I'm pretty happy with the sound of it all together, but it's still pretty good without the Tall and Fat. I do think it sounds different than the CX3 in my Kronos, but not in a bad way. The vibe of playing it is a lot nicer than playing organ on the Kronos too. I haven't used it as a controller, but I think it should work well. If I recall, the drawbars send CC data (they're sysex on the Kronos) so it should be able to control a plug in pretty easily I think. I believe you can have the keys send a static velocity and high trigger point or enable the full range with velocity info in the menus too. "If you can't dazzle them with dexterity, baffle them with bullshit." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Personally, I've always liked the sound of the Korg CX3, both versions 1 and 2. So, I'd recommend going for it especially if the price is right. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legatoboy Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I have mine, kept it even with a original version XK-3. It's handy and still good sounding...not top shelf anymore but it holds together sonically pretty well, still! The XK-3 is very heavy, especially in a case! SP6, CP-50,YC 73, FP-80, PX5-S, NE-5d61, XK-3, CX-3, Yamaha YUX Upright, '66 B3/Leslie 145/122 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morrissey Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I played a CX3 for several years. There are probably a lot of old threads on this forum about which is the better B3 clone -- the Nord Electro 2 or the Korg CX3. The control layout of the CX3 is pretty authentic, especially after they switched to true waterfall keys. Early digital CX3s have keys with lips on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 In the end, the CX3 should work as a clone for live work and studio, but also as a controller? You already have the sonic equivalent (and superior in many regards) to the CX3 in your Kronos... Although if the price is right, it makes a great controller for the Kronos for organ (and some synth sounds), so there's that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I always wondered why Korg kind of dropped out of the clone market? I am sure they have more resources than the boutique companies. Tucktronix uses one with a Lester pedal and it sounds good out front when I saw him open for Tower of Power. "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...
Aperkeys Posted July 17, 2018 Author Share Posted July 17, 2018 In the end, the CX3 should work as a clone for live work and studio, but also as a controller? You already have the sonic equivalent (and superior in many regards) to the CX3 in your Kronos... Although if the price is right, it makes a great controller for the Kronos for organ (and some synth sounds), so there's that. You're absolutely right, and I forgot to mention that I plan to pair the CX3 with a Vent or even a real Leslie. The main purpose of it is having a good clone for a good price (around 950$ converterted from shekels) as owning a real Tonewheel organ is highly unaffordable around. Gear: Nord Stage 3 76HP, Korg Nautilus 61, Hammond XK5 My Bands: Aperco, Ummagumma, Amity Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Ferguson Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Although if the price is right, it makes a great controller for the Kronos for organ (and some synth sounds), so there's that. To get the CX3 physical drawbars to control the drawbars for the Kronos CX3, you need to use something like a MIDI Solutions Event Processor to change the movements from CC to Sysex. It's doable, but an extra step/box. "If you can't dazzle them with dexterity, baffle them with bullshit." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Although if the price is right, it makes a great controller for the Kronos for organ (and some synth sounds), so there's that. To get the CX3 physical drawbars to control the drawbars for the Kronos CX3, you need to use something like a MIDI Solutions Event Processor to change the movements from CC to Sysex. It's doable, but an extra step/box. Correct, but a path that has already been traveled and is easily repeatable by the folks at MIDI Solutions. Although now that I think about it a bit more, I don't think the CX3 (even the V2) transmits MIDI using the "shallow" touch, so it won't trigger until the bottom of the key travel, so that won't be exactly the same either. Meh. I'm gonna go back and play my Mojo 61 and let you guys suss it all out then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary75 Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 A great controller, sends many #CC messages to my HX3 including both sets of drawbars. Cho/Vib pot doesn't transmit but I set it to C3 on the HX3 and the upper/lower tabs work as normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I forgot to mention that I plan to pair the CX3 with a Vent or even a real Leslie. I heard a dude playing in a blues band in a small bar using a CX-3 through a 122 and thought it sounded really good, although that probably could be said for just about any clone run through a Leslie. I have a Kronos, and while the Vent is a substantial improvement over the internal sim, I dont like how the chorus, key click, and at times the percussion, interact with it. Ive also had problems taming the brightness of the tone. Overall, it seems to be lacking the greaziness factor. "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Ferguson Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Although now that I think about it a bit more, I don't think the CX3 (even the V2) transmits MIDI using the "shallow" touch, so it won't trigger until the bottom of the key travel, so that won't be exactly the same either. Mine's away in a case at the moment, but if memory serves, there's a setting for that and you can have it do either the shallow touch/high trigger point, or full range w/ velocity. "If you can't dazzle them with dexterity, baffle them with bullshit." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I bought a used one from GC and liked almost everything about it--but ended up returning by the 30 day period due to double-triggering of notes. Mine was an early v2 model but did have the shallow vs deep setting. On shallow, the double-triggering was just terrible. Even regular chord playing would sometimes double-trigger. On deep, sure it didn't double-trigger--but having that shallow waterfall action was a big reason why I wanted the keyboard. My friend and I A/B'ed the CX3 vs his Roland v-combo (also with waterfall shallow action). We could get his v-combo to double trigger but it really took some doing. Sound-wise, we thought both sounded pretty good for rock organ; very different sound but both good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrythek Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Although now that I think about it a bit more, I don't think the CX3 (even the V2) transmits MIDI using the "shallow" touch, so it won't trigger until the bottom of the key travel, so that won't be exactly the same either. Edited. Ive made this mistake before, sorry, I should know better. The CX3v2 does send note info from the high trigger, without velocity, of course. Sorry for giving wrong/confusing info. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbrkr Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I love the CX3. The emulation in the Kronos is good, but if you get the Organimation Sound library for the Kronos, it really thumps it up a level with some really good grit, Leslie sim, and Gospel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_G Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Regarding the high trigger via Midi Out: Some say yes, some say no. Can someone confirm if the CX3mk2 is sending Note On on the first contact??? Studio: Hammond XK5-XLK5, Roland Fantom 8, Kurzweil PC3A6, Prophet 5, Moog Sub37, Neo Vent, HX3-Expander, LB Organ Grinder Live: Yamaha CP88, Yamaha Motif Rack ES, Hammond SKX Pro, Hammond XB2-HX3, Kurzweil PC3-61, Leslie 251, Roland SA1000, Neo Vent2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary75 Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Yes it does high trigger midi out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.