Viscount Legend Soul

[JohnDoe]

I found this in the comments, re. JoeyD's YT-demo of the Soul and if it has Fatar keys:

 

"Actually, no Viscount makes the hybrid 9 contact system in house and is proprietary. So unless someone re-engineers it, won’t be available anywhere else anytime soon."

 

I think Joey can be trusted, so......Good news!

 

[Al Coda]

On 6/16/2022 at 12:39 AM, JoJoB3 said:

Without a doubt there's a (big) difference in-room (that's you and players onstage or in-room) between a sim out a stationary speaker vs a Leslie pushing air.   The argument of 'does the audience care' is totally valid but that's not what we're talking about.

 

Well,- a real leslie w/ it´s 30 or 40 watts power amp is almost inaudible in a louder band on stage.

Once I visited a gig of a former friend (R.I.P) and he used a Hammond M-100 together w/ a Leslie 760 and he had the Keyboardpartner MIG preamp built in.

It was a really small location,- 150 people maybe and they had a small club type PA (2 active spkrs on poles).

The Leslie wasn´t in the PA and he had a hard time hearing himself while I myself in the audience about 3 yards away didn´t hear the organ at all.

 

A leslie is so quiet most players don´t hear themselves when it isn´t miced and feeded back into the monitors.

Same rules for the other musicians on stage in need to hear the organ too.

So, who can afford the schlep by roadies comes w/ several leslies (see Jon Lord, Chester Thompson, Don Airey and others),- just only to have enough power to enjoy the sensation you describe for themselves.

For the other bandmembers and the audience, the sensation is over once the leslie is miced and sound comes mainly from wedges and PA.

 

But it´s all old hat because we have IEM !

Sensation over,- IEM is 2-dimensional.

What´s left is IEM and PA,- so sims are welcome, avoid bleedthru via vocal- (and other) mics as also save some mixer channels !

 

The Rolling Stones use Neo Vent(s) for PA and the leslie on stage is somewhat cosmetic because they use IEM too.

The audience doesn´t care.

 

A low level performance in the small and intimate jazz club is a different story.

 

☺️

 

A.C.

[KRK]

ciao 😃

 

as a comparison with my other "first taste" videos (all the various hammond clones) the audio is an ambient recording with the direct sound of the Soul coming out of the usual Roland SA-1000 stereo amp.

 

this is a pre-production unit, just to give us the opportunity to hear the new features compared to the previous Legend model (which will remain in production, waiting for software upgrades with some of the improvements made to this Soul: chorus, drive, rotary simulation, etc.).

some things are still in the process of final release (different drive algorithms, a new additional leslie simulation, etc.).

 

at the moment the only available drive is related to the leslie saturation simulation and does its job without being exaggerated. new overdrive simulations will be available in the "effects section", for use with external amp/leslie/tornado/etc.

new video with the final product coming soon.

 

the simulation of the 9 contacts does the job, you perceive exactly "that thing".

keybed (the same fatar used for almost all clones) takes on a different "physicality" because of the necessary internal customization for this simulation.

 

first taste

 

 

[Delaware Dave]

4 hours ago, KRK said:

ciao 😃

 

as a comparison with my other "first taste" videos (all the various hammond clones) the audio is an ambient recording with the direct sound of the Soul coming out of the usual Roland SA-1000 stereo amp.

 

this is a pre-production unit, just to give us the opportunity to hear the new features compared to the previous Legend model (which will remain in production, waiting for software upgrades with some of the improvements made to this Soul: chorus, drive, rotary simulation, etc.).

some things are still in the process of final release (different drive algorithms, a new additional leslie simulation, etc.).

 

at the moment the only available drive is related to the leslie saturation simulation and does its job without being exaggerated. new overdrive simulations will be available in the "effects section", for use with external amp/leslie/tornado/etc.

new video with the final product coming soon.

 

the simulation of the 9 contacts does the job, you perceive exactly "that thing".

keybed (the same fatar used for almost all clones) takes on a different "physicality" because of the necessary internal customization for this simulation.

 

first taste

 

If you have both units (legend and a soul) it would be nice to hear them side by side to get an understanding if the improvements are substantial or not.  Also, I listened to most of the video (but not all) and I didn't really hear the 9 contacts (partials) in your playing which, for me, is the most substantial piece. Fortunately Joey D did a video that showed how they sounded.  I would also like to understand the keybed itself, the legend keybed was pretty stiff; with the weights (magnets?) attached to the keys how much does it change the playability of the keybed?  How would you compare the new internal leslie to other sims, like the BURN or Vent or B3x?

[AnotherScott]

I only listened to the first 90 seconds or so, but that overdrive just sounds awful to me. But I assume this model has the same insert loop other Viscount organs have had, so you could put some other overdrive device in the path if you preferred. (Unfortunately, the EXP module lacks that, and it was the overdrive of that model that led me to return it.)

[KRK]

4 hours ago, AnotherScott said:

I only listened to the first 90 seconds or so, but that overdrive just sounds awful to me. But I assume this model has the same insert loop other Viscount organs have had, so you could put some other overdrive device in the path if you preferred. (Unfortunately, the EXP module lacks that, and it was the overdrive of that model that led me to return it.)

overdrive is in development...
but it's not bad: drive... 

 

this is just ONE of the available drive, related to rotary tube amp simulation (the others overdrives should be in the effect section).
and yes, there should be the "send-return" capability.

🍻

 

 

 

 

[KRK]

5 hours ago, Delaware Dave said:

 

If you have both units (legend and a soul) it would be nice to hear them side by side to get an understanding if the improvements are substantial or not.  Also, I listened to most of the video (but not all) and I didn't really hear the 9 contacts (partials) in your playing which, for me, is the most substantial piece. Fortunately Joey D did a video that showed how they sounded.  I would also like to understand the keybed itself, the legend keybed was pretty stiff; with the weights (magnets?) attached to the keys how much does it change the playability of the keybed?  How would you compare the new internal leslie to other sims, like the BURN or Vent or B3x?

just a quick test here: virtual contacs...

you can hear the virtual contacts during all the video, the result is the new improved keyclick.

 

the keybed is different from all others clonewheels, also if it is the same waterfall fatar (maybe due to the internal customization for the contacts function).

the playability is very good, the feeling is something halfway between my 1964 C3 and my 2016 New B3P MKII.

internal leslie is one of the two or three available internal simulations (all is in development) and at the moment is different from Ventilator or Burn or Ik leslie.
they are working on it...

there are other videos of mine with the "old" Legend in order to make a first comparison, but all will be clearer next weeks/months with the Soul production model.

🍻

[Spider76]

Will the production units still have the enormous "Legend" engraving on both sides, and the huge "full moon" leslie switch?

They may be just cosmetic details, but I find them really unnecessarily annoying.

[AnotherScott]

18 hours ago, KRK said:

overdrive is in development...
but it's not bad: drive... 

 

this is just ONE of the available drive, related to rotary tube amp simulation (the others overdrives should be in the effect section).

Yes, that's better, for when you want a really overdriven sound, I'll be curious to what they can do when you don't want that much. The drive in the opening section sounds more solid state than tube-y, and also sounds like a layer of distorted sound playing with the organ sound, as opposed to the organ sound itself being being over-driven.

[KRK]

On 10/5/2022 at 4:42 PM, AnotherScott said:

Yes, that's better, for when you want a really overdriven sound, I'll be curious to what they can do when you don't want that much. The drive in the opening section sounds more solid state than tube-y, and also sounds like a layer of distorted sound playing with the organ sound, as opposed to the organ sound itself being being over-driven.

that was one of the different onboard saturations (at the moment the only one available).
that one is related to leslie simulation (I put it at maximum level 😁).

there will be different drive effects, in the "effect section" too (some rock oriented, inspired by some famous pedals, etc.).

[Thomas55]

I am a little bit confused in that discussion about sound and quality of this product. Nobody really played this instrument up to now. So we should wait to the time, when the product is available.

[Doerfler]

1 hour ago, Thomas55 said:

 Nobody really played this instrument up to now. 

Brother KRK (Marco Balla) played one (pre production unit) in Milan, Italy, and posted the link 4 posts above yours. I'll embed the video here. Hope this helps

 

 

[francesco verni]

New video!

 

and recordings! 

[Dockeys]

Is this actually available in a store yet? Lots of videos but no sign of it in the wild and didn’t they also say they were going to update the original Legend series with a similar software update to the newer Soul?

[Al Coda]

2 hours ago, Dockeys said:

Is this actually available in a store yet?

 

Thomann ... 2 - 5 days

 

and the 273 model ...

 

 

A.C.

[Dockeys]

Yeah I saw that on Thomann but haven’t seen any reviews from buyers on YouTube. It seems to be “coming soon”. Would be more interested in them following through on their older legend upgrade which was promised. 

[Delaware Dave]

New soul 261:  $3300 / 43 pounds      

Legend live:     $2100 / 40 pounds

 

New soul 273:  $4500 / 49 pounds

Legend:            $2900 / 46 pounds

 

Additional weight for the new keybed very reasonable, adding only 3 pounds.

 

$1200 and $1600 respectively for the additional cost for the Intellectual Property (IP) of the new keybed is out of line.  In comparison the double manual mojo classic is $1600.  So Viscount is claiming that the IP of the new keyboard alone is worth as much as the double manual Mojo Classic 🙄. 

 

The prices quoted above are Thomann's pre-VAT. With VAT will put the 273 close to the $5000 mark.  I should have been a guitar player, buy a used Fender guitar and amp and 40 years later both are still relevant and not needing to upgrade to the newest model.  

 

Can't get excited about this release ....

 

[mate stubb]

I've got a Legend Live that I haven't listed yet if anybody is looking to purchase. Never gigged and lightly rehearsed. PM me if interested.

[Delaware Dave]

On 10/4/2022 at 4:31 PM, KRK said:

just a quick test here: virtual contacs...

you can hear the virtual contacts during all the video, the result is the new improved keyclick.

I can hear the virtual contacts but I can't say I hear the keyclick.  And with a Hammond the REAL contacts drive the keyclick noise; I don't believe that is true with this system.  The keyclick system isn't totally driven by the virtual contacts; in a digital system one is independent of the other where in a real Hammond one is the result of the  other.  

[francesco verni]

On 2/3/2023 at 9:15 AM, Dockeys said:

Is this actually available in a store yet? Lots of videos but no sign of it in the wild and didn’t they also say they were going to update the original Legend series with a similar software update to the newer Soul?

Not yet. They have just left the factory. After Joey loss, we had to complete his instrument  without him.. but thanks to many friends the result under your hands will be great.

It will take few weeks more to arrive in US. But everyone who had the possibility to try the new keybed, said that's "the one".  

 

 

[francesco verni]

 

[Doerfler]

@francesco verni, the organ sounds great as to be expected. In the above video , there is no indication of whether any external amplification is used or if it was the internal sim. I'm guessing the former.

[Delaware Dave]

I think it might be the new internal leslie sim and if so we have a new champion ....

[Doerfler]

28 minutes ago, Delaware Dave said:

I think it might be the new internal leslie sim and if so we have a new champion ....

if you are correct I agree, based on one short video

[FrancViscount]

2 hours ago, Doerfler said:

@francesco verni, the organ sounds great as to be expected. In the above video , there is no indication of whether any external amplification is used or if it was the internal sim. I'm guessing the former.

Yes it is! Finally... 

[FrancViscount]

1 hour ago, Delaware Dave said:

I think it might be the new internal leslie sim and if so we have a new champion ....

Yes Dave, it is! Also the keyboard is outstanding. And this Joey and Elvio merit...

[Delaware Dave]

2 minutes ago, FrancViscount said:

Yes Dave, it is! Also the keyboard is outstanding. And this Joey and Elvio merit...

will this new leslie sim be available in the legend solo?

[francesco verni]

We are working on the release for the current Legend, Live and Solo. Yes, our idea is to offer for free the updated Leslie sim and Vibrato / Chorus basically

[Adan]

Thank you Francesco for participating in this thread.  Is there an english version of an owner's manual available?

[Dockeys]

The sound in that demo is really tasty!