Anybody have a chance to compare the sounds of these two? How does they compare to the B3?

Wondering if it's worth the couple thousand more for the C1 as comparted to B4 II with a couple light weight midi controller keyboards.

BTW, I tried out a Yamaha MO6 at GC the other day. For $599 the Cool Jazz Organ alone almost makes it worth it. It seems to have a dirtier sound than the Tyros 2. Maybe I can duplicate the dirty sound on the T2. You sure would think they'd have FREE downloads for this type of thing to pump up their sales and loyalty. Doesn't Roland do something like that as far as having a sound database available for free?
http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=b4ii&ftu=768d56edab321c7&flash=9
http://www.clavia.com/main.asp

Scott

www.ScottLMusic.com

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 09-15-2007).]

Why not a "real" Hammond like the Xk1?
You can have real drawbarsliders and the sound of the Real thing.

Impuls,

Two manuals...

And the XK-1 is no more the 'real thing' than any other B3 clone... despite a rather nice review in Keyboard (they haven't mentioned the C1 yet).

The whole two waterfall linked manuals at that weight and price point (costs a LOT more to build it on the XK system) make the loss of the drawbars not so significant, IMO...

But I REALLY wish they'd left in the Rhodes and Clav's from the Electro... That would have made it an XK killer, IMO.

Hi Scott
There is a great demo on the NI website http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=b4ii&ftu=0e9e8db65ba73af
I have uploaded an mp3 file of the B4II played on a Wersi Scala. (One of the most popular VSTs that Wersi owners load into their instruments is the B4, (It also interfaces brilliantly with the onboard Drawbars and organ controls of Wersi instruments) http://download.yousendit.com/574CF6B74B4CFDEF
I know artists that have a genuine B3 (Real Tonewheels) and they all say that the B4 is as close as it gets.
Apart from Demos I have not heard the Nord live, but if the demos are anything to go by, then it should deffinatley be worth looking at.
Hope this helps

Bill

Scott, in my OWN experience, I had the chance to have in the same room a Nord electro, the newest Roland and Korg Clones, besides the software sound like B3.....

To my ears as a Pro Organist Hammond for over 20 years....the software may sound really good be ITSELF, BUT, next to a hardware.....I do not think so....I may add that all this was conected to the same PA system....then, again, to MY ears.... the Nord beat easily ALL the other hardware clones, not just in sound, the BEST Leslie emulation I ever heard. I do own Korg Products and Roland too, needless to say, Yamaha also.

I grant you that the Nord's user interface is hardly conventional, but if SOUND is what you are looking for, MY vote as a Hammond Player, goes to Nord Hands Down.

I just got my C1 and have never actually heard or used NI's B4 (I hear it sounds great). But.....Mdorantes is dead right. Playing organ, especially jazz organ, is much more than just sound (consider that hardly any two B3's sound exactly alike). It has a lot to do with how fast you can transition from one registration to another, the key response speed, the volume follow throughout the range, the response to the expression pedal (very important), and the way it mimics all the little things that are unique to a real B3. But mostly, it depends on how you intend to use it.

If you are just going to lay down some (organ) background tracks, then a software sim would probably work just fine, but if you plan to gig with it as your primary (or only) keyboard, controllor keyboards and a laptop probably are not going to cut it. Although a little pricey (C1), you get what you pay for. You do miss the drawbars at first but you do get sort of used to it. Using presets works for me. I also got the Roland PK7a pedals but again this is a personal thing. I use them for slow tunes or when I need both hands for certain playing techniques.

It's no B3 but at 33lbs I'm kind of glad it's not.

chas

BTW, it sounds and plays better than the Nord Stage as it was designed from the ground up as an organ only. It also has a Vox and Farfisa setting but having never been a fan, I have no use for this feature.