Hammond XM-1 + XMc-1

not rackable, does not fit on one floor but 2 in a rack shelf.
can not be edited with a PC (simple but laborious setting, antique)
L & R output jacks, midi input, output and thru.

3 wave types to choose from: brite, mellow and B3 type, different grains.
click adjustable attack and sound intensity.

3 different voices UM (sup keyboard), LM (lower keyboard) and PK (pedal) with a midi channel attributable to each.

harmonic control live with mythical zippers.

UTILIZATION

manual is useless, anyway!
editing sounds painful but is to once and for all, 5-6 wide enough for me, after that manages to live with zippers & leslie.
Chorus and vibrato useless for me, the distortion is just pathetic.

SOUNDS

for reggae dub seventie's it really sounds provided réamper or going through a vintage tube preamp that really colors.
live sound has no interest in relation to a plug-in rather even worse.
In contrast, in a vintage fender is happiness, a characteristic vibration of the 70's and I do not have the chance to have a real leslie.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 years and this is what I need, once the main programs in place, an adjustable drawbar and go, simplicity is extreme, satisfactory results (always provided réamper)

Some will tell you that the plugin do much better, it's not wrong!
but this little box and its extension are practical, home studio or live sound and really provided to bring a vintage coloring amplification or preamp.

I bought 350 €, overpriced in hindsight, but I use it a lot!

Rack Hammond sounds. Plenty of opportunity to customize the sound settings: type of stamp, percussion, key click, etc. .... Leslie effects with several simulation models and adjust speeds and accelerations, etc. .. several settings can be stored Leslie. It is for example a preset Leslie types 122 and another 760 types. From memory, I seem to remember that you can store up to 5 settings (including a single rotor ... not very musical)
The module allows you to play on three votes: two keyboards with 9 drawbars + pedal with two zippers, which corresponds exactly to a Hammond organ console.
In short, everything is adjustable or almost controllable by noon sysex
Possibility of desks XMC1 zippers. Damage the connecting cable is too short and the connectors are not standard. Note that setting the zippers also transmits Midi.
Also possible to connect a Leslie, but with a non-standard connector (again..)

UTILIZATION

The setting is tedious, you have to play with only buttons (no slide, no keypad) by navigating through menus, change settings, etc. ...
After that, once you set one or more sound "type", you can use the console zippers for adjusting the sound live.
Note that this material reliable, no crashes, no fault, although I used it regularly.

SOUNDS

Simulation Hammond, very good at the time, at least today, although very suitable. Unfortunately, a BIG weakness in emulation: The vibrato scanner is pretty much immité but becomes catastrophic if we add the integrated Leslie effect. The two separate effects work well, but not cumulative.
Another weak point is a technical limitation: no separate keyboards vibrato.
I had the opportunity to use the module with a real Leslie (my 770), and in this case, the result is very correct.
Finally, whatever you do enter a Leslie, the result is always good!

OVERALL OPINION

Today, I no longer use this material for several reasons: First I play a real Hammond. On the other hand, I use an electro north when I have no Hammond (much more versatile, with Vox sounds, piano, rhodes, etc ...)
When I used this module, it was mainly an organ with two midi keyboards, but this format keyboard for me today (a bit short keyboards, tiny bracket).
This module still has the advantage of using a pedal with a typical sound of the Hammond pedals, which is an advantage for me (which I could not do with the electro north)

Rack model but with the drawbars.
The rack is put aside and almost all controls are on the remote module.
There is a cable between the two, not very long and specific, we have to be careful.
The rack is not a Moitier rack or a full rack is embettant to cram.
For specifications, say you have a hammond thanks to a small box that you put on another synth. Biensur there are also ready-made sounds but I prefer real-time changes.

UTILIZATION

I think it is very convenient to have a hammond just thanks to the remote box.
on the other hand must find a way to make it fit well on his synth for push pulls in the game has waltzed the box!

SOUNDS

The sounds are like a Hammond XK-2.
I think the sounds are not bad but there must be sound (volume) to appreciate the color. The bass is very present (you have to have serious in pregnant!).
It suits me, I rarely play alone and this unit filled his role perfectly. But it must have its own amplification, do not go with the guitars and vocals on the same amp.
You need a keyboard that responds quickly. If you take a Roland D70 for example, there is a slight offset. Choose a rescente machine.

OVERALL OPINION

I keep it, it's very convenient and it runs!