Acoustic Samples B5 - Hammond Organ VSTi

[Spitfire31]

Which has more balls: VB3 or Acoustic Samples B5?

IMO, B-5 has that ballsy authenticity that provokes a grin on my face as soon as I hold down a bunch of keys.

I think that the combination of sampling and modelling (compare Samplemodelling's solo saxes and brass) make for an audible difference (a bit like Pianoteq and a good sampled piano). I sold my tonewheel Hammond and Leslie many years ago, but with B-5 I fel like i got'em back again.

/Joachim

[PhilMuller]

Spitfire31, I totally agree with your like of Samplemodelling's Anything! I have all there offerings ... and I use Ivory American Grand as my piano which is simply incredible right down to the last nuance!

I think you might agree with me when I say, "It's not the sine wave tone generation organ/plugin that makes the big difference ... it has always been the Leslie!" I am also convinced that all Leslies are not the same and I am still not really satisfied with any Leslie simulation to date; including but not limited to the Ventilator. If you found one that is really outstanding, please let us know.

In my younger days as a musician I hung around a retail organ shop and listened very closely when then connected this one very special Leslie 147 to each and every organ they had on the floor. It made the cheapest Baldwin Organ (did I really reference that company) sound like Jimmy McGriff was playing ... and when they connected the B3s, the sound was spellbinding! Right now, I use VB3 played through my Muse Receptor and it sounds pretty good but it still needs a spectacular Leslie to get that special woody sound.

[Spitfire31]

PhilMuller, I agree completely that the Leslie has a major impact on the sound of just anything you apply it to.

It's interesting to note that Laurens Hammond was vehemently opposed Donald Leslie's 'Vibratone' invention, which then went on to be the virtual definer of the 'Hammond' sound.

We have quite a number of good software amp/rotary speaker emulations, from PSP, Melda, GSI and others. I'd say that in a recording context, they're all probably 'good enough' to pass muster, especially in a mix, although I feel (without having made any comparative tests) that the AS B-5 one may have a bit of an edge over the others.

On the other hand, nothing really touches the real life experience of having a walnut cabinet with a real baffle and rotor swirling in the room a few feet from your head.

I also wholeheartedly agree about Acoustic Samples. Arno's dedication to quality and support is a class act.

/Joachim

[waltercruz]

I'm used to the sound of MVintageRotary, and in a first contact, I found the sound of the B5 Leslie really different. It somewhat remembers me the sound of XILS LX122.

Loving the B5, but haven't exactly loved the Leslie. But maybe I have a bad taste for Leslie? Quite possible too, cause I didn't liked the XILS Leslie. But overall, the B5 sound is really more alive than NI Vintage Organs or Logic/Mainstage Vintage B3.

[ImNotDedYet]

Which has more balls: VB3 or Acoustic Samples B5?

They've both got cajones IMO, after shooting them out against one another for a few hours this morning.

IMO, VB3 sounds a pretty good amount more saturated than B5. I got the sounds as close together, same tonebar settings, got the Leslie's as close as possible, Chorus/Vibrato, got the overdrive/distortion as close as I could, EQ, etc. I prefer the actual tone of the B5 because it's not as saturated. You can hear smaller details IMO, more character in the B5 sound to me. After that, I disabled the Leslie's on both and ran them through an Audio track w/ PSP L'otary so the settings would be the same. Then I disabled the overdrive/distortion. After both of these changes, I came to the same conclusion. VB3 is much more saturated, B5 more nuanced on both the high manual and low manual.

However, having said that, one may deem VB3 to have more balls due to the oversaturation in comparison to B5.

My general opinions after trying them out...B5 adds a good amount of noise if you have the acoustic volume up. (Live was showing -56db noise floor peaks with that maxed) VB3 is much more customizable at the lower levels. I preferred the overdrive of VB3 - it seemed more musical to me. I could see using both, depending on what I was looking for from the sound - I would probably use VB3 for edgier, rock-type playing and B5 for jazz/blues - obviously each situation would dictate. I've never played an actual Hammond or played anything through a Leslie, so I'm just going based on what I'm hearing and what I've heard on a lot of records.

[Mike45]

Which has more balls: VB3 or Acoustic Samples B5?

They've both got cajones IMO, after shooting them out against one another for a few hours this morning.

IMO, VB3 sounds a pretty good amount more saturated than B5. I got the sounds as close together, same tonebar settings, got the Leslie's as close as possible, Chorus/Vibrato, got the overdrive/distortion as close as I could, EQ, etc. I prefer the actual tone of the B5 because it's not as saturated. You can hear smaller details IMO, more character in the B5 sound to me. After that, I disabled the Leslie's on both and ran them through an Audio track w/ PSP L'otary so the settings would be the same. Then I disabled the overdrive/distortion. After both of these changes, I came to the same conclusion. VB3 is much more saturated, B5 more nuanced on both the high manual and low manual.

However, having said that, one may deem VB3 to have more balls due to the oversaturation in comparison to B5.

My general opinions after trying them out...B5 adds a good amount of noise if you have the acoustic volume up. (Live was showing -56db noise floor peaks with that maxed) VB3 is much more customizable at the lower levels. I preferred the overdrive of VB3 - it seemed more musical to me. I could see using both, depending on what I was looking for from the sound - I would probably use VB3 for edgier, rock-type playing and B5 for jazz/blues - obviously each situation would dictate. I've never played an actual Hammond or played anything through a Leslie, so I'm just going based on what I'm hearing and what I've heard on a lot of records.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts. After years of lurking here I just signed up to ask this question.

How does the distortion in L'otary compare to B5 and vb3? For rock playing I wonder if B5 into L'otary could beat vb3?

Of course I'll have to test these for myself, just preoccupied at the moment and interested in your guy's opinions. Thanks!

[EvilDragon]

Don't forget that VB3 has some global options regarding the sound of tonewheels (scaling), the character of the Leslie speaker (clean or aggressive), etc... it's definitely possible to get it to sound cleaner.

[ImNotDedYet]

Don't forget that VB3 has some global options regarding the sound of tonewheels (scaling), the character of the Leslie speaker (clean or aggressive), etc... it's definitely possible to get it to sound cleaner.

Very true. VB3 has a vast amount of options and is far more customizable. I haven't dug deep into those settings much, although I know they're there. My comparison was pretty much straight out of the box. (B5 also has tonewheel scaling options as well)

[PhilMuller]

I just purchased B-5 but now I am having trouble getting it to work on my Windows 7 PC. I registered it with Acoustic Samples and they say they authorized an ILOK for it. When I use ILOK Manager and try to activate it, it asks me for an Activation Code. The only code A.S. gave me was my serial number. I never received an Activation Code. Any ideas?

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I just purchased B-5 but now I am having trouble getting it to work on my Windows 7 PC. I registered it with Acoustic Samples and they say they authorized an ILOK for it. When I use ILOK Manager and try to activate it, it asks me for an Activation Code. The only code A.S. gave me was my serial number. I never received an Activation Code. Any ideas?

Load up the iLok License Manager software and find the option that says something like "Check for new licenses." I believe there are 2 methods to getting an iLok plugin authorized, either an activation code that you redeem yourself, or companies with your iLok User ID can deposit licenses in your account.

[Spitfire31]

@PhilMuller: Your licenses (three of them) for B-5 Organ are already stored at iLok.com. Sign in in the iLok License Manager – then on top of the main window, you'll see a button labelled 'Available'. When you click it, the window will show your available licenses, among them 'Acousticsamples – B-5 Organ. Then select Activate from the Licenses menu in the main menu bar.

You can even drag it to your HD or iLok that should be listed in the lefthand panel in License Manager. Easy-peasy!

HTH,

/Joachim

[PhilMuller]

Spitfire31, Thank you - your ILOK activation method worked great.

Now, I am having trouble with trying to get B-5 to play under UVIWorkstation!

Does A.S. have a Kontakt version?

[PhilMuller]

I finally got UVIWORKSTATION playing the B-5.

Then there is this annoying clipping-click even at 256 samples as played through my RME Firceface 800.

UVIWORKSTATION is archaic and difficult to work with. There has to be other players for this plugin.

[EvilDragon]

There's no other players for it (except Falcon). UVI Workstation isn't something I'd call "archaic", but I'd definitely advise you to read the manual to get more familiar with it.

[PhilMuller]

You want me to actually read the Manual I didn't think people do that anymore

Since I have your attention: Is there anyway I defeat preset keys?

On another note, I just it for granted that since this was a sampled instrument, it would work wonderfully on my Muse Receptor under Kontakt. But, no dice!