The XK-5’s keyboard action is built in-house, not sourced from a third-party
manufacturer. It was designed to duplicate the heft, bounce, and key dip of a “new old stock” and well-maintained B-3™: No springy synth keys allowed! Master Hammond players who tested early prototypes confirmed nothing comes closer to the feel and response they expect from a Vintage Hammond. Of course it has the “waterfall” key fronts critical to Hammond playing techniques such as palm slides and glissandos. Play the XK-5 alongside any other modern organ and we’re convinced you’ll find the difference stunning. Play the Xk-5 alongside a vintage Hammond and we’re convinced you’ll find the similarity stunning.
Specifications:
• Four full sets of Harmonic Drawbars plus pedal drawbars, just like on original Hammond console organs including
the B-3
• 12 additional virtual tone wheels are devoted to harmonically complex pedal tones (i.e. more than just 16' and 8'
sine waves), as found on Hammonds beginning in 1945.
• Custom tone wheel profiles available via download.
• Accurate Digital Leslie™. Anything else is just a “rotary simulator.”
• Continuously variable Digital Leslie™ speed if desired.
• Dedicated octave shift / transpose buttons.
• A true vacuum tube preamp placed in the signal chain exactly where it is in a vintage Hammond. Not meant for “rock and roll crunch” but to provide the “warmth” inherent in vintage Hammonds. Improved post DSP-based overdrive provides a full range of effect (in case you do want that “rock and roll crunch”.
• Improved vibrato-chorus.
• Dedicated on/off buttons and amount knobs for reverb, DSP overdrive, and assignable multi-FX.
• Lower B drawbars can alternately control 9 MIDI CC messages for external gear.
• Left and right outs can be used at the same time as Leslie output, for running the XK-5 through a physical Leslie
Cabinet in parallel to stationary speakers, a subwoofer, or house P.A.
• More key-triggering modes for pedal-to-lower coupler (Manual Bass function).
• Firmware updatable via USB flash drive or directly from computer.
• Crisp new OLED display is more readable under different lighting conditions.