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Sound:
Everything about this instrument is outstanding and so real. You seriously cannot get any closer without having the real thing. I know there have been negative comments have been posted in past reviews but take it from someone who uses a C3 and a leslie 122 every week. You can't get any closer without having the real thing. That's not to say that the Hammond XK-3, Korg CX-3, or nord electro 2 aren't just as good, but if you don't have room or can't afford another keyboard, the VK-8M is the way to go. It weighs about 5 pounds, its not that big at all. Perfect setup for me. The rotary/leslie speaker is as real as can be. Has both slow/fast and brake buttons. The vibrato/chorus scanner was reproduced to the very best. The percussion sounded good to me. Everything about this instrument is so real, you can't go wrong with it.
Feature:
This unit has full polyphony which I find rather cool, but since this is an organ, what are the chances you'd run out of notes anyway. There is 4 reverbs (Room, Hall, Church, and Spring) with a knob to decrease/increase how much reverb you want. 3 tonewheel sets (Vintage 1, 2, and Clean) which has adjustable Leakage. I find that rather cool how they emulated that so well. 4 different amp types with adjustable Tone and Overdrive levels. I don't see where the tone knob would come in handy but the overdrive is right on. I don't like alot of overdrive but a little sounds nice. Also has vibrato/chorus and percussion. D-beam controller is cool but I haven't been able to make much use out of it. 9 drawbars which are just like the original, 8 different positions. The feel of them is very realistic too. They are a little sitffer however, but still easy to use and the click noise when you move them has been instituted. The rotary speaker is awesome which I'll go into more detail below. All parameters can be edited, but is much easier if you have SoundDiver. An expression pedal can be used, there is a port in the back. One thing I was disappointed about was the fact that is doesn't have a rotary switch pedal input so you pretty much have to use the button unless your controller can transmit CC80. I forget what CC the rotary brake button uses but I was actually able to program my mod wheel to transmit that message. Both input and output ports are included. Input can be programmed to work with the expression pedal.
Quality:
Very solid and well built. Has some kind of wood finish for side panels, I guess to give it a B3 feel. All the buttons are easy to press and the drawbars work just like the originals. I mean you'd have to really try to break something on this thing. Now I'm not about to throw mine off a balcony just to see if it bounces or breaks but all in all, it doesn't look cheaply built. If I ever needed it for a gig or something like that, I would definately use this baby.
Value:
Bought new, it is somewhat pricey but for everything it does, I can see why. Definately worth every penny.
The Wow Factor:
I've been wanting to get my hands on this thing for months. At first I was gonna get the VK-8 but decided to compromise and buy the module version.
Overall:
Definately would get this replaced if it ever broke or got lost/stolen. Although if I had enough money when that happened I may just get a VK-8 which is the keyboard versino of this model. The sound overal is 5 star all the way. As I've already stated you can't get any closer without having the real thing. Only disappointments are you can't hook up a footswitch to change leslie speed and for some odd reason they used CC80 instead of CC1 so if you can't change CC#'s on your controller, you're just out of luck. The leslie speed buttons were made a little stiff so sometimes I won't actually press it hard enough to switch the speed. But it was made the best it could be made and I'm happy with it.
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Sound:
I've discovered a new delight with this unit using an expression pedal. It is amazing.
Feature:
Presets and other manuals are available. I have an intial preset 1-1 which is executed on startup, than modify from there live. Don't use the d-beam. Send a control signal thru my extra pedal abilty to trigger leslie sim on/off. Luckily I have that in my (alesis) controller.
Quality:
No problems
Value:
It is amazing and worth the price. My band freaks out about it!
Manufacturer Support:
Have called them, must've been a good day. Got right in and question answered.
Overall:
I plan on keeping this till it starts to fall apart. I have two boards in my setup and don't want more. rd-150 dig piano, qs6.1 synth and controller, vk8m and sh32. This is the perfect unit for me and it has got balls when needed and sweetness when required. Lost or stolen? Perish the thought! (I would replace w/o thought)
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Sound:
The best organ clone for Deep Purple style hard rock organ. The overdrive and amp sim are far superior to any other organ clone i've heard. The only downside is that the internal leslie emulation is rather weak, so if a good leslie emulation is what you're looking for, I would recommend a Korg.
Feature:
This module contains just about all the features you would want in an organ clone, with the exception of a leslie speed footswitch jack.
Ease of Use:
Creating your own tones is quick and easy with the VK, however certain advanced controls can be a pain to configure since the module doesn't have a screen. Once you find the sounds you want, you can save them in the registration anyway so it's all good.
Quality:
Excellent quality module. I've had it for over a year and it still works like the new, very well built and solid. Transorting this module is a breeze.
Value:
I bought mine used for $600, but the list price of $895 is very reasonable for what this module can do. It sounds just as good (if not better) than some of the $2000+ organ clones.
Manufacturer Support:
Works great, haven't needed support.
The Wow Factor:
I look forward to playing it everyday!
Overall:
The VK-8M is my favorite organ clone on the market right now, and it is perfect for the style of music I like to play. Get it!
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Sound:
The sound is as close as you will get to the real thing,Having owned
many Hammond organs, the vk8-m has real fat mids,not to thunderous lows and not to shrill of highs,unlike one of the Suzuki-Hammond models I've owned.Using it with a motif and a fantom.
Feature:
ACCESSORIES!!! Wish Roland would make a universal mounting system for
this module,It will not set on most synths,so you need a stand to place it on. So i purchased a bkt-8 mounting plate, then searched all over town to find a stand to fit,called Roland and was told it
would only work with a Roland stand.(pricey), But,other than that
wouldn't trade this piece for any other.
Quality:
Have owned alot of Roland gear, always been happy.
Value:
I'm a typical consumer,It always could be priced less,but you get what you pay for!
Overall:
I keep some instruments a long time,some I don't. This will be one of the mainstays.
Feature:
Came with volume pedal. Had to buy a sturdy build notestand to geyt it to same level with my other gear.
The real big disappointment was no leslie fast/slow jack! So, the first thing I did:
Got it open, find out which pins go to slow/fast swith, and made a jack to back panel of the module for foot switch. Works like a dream!
I have also bought vk8patch version 2. It is a sound patch to the module, which is sold....Can
Sound:
Bought the module on the recommendation from a guy who has played organ since the 60's. He has an a-110. He now uses a vk-8, and says it is the closeest to the feel and sond of the real thing he has found. So I went with it. I am new to the tonewheel world, except for always being enthralled with the sound all my life. I had to learn how to do some of that my self. I was using the stock sounds in the Triton Studio, but this is much, much better!
Feature:
The features such as amp sim, drawbars, overdrive, and leakge sim are great! I thought the D-neam would be great...not so. I am sure on the keyboard version it might be nice, but the module is just too small to be sporting it. Everytime you go to make an adjustment you risk triggering the d-beam. Which can be really awful if you have it set to Tonewheel brake. Which is really the only effect I think I would ever use it for. I thought I would use it for rotary fast/slow, but I have the module to my left so the button is easier to get to than the d-beam. Which brings my to my other complaint. Why no footswitch jack for Leslie operation? It had to cross their minds. It's on the full keyboards. So I am now looking at midi footcontrollers.
Quality:
So far so good. Like an earlier user noted, the power cord is a bit rinky dink. I wonder why the could not have used a regular old three prong power cable like my computer and Triton hooks up with.
Value:
For everything that is loaded into this thing it is a good value. Especially when you consider the keyboard version is almost twice as much. You get all the control of the sound that comes with the vk-8 minus the keyboard, the other "orchestral" sounds (don't need 'em), and the blasted leslie fast/slow footswitch jack.
Manufacturer Support:
Don't know - hope I don't have to find out.
Overall:
I believe I'll be very happy with it. It will,however, make me want a vk-8. I plan to add a midi footcontroller to handle the expression pedal and leslie fast/slow functions. That will complete set up for this me.
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