"We have had numerous requests from customers for a single-keyboard instrument which not only has the pure Drawbar tones but also the keyboard look and feel of the B-3," says Mike Armstrong, Vice-President of Sales. "We are happy to be able to offer both of these features in this new instrument."
"The XK-2 represents the latest step in Hammond's ongoing effort to digitally replicate the classic B-3 sound," states Steven Eaklor, Director of Product Planning and Development. "The new instrument uses Hammond's V.A.S.E. 11 (Versatile Advanced Sound Engine) sound-generating system for unparalleled realism not only from the Drawbars but from the Vibrato, Leslie, Reverb and Overdrive as well."
"An essential part of the legendary B-3 sound is the Leslie Speaker," says Warren Brunsting, VicePresident of Manufacturing. "The XK-2 uses the new B.M.T.P. (Balance Monitored Time Phased) digital Leslie simulator. This new system is the most realistic Leslie Speaker simulator to be offered by Hammond and Leslie to date."
*
In addition to authentic B-3 drawbar sound, the XK-2 features
a new 61-note keyboard utilizing deluxe square-front keys to truly
recreate the look and feel of the durable B-3 keyboard.
*
This new instrument has an inbuilt 64-patch library that is user-programmable
for Upper Manual, Lower Manual and Pedal Keyboard. Digital Reverb,
digital Leslie with horn and bass rotor simulation, Touch-Response
Percussion and user-adjustable Vibrato and Chorus are also included.
The XK-2 features 32-note polyphonic and 16-part multi-timbral
performance, and data can be saved to a MIDI data recorder via
MIDI Data Dump.
*
Many of the advanced features already found in Hammond's XB-Series
of products such as the XB-5 and the XB-3 are incorporated into
the XK-2, such as adjustable Drawbar Foldback, selectable Drawbar
Voicing, adjustable Rise and Fall Times for the inbuilt Leslie,
adjustable Percussion Level and adjustable Attack (key click).
*
The front panel contains a backlit 24-character LCD screen, as
well as the ON/OFF Power Switch, Master Volume, Reverb and Overdrive
Control and a group of Touch Tabs for selecting Presets and editing
various parameters. Also, there are Touch Tabs for controlling
Percussion, 6 degrees of Vibrato and Chorus, Leslie SLOW/FAST/OFF
and Keyboard Split ON/OFF. A Drawbar Select control allows the
player to select between Upper, Lower and Pedal and make changes
to the Drawbar registrations while playing.
*
Besides ad ustable Rise and Fall Times, the new B.M.T.P.
Leslie simulator also includes adjustable Brake Times for both
horn and bass rotor, adjustable Volume Balance between
horn and bass rotor and simulated Microphone Settings.
*
Included on the back of the XK-2 is a socket for directly connecting
an ll-pin Leslie Speaker. Other connections include line output
jacks for right and left channels, MIDI IN/OUT/THRU ports, headphone
jack, foot switchjack and expression pedal jacks.
