XB2 upgrade impressions

["Mark Longo" <longo@zk3.dec.com>]

        Ok folks, I just got the XB2 OS upgrade to version 2.0, and my 
impression is simply: INCREDIBLE!  

        Please excuse my rampant enthusiam for this, but I just installed 
it last night and was surprised and really psych'd by some unexpected 
benefits.  It turns out that in addition to significantly extending the 
XB2's functionality (ex: extended MIDI, better split options, # of presets, 
etc), V2 actually improves the SOUND is some important ways, which I didn't 
expect.  The sound engine itself is not modified by the OS upgrade, but the 
new OS takes advantage of the sound engine's software controlability in 
some important new ways, resulting in a fatter, more B-3 like sound.  It's 
amazing how much of the available software control WASN'T used in v1.x of 
the OS.

        There are LOTS of new features extending the XB2's programmability, 
but to my EAR, the most important are: 

        o  negative key tracking for percussion level
        o  percussion level programmable to 16 levels
        o  key click level programmable to four levels
        o  percussion level can be controlled by key velocity
        o  last drawbar can be disabled by percussion

        I feel that the biggest deal here is the enhancements to 
percussion. The percussion in the old XB2 was very shrill in the upper 
octaves, especially in the last octave.  This made the XB2 sound piercing 
and a bit nasal in the top octave.  In an attempt to compensate for that I 
always used the percussion with the 'Soft' setting enabled, trading some of 
the classic Hammond attack transients for tone and high end playability.  A 
problem with that is that 'Soft' percussion robs registrations like 
'888000000' of their punch, leaving you with a choice of shrill highs or 
muddy lows.

        This problem is solved with V2.  Selecting percussion 'key 
tracking' reduces the percussion level in the high end, making it possible 
to use louder percussion settings without inducing any harshness in the 
high end.  Some drawbar settings that sounded muddy with 'Soft' percussion 
now sound cool with hotter percussion yet still aren't harsh in the high 
end.  This notably includes 888000000 with 3rd Perc, a Jimmy Smith fave.  
This has the effect of making the XB2 a fatter, more playable and versatile 
axe with improved tone and attack across all registers, making it tonally 
closer to the much lusted after "real B-3".

        Previously, key click level could be set to off, soft, and normal.  
The normal setting was the loudest available, yet still softer than some 
examples of real B3 key click I've heard.  V2 adds a 'MAX keyclick' 
setting, which closes the gap.  I find this keyclick to be quite like the 
click I hear in Joey DeFrancesco's latest efforts since switching back to 
real B3, such as on "All About My Girl" and "Relentless" with Danny Gatton. 
 Oddly enough, MAX Keyclick seems to give the attack transient a noticibly 
beefier low end, so using 3rd Percussion at level 16 with MAX Keyclick give 
you all the attack snap you'll ever want.  You might not use MAX Keyclick 
in all settings, but it's mighty nice to have this option.

        The velocity control of percussion level seems like an interesting 
possibility, especially for ballads and slow blues, but I haven't really 
tried it much yet.  Also, if your non-legato technique sucks, V2 gives you 
the option of cheating by triggering percussion on ALL key strikes, rather 
than just the non-legato ones.

        As I continue to play V2 I'm sure I'll have more impressions, but 
so far I'm very happy.  


        Mark

=======================================================================
  Mark Longo                                    Digital Equipment Corp. 
  longo@zk3.dec.com                             Nashua, NH
  80 8400 030