Digital Sound Factory - B3 Tone Wheel Organ

space_cowboy
I love the Arturia B3 whatever it is called. NI used to have a B3 thingy they had in Komplete, but I think it has been replaced with samples for Kontakt.  
 

 
In fairness while the replacement, NI Vintage Organs is sample based, they have sampled each tone wheel raw. The draw-bars work in the normal way and the amps and speakers are modeled effects so its fully controllable. Its main weakness compared to the leading contender GSi's VB3 is the amplifier and Leslie are not as good, particularly at the distorted end of the spectrum.
 
I think in general its better than the Arturia, but I do like the way you can modulate the draw-bars on the Arturia, an unrealistic but effective addition.


It looks like the DSF Rapture Pro Hammond has some limited draw-bar adjustment that would take you beyond the 70 basic programs. It could be a good product for the casual user who just needs the occasional organ sound without much tweaking.

Historically, DSF is an outgrowth of what was e-mu and typically the sample sets are from the last generation of e-mu modules.
 
So in this case I wouldn't be surprised if the samples aren't the same ones used in the e-mu B3 module/expansion chip that were sampled from John Novello's* beefy B3. I have the HW expansion chip and it's good for sample based stuff, but not new and it's not going to be as in depth as modern multi GB libraries.
 
*And check out the band Niacin (get it?) with Novello on organ, Billy Sheehan on bass and Dennis Chambers on drums if you aren't familiar.

YES
 
NO