AcousticSamples B-5 Organ V3 – Review
French sample house take their B-3 inspired instrument to new heights of realism
I am continuously amazed that UVI‘s sample format hasn’t wiped the floor with the likes of NI’s Kontakt. A controversial statement for some, but when sample library developers like AcousticSamples produce instruments of the quality seen here with their latest iteration of the B-5 Organ, I am staggered once more as to why the UVI platform is so overlooked. That is a debate for another day, but for now we’re looking at one of, if not, THE best Hammond organ emulations available today.
Not only is it one of the best in terms of quality, it’s probably also the greatest value for money. If I can go back to my earlier statement about the UVI platform, you can access that platform completely free of charge, unlike other distinctly Teutonic platforms. UVI’s Workstation is free to download, free to use and 100% compatible with any UVI-based library/instrument. Of course, Falcon is the premier, comprehensive and most versatile solution, but any UVI-based instrument can be accessed for the cost of the instrument alone with no further investment required. And with B-5 V3 a mere €99, you will not find another Hammond emulation that delivers this level of depth anywhere. Ever.
The team at AcousticSamples have been developing their B3-inspired instrument for some time now and this latest iteration has been available for nearly year now. Some companies make some tweaks here, a bit of polish there and dress it up under a new version number. But that is not the case here. B-5 has been redesigned in almost every aspect and now provides some of the most comprehensive editing tools that such an instrument could ever desire.
The layout is greatly improved, based on user feedback, and there are less tabs or drop downs to navigate, with everything you want exposed in the detailed speaker section. MIDI mapping is thorough and extensive, allowing for virtually every aspect of the instrument to be mapped and assigned to whatever controls you have to hand. This naturally includes multiple controller setup for an authentic double manual and pedal board configuration.
B-5 V3 now comes with a new FX section where you’re presented with a variety of FX pedals (Chorus, Phaser, Delay, Overdrive, Fuzz and Reverb) as well as a Wah pedal that has eight different models itself as well as an Auto-Wah mode.
The level of detail is insane and to cover it all here would take an age, but be safe in the knowledge that stuff like the new “TONE CONTROL” knob is present, a feature that simulates the tone control potentiometer present inside the real Hammonds and allows the user to control the overall brightness of the organ which is not a simple filter, but a voicing element that acts on the 91 tonewheels before the whole drawbar system. Need the so-called “Memphis option”, where one speaker’s rotation is stopped whilst the other one continues? It’s there. There is also a new electrical chain model where they have added about 150 Voicing models (A, BC, A100, B3, C3, RT3) that have been measured over the years from various models and using different capacitors, old and new and different voicings, following the different Hammond technicians regulation.
The blend of sampling and modelling here is seamless and swapping between models and variations of different organs is very quick and painless. But if experimentation isn’t your thing, and you need to have access to a set of “go-to” patches, there are hundreds, including those from V2.
I am not a Hammond expert, nor am I an accomplished Hammond player, but the sound of these organs is a powerful thing and even with my basic knowledge and even more basic playing skills, the authenticity on display here, delivered by an unprecedented level of attention to detail, is undeniable.
There are Hammond emulations out there that will cost you way more than €99, and a few that may cost you less, but none of them compares to the B-5 V3 in whatever regard you wish to compare them at.
And in recent weeks, news has been filtering out about a desktop hardware controller from Fosse Controllers with authentic drawbars and other direct access controls to make your B-5 V3 experience even more authentic!
Watch this space for more info!
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