87PRS
11-25-2007, 10:28 AM
I don't find myself writing gear reviews much, but sometimes a piece of gear puts your sound over the top and where you want it to be and how in your mind's eye, and ears want it to sound. This newest aquisition of mine is worthy of an article, I won't rant and rave ;) well maybe a little, if you visit my website you will see that I have alot of gear that I have accumulated and I do suffer from consistent G.A.S. and I am a UPS/FedEX junky. :)
Here we go...the piece of gear in review is the Motion Sound Pro -3X, it is a rotary horn cab, not a similator, but the real deal spinning horn, mostly for the keyboardist who plays alot of organ parts during live play or in the recording studio.
veiw this rotary horn unit here:http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Pro3X/
I'd been wanting to update my "B3" sound that I strive for in my synth (ol' Ensoniq ZR76), but then opted to lay out the bucks on a Hammond XK-1 (another review all in itself), but even after I got the Hammond digital organ, the "Leslie" sound just seemed too sterile and, well digital sounding. I know alot of keyboardist, includinging myself, have tweeked their synths trying to find that B-3 sound, but just can't get it going on (alas we settle), and the main reason we all can't get it, is not only the organ sound in use, but the Leslie effect offered by the "built-in" digital spinning horn simulator.
After a couple of months of saving I finally had enough cash to buy the Pro-3X and was excited about trying it out with the band. Upon receiving the unit I immediately looked it over, and it looked awesome, the Pro 3X actually sits perfectly on top of my Roland KC550 amp, although I do have to scoot it forward a little to make adjustments on the amp controls, once it is set I just slide the Pro 3X into place and it looks awesome.
The controls on the Pro 3X are real easy to use, there is a control pedal plug-in and the pedal has a 2 button foot switch, one for leslie on/off and a dead off position, which I would think useful if using 1 keyboard for multiple instruments. There are 2 lights on the front of the amp, one shows on/off and the other is way cool as it strobes to the leslie effect's speed. There is a gain control and volume control, 1 control for the leslie "sim" which is mostly used for the low rotor effect that is digital and built in, and another control for the "mix" which alllows control of the internal microphone and rotary horn mix, each of these has its own 1/4" output. With 45 watts the Pro 3X makes a wonderful pre-amp for the KC550 and the rotary horn will feed back, I love it. The eq section is simple and allows seperate adjust, and there is an A/B tube sim built into the FET pre amp. There is also a panel on the bottom of the unit for accessing internal "Leslie" adjustment of speed, ramp etc....way cool...and allows experimentation.
The Pro 3X can be used with any keyboard amp or you can run it direct to your PA system. I run the low rotor sim to my KC550 and mix it slightly to the horn, then I put a Shure SM57 on the right side opening of the Pro 3x and run that to the PA, and it is astonishing. My Ensoinq ZR76 is run to PA via KC550 stereo, the Pro 3X stereo, and the SM57 mic, makes 2 stereo sources, 1 mono and a very full sound.
All the key players who read this will go, yeah, yeah but ...dang the price. Well in this world we ( most of the time) get what we pay for, and the Motion Sound Pro 3X in my opinion is worth every red cent you lay out trying to achieve that B-3 sound with out breaking the bank or your back. If you play organ, and you think you have it covered with-in the digital realm, go to your local music store and try out this piece of gear, get that mechanical rotary horn sound. Case in point, our FOH was at band practice and he said "is that cabinet suppose to move like that?" yep, its got a rotary horn "moving part" in there haha and its really not that noticable, it doesn't shake, rattle and roll, 'cept sonically! You will not be dissapointed. Like my wife recently said after a nights gig "it (Pro 3X) is day and night", really this unit makes a wonderful addition to your keyboard rig...and I'm not just saying that because I own one, it does wonders for that sought after B-3 sound. Just call a Sweetwater salesperson and let them rave the unit and order it! Finally I can carry a "Leslie" with one hand! Thanks for listening and thank you Motion Sound for creating this awesome piece of gear....'87PRS
btw..Oh my God, play your guitar through the Pro 3X on a rhythm selection....and once again I am re-doing organ parts in the studio! Did I mention the owners manual is simple and easy to understand? This is what I wanted in a very portable B3 sound and I finally have mine....:cool:
Here we go...the piece of gear in review is the Motion Sound Pro -3X, it is a rotary horn cab, not a similator, but the real deal spinning horn, mostly for the keyboardist who plays alot of organ parts during live play or in the recording studio.
veiw this rotary horn unit here:http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Pro3X/
I'd been wanting to update my "B3" sound that I strive for in my synth (ol' Ensoniq ZR76), but then opted to lay out the bucks on a Hammond XK-1 (another review all in itself), but even after I got the Hammond digital organ, the "Leslie" sound just seemed too sterile and, well digital sounding. I know alot of keyboardist, includinging myself, have tweeked their synths trying to find that B-3 sound, but just can't get it going on (alas we settle), and the main reason we all can't get it, is not only the organ sound in use, but the Leslie effect offered by the "built-in" digital spinning horn simulator.
After a couple of months of saving I finally had enough cash to buy the Pro-3X and was excited about trying it out with the band. Upon receiving the unit I immediately looked it over, and it looked awesome, the Pro 3X actually sits perfectly on top of my Roland KC550 amp, although I do have to scoot it forward a little to make adjustments on the amp controls, once it is set I just slide the Pro 3X into place and it looks awesome.
The controls on the Pro 3X are real easy to use, there is a control pedal plug-in and the pedal has a 2 button foot switch, one for leslie on/off and a dead off position, which I would think useful if using 1 keyboard for multiple instruments. There are 2 lights on the front of the amp, one shows on/off and the other is way cool as it strobes to the leslie effect's speed. There is a gain control and volume control, 1 control for the leslie "sim" which is mostly used for the low rotor effect that is digital and built in, and another control for the "mix" which alllows control of the internal microphone and rotary horn mix, each of these has its own 1/4" output. With 45 watts the Pro 3X makes a wonderful pre-amp for the KC550 and the rotary horn will feed back, I love it. The eq section is simple and allows seperate adjust, and there is an A/B tube sim built into the FET pre amp. There is also a panel on the bottom of the unit for accessing internal "Leslie" adjustment of speed, ramp etc....way cool...and allows experimentation.
The Pro 3X can be used with any keyboard amp or you can run it direct to your PA system. I run the low rotor sim to my KC550 and mix it slightly to the horn, then I put a Shure SM57 on the right side opening of the Pro 3x and run that to the PA, and it is astonishing. My Ensoinq ZR76 is run to PA via KC550 stereo, the Pro 3X stereo, and the SM57 mic, makes 2 stereo sources, 1 mono and a very full sound.
All the key players who read this will go, yeah, yeah but ...dang the price. Well in this world we ( most of the time) get what we pay for, and the Motion Sound Pro 3X in my opinion is worth every red cent you lay out trying to achieve that B-3 sound with out breaking the bank or your back. If you play organ, and you think you have it covered with-in the digital realm, go to your local music store and try out this piece of gear, get that mechanical rotary horn sound. Case in point, our FOH was at band practice and he said "is that cabinet suppose to move like that?" yep, its got a rotary horn "moving part" in there haha and its really not that noticable, it doesn't shake, rattle and roll, 'cept sonically! You will not be dissapointed. Like my wife recently said after a nights gig "it (Pro 3X) is day and night", really this unit makes a wonderful addition to your keyboard rig...and I'm not just saying that because I own one, it does wonders for that sought after B-3 sound. Just call a Sweetwater salesperson and let them rave the unit and order it! Finally I can carry a "Leslie" with one hand! Thanks for listening and thank you Motion Sound for creating this awesome piece of gear....'87PRS
btw..Oh my God, play your guitar through the Pro 3X on a rhythm selection....and once again I am re-doing organ parts in the studio! Did I mention the owners manual is simple and easy to understand? This is what I wanted in a very portable B3 sound and I finally have mine....:cool: