You guys are dangerous for my wallet…
I saw that B5 can use my Viscount Legend as control interface and I had to buy it.
During discount days, it is not important what you are spending, but what you think you are saving!
First lazy Saturday morning of testing: I still prefer IK B3X. But with same drawbar setting and some care on levels, differences are not so important.
After trying B5 with TRacks Leslie, everything depends on details, input levels changes a lot. Leslie cab is sensible.
I need more time to be sure. To be honest IK seems easier to tune because everything is inside one box and can be managed with one preset click. Still working…
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The one similarity with all the Hammond clones is they are all different. For my purposes, I have to dig deeply into the parameters, to get what I want. Most provided presets suck, so I find a way to get what I want. To get where I am going, I have to learn how the developers created their product, and find the hidden secrets. Programming a tone is completely different with B5 than B-3X. When I provide presets to the community, from the different clones, I start with a basic setup and dial in the tone, considering what I’ve learned about the clone. There is no doubt, IK seems easier to dial in than the others. Some of the clones were much harder till I added IK Leslie. I spent a lot of time with B-3X, and until I spend more time with B5 V3, I will not know the many things I know about the others.
I am still going through it but I can say I agree it sounds less dark and the Leslie when tweaked is better too. Not the same as B-3X or the IK Leslie sound but it stands up well for me when I run it cranked with no direct signal mixed in. I do wish they could separate the Direct signal to a dedicated audio port of it’s own though for use with a second Leslie. The actual tonewheel sounds are greatly improved and very detailed IMO and what I was also struck by was the effective difference between the voicing and capacitor type models, I was astounded at some of the combinations. They really changed the character of the organ’s sound note to note. The bottom to top volume was improved even more on this version to where the high register cuts through well. They did improve the performance but not by the doubling of it as I first thought but more like about 30% improved. I look forward to more observations. I just finished updating all the 2.5 sounds I use to the version 3 and I am going to try them in songs where I already used 2.5 before. I will see how it goes there.
Cheers,
Dave
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Totally agree Dave. I see AS sale ends tomorrow. That was short!
Like Furio, I’ve only had an hour to play B5. I liked that my dual keyboards, drawbars, expression pedal and leslie (modwheel) were already midi mapped - that allowed me to just start cranking the drive and put it through it’s paces. There is something about how it plays I really like - the key contacts modeling is very good. I practiced some of my organ trio stuff and it sounded great for that. I then got in my Woody and drove over to a place to buy wood which I took home to split. Did I say “woody” 
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B5 is the closest I’ve come to Gregg Allman’s Fillmore East sound.
My dear @Corky, something is telling me you are a very dangerous guy. I read you → I have a compelling compulsion to buy a brand new Hammond clone. It happened with IK B3-X, IK Leslie, and now the B5. Moreover, I own VB3, VB3 II, the Jurassic B4. Don’t you think I’d better buy a real B3, did I?. Needless to say I’m kidding, I have a very high opinion about your Hammond-related knowledge, and buy or not is only my choice. Even though you are 0.00000000001% guilty 
Just installed the B5, with its hated UVI environment, played a chord, switched Leslie speed, that’s all anyway. Next time, I’ll try to create a good setup.
Paolo
Hi Paolo,
Yes, I am totally dangerous!
I get excited everytime there is a big change in virtual Hammond land. If only you knew how many other clones I own, you would truly think I am obsessed (and you would be correct). I don’t speak much about UVI Retro Organ, or 8Dio Studio Organ, which are good for what they are, but somewhat limited, and heavy on resources. B4 was a big breakthrough for me. In the years since I sold my Hammond, I looked for something in the new vst world to carry around in a laptop. I embraced this new virtual instrument world and constantly looked for ways to make it work. I finally fell back to Cantabile after using other vst hosts and DAWs. C3 offered what I needed, and I haven’t looked back.
VB3 was a total game changer, and it brought many gigs of joy. I still use it today, but like many other clones, there were shortcomings as well. In my past days, I played many “house” organs, and they were all different. It was my wish to save a great part of each one and incorporate it into one super Hammond. I now get to do that with all the clones. I use B5, B3-X, VB3, VB3 II, and Blue3 throughout my setlists. I know what I can, and cannot get from each one. Therefore, the songs I play have the closest representative to the original.
I have said in other threads, that B5 v2.5 always alerted my Hammond receptors. I love it on stage, makes me play better, and puts a smile on my face…much like playing the real deal. Just something about it affects me. BUT, B5 was not the best for heavy stuff, and somehow didn’t quite nail the highs in some sweet gospel settings. I would use another clones for those. Maybe this new B5 will get me there.
Hopefully, there will be one single clone multi-tool someday, but regardless, I will still be using many clones in my act…just because it works for me, and feeds my cravings. 
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Since I’m still on the ancient B4-II but now with IK Leslie and now playing around with it accordingly, I found some weirdness in how B4 II was implemented that once understood, made things a lot easier to dial in. And this may be why Corky found that B4 II didn’t play well with the IK Leslie at times. It turns out the “DI” mode is post power amp simulator, and also post doppler simulator sans the mic and cab sims. Fortunately there are knobs to turn everything off but the power amp sim, but even on its cleanest setting it still has some grit (which is fine for me).
Plus there is a bug that when switching presets away from DI and then going back to DI mode, the spreads and dist on the treble and bass rotor panel become active in DI mode with no way to turn them off but reopen the plug while in DI mode (I’ll check to see if midi can get to them). But once it’s set to deliver only tone wheel and power amp into the IK Leslie with its amp disabled (and a dash of EQ between the two), it’s still quite likeable imo. Even when A/B’ing the B3-X (which is clearly more refined).
Also wanted to share that since this is a bit kludged together, I found a VST rack solution called “VSTForx” (freeware) which is working very well to wrap the B4, EQ, and IK Leslie into a single “plugin” to deal with no matter the host. Works very well, was able to save settings for each plugin in the chain and midi connect each as desired (i.e. keys, drawbars, expression on B4, curve select on EQ, rotor controls on IK Leslie). Its worth checking out if you could use this sort of thing and don’t already have something.
Interesting find sekim, for a kludged workaround 
I like the idea that this rack solution can be put into any host.
As for myself, I bit the bullet and bought B5 on sale last week. I’m testing it now.
It’s not as powerful as a Cantabile rack, but its nice to have the option to give up some power for the portability!
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Guess B4 is Jbridged, right?
Yes. And I had to mess with the settings in jBridge after creating the B4IIX64.dll to get it to work.
In the bridged plugin settings dialog, I disabled everything but “audioMasterGetTimeHack” and “Use thread safety measures in aux host”.
This made it stable, but I haven’t played with the settings enough to conclude its completely optimized…
VSTForx is very interesing tool. Not in Cantabile, but it may help to semplify things in DAWs.
I wonder if it’s still maintained and updated.
It’s no longer developed, but you can get it in X64 and it seems to do fine with VST3, so personally I have no issue using it.
Thanks for the hint. I’ll try.
There is the samples pack of the v2.5 as option download in v3.0, another thing to try. I’m evaluating Blue3 (the demo), too. After a quick listening, both B5 and Blue3 are not suitable for heavy sounds. I’m not a fan of the clean sound nor ultra distorted. A moderately dirty Hammond, a Pink Floyd-like sound is what I prefer. I know, it’s simple, maybe trivial, unvirtuous… but that is! I love all proper ways to play a Hammond, of course (except stabbing and shaking the L100 
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That is probably true for B5 2.5. B5 v3 is a different animal. Blue3 can get there…you just have to know what it takes tho. It has a plethora of different tone wheel sets to play with.
For the most part, both can pull off most Rick Wright tones.
I personally set up a “overall” generic Hammond for quick use. It has some dirt, especially in the lower registers. My volume pedal is bound to the vst swell pedal. That way, as I push it, it pushes the Leslie amp, which gradually adds dirt (driving the tubes). Back off the pedal…more of a clean sound, much like a guitar.
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A very effective trick!
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Brilliant