The Hammond XK-5 Clonewheel Organ represents Hammond-Suzuki's latest achievement in clonewheel organ technology, combining cutting-edge innovation with meticulous attention to vintage authenticity. This high-end portable organ addresses the challenges faced by musicians who desire the legendary sound and feel of vintage Hammond B3 organs without the impracticality of transporting instruments weighing over 140kg. Building upon decades of digital Hammond development that began with the 1986 Super B, the XK-5 introduces four groundbreaking patent-pending technologies that elevate it above its predecessors in the XK and SK ranges.

Revolutionary Keybed Technology

The XK-5's most significant advancement lies in its bespoke 73-note waterfall keyboard, manufactured in-house by Hammond-Suzuki in Japan. This represents a departure from the OEM keybeds used in previous models and demonstrates extraordinary engineering to replicate the mechanical feel and dynamic response of well-maintained vintage console Hammonds. The keyboard captures both the weight and bounce-back characteristics that define authentic Hammond playability, making techniques like palm slides, glissandos, and trilling feel natural and effortless.

Beyond mechanical feel, the keybed incorporates an ingenious three-contact system that emulates the multi-busbar arrangement of vintage Hammonds. Each physical contact triggers three virtual contacts, providing nine discrete note-on signals—one for each drawbar pitch. These contacts are strategically spaced along the key's travel path, activating at fractionally different times depending on key depression depth. This sophisticated system recreates the legendary key-click and subtle harmonic variations that occur when contact wires reach their busbars at slightly different times in original instruments. The result is an organic playing response that distinguishes the Hammond as a musical instrument rather than merely an electro-mechanical device.

The system's intelligence extends to MIDI implementation, transmitting separate data streams over multiple channels to capture every performance nuance. This ensures that recordings preserve the precise note attack and tonal variation characteristics of live performances. User-configurable parameters allow fine-tuning of the time-spread and sequence of individual note-on signals, controlling both harmonic speaking order and key-click duration and intensity.

MTW-I Sound Engine

The XK-5 debuts the MTW-I (Modelled ToneWheel One) sound engine, representing a fundamental departure from the evolutionary enhancements of the VASE III engine found in previous models. This hybrid approach combines cutting-edge sampling and modelling techniques to achieve unprecedented accuracy in recreating vintage tonewheel generator sound and natural variation. The dedication to authenticity is evidenced by Hammond-Suzuki documenting the specific serial numbers of the B3, C3, and A102 instruments sampled for core tonewheel data.

The engine provides four pre-defined tonewheel generator sets (A100, C3, B3, and Mellow), each with three variations, plus provision for three user-customized sets. Each of the 96 individual virtual tonewheels can be extensively customized through parameters controlling volume level, high-pass filtering, leakage-tone levels, and even the dominant leakage signal source. These customization capabilities far exceed those offered in previous XK and SK generations.

Pedal drawbar implementation receives special attention, with the ability to fine-tune the complex mixture of multiple tonewheels that characterizes vintage pedal tones. Three pre-programmed options derive from two different B3s and an A100 (again with source serial numbers documented), with three user memories accommodating custom combinations of nine source drawbar tones at any desired level.

The matching transformer modeling represents another meticulous detail. Vintage organs employed this component to mix signals from drawbars across both manuals and the pedalboard, introducing non-linear behavior through magnetic saturation and hysteresis effects. This creates the characteristic "volume robbing" phenomenon where previous notes affect subsequent ones, lending a breathing quality to the instrument's dynamics. The XK-5 replicates this subtle but crucial organic characteristic with remarkable precision.

The virtual vibrato scanner has been comprehensively revised to model the evolution of analogue delay line designs across different production periods. Unlike previous models that modeled only one delay line type, the XK-5 offers options replicating scanner characteristics from three distinct eras: 1955-57, 1957-59, and 1959-74. These variations primarily affect signal brightness, with adjustable depth and wider speed range extremes than previous implementations.

Initially launched as a pure console Hammond emulation without alternative voicings, the XK-5 later received Vox, Farfisa, and pipe organ emulations through firmware version 3.0 in April 2018, addressing feedback from band keyboard players while maintaining its focus on authentic Hammond sound.

Physical Valve Preamp

The XK-5 retains a physical tube preamp stage featuring both 12AX7 and 12AU7 valves, though configured differently from the XK-3C. Rather than functioning as a two-band distortion circuit ahead of the expression pedal, the valves bookend a signal processing chain that includes multi-effects options, the expression pedal, and digital overdrive. The two valves can be swapped in order or bypassed completely, with various modes altering overall tonality and expression pedal behavior. The improved digital overdrive effects work in concert with the physical tubes for enhanced sonic character.

Comprehensive Drawbar Complement

For the first time in a portable Hammond, the XK-5 provides a complete drawbar set: two full sets (nine drawbars each) for the upper manual, two full sets for the lower manual, and a separate pair for pedal tones—exactly matching vintage console Hammond configurations. The drawbars deliver satisfying tactile feedback with light clicking across each position. The lower-manual B-preset drawbars can alternatively transmit nine channels of MIDI control messages to external equipment.

User Interface and Controls

The control layout balances familiarity with thoughtful refinement. A high-quality OLED display maintains readability across diverse ambient lighting conditions, flanked by a rotary encoder Value knob, quartet of navigation buttons, and standard Display, Enter, Menu/Exit, and Play buttons for menu access. The master volume knob occupies the traditional top left corner position, while a rotary switch left of the drawbars selects chorus and vibrato modes, accompanied by buttons for applying effects to upper and/or lower manuals.

The lower panel hosts buttons controlling preset bank and note allocations, patch recording, key transposing, octave shifts, keyboard splits, pedal sustain, and related functions. Dedicated Leslie fast/slow/brake/bypass buttons maintain convenient access to essential rotary speaker controls. The XK-5 eliminates the XK-3C's somewhat incongruous pitchbend and modulation wheels, reinforcing its identity as a purist Hammond emulation.

Right of the drawbars, four buttons control the percussion generator (On, Soft, Fast, Third), with four knobs above adjusting a three-band equalizer featuring sweep-mid. Three additional knobs with associated enable buttons control overdrive amount, active effect, and reverb. The removal of the XK-3C's assignable function controls reflects the XK-5's focused dedication to authentic Hammond emulation, though the B-drawbar MIDI controller reallocation capability serves those requiring extended functionality.

Enhanced Leslie Emulation

The XK-5's Leslie rotary speaker emulation advances beyond the already-respected implementations in previous XK and SK instruments. A significant innovation provides two separate virtual stereo microphone arrays—one for the treble horn and another for the bass rotor. These microphone pairs can be independently offset sideways to emphasize or diminish the approaching sound from respective speakers. While subtle, this enhancement demonstrably improves realism in the complex acoustic variations that define the Leslie sound.

Connectivity and Modern Integration

The rear panel features comprehensive connectivity. An IEC mains inlet (factory-set for regional voltage, 220-230V AC on the review model) sits alongside an 11-pin external Leslie connection, quarter-inch unbalanced stereo line outputs, two assignable controller sockets (footswitch or expression pedals) with wiring-polarity slide switches, and an eight-pin DIN socket for the EXP-100F expression pedal with integral Leslie speed toe-switch. A 3.5mm stereo headphone socket joins three MIDI connectors (one Out, two In) and both A-type and B-type USB sockets. The two valves are visible through rear panel slots.

Beneath the rear chassis, additional quarter-inch sockets provide duplicate full-size stereo headphone output and connection for a CU-1 half-moon Leslie speed switch. A four-pin XLR socket accommodates the new H-Bus interface, carrying power and MIDI data from optional XLK-5 lower manual and pedalboard.

The USB-to-host connection (type-B socket) represents a long-overdue addition, enabling bidirectional MIDI (including SysEx), setup files, and system updates directly with computers. Remarkably, this class-1 compliant connection also streams stereo audio directly to Mac and Windows systems without requiring bespoke drivers. The A-type USB socket accepts thumb drives for storing and loading user setups.

Modular Heritage Series System

Measuring 119 x 40 x 12 cm and weighing just under 16kg—approximately 3kg lighter than the XK-3C it replaces—the XK-5 maintains identical dimensions while improving portability. It forms the centerpiece of Hammond-Suzuki's Heritage Series, offering modular configuration options with contemporary or traditional styling.

The XK-5 Heritage Pro System creates dual-manual setups by slipping the XK-5 between extended side cheeks of the matching XLK-5 lower manual. A folding metal frame (ST-XLK5) accommodates the combination, with optional 25-note pedalboard (XPK-250) featuring integral expression pedal, and metal-legged bench (BCH-250XK). Smaller 20- or 13-note MIDI pedalboards are also compatible.

Traditional B3 aesthetics are achieved through a wooden spindle-legged frame (ST-XLK5W) and matching wooden bench (BCH-250). This variant utilizes an XLK-5 with thicker side cheeks, marketed in America as the Model A-3 System and in Europe simply as the XK-5 Heritage with spindle-leg frame.

The 73-note waterfall keyboard features reversed-color bottom octave keys serving as preset selectors, with A# and B keys selecting corresponding manual drawbar sets. Eliminating the need for a mechanical release key frees the bottom C for additional preset memory.

Performance and Value Proposition

The XK-5 delivers the closest clonewheel experience to vintage console Hammonds, rivaled only by the flagship New-B3. The new keybed transforms playability into genuine joy, while the complete drawbar complement provides both comfort and practical versatility. The MTW-I sound engine contributes audible improvements that, while individually subtle, accumulate into indefinably more authentic sound. Close comparison with older XK or SK models reveals enhanced realism particularly appreciated by discerning players, even if differences might escape notice in live performance or typical recording situations.

The factory default settings deliver immediate realism and playability, but extensive parameter customization enables emulation of any specific vintage organ with remarkable accuracy. Hammond-Suzuki plans to offer downloadable custom tonewheel sets, including those derived from famous organists' instruments, extending personalization possibilities.

At £3,250, the XK-5 commands approximately three times the budget XK-1C's price, justified by the superb keyboard action, full drawbar sets, and sound engine refinements. Adding the XLK-5 lower manual elevates investment to approximately £4,674 (excluding stand and pedals)—more than double the SK2 compact two-manual organ or Nord C2D cost. However, compared to the portable New-B3 MkII at around £15,000, the complete XK-5 System with spindle-legged variant represents exceptional value.

The XK-5 targets highly demanding, discerning Hammond players who prioritize superb playability and ultimate sound quality. For those who take Hammond playing seriously, audition is mandatory—though financial preparedness is advisable, as departure proves difficult after experiencing its capabilities.

Technical Specifications

Keyboard

• Type: 73-key waterfall keyboard (61 playing keys + 12 preset keys)
• Construction: Custom-built multi-contact system
• Contact System: Three physical contacts triggering nine virtual contacts per key
• Bottom Octave: Reverse-color preset selector keys
• Touch Response: Authentic Hammond feel with adjustable key-click and note-on timing

Sound Engine

• Type: MTW-I (Modelled ToneWheel One)
• Technology: Hybrid sampling and modelling
• Tonewheel Sets: 4 pre-defined (A100, C3, B3, Mellow) with 3 variations each, plus 3 user-customizable sets
• Virtual Tonewheels: 96 individually adjustable
• Tonewheel Parameters: Volume level, high-pass filtering, leakage-tone levels, dominant leakage source
• Additional Voices: Vox, Farfisa, and pipe organ emulations (firmware 3.0+)

Drawbars

• Total Sets: 5 complete sets
• Upper Manual: 2 sets with 9 drawbars each
• Lower Manual: 2 sets with 9 drawbars each
• Pedal: 2 drawbars (footage)
• Pedal Customization: 3 pre-programmed options, 3 user memories
• MIDI Function: Lower-B drawbars assignable as 9-channel MIDI controllers

Effects & Processing

• Vibrato/Chorus: Three period-accurate scanner models (1955-57, 1957-59, 1959-74)
• Vibrato/Chorus Depth: Adjustable
• Percussion: Touch-responsive with On, Soft, Fast, Third controls
• Overdrive: Digital and physical tube-based
• Multi-Effects: Tremolo, wah-wah, phaser, flanger, delay
• Reverb: Adjustable
• Equalizer: 3-band with sweep-mid
• Matching Transformer: Digitally modeled with magnetic saturation and hysteresis

Valve Preamp

• Tubes: 12AU7 and 12AX7
• Configuration: Bookending signal processing chain
• Modes: Swappable order or complete bypass

Leslie Emulation

• Microphone Arrays: Dual virtual stereo arrays (separate for treble horn and bass rotor)
• Adjustable Parameters: Slow and fast speeds, rise and fall times
• Balance Controls: Rotor/drum/subwoofer volume
• Microphone Positioning: Independently adjustable sideways offset per array

Presets & Memory

• Preset Keys: 9 buttons plus cancel for both manuals
• Selectable Presets: 2 freely selectable per manual
• Preset Banks: 9 programmable banks
• Total Patches: 100 factory + 100 user

Display & Interface

• Display Type: OLED
• Controls: Rotary encoder Value knob, 4 navigation buttons
• Buttons: Display, Enter, Menu/Exit, Play, Master Volume knob
• Mode Selection: Rotary switch for chorus/vibrato
• Additional Controls: Preset bank, transpose, octave shift, keyboard split, sustain, Leslie speed controls

Audio Connections

• Line Outputs: 2 x 6.3mm jack (L/Mono, R) unbalanced
• Headphone Outputs: 3.5mm stereo (rear panel), 6.3mm stereo (under chassis)
• Leslie Connection: 11-pin connector

MIDI & Digital Connectivity

• MIDI In: 2 ports (5-pin DIN)
• MIDI Out: 1 port (5-pin DIN)
• USB Type-A: Thumb drive support for setup storage/loading
• USB Type-B: Host connection for bidirectional MIDI, SysEx, system updates, and stereo audio streaming
• USB Compliance: Class-1 (Mac and Windows compatible without drivers)
• H-Bus: 4-pin XLR for power and MIDI to lower manual/pedalboard

Control Inputs

• Expression Pedal: 8-pin DIN for EXP-100F with integral Leslie toe-switch
• Footswitch: 2 x 6.3mm jack with wiring-polarity slide switches
• Half-Moon Switch: 6.3mm jack (under chassis) for CU-1 Leslie speed switch

Power

• Connector: IEC mains inlet
• Voltage: Factory-set for region (220-230V AC on review model)
• Power Switch: Rear panel

Physical Specifications

• Dimensions (W x D x H): 1190 x 400 x 120 mm (119 x 40 x 12 cm)
• Weight: 15.7 kg (under 16 kg)

Optional Accessories

• Lower Manual: XLK-5 (contemporary) or A-3 (traditional with thicker side cheeks)
• Metal Frame: ST-XLK5 (folding)
• Wooden Frame: ST-XLK5W (spindle-legged)
• Pedalboards: XPK-250 (25-note with expression pedal), or 20/13-note MIDI alternatives
• Benches: BCH-250XK (metal-legged) or BCH-250 (wooden)
• Expression Pedals: EXP-100F (8-pin DIN with Leslie toe-switch)
• Leslie Switch: CU-1 half-moon

Firmware & Updates

• Update Method: USB-to-host connection
• Notable Updates: Firmware 3.0 (April 2018) added Vox, Farfisa, and pipe organ emulations

Manufacturing

• Manufacturer: Hammond-Suzuki (Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation)
• Keybed Manufacturing: In-house in Japan
• Heritage: Part of Hammond-Suzuki Heritage Series