New Hammond SK-Pro vs Hammond XK-5 

I just purchased an SK Pro and it is a huge upgrade from my Hammond XK1 Got a terrific price on a demo model too. While I am 90% an organist, I have always wanted a Fender Rhodes sound and really enjoy playing strings occasionally. Most of my gigs are clubs or outdoors, not studio work. Like Frank Zappa said, when you are used to playing in hockey rinks..." Thanks for the terrific comparison, Nick!

The XK5 just sounds richer IMO, more harmonics, more analog, etc. I've heard the underlying engine is the same on both units, so possibly this is due to the tube overdrive?

The average pub or club gig audience will not know or care about the differences. They won’t even care about a real Leslie. Most musicians won’t even know or care. Only the Hammond nutters will appreciate it. But if you’re a Hammond nutter, that’s all that matters

Has anyone mentioned that the SK pro has been made with the same modelled engine MTW1 as the XK5. Any Hammond fan would prefer to have the XK5 in preference but for price and great versatility of sounds, the SK pro really cuts the mustard for most Gigging situations and of course there is a big price differential too. It's true that the XK5 sounds a little richer but in a live situation the portability and sound of the SK pro would be perfect for me. In fact I'm reconsidering my options having heard it. I have had the SK2 in the past but found it a bit fiddly especially with only one set of draw bars. Great video and great for highlighting the little difference between these two great boards. Many thanks

Great video as usual doing a side by side comparison of the the two keyboards. The SK line has definitely improved and sounds really good. The SK if it was the only board in the shop and I played it I'd probably be lusting for one. So if one needs to cover a multitude of bases then the SK is definitely your board, IMO. To my ear though the XK is still the gold standard of clone wheel organs on the market today, bar none. There's a throatiness to it's sound that makes it sing in a guttural way that just says Rock n Roll to me,

XK sounds really amazing, but SK Pro 61 is only 15 lbs (7 kg) and sounds pretty darn good too. Both are great tools, each better in their own right for certain occasions IMO.

The XK sounds like the real thing. The SK sounds like a really good physical model.

Man thank you...I bought the XK5 pro setup then the SKPro comes out. Always wondered how they’d compare and you did it for us...thanx...and I’m happy I have the XK5 set up. But I do realize the Pro could be very useful/versatile with my cover bands

Great review series! I am considering the SK Pro vs the Nord Electro, but I think this sounds better. Thanks for your help 👍

There seems to be quite different EQ settings on the two keyboards. The SK pro seems somewhat muffled and the XK-5 brighter with much more treble and less mid-range. There also appears to be a slight difference in the reverb between the two. It is really hard to be objective unless a lot of time was spent trying to match the two as much as possible before doing the comparison. I also wish the SK-pro was offered in a two manual version, but maybe that would c ompete too much with the XK-5 system/Porta-B? I can see use-cases for both keyboards. I used to gig with various clone-wheels and a Leslie 860, and have tone-wheel Hammonds and a Leslie 122 at home. Thanks for the comparison!

They both sound amazing

I think with an additional tube preamp at the SK pro it will be on the same level than the XK5. This would be a good additional test.

Thank you for the review, it was super helpful to hear them back to back out of the same speaker playing the same licks on each. Thank you so much!

love these reviews and also your playing. Playing organs for nearly 50 years and always keen to learn , especially with new tech. Have a Nord Stage 3 .. love it , but considering a dual manual Skx pro… Great work. ..

Clearly not the same sounding, XK5 better, but for what it’s worth, the SK Pro is still a very nice instrument, totally kills the Nords & Co.

5:47 "A bit thinner there. A little bit thinner maybe, don't you think?" Sums it up for me at least... I thought I wanted the the SK-Pro but this video changed my mind.

I finally had a chance to try out the SK-Pro, and I really like it! I think that the keybed is just right for what it is. IMO, Hammond has really outdone themselves with the XK-5, and now the SK-pro!

Love them both myself. Thanks for teaching me. I wanna learn more sir. I have a XK1 and XM1 i use as upper and lower manuals together along with my Hammond XB2 as a controller for the XM1 and get this my drawbars from my XB2 controls the drawbar settings on my XM1 i didnt even know that although i pocess the XMC2 controller with drawbars adapter wire all in tact from 1996 i paid$ 3700 usd back then and still have it.

It's simple. The SK has a darker tone to my ears, which I rather associate with a gospel / soul scenario. For (prog) rock I'd totally prefer the more open tone of the XK-5. Plus you can put a modular synth on top of it and go full Emerson. Great video. Is it possible to change / edit the virtual tone wheel sets? Would be really nice to achieve the XK5 tone with the more stage-friendly SK.

nice and interesting video, but there is no comparison. to my ear the xk5 is superior in everything, both in clean sound and in distortion. I have a Hammond sk2 and the sound of the SK Pro is identical to sk2. The keys to the touch between the SK and XK system are also different, I add that playing on a manual or on 2 is also different at least on my sk2 that is the sound changes a bit. anyway congratulations for the video and good music to all

It seems, that the SKX Pro is out of the box, what we hear. Hal Tschuchida made a great tonewheelset for the SKX Pro. It is worth to have it. Now to the comparison: The same drawbar settings are not the same. There are a lot of possibilities to tweak both organs. First it is useful to use a tube preamp for the SKX Pro. Both instruments are very narrow. There is not much difference. The XK5 has the Layout of a B3 and a wonderful keybed. On the other hands, the SKX Pro has the right weight and additional helpful sound and you pay nearly the half price.

It sounds like the sk has the eq roll off on the high end and the xk doesn't. Did you check the eq roll off in the overdrive menu to see if they match? Also with the tubes in the xk it will sound different, you could try bypassing the tubes.

The hybrid multi-contact keys on the XK5!

I liked your video and the comparison. Personally, being they are both Hammonds, which really proves out to be of similar high-quality equipment, I prefer the XK5 sound as it seems brighter and has a nice bite, however, the SK-Pro is no substandard unit whatsoever. If I had an SK-Pro, I would be totally satisfied with the quality and sound, but the XK5 just seems to have the sound I would rather have during any performance. There are a ton of other things either instrument can do that as well wasn't shown or heard. Nevertheless, Hammond products are top shelf no matter what model.

XK5 all the way. You're trying to convince yourself!

the xk-5 seems to be very cool, i like the semi-virtual multi-contact keyboard, the overall layout and the leslie simulation also sounds not too bad (for practising in the middle of the night or so). but it would have been so nice if they had put the older style drawbars on it (with the rounded heads), like the SK has! ;)

for me, the sound of XK5 is way better than SK-Pro ... XK5 sounds more authentic as well as is by far the closest clone of the original B3 (together with XK3c) ... I bought a used XK3c+XLK3 set and after seeing this comparison, there's no way for me to go with SK-Pro ... thanks for the video, Nick, you made it much more clear to me and proved that my decision was correct ... thumbs up

The XK-5 is a bit thicker in tone! the SK pro is great considering it's more portable than the xk-5. both awesome!!!

I was trying to keep my ears on the 2 keyboards, Mr. Foley. I was distracted by your playing. The SK Pro appears to be aimed at the same “sub market” as the Roland VR-630. Have you played one of those? Any comparison?

Excellent video.. I especially like the part where you mention regarding the Leslie sim “ dare we switch it to fast”. I feel that in many demos of Hammonds and clones they momentarily switch it to fast and then quickly back to slow as if trying to hide something.

The XK5 just sounds more analog and authentic to my ears. That said, the XK5 came out in 2016, anybody know if a successor is in the making, given it's approaching 7 years old? Would be frustrating to drop $4k on a new XK-5 only to have a new version released 6 months later.

❤it however the Hammond classic organ has More of the Classic Hammond BITE….. rounded in depth tone on the original as well. Thamks

Which. Is best for wholly bully watch it now 😮

I own a xk 1 c And now I own a two manual xk 5 Depend what you want to do with it In a rock band the xk 1 c is very well Same this sk pro If you play organ and want to feel that goose bumps and shout out WOW Go for the xk5 If you can afford with a Leslie

The Hammond SKX Pro Dual Manual coming soon in 2022 will make the XK-5 verses the SKX Pro Dual an even more tough choice with the double manual and triple trigger new keybed added to the new SKX Pro Dual manual product. I would still choose the dedicated XK-5 organ only with its more features mirroring the original Hammond B3 lay out unless you needed an all around gigging set up with the additional piano, electric piano, strings, mono synth etc...

LIKE LIKE LIKE! Got Subbed and Wizzin along. Q> which for a new age church fixed (very few gigs?) Big sound? Need the Leslie? Authentic XK on my mind.

@Nick - what was the signal chain out of the organs? Y-cable or through some sort of mixer? ... and into the 60s/70s stompswitch preamp for 147amps or the Trek UC1a?

How does the xk5 sound brighter and fuller when the sk pro supposedly has the same sound engine? Odd.

Nice! Still well out of my grasp $$$$$. I'm a bit of a Hammond geek, so it still amazes me that the Hammond organ, which started life as an imitation & cheap alternative, has probably spawned as many (or more) imitations as the instrument it was designed to replicate, the difference being that its replicas are NOT cheaper. LOL

Nick, I've been ponding a question for a while now and I know you're the man to ask. When you're playing organ how much, if any, of the tonal flavor or sound quality does the Leslie contribute to the overall sound? With my XK1c and Roland amp loaded with a 12 inch speaker it always seems sterile and or lifeless to my ears. I've heard a lot of good things about the Tall and Fat pedal by Lounsbury. Do you think that would open up and fatten the sound with a more dynamic quality? Just trying to explore options at this point in time. Thanks for any suggestions or thoughts

Good video. So we hear the difference. The XK5 has a little bit more body. But maybe it is still a matter of programming the patches. The demonstration is for me too much Rock sound oriented. I play soul, jazz, gospel.

SK sounds deliberately muffled, probably easily rectified with the internal EQ, or via external EQ if necessary.

Devo dire che il suono sembra abbastanza uguale ma la tastiera su XK-5 fa la sua vera differenza. D'altronde la differenza di prezza parla chiaro. Comunque l'SK suona bene, apparte il piano ed altri suoni che non sono di organo.

I like the mid range of the SKPro, the XK5 is very brittle sounding and too bright, SKPRO more Hammond like sounding to my ears.

Great but how about wooly bully watch it now 😮

The xk was distorted more than the sk

it sounds like you actually didn't turned off the cab emulation in sk pro can't you hear that? it's obvious sk pro will sound different and muffled because cab sims always cut some highs away. for this comparison to be fair you should've turn off Leslie sim in sk pro's menu...

They sound different. Is it really the same registration. I think some parameters are different. Maybe you can spent some time again to bring the both one the same sound structure and level. Thomas

would like to compare the pre sets how many, key bed etc

Buenos días sr profesor, cuanto cuesta instrumentos musicales? Ayúdeme con la información

Nick, It seems from what I've heard from you and others that a Leslie cab is an integral component for a great organ tone, yes? I'm working to try and achieve the best sound on a budget that I can as in bang for the bucks. I've been reading reviews of the Leslie Studio 12 and was wondering what your take is on it. Again I play at home for my own enjoyment so volume isn't a consideration in the equation. As always any thoughts or suggestions are always appreciated.

So the sky pro is a single manual?

Even without the Leslie , the XK5 blows the SK out of the water in my opinion. XK5’s only rival would probably be the Viscount legend, in terms of realisticness to the real deal and sound.

I love Hammond.. XK-5 -more intelligible, clearer sound

did hammond do an update on the hammond SKX PRO LESLIE SIM?

There is no doubt that the XK-5 is the real hammond and it is better. But, I have a suggestion: could you compare the SK Pro with a Nord Stage 3 73? Thanks!

I loved Hammond

the pro has the same engine as the xk5, can be EQd to be the same!

XK-5 sound like a real Hammond , the SK-pro sounds like its trying to sound like one. Then again I don't think the comparison was really fair as it looks like drawbar settings were not the same and some further tweaking could have be done for the settings For the price and the weight of the Sk-pro it would still be my choice for a gigging keyboard , not going to really here the difference in a live mix as much anyway.

Ok, first they both sound great and I would love either. However, they didn't sound like an original old-school B3/Leslie. I have been playing a B3/Leslie every Sunday for more than 20 years and trust me, I know the sound of B3/Leslie with my eyes closed.

Does the XK5 have any of the other organ models?

i have a question yes i know i'm late but i have been looking at getting a xk-5 but i want to know one thing about it before i look at it. i would like to know if the xk-5 has enough overdrive to play the song space trunkin or the song lazy off of made in japan. if anyone knows please let me know.

hammond xk5 sounds real, with soul. The other....well...sounds like a digital cheaper version...thinner, and with lack of that fat analog sound...can't understand why hammond keep on with this new models with more sounds and features, but thinner audio....

Hello, everyone says that the sound of the XK5 is better than that of the SKX pro, why since it is the same generator "Modelled Tone Wheel 1" (MTW1), thank you for your answers, have a good day

The XK5 has way more "body", the SK-PRO is thinner. The XK5 has more bite. I think the SK-PRO is a disappointment. It's great if you want a kind-of Hammond sound and lots of other things like piano and clav etc. I'd have the XK5 and if I need all the other things, I'd buy a workstation of some kind. That's what I have done. The XK5 wins in this comparison.

XK5 is the superior keyboard.

XK5 THE BEST AFTER DE ORIGINAL HAMMOND...... THE KING ELECTRIC - ELECTRONIC ORGAN.......!!!

XK5 has more "presence" -- it sounds more "hammondish" in some way.....

Price ?

Why does the XK5 sound so much better?

Anche se è giusto paragonare due prodotti Hammond, mi sembra che i due organi siano assai diceversi. La pasta sonora dell'HK5 è tutt'altra cosa. Avvicinarli mi sembra impossibile.

Ship to brazil ?

XK-5 by a mile.

Turn the distortion off

the high end on the pro is awful, otherwise very nice.........

They both sound like organ.

Xk5 beats it by far to say the least

First!!!

Too much overdrive.

so, ok. all right, well. mmh .. so?