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1. Stephen Austin
   Member

   Does anyone have experience of this piece of equipment from Total Transformation Technology? We had only just found out about it, and the You Tube video clips sound very convincing.
   We are going to hear one live during the week - shall we end up buying one or not? Watch this space!!
   If we DO, then it could be connected to the Eminent Digital Classical organ (two 61 note manual and 32-note pedalboard) and/or to the Technics GA1
   Opinions and experiences welcome before we decided to buy or not.

   Can't afford an Allen right now :-( :-(

   If ever my ship was going to come in (as they say) it must have been the Titanic!

   Thanks
   Stephen

   Posted 1 year ago #

2. glyn astbury
   Member

   Hi Stephen..I have played the Blackpool Wurlitzer..... but I've now got it at home in the shape of TOIAB off Reg at Total Transfomation. when I got it I had it connected to my GA3 . I have now changed to a G100. and its a perfect set up
   If you like Threatre Organs go for it as it also has a Compton on it.I notice you have a Classical Organ ,a couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to play the mighty 4 manual Father Willice Organ in Lincoln Cathedral

   best wishes in your choise

   Glyn

   Posted 1 year ago #

3. Stephen Austin
   Member

   Hello Glyn
   Quite probably at the moment you were sending you message (for which thanks) Reg from T T T was at our place setting up our TOIAB to the Eminent Classical Organ !!! He lives not far away.
   It works fine on that but the extensive piston and capture action does not pick up the fantomXR - yet. We may have to do some further investiagtion on that.
   We also have a GA1, so, did you have any problems fitting up your GA3? Do the pistons control the box?
   Lucky chap, playing Lincoln Cathedral. It's on the list. On my 40th birthday I was invited to play for evensong at Liverpool Anglican, and later that year at York. Talk about NERVES!!

   Stephen

   Posted 1 year ago #

4. mikepatel
   Member

   Hi Stephen

   Was logging onto "New Here" and spotted your TOIAB entry. I was fortunate to come across Reg Rawlings in 2008 and heard the theatre sounds he had sampled and produced - absolutely stunning. I eventually obtained a Roland FantomXR and Reg's Theatre Card and have coupled same up with my Atelier.
   The Atelier itself had some great theatre sounds but with the new card, the choice is now extensive and the overall effect is impressive.
   Look forward to hearing what you eventually decide to do.

   On a slightly different topic, I have a friend who has just decided to sell his Rodgers Olympic 333 Theatre Organ which has midi fitted to all 3 keyboards, pedal board and thumb/foot pistons, and swell pedals. It's quite an impressive set-up. If you know of anyone who might be interested in it, please get in touch

   Regards

   Mike

   Posted 1 year ago #

5. NicEL8000
   Member

   Hi Stephen,

   I thought I would share my thoughts on the Fantom XR with you. It just so happens I currently have my friend Mike's one connected up to my EL90. To say I've been conducting a love affair for the last 3 days would be an understatement. The beauty of the Fantom is it's flexibility. It's 16 part multi timbral,so, with the "split" facilities onboard letting you put any sound anywhere on your two keyboards (and pedals), you could in theory have a 16 manual Compton if you wish! Overkill, I know, but it IS very versatile.

   As to it working on your GA1, I think it will work from the piston buttons no problem. My EL is changing it's programs this way, and I believe your Technics is every bit as good, if not better than the Yamaha. I'm not a Theatre buff or an expert on theatre sounds (I want it for the orchestral side), but I have to say Reg's theatre card is excellent. Even if you don't personally like some of the sound setups on the card, the facility is there in the user section to make your own, or use Reg's registrations and build on them to suit yourself! The couple of times I have spoken to Reg on the phone, I found him to be a very genuine chap, very helpful and pleasant to chat to.

   If I was to put into words what I really think of the Fantom, well....... I could be here till 2 o'clock in the morning boring you with how stunning and fantASTIC I think it really is. It's not for the faint hearted Stephen, but if you very much like doing your "own thing", then this XR is an arrangers dream. The touch sensitivity is quite extreme, even more so than my last Roland expander, but it's excellent. Some of the internal guitars are quite exceptional. Again, I'm not a guitar buff either, but with some of the voices 3 (or even 4 way ) velocity switched the handling and dynamics of this thing is mind blowing. I'm seriously considering getting one myself to be honest. Put it this way - it's just as well my husband isn't the jealous type.............

   Don't know if my opinion really helps you Stephen. All I can say is Reg is a very helpful and obliging chap, and I'm sure he could anwer any doubts and queries you might have. Looking forward to hearing whether you decide to go for it.

   Regards,
   Nicola

   Posted 12 months ago #

6. tony400
   Member

   Hello all.. well i certainly agree with nicola on this and i wont bore you either on how fantastic this is.. The biggest mistake i made was selling mine .. but come this tuesday i`ll have it back again ..i was running my fantom through a Yamaha HS8 organ which did the job extremley well as far as controlling the fantom for user voice changes etc. you need seperate speakers really to get the full sound which i wasnt getting as i was amplifyng the fantom through the HS8 speaker . certainly dont do the theatre organ sounds justice.

   I then decided to get the tyros 2 as reg made it possible to load theatre organ samples into this .. then i was recommened some bose speakers .. now this was the sound i wanted !! although adding a midi keyboard and a full pedal board just didnt have the same feel as playing organ .. so i now i found the speakers that would give me the sound quality (without spending an arm and a leg) i was after. i started to have regrets about letting the fantom go.. so again was on the look out for one which i managed to find

   ill be using the yamaha HX1 ,bose speakers and T.O.I.A.B by this time next week and this time i will concrete the fantom to my stone floor as it wont be going no where this time.(we all learn by our mistakes). all i can say is im looking forward to getting this all back up and running .. as mentioned reg is a great guy and very helpful ..maybe ill get another post on you tube using the theatre organ box but this time make it a bit longer than 57 secs ! cheers Tony

   Posted 12 months ago #

7. Stephen Austin
   Member

   Aaaah - are YOU Tony "HS8/TOIAB I do like to be.....etc.," on You Tube?

   You're the one that set us off on this lark - seeing you on You Tube. A million thanks for that. Having been theatre organ enthusiasts for years, organ teachers for years, and (occasional) performers on theatre organ and electronic organ how can TOIAB have escaped our attention?????

   Anyway, you will gather we now have one.........n' lovin' it.
   I notice that YOU recommend separate speakers to get full audio advantage. Reg said same. Any good tips on which to buy?

   The TOIAB will probably be migrated from Technics GA1 to Eminent (NOT John Mann type) Classical organ with 2x61 note manuals and 32-note pedalboard and two swells. This is the instrument that Reg set up with TOIAB last Wednesday.
   However, we have got it working to an extent on the GA1 but have a feeling that it's not just the GA1 that needs some midi-changing. Does the TOIAB need to be adjusted as well in order to communicate with GA1
   Any suggestions as to how to get the GA pistons to change TOIAB sounds would be much appreciated.
   Not very midi literate in this household :-(
   Can teach piano and organ to diploma level but MIDI !!! .........HAH!
   John is fiddling (intelligently, I hope) with it as I type!
   Any suggestions/advice would be very gratefully recieved before we start to bother Reg.

   Thanks again Tony - you were a revelation.

   Might add that a well-known organist was round for dinner the other evening and we should him your clip. Impressed indeed was he!!

   Best wishes
   Stephen

   Posted 12 months ago #

8. tony400
   Member

   Hello stephen and thanks the compliment .... well i tried a few sets of speakers before when i had the fantom but never really got the sound close to regs set up at morecambe last year,, anyway once again reg came to my rescue .... His buisness partner bought the bose companion speakers and these were recommended .. I havent got the theatre organ box back yet but ive played the samples on the tyros 2 using the speakers and there certainly is a big difference to what i was using before .. although not really big enough to fill the tower ballroom they will do the job for home use or even a small venue.. at first youd take one look at them and laugh at the size of them, 2 small speakers and a sub that will fit in a small ruck sack,,

   The next time you have a chat with reg stephen ask him about a set of speakers he just got called Rokit KRK or have a do a search on google .. these are meant to be even better ..as you will probably know speakers play a big part in all this espeacily with organ sounds you need to get those low frequency organ sounds coming out to get the full sound...

   Regarding the GA1 and getting the pistons to change..
   This is set on the fantom .. what you need to do is go into system> Edit and then program ctrl change .. turn the dial and keep trying the pistons till it changes .(it will prob be set on 17). then you will need to save the settings so you dont need to keep doing this every time you power up the fantom.. i`ll give you a bit more info in a few days time when my arrrives,
   cheers Tony ..

   Posted 12 months ago #

9. NicEL8000
   Member

   I'm with Tony on the "which speakers" subject Stephen. Speak to Reg, and if possible see if he could even let you hear them before you buy. The speakers are absolutely crucial in "making or breaking" a setup, and of course it's very much a personal choice of what you like too. I use JBL control 12's which are great for home use or for small concerts up to 80/100 people. Anything bigger and I would have to add the sub base woofer. Even without though, it's a very big, mellow sound. I wouldn't want to use the fantom (or any other expander) on just my EL speakers as they're not up to scratch (sorry EL owners, just my opinion). Also, by experimenting with the many different outputs available on the Fantom, you can get some lovely 'width' and 'distance' effects which will really only be appreciated when you add additional speakers. Good luck on finding something that suits you.

   Posted 12 months ago #

10. Stephen Austin
    Member

    Thanks Nicola and everyone else for their comments and advice re: TOIAB. Both John and I are "knocked out" with the fabulous sounds (and the fact that we are up till all hours playing with it. It's 7.50 am now and .................zzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!

    In order to demonstrate it to friends we have put it back on to the classical organ upstairs - full manuals and pedals - and in spite of having fiddled with it and the Technics, it just plugged in and played without a hitch! Reg has said he will talk us throught the Technics set-up.

    Keep you posted - but don't want to bore you with a TOIAB "blog" !

    Gotta go teach!
    bye (yaaawwwwnnnnnnnn) for now

    Stephen

    Posted 12 months ago #

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