Ok, so while out and about today I set my ipod to alternate between the Allen a[8-|]nd the Ahlbhorn Galanti sample CD. No question, the Allen doesn't even sound like a colliopie by comparison to the ahlbhorn. </p>
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Why doesn't Allen just buy Ahlborn's junk and put it in their trunk? Seriously, if nuclear war were to break out, the first thing I'd do is hide in the console of my Allen MOS-1. I know the stuff they make lasts forever, why not make it sound good too?</p>
Actually if you'd put a decent reverb on your MOS and add a few midi synthesizer or pipe ranks it would sound pretty good but it really depends on how much money you have to spend. I added pipe to mine for better sound and finally bought an Allen R311. Used, of course. No, I'm not rich, just discovered some stock that I was able to sell. Thisnewer Allen is good, with a beautiful console but actually not as reliable as yours. Plus dealing with Allen factory about newer models is a real problem. I have been revoicing with DOVE, the Allen voicing program but my 7 ranks of pipe still sound better. The Allen does have a beautiful Skinner Ezhaler (Cant spell and I'm too tired to go down and look) plus a nice String Celeste that blends nicely with my pipe Viol & Celeste. I think the Ahlborn as well as Phoenix and others are equal or better for a lot less money, but real pipe is no comparison. I have a Style D Wurlitzer TPO stored at the office that I got fairly cheap but due to health issues I cannot proceed with that project. So everything has it's limit. This Allen/Pipe hybrid is a challenge but fun to play when I have the strength.</P>
Actually if you'd put a decent reverb on your MOS and add a few midi synthesizer or pipe ranks it would sound pretty good but it really depends on how much money you have to spend.
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Al </p>
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Been there, done that, have the tee-shirt. Trust me, I've done everything to make the Allen sound ok. It's been all done. My point was that Allen organs don't sound like organs, even the new ones. Ahlborn Galanti's sound like real organs. The thing is I like the construction and design of the Allen console and I like the fact that I can just call up my Allen Dude for advice and should I have an emergency, which hasn't happened yet (and probably won't ever) he/ she will be there and they'll always have the parts. I suppose Rodgers is the same way. But people, people, people, why don't you learn to make your organs sound like organs??! I just don't get it. OK, I'm sure you've all had enough of this..</p>
I've had the opportunity to compare a recent large Allen installation in a local church against my home Ahlborn-Galanti 3200 several times in the past couple of years. I have to agree that the A-G sounds closer to a pipe organ than the Allen, both in individual samples and in ensemble. I use four different period voicings on the A-G, and was able to find pipe samples of appropriate tone and articulation in the stop library.
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I have seen comments at times implying concerns about A-G's service. I've been really pleased with Ahlborn-Galanti's service department in the US. They took over my support when my dealer went out of business, and they've been very responsive when I need something.
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The lack of dealers is the biggest problem for A-G and other Euro builders. The dealer I used to demo for (10 yrs ago) no longer handles organs, and no one took their place. I moved about 6 hours away and occasionally am asked about new organs by churches I deal with. I would love to recommend A-G both for quality of sound (my 15 yr old Praeludium 1 still beats many other instruments ) and value for the money. The problem is that the nearest dealers are 6-7 hours away- not exactly competitive in this area. A-G sales wants people to go through a dealer like most organ companies, but the only dealers in this state are Allen and Johannus. Rodgers no longer has a dealer (much to the chagrin of all the churches that bought Rodgers).</p>
If A-G cannot build a strong dealer network, they will not make inroads, neither will Johannus, Emminent, Phoenix and others. The only alternative is to be willing to deal directly with the end consumer and bypass dealers. Don't expect a church committee to drive 8- 10 hours to the only dealer in your region of the country.</p>
British and European companies often just do not realize how big America is and what it would require to provide adequate coverage here. You can drive from one end of Great Britain to the other in less than a day--it takes 2 days to drive across Texas. I really don't see how any organ company can maintain enough dealers to properly service the country--I'm sure it is hard enough to just handle the major cities.</P>
Aren't you comparing apples to oranges? How old is your Allen? AG3200 is new tech, but if you compare the sound to an Allen Renaissance Quantum Organ, there is no way the AG3200 can sound any better that the Allen. If you need to compare organs, it should at least be the Renaissance Quantum QL320 if you are comparing with the AG3200. AG3200 vs QL320 is likecomparing aPontiac GrandAm vs a Lincoln Towncar.AG does not even come close!</P>
I was definately NOT comparing my old organ to a new one. I was comparing the NEW CDs put out by both companies. The Ahlborn wins hands down. I do not have a Rodgers to compare it to, but I suspect that due to Allen's messed up tonal scheme it would sound better. Still, Allens are the best built!</p>
I had in my home an Allen MDC Classic 20, the baby Allen. I was so pleased with it (circa 1976). I later traded it on a Baldwin A240 which had the two voicings. At the time I was playing in various churches that had Allens, usually 2 manuals, and they didn't compare well to my Baldwin. There seemed to be a lot of duplexing and borrowing - the flute 8' on the Swell was identical to the flute 8' on the Great, etc.</P>
A church that had a 3 manual pipe organ bought a 4 manual Allen rennaisance which I christened the big Allen radio, though depending upon who is playing, it can sound very good.</P>
Currently I have an AG2100 which far surpasses anything else I've heard - but the dealer is in Ontario (I'm in British Columbia). I had a problem with "popping noies" and they replaced the motherboard and Drake technology, but it was months before they did it. My dealer didn't know what to do - fortunately I had a friend in Wisconsin who had encountered the problem and he went to bad for me with his dealer.</P>
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