NS4C Impedance

[lawman]

Does anyone know the impedance of the NS4C outputs? I'm adding a tube preamp into the mix (probably a Boss Organ Lunchbox, in front of a Leslie 122H) and I wonder if I am going to need a buffer pedal to lower the impedance. I can't seem to find the specification anywhere, although this seems like a fairly important data point.

[cgrafx]

Does anyone know the impedance of the NS4C outputs? I'm adding a tube preamp into the mix (probably a Boss Organ Lunchbox, in front of a Leslie 122H) and I wonder if I am going to need a buffer pedal to lower the impedance. I can't seem to find the specification anywhere, although this seems like a fairly important data point.

in general all keyboard outputs are low impedance line level signals. It's not anything like guitars, which can be active or passive pickups and have impedance ranges all over the place.

You shouldn't need to do anything but plug it in.

[Valpurgis]

I'm adding a tube preamp into the mix (probably a Boss Organ Lunchbox, in front of a Leslie 122H) and I wonder if I am going to need a buffer pedal to lower the impedance.

I have a Lunchbox for my B3, it connects directly into the AO28 preamp via a tube socket adapter and the Leslie 122 connects to the normal 6 pin output of the B3. Don’t really see how you would apply the Lunchbox for your application with a NS4?

[cgrafx]

Yes, just looked up what the Lunchbox is, it is 100% not applicable to your NS4. It is specifically designed to plug into the internal pre-amp in an old-school hammond (B3, C3, A100, etc). There would be no way for you to use this with the NS4, or any modern organ (Hammond XK, Yamaha, Viscount, Nord, etc)

[lawman]

Thanks.
I just spoke with Tyler at Boss Organ, and it looks like his marketing materials may need some updating.
The Lunchbox is compatible with a clonewheel by way of a ¼" insert ("Y") cable and an inexpensive buffer pedal. The TRS connector of the Y-cable would plug into the Lunchbox's ¼" jack, one of the TS legs of the Y would plug into the keyboard and the other TS leg would plug into the buffer pedal, which would appropriately lower the impedance of the Lunchbox signal going into (in my case) a Leslie 122H. Tyler is thinking about offering a "Clonewheel" version of the Lunchbox with a small buffer added inside, which would be an elegant and welcome solution for folks like me.

[Valpurgis]

Interesting, this means he also would include a Leslie output on the Lunchbox or just a line level 1/4 inch output for further connection to his tube pedal preamp?

[cgrafx]

Pretty much everything that the lunchbox can do, you can already do directly on the NS4. You'll get a little be more control of the overdrive, but other than that it's a really expensive ($1000) and functionally inconvenient toy. The TRS Y cable interconnect is a terrible option. If you're going to make it adaptable to 1/4 inputs, then put an input and output on it and fix the output so it doesn't need another box (the pedal to be used). Its one thing to place a big box on top of a real hammond which has the space for it, its another thing to use that clunky form factor on a clone wheel that doesn't have the top available for anything.

[lawman]

I appreciate the replies.
My understanding is that, in the current configuration, no additional input or output would be necessary on the Lunchbox itself. The Nord's mono organ signal would pass down one of the TS legs of the Y-cable, into the ¼" TRS jack of the Lunchbox, then out through the other TS leg, through the buffer and into the lo-impedance ¼" input of the Leslie 122H.
Granted, the Lunchbox is a clunky piece of kit, but what's one more box that won't fit on top of my NS4C? I already have several others. I'll gladly find a place for it in return for a nice adjustable tube drive that can be warm and pleasing or blistering at whatever volume may suit my purposes. To me the internal overdrive on the NS4C seems harsh and unnatural.

[cgrafx]

I appreciate the replies.
My understanding is that, in the current configuration, no additional input or output would be necessary on the Lunchbox itself. The Nord's mono organ signal would pass down one of the TS legs of the Y-cable, into the ¼" TRS jack of the Lunchbox, then out through the other TS leg, through the buffer and into the lo-impedance ¼" input of the Leslie 122H.

This is exactly my point.. why a TRS Y-Cable. This is a non-standard cable that is great for studio Insert use, but not handy in any live application. If the cable breaks, you now have to either have a spare or you are dead in the water.

If it had normal 1/4 in and 1/4 out you could use any 1/4 to 1/4 cable which is available pretty much everywhere. Grab a spare from your guitar or bass player.

Again, why the extra buffer... just build the box with the 1/4 in and out and put the buffer in the box. Its is a complicated duct tape and bubble gum solution to something that should be bulletproof.