[HAM] why are tonewheels superior?

[OF]

At 11:55 AM 1/31/2007, Phil Glatz wrote:


> > >The tonewheels generate sinusoidal waves, which are free
> > >of harmonics and as pure as you can get.
> >
> >There's where you went wrong. Nothing could be further from the truth.
>
>So the output is not a pure sine wave?  I always heard the Hammond
>system was based on additive synthesis, based on Fourier's analysis
>of adding multiples of harmonics of a pure tone.  The tonewheel
>circuitry uses filters to remove harmonics, trying to get as close to
>harmonic-free fundamentals. And the synchronous motor guarantees an
>extremely constant frequency.

To be less flip than my first answer, Mr. Hammond was always disappointed 
that his vaunted tonewheel organ would not do what it was touted to do. The 
"sinusoidal wave" is full of trash. If you have a Hammond and an 
oscilloscope, take a look. Your first two sentences are correct, but that 
in no way leads to the next leap, "harmonic-free fundamentals." And thank 
god it didn't: as others have explained, the idiosyncrasies of the sound 
are what makes the thing great.