Hi Buddy,
I had a quick listen to the 5k soul rock on the 7k and could not really hear the problem, but I no longer have a 5k to compare it with. Vars 1 and 2 need a little care with timing because of the syncopated rhythm, but as soon as the snare comes in on var3 it's very easy. You don't say where you got your versions from but if you leave your email address I can send my versions of the rhythms you are interested in for comparison