I am sure variants of this thread have been posted dozens of times, but I didn't find any with the new Stage 3. It's upgrade time after ~8 years of getting by on a single (but trusty and beloved) Nord Electro 3. I have some higher paying GB and pop gigs on the horizon and need to be able to use two sounds at once (lots of piano and organ), layer sounds (piano and strings), and access some synth leads w/ pitch bend (which I'm told the Nord can do over midi with a second keyboard).
When I bought the Electro 3 the differences between that and the Stage were very clear. But with the 5D it's less so. It seems to me the primary difference now is the synth engine on the Stage, which I'm not sure I need. (And, you know, $1000 ) Am I missing something huge?
23 posts
• Page 1 of 3 • 1, 2, 3
- onthecorner
- Posts: 21
- Joined: 14 Dec 2015, 18:43
- Country:
- Has thanked: 4 times
- Been thanked: 3 times
- Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Electro 3
Re: Electro 5d vs Stage 3
The NS3 gives you a lot of things over the Electro besides just the synth. Much more split/layer flexibility, aftertouch, a lot more sample memory, the ability to process sampled sounds through the synth, more flexible output routing, a lot of MIDI functionality, the cool pitch stick, seamless sound transitions, clav EQ, visual split point indicators, more effects controls...
But if you're not committed to having everything you need in one board (since you talked about adding pitch bend via a second keyboard), there are lots of things you can do with the combination of an NE5D and a second keyboard... maybe not everything an NS3 can do but also probably things the NS3 cannot do. And there are some other advantages to adding a second board to an NE5D, like the ability to have piano-action for piano sounds, more total real estate (you don't have to worry about the piano section of your piano-something split having enough keys for what you want to play), backup to get through a gig if a board fails (which is not simply a matter of reliability... boards can gets dropped, have something spilled into them, whatever).
(edit was to strikeout the visual split point indicators reference, the NE5D has them too, not sure what made me type that...)
But if you're not committed to having everything you need in one board (since you talked about adding pitch bend via a second keyboard), there are lots of things you can do with the combination of an NE5D and a second keyboard... maybe not everything an NS3 can do but also probably things the NS3 cannot do. And there are some other advantages to adding a second board to an NE5D, like the ability to have piano-action for piano sounds, more total real estate (you don't have to worry about the piano section of your piano-something split having enough keys for what you want to play), backup to get through a gig if a board fails (which is not simply a matter of reliability... boards can gets dropped, have something spilled into them, whatever).
(edit was to strikeout the visual split point indicators reference, the NE5D has them too, not sure what made me type that...)
Last edited by anotherscott on 22 Dec 2017, 17:46, edited 1 time in total.
- anotherscott
- Posts: 3443
- Joined: 07 Jan 2011, 04:50
- Has thanked: 38 times
- Been thanked: 1079 times
Re: Electro 5d vs Stage 3
If $$$$ is not an issue, update with a Stage 3 HA 88 and an Electro 5 or a Stage 3 HA 88 and a Lead or other board? Anotherscott is right, the advantages of a two KB set up is unmatched, even with the Stage 3...Otherwise, what would you have seen so many people with a Stage 2 and a second keyboard....
Stage 2/C2/NL2X+TC Pedals, 2XMatrix, EMU P2K, TX802, DSI P8/Tetra+H9, P12+TC HoF, D50+PG1000, XV5080,AX keytar, Streichfett, Drumbrute.Ibanez SR1200 & 2605 basses, Artstar AS153,G&L L2000,Legacy HSS,Asat Blueboys,Asat Deluxe Savanna.genelec 8040A.
-
Quai34 - Posts: 1874
- Joined: 01 Jan 2012, 23:02
- Location: CANADA WINNIPEG
- Country:
- Has thanked: 114 times
- Been thanked: 305 times
- Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Stage 2
- Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Lead 1/2/2x
Re: Electro 5d vs Stage 3
For the mix of capabilities you described, you can consider a Stage 2EX. It will still be more flexible/powerful than the Electro 5, and you can probably find closeout pricing right now, which will put it closer to the Electro.
That is, of course, unless you need some specific feature on the Stage 3 that the 2EX doesn't have.
That is, of course, unless you need some specific feature on the Stage 3 that the 2EX doesn't have.
Mike from Central NJ, USA
Tools: Ten fingers, two feet, middle-age brain, questionable judgement and taste
Nords: Piano 5 73, Stage 2EX 76 HP, Electro 6D 73
Tools: Ten fingers, two feet, middle-age brain, questionable judgement and taste
Nords: Piano 5 73, Stage 2EX 76 HP, Electro 6D 73
-
Rusty Mike - Posts: 903
- Joined: 08 Nov 2011, 21:57
- Location: United States
- Country:
- Has thanked: 91 times
- Been thanked: 507 times
- Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Piano 5
- Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Electro 6
Re: Electro 5d vs Stage 3
Agree with Mike, the NS2 EX may be the ticket if you want to act sooner - lots of great deals and Nord rebate available as well to put this into a similar price bracket as the NE5D. The NE3 will be awesome, but it's super new and still going through the early OS and bug-fix/feature add cycle. It will probably take a few more months to stabilize. I'll probably get one in 2018.
I recently pounced on a killer deal for a new NS2 EX Compact, as I had always wanted one to use for rehearsals and pick-up gigs. I'm very happy with it.
I recently pounced on a killer deal for a new NS2 EX Compact, as I had always wanted one to use for rehearsals and pick-up gigs. I'm very happy with it.
Nords: NE2, NS2 88, NS3 Compact x 2
Live rig: NS3, Vent, Radial KL-8, Shure PSM-900 IEM Rig, UE18 & UE7 IEMs.
Studio: Hammond A-101 & Leslie 122, Yamaha CP-80, Yamaha S90, NS2, DSI Prophet-6, Vent II, Roland JX-8P.
Live rig: NS3, Vent, Radial KL-8, Shure PSM-900 IEM Rig, UE18 & UE7 IEMs.
Studio: Hammond A-101 & Leslie 122, Yamaha CP-80, Yamaha S90, NS2, DSI Prophet-6, Vent II, Roland JX-8P.
- ericL
- Patch Creator
- Posts: 1158
- Joined: 23 Jun 2012, 00:36
- Country:
- Has thanked: 414 times
- Been thanked: 603 times
- Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Stage 2
- Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Stage 3
Re: Electro 5d vs Stage 3
Rusty Mike wrote:For the mix of capabilities you described, you can consider a Stage 2EX. It will still be more flexible/powerful than the Electro 5
On the other hand, the Stage 2EX really falls short of the NE5D in its organ functionality... the organ sound itself, the rotary effect, the drawbars. And the OLED display functionality is nice, too.
- anotherscott
- Posts: 3443
- Joined: 07 Jan 2011, 04:50
- Has thanked: 38 times
- Been thanked: 1079 times
Re: Electro 5d vs Stage 3
I would recommend the NE5D + NLA1 combination.
NE5D, NLA1, BS2, Boog, TX81Z, JV-1080, A33, AX-Synth, PC3K6, M350, BeatstepP. etc.
- criss
- Posts: 128
- Joined: 08 Aug 2015, 15:07
- Has thanked: 93 times
- Been thanked: 30 times
- Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Electro 5
- Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Lead A1
Re: Electro 5d vs Stage 3
What about keyboard differences between the Electto5D and the Stage 3? In the following thread someone points out that the aftertouch of the stage sw makes it feel different; that I might consider the Electro 5D with the Roland Boutique. Can anyone expound on that?
http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2872254/Nord_Stage_3_as_a_home_studio_#Post2872254
http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2872254/Nord_Stage_3_as_a_home_studio_#Post2872254
Last edited by BuckW on 18 Aug 2017, 14:05, edited 3 times in total.
Re: Electro 5d vs Stage 3
I play a Nord Piano 2 (no after touch) and a Nord Stage 2 (after touch). Not much of a difference, except when you're looking for bounce from a key strike, the Nord Stage 2 give you less because there's a sensor strip absorbing some energy. It makes a difference for me when playing aggressive piano parts.
Can't comment on the Roland thing.
Can't comment on the Roland thing.
I think I have gear issues ....
-
cphollis - Posts: 1576
- Joined: 01 Mar 2013, 20:56
- Location: Vero Beach, Fl
- Country:
- Has thanked: 58 times
- Been thanked: 696 times
- Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Stage 4
- Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Piano 5
Re: Electro 5d vs Stage 3
I may have not been clear enough.
My question concerns the difference in feel of the sw waterfall organ keyboards of the E5D (no after touch) and Stage 2 compact or Stage 3 compact (after touch).
My question concerns the difference in feel of the sw waterfall organ keyboards of the E5D (no after touch) and Stage 2 compact or Stage 3 compact (after touch).
Last edited by BuckW on 19 Aug 2017, 14:07, edited 2 times in total.
23 posts
• Page 1 of 3 • 1, 2, 3
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests