Buy NL4 or NLA1?

[Kharon]

Hello everybody!
This will be my first my first post! I'm standing at a crossroads. I have been playing synths for about 4 years as of now
and I'm currently playing my trusty Microkorg But I think it's time for an update!

I'm looking into the current Nord Lead 4 and A1, but also the NL3, but it a tough decision..
I want to be able to emulate some of the trance patches of the Korg
so that I can have the Nord as my main synth and have the Korg do some of the other sound I use in my songs.

Which one would be the best?

I'm leaning more towards the NL4 because of the 2 oscillators, morph feature, TB filter and the sexy wooden sides.

But the A1 has so many easy to use functions as the randomize/mutate and the like button.
+ that so many people are saying so many nice things about it and that the NL4 was let down?

And yeah the NL3 has the awesome interface with lights and
many nice demos on YouTube which the others don't..

I'm more of a (Euro)Trance/Techno/EDM guy so many of the demos don't please me
as they don't have many simple LEAD sounds in them and I get that other customers won't like that to much but, oh well..

Help me out here, some info and advice would be greatly appreciated!

//Johan

[RedLeo]

As far as sound is concerned, they all sound broadly similar. As I have said repeatedly, the difference in sound between the A1 and the NL4 is very much exaggerated. People claiming the NL4 is "disappointing" compared to the A1 just don't know what they're talking about, you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference a lot of the time. Any of them will do the job for you just fine, including the Lead 3.

So it's more about choosing which features you want, and Nord have made the choice between the A1 and the NL4 very difficult here, there's no easy answer, and certainly no right answer either. You obviously know the basic difference - the versatility of the NL4 compared to ease of use and fun extra features of the A1 - and then there's always the NL3's interface...

So I can't make your decision for you, but at least you should know that you don't need to worry if any of them won't get the sounds you want - they all definitely will, so you should be ok whichever you choose.

[Marlowes]

Hej Johan!

Another NL4<=>NLA1 topic!
I will not give any advice this time. I'm a very old guy. With old preferences.

I ended up buying both!

/Vänligen
Micke i Skåne

[Rcmusic]

NL4 has mutator (randomizer) too.

If you are into programming and love this, i would take an NL4. if your are not so familiar with programming synth, take NLA1

both are good decision anyway

[mnmlst]

I'm trying to make up my mind in this as well. While the synthesist in me is tempted by the deeper programming of the L4, I am leaning towards the A1, as the idea of a synth that gives quick results is quite appealing and would be a shift from my usual workflow.

Now do I want the rack or the keyboard....?

[Infinite5ths]

Keyboard - that and the pitch stick + stone-texture mode wheel are important parts of the quick-to-program, fun-to-use package.

[mnmlst]

Yeah, I feel like that would make it feel more like a complete instrument. I do have the G2 keyboard though, and a second one will require doing the Tetris studio rearrangement game

[mnmlst]

The only thing stopping me from placing my order is the fear that winter namm will announce a L5 or A2...

[Infinite5ths]

Hmmm...well, I guess if you already have a Nord keyboard to work with it's a little different. But nothing beats the immediacy of one power switch and everything on one extremely well-designed panel.

[mnmlst]

Just placed my order for the a1 keyboard