Nord User Forum

[Ricoche]

Hello everyone,

I'm curious if you think we'll see a Nord Lead A2 before an OS update or visa versa. There are a few places here in Japan where they are selling the A1 for less than a grand. I'm tempted to grab another A1 with the price being so low. These are boards found on the selling floor and it seems many stores in Japan are selling their stock to make room. Store space is limited in Japan. I figure I could at least flip the A1 and make a profit, but then I thought perhaps an A2 might come out. Who knows. Then I became curious about whether Nord might update the A1 OS in which case I "definitely" will be buying a second one as I LOVE the A1.

Any thoughts? OS Update vs. A2 update

Jim

[Marlowes]

Hej Ricoche!

I am so in LOVE with my NLA1 too. I don't think anyone will ever need a NLA2. Of course it is always connected to my MacBook Pro with the Sound Manager for total administration control. It is AWESOME. Even Ricard is thinking of buying one!

Thanks again, Mr Nordelius!

/Amicalement
Michael in Scania

[Mr_-G-]

So true... but with expensive equipment, you might want to think a bit before deciding. And really, it is not that you cannot make music unless you have this or that model.
I would put the question the other way round: Given the prizes and fame Clavia has earned, do you really think they will not plan making another virtual analog synth sometime in the future?
I guess that if there is an A1 update, it will be to correct some bug or minimal improvement, but for an A2 I would expect a substantial change (like reading nsmp files, 2 oscillators per slot, 2 LFOs and ADSR EGs, a bit like I hope the absent Wave2 would be)

[neolithic]

....like reading nsmp files...

Samples? On an analog modelling synth? Blasphemy!!
Whatever magic is being concocted in Clavia's labs, I am sure it will be well received though! the A2 can't come soon enough for me, as then I can pick up a cheaper A1...

[pablomastodon]

Neo, do you not know the Wave? Prettiest sounding thing Nord ever made...(okay, I love me some modulars, too)

Pablo

[neolithic]

I know the wave - I also hope it gets resurrected! Easter is the right time of year for that kind of thing

[SocProf]

If Nord follows it's previous patterns, it should be at least 4 years before we see the A2. Updating models is expensive. Updating OS is relatively cheap. Expect several OS updates to the A1 before the A2 comes out. At least that's my prediction.

Things could get complicated if they release an NL5 with the best features of the A1 (sound, effects) and the dual ADSRs of the NL4. But I don't expect the NL5 for another 3 years.

[ljefe]

What would you all like to see in an A2?

Aftertouch?
More patch memory?
A dedicated filter envelope?
Another LFO?
Effects from the NL4?
ADSR envelopes?
Patch editor?
61 keys?
More waveforms?
Audio input(s)?

I'd love a dedicated filter envelope, a stereo audio input so I could take advantage of the wonderful filters and effects, and more Performance memory space. Another LFO would be great. Those additions would spur me to upgrade.

[ricard]

I wonder if we should really take a poll on this ...

The feature I'm missing the most from the A1 is the ability to detune the oscillators in other than DET mode. For instance, if I've got a sawtooth and a square wave two octaves up it would give more life and movement to the sound if detune could be added. Only having detune when the oscillators are producing the same waveform is a bit too limiting IMHO. (That feature could be implemented with the existing hardware, by for instance having a SHIFT + Osc Control function control the detune. But I'm not holding my breath.)

Going up the list, three envelopes instead of two would be good; having a dedicated filter envelope really makes it easier to visualize sound. And I must say I do miss the sustain parameter (and apparently so did someone at Clavia, because at least the amp env has a non-zero sustain level when in mono mode).

Getting back to the sound however, I think what would be on my list would be not a cross between the NL4 and the A1, but a cross between the NL2X and the A1. I.e. the same voice architecture as the NL2, but with the A1/NL4's filter, and A1's seemingly alias-free oscillators (and also the multitude of waveforms). Clavia are very good a producing 'spartan' instruments, so wishing for a bunch of features I think is way outside the map. But the NL2X voice architecture is classic, and well thought out (could do with a few more routing destinations on the mod env though), and if it could be merged with the A1's sound I think it'd be a killer instrument, without breaking the budget.

But 61 keys and aftertouch ... yeah, it would be very nice, but I think the market would be too small given that such an instrument from Clavia would be very expensive. Remember, they pulled out all the stops on the NL3, and it didn't really make it in the marketplace, so they're finding alternate ways to go with their synths, the A1 being a case in point. I think whatever we see will not be as full-featured as the NL3, however, the technology used in the A1 has shown us that it's possible to improve the sound, if by improving the sound we mean making it sound more analog. So an 'NL A1X' I think would be a way forward.

[ricard]

[ Removed the post which was basically just an updated duplicate of the previous one ; have updated the previous one instead now. ]