General Discussion of the Nord Stage (EX), Nord Stage 2 (EX), Nord Stage 3, and Nord Stage 4 Synths, FAQ, Troubleshooting etc.

Stage 2 EX 76

Postby ch79431 » 20 Mar 2017, 18:13

Hi:

I'm interested in upgrading from a NE 3 to the Stage 2 EX 76. Could anyone say if the action is similar/different to the NE 3 ?
Haven't been able to find one at a dealer to try it out. Also, how its action would compare to a Yamaha XS 7 ?

I really don't like the XS 7 action , great keyboard that it is......but I find its way too light....

Any comments welcome !
thx
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Stage 2 EX 76


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Re: Stage 2 EX 76

Postby KyleM » 20 Mar 2017, 18:20

Doesn't the Electro 3 have waterfall keys? If so then the EX will be different. I have a NS2 SW73 and I love it, it's light and the action is very playable for piano and awesome for organ. I would almost recommend saving some money if you could find a NS2 new somewhere.

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Re: Stage 2 EX 76

Postby Rusty Mike » 20 Mar 2017, 18:27

Which NE 3 are you referring to? I own the NE 3HP and the NS2EX 76. It's the same keyboard - Fatar TP100. The only difference is that the Stage has an aftertouch strip, but it does not change the feel of the action.

My Electro is well broken in (and relubricated by me), so it's plays a bit less stiff than the Stage, which I've only had for a few months. There is no significant difference otherwise.

This action is loved by some and hated by some. If you've played an Electro HP, you'll be well familiar with it.
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Re: Stage 2 EX 76

Postby ch79431 » 20 Mar 2017, 20:33

Well... Its not the HP model for sure.....and the manual only ever refers to it as NE 3. Yes I believe it has the waterfall keys......great for pno AND organ.
Actually Kyle..part of the reason I want to get a stage is the slightly longer keyboard....so I was wondering if I' d be giving up anything feel-wise with the action.

Thx for both your replies.
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Re: Stage 2 EX 76

Postby beeflat » 20 Mar 2017, 22:28

How does the TP40 in Stage 2 EX 88 compare to the new TP40 they put in Piano 3?
I know about the triple sensor. What I am curious about is the feel of the keys (weight, texture, dynamic response width).

I'm looking to upgrade from NE4HP to either the Piano 3 (I can get it for approx 2300 USD) or the Stage 2 EX 88 (roughly 2850 USD). I'm perfectly aware of the technical differences (the 2 sound engines, C2 organ, synth, external midi, etc.)... but what I am worried about is investing in the Stage 2 EX while there's hopefully a new stage on the horizon.
Last edited by beeflat on 20 Mar 2017, 22:29, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Stage 2 EX 76

Postby KyleM » 20 Mar 2017, 22:43

ch79431 wrote:Well... Its not the HP model for sure.....and the manual only ever refers to it as NE 3. Yes I believe it has the waterfall keys......great for pno AND organ.
Actually Kyle..part of the reason I want to get a stage is the slightly longer keyboard....so I was wondering if I' d be giving up anything feel-wise with the action.

Thx for both your replies.


Ah sorry I misunderstood and your welcome.
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Re: Stage 2 EX 76

Postby themixtape » 25 Mar 2017, 01:56

I just replied but it didn't go through--

I fully disagree about the NS2EX 76 and the 3HP's action. The 3HP first has longer/deeper keys. Secondly, the 3HP keys are clunky and loud. They also feel kind of cheap.

The NS2EX 76's keys are REALLY quiet, smooth... they feel wonderful. Shorter/shallower keys. No clunk at all. A good weight, but not clunky/noisy. Wonder if I simply lucked out with the NS2EX 76 and its calibration....
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Re: Stage 2 EX 76

Postby atacilio7 » 04 Apr 2017, 00:55

Rusty Mike wrote:Which NE 3 are you referring to? I own the NE 3HP and the NS2EX 76. It's the same keyboard - Fatar TP100. The only difference is that the Stage has an aftertouch strip, but it does not change the feel of the action.

My Electro is well broken in (and relubricated by me), so it's plays a bit less stiff than the Stage, which I've only had for a few months. There is no significant difference otherwise.

This action is loved by some and hated by some. If you've played an Electro HP, you'll be well familiar with it.


Hi Mike, I'm planning to buy the NS2EX 76 but everytime that I search about this keyboard I always find people talking about noisy keys related to this keyboard. Can you share to us your experience with this keyboard and the keybed?
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Re: Stage 2 EX 76

Postby Rusty Mike » 04 Apr 2017, 15:29

Earlier versions of the HP models had an issue where a slight mechanical "ticking" sound developed on random keys over time. If you're playing by yourself at low volumes, you can hear it. In a live band context, it's not noticeable. It's purely a mechanical issue, as the noise does not show up in recordings at all. There is an extensive thread on this, but note it started almost 4 years ago:

https://www.norduserforum.com/nord-electro-forum-f9/3hp-keybed-noise-t5060.html

I highly recommend you read through the whole conversation.

After the warranty expired, I performed a full lubrication of my Electro's HP action. That is detailed here:

https://www.norduserforum.com/general-nord-forum-f29/hp-key-bed-t10058.html.

Since doing that work, the Electro has not made any ticking noises, and I play it at rehearsals at least once each week.

There have certainly been improvements to the TP100 action over the years. When I first got the Electro, the HP action was rather stiff, and took some time to break in. I noticed on the Stage (purchased in October 2016) that the action was smoother right from the start. I had played a store demo Electro 5HP a few weeks prior, and was also impressed by the smoothness of the action, so there have definitely been improvements.

Also, the Stage has not exhibited the ticking noise I described above. And if it does, I will wait for the warranty to expire and perform the same lubrication job I did on the Electro.

One other significant thing to note. Nord has made some significant software improvements, so the instrument is in better harmony with the keyboard. On the Electro 3HP, you will always get the piano to sound no matter how softly or slowly you press on a key. It's a bit unnatural. The Stage is much better, as you can now press keys down very softly and hear nothing. I also find that, overall, the finger-to-sound connection is much more natural. Lately I've been practicing playing softly and with more expression and I find the experience on the Stage to be exquisite. The HP action is still a bit fussier than other high end actions, but it's helping me to learn to play with more dynamic precision.

I can also play some pretty decent synth solos on the HP action. There are a lot of B3 techniques you can get away with as well, but the action is too sluggish for stuff like rapid organ staccatos or many of the glissando techniques you hear jazz organists use.
Mike from Central NJ, USA
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Nords: Piano 5 73, Stage 2EX 76 HP, Electro 6D 73

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Re: Stage 2 EX 76

Postby offrhodes » 04 Apr 2017, 16:28

Rusty Mike wrote:...but the action is too sluggish for stuff like rapid organ staccatos or many of the glissando techniques you hear jazz organists use.

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