Nord User Forum

[LeftyBass68]

Rotary encoder dials fall off,drawbar buttons totally flimsy compared to this E261,organ sounds not even close to a B3 out of the box(good thing I know how it should sound,hey Nord?)
The money they saved on cheaper tactile components and less than stellar wood finishing got diverted to the OLED's no doubt.I'm on my fifth OS since last May.
On a dollars per quality scale Nord has a ways to go to match Yamaha.If you need splits and layers and controllers look at the new Yamaha YC61,I plan on doing just that!
This 1983 Yamaha TX7 is on the same software it left the factory with.Still has many sounds I use gleefully blowing the doors off what Nord offers for 'FM'!

Glad I kept the NS2-EX88.Really prefer the NS3C to the 88.Played the E261 and NS2 yesterday.Gave the NS3HA88 the day off.
Poor thing is only nine months out of the box and exhibiting issues.
It still has some great features I love and use,not thrilled with the ergonomics.The placement of the ARP buttons works great for that purpose on the original NS3C up close to the keys.
The same can't be said for the 88 unfortunately.The buttons moved back up top like the newer version would be better no doubt than this early one.
Changing a user interface and keeping the same model and series name is what auto manufacturers do,Nord ryhmes with Ford.....too funny.

The 'sell'........Ford Transit T150 van with a 6 cylinder and 15" rims burns more fuel than the 8 cylinder GMC on 16" rims."Go green" Buy the V8 with the 16" rims.
You'll end up with more power,torque,and a REAL transmission (Allison) while the Transit vanishes in the rearview mirror.GMC all the way! Ford is for fleet rentals.
Nord is rapidly becoming the Ford.....in my opinion. They do pickup trucks and rear wheel drive sports cars just fine. Small cars etc are being discontinued for good reason.
People won't buy them,Toyota pretty much make sure of this.....

With the looming economic recession during this pandemic,many smaller companies will vanish or be consolidated.Nord will likely be one of them?
Like the Saturn,good product originally,got too big too fast. 38 employees for how long Nord? I don't see them in business much longer.
We all know the longer a product is produced the cheaper to manufacture it becomes.Blue chip companies like Yamaha are happy now.....
Just like the stock market bottoming out,money will go back into the blue chip survivors.Yamaha,Roland,Korg,will survive this.
Chances are Nord owners are about to be orphaned.Get ready for third party interventions.....will the Nord Sound Manager work without people on the other end of the USB?

[FZiegler]

Hey leftybass68,

your gloomy prophecies should stop here if you don't want to get totally ridiculous. We all understood you are upset about the product you got into your hands. Might have been the same to me, but simply isn't (yet).

What I liked about the Nords: They seem to be repaired easily in many cases. And to compare anything to a Yamaha YC61 - have you already touched one?

The corona crisis will touch a lot of businesses - I would regret seeing to survive only the big ones. Horrible imagination. But this is off topic.

[anotherscott]

1. Main use currently is Electric Piano

worth noting that the Stage 3 has the new EP EQ filters, the NS2 and E5D do not.

I'll also probably want to stick with SW keys

I think the piano velocity response of the SW NE5D and NS3 are better than on the SW NS2, but that may be subjective.

2. I use a Moog LP for monosynth solos frequently...Even with only my E5D, I need my LP. So a travel 2 keys setup currently.
...
I'm not sure I can pull off the synths I want without the A1. The 4 zone splits and addressable effects per split are really important to the success of going with just one keyboard.

I'm confused as to where the A1 comes into it. It certainly wouldn't work as your only board (no EPs or organ); and if you're willing to stay with two boards, well, that's the scenario you have with your NE5D+Moog that you're currently trying to get away from. Did you mean that you're also considering the possibility of staying with two boards but swapping the Moog for the A1 in order to have multiple simultaneous synth sounds?

Remember that the NS2/NS3 also have two External zones. So even though they can only play two internal synth sounds at once, you can also play two more synth sounds from, for example, an attached iPhone/iPad. Also, the synth on the NS3 lets you apply synth functions to samples, and it has aftertouch, so it has some advantages over the A1 as well.

4. I play a Hammond A100 but can't travel with it. I use the E5D live for this which is OK with my Motion Pro Leslie.

There is no NS2 with drawbars, so considering your A100/E5D experience, I think you may find that frustrating.

[JayDee]

Ignore Lefty Bass's financial advice at your own peril. Nord owners are in imminent danger of being orphaned. Guys are dumping them for an upgraded DX 7. All the pros that use to use Nords are already doing it. Justin Beibers keys player is only the first of many. I'd dump your Ford stock and put your money in GMC. The similarity of names to Nord and associated short comings of the Ford transmission is sure to reflect on Nord's OS. I feel sorry for the Nord employees having to go back to work at the Lutefisk processing plant in Malmo.

[Schorsch]

I have recently seen pros switching from Yamaha Motifs or Roland Fantoms to Nord Stage 3 - I don't believe that pushing this doomsday mood is what's needed here

[Schorsch]

I'm not sure JayDee intended his remarks to be taken at face value... dunno, something about that Lutefisk remark, y'know?

[JayDee]

Sarcasm doesn't always translate well, thanks Traci.

[Schorsch]

I'm not sure JayDee intended his remarks to be taken at face value... dunno, something about that Lutefisk remark, y'know?

Think so - I was referring to Lefty's post

[LeftyBass68]

Watched the Yamaha YC61 video from Andertons .Then I ordered mine.
I like the NS3C but this NS3HA88 has to go......keeping the NS2EX88.
Had it less than a year.Still under warranty.
Yamaha builds fine synthesizers with great keybeds etc,all in house.
MODX has already been out over two years.Word is the next one will have aftertouch.
Will look there too when that happens.

YC61 splits and layers from ANY key you'd like.Unlimited combinations of sound engines with FX.....basically what Nord should have done with the Stage 3.
This manufacturer is marketing the YC61 in direct competition to Nord Electro,and has more features like pitch and mod controllers.
Doesn't seem to have AT but either does Electro,will the 76 or 88 note versions have it to directly compete with Stage? Most likely will!

Nothing like a gloves off 10 round match to see where the money will go from here forward!How about 1000 dollars less than an Electro?
Nord must either be flattered at the sight of the panel,or shaking their heads.

[Schorsch]

my takeaway from this thread: MoDX has no aftertouch.