How long to wait for a C2D successor?

[maxpiano]

GSi DMC-122 with Gemini Expansion can

That appears to be an option. Pretty cheap too, but not a fan of the controls, general design, and the need for an external module. I'd still rather have a Hammond SKX (great functionality, but subpar sounds), and more so this imagined Nord C3D. Nord, take my money!!

Just for the sake of precision, the module is internal (Gemini- DMC 122 Expansion version) and to program it you need to connect via WiFi to its web interface (you can also use a smartphone or tablet for that so it's pretty handy).

Regardless, a Nord "equivalent" (to that or SKX) would likely be an interesting object, but I doubt Nord wants to go that way.

[Spider]

We're talking about a multi-timbral dual manual keyboard that can have organ and extra sounds fully assignable

So we're not talking about the C2D successor
At least, not in the form in which Clavia always designed its organs until now.

I think the problem is market positioning: when the C2-C2D came out there were virtually no alternatives for a 2-manual, dedicated Hammond clone. Now the market is saturated with excellent options, all cheaper than Nord.

What could Clavia do? I see very little room for improvement in the C2D: the interface was great and there was no room on the panel for additional controls. They could tweak the sounds a bit, but they probably felt it was no longer sustainable to keep refreshing an old product which was priced so much higher than the competition.

As for adding other sounds and turning it into a 2-manual Electro... Surely it would make some sense, but it would lose its main selling point (no-compromise Hammond emulation) and be even more expensive, probably more than a Stage3... How many people would buy it at €4K or more, when the Mojo costs less than half and the SKX 1000-1500 euros less?
And when you can just buy an Electro or Stage with a cheap lower manual MIDI controller, and have the same sounds with much more flexibility?

Maybe the solution could really be to just produce a lower manual for the electros, like Crumar and Hammond are doing.

[Tracii]

Maybe the solution could really be to just produce a lower manual for the electros, like Crumar and Hammond are doing.

+10 to the… a lot-th! A dedicated lower manual for the Electros (the Nord Electro LM ) would be awesome.

[maxpiano]

Maybe the solution could really be to just produce a lower manual for the electros, like Crumar and Hammond are doing.

This makes a lot of sense, some people already DIYed something like that, so having it as an official Nord product (possibly in 61 and 73 version) would be really welcome, imo (and the 73 version could be/should be size-compatible with the Stage Compact as well )

[Hlaalu]

A lower manual for the Electro might appeal some, but to me, the main question remains about what Clavia wants to do with the engineering itself of the sound of (Hammond and other) organs.

If, as you speculate, Nord totally discontinues the C2D, this means that future versions of the Electro and Stage will either have the same old C2D, as it is now, or no organ at all. The latter seems inconceivable, but the former also doesn't sound plausible to me.

A third option would be to keep working on the organ emulation but only as in included in the Electros and Stages. Again, I don't see why they would spend their resources on this and then deciding not to produce a separate organ instrument of any kind.

I think we have little clue about how a company like Clavia deals with this kind of marketing aspects, and any speculations shouldn't be taken too seriously... IMO

I'm here just to express my (single?) voice: personally, I'd be buying a successor of the C2D, so if Nord is reading this, this is just the voice of a customer.

[Spider]

this means that future versions of the Electro and Stage will either have the same old C2D, as it is now, or no organ at all.

Why should that be? Nord developed its Hammond emulation well before the C organ line, for use in the original Electro. Then, given the success of the Electro 1 and 2, they decided it was worth to put that emulation into a dedicated two-manual chassis.
If for the moment it's no longer worth it to produce a cumbersome and expensive double-manual organ (which btw is only our guess, we have no idea what Clavia is thinking/doing about that), I see no problem at all in Nord continuing to refine their organ emulation for the Electro and Stage line.

After all, it's what many major manufacturers (Yamaha, Roland, Korg, Kurzweil) are doing: they all have well-developed Hammond emulations but don't produce any double-manual clonewheel. The 2-manual portable organ sector is a VERY niche portion of the market, and I doubt it's very profitable nowadays with all the options available.

Personally, I want to see Clavia keep pushing its Hammond emulation forward, because presently there are better-sounding clones out there. Especially for the Stage and Electro lines, they need the best possible emulation to keep competing with the various YC61, Vox Continentals etc.
I loved the idea of the C2D when it came out because it was the best sounding, most portable 2-manual-4-drawbar-sets clone available. But it was really too expensive even back then, and now I'd simply buy something else. I had a C2, I currently own a SK2 and I think its emulation is noticeably better than Nords and much more customizable and versatile. It suits my needs and I'm not looking to upgrade, but if I was on the market now, I'd buy a Legend for the most faithful combination of tone and physical layout.

[cgrafx]

Nords future depends on them doing a complete ground up redesign of their entire product platform. The DSP chips that they use in all of their exiting/current products are officially discontinued and no compatible replacement is being developed (that DSP product line is dead). This is an unfortunate circumstance, but one that has been known about for a very long time (5+ years).

The upside is that it is an opportunity for new possibilities.

Technology has changed radically in the last 15 years, general purpose processors, memory, storage, etc have all become orders of magnitude faster and ultimately much cheaper, potentially paving the way for not only more powerful instruments but also lower cost options. This would also be the perfect opportunity for Nord to co-develop software-based alternatives that could be used to both enhance the hardware but also offer better software management and integration tools.

[Mr_-G-]

I wonder if one possible area for further market expansion is pipe organ emulation.
Are there any other charismatic electronic organs worth modelling?

[n0rdy]

I just think dual manual keyboards would be more popular if the extra sounds were more assignable/customizable. I know I don't like lugging around two separate keyboards.

[jeffkeys]

I agree with the above! Even two different keyboard actions, one better suited for organ and one that works for piano or organ (TP-40 like)!