Nord User Forum

[Schorsch]

I listened to all of your mp3 files, and yes the two recordings of the Electro 6 sound definitely different from the mono recording of the Electro 4. I wouldn’t it call „muddy“ but the Electro 6 sound has more kind of body while the Electro 4 sounds thinner and a bit clearer to my taste. EQ on the Electro 6 could eventually help to some extent but I think I know what you mean. Comparing all of them with the stereo recording of the Electro 6 with the mono recordings puts all of the mono files second or third class though, stereo is way ahead of all of them which is because the Nord pianos are stereo (not sure if that applies to all of them but most of them are). Doesn’t help you though if you want mono

[cgrafx]

To my ears, the Right Channel of the electro 6 in the stereo recording is almost identical to your Electro 4 recording.

The right channel would correspond with the brighter upper side of the stereo recording/sample.

Interesting... both of the MONO sound clips were from the left output specifically, so I just tried the same piano part with same settings using the right output for mono, and it does sound brighter and less muddy. Even still, the sound of the piano is definitely very different than before, in a less flattering way altogether.

Nord has not fundamentally modified the samples between the 4 and the 6. The question of if you recorded out of the LEFT output is not paticularly relevant as you don't know which half of the stereo sample is mapped to which output on each keyboard and they may very well be reversed or alternately a different mix or half is used in Mono mode.

What I can say is the Right side of the NE6 recording that you supplied is almost identical to the NE4 recording that you supplied.

So I would suggest you don't hit the mono button and listen to the Right output of the NE6 and compare that.

I did my comparison on a pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones just listing to both recordings out of the Right Ear.

[Gambold]

I too am a "four to sixer" on the Electro. I didn't notice a change in pianos but I did and do still notice a change in the B3 sound, and it's not for the better.

I spent a bit of time doing online research and getting into the E6 system settings to try and get back that sound I liked - but I wasn't successful. Nord must have changed their organ engine in a fundamental way. They also eliminated the 9th drawbar off during percussion feature which is just malign.

I recently bought a Crumar Mojo Desktop and it sound acres better than the Electro on B3. Electro still kills as an acoustic piano. Maybe my next Nord will be a Piano 5....

[Rusty Mike]

Same here - went from a 4 to a 6. My E4 was a 61-note and I wanted the 73, plus the split capability. Don't take it out much, as I only use it for small combo gigs, which are rare lately. The Stage 2EX 76 goes out a whole lot more since I need the piano action 99% of the time.

I actually think the APs and EPs sound better on the 6 compared to the E4 and my Stage 2EX. Might be due to HW/SW upgrades along the way or the filters they added. The organ engine on the E6 sounds close enough to the E4 that I couldn't tell the difference, so I guess it's good enough for how little I need it. But I'm still miffed about the 9th drawbar thing, especially since it's something they simply chose to remove for no apparent reason.

As with the Stage, I use both L and R outputs into my amp and don't use the MONO setting. I think it sounds fine that way. I'm in no rush to get rid of the Electro. I wish I could take it out more.

[Giusp7]

I recently sold my Nord Electro 4HP (which I owned for 7 years) and purchased an Electro 6HP a few months ago. My go-to piano sound that I always used was the Grand Upright piano (the XL version), but this same piano sound now sounds quite different to my ears on my Electro 6, which is baffling me. The Grand Upright piano on the Electro 6 definitely sounds thinner and more artificial, whereas the old Grand Upright sound on my Electro 4 was more natural sounding and more robust. Additionally, overall all the piano sounds on my Electro 6 just sound thinner and more fake-sounding than the ones on my Electro 4. I only used the Electro 4 both at shows and in recording via mono, never stereo, and I'm doing the exact same on my Electro 6. I'm not using an EQ on the Nord or any effects at all, just the dry sound. No string resonance, no piano EQ controls, none of that is on. I have the same recording and live gear as before - the same exact PA that I practice with and the same UAD Apollo x4 interface. I've tested it through my studio monitors, through headphones, through my PA speakers... same result. It simply sounds worse overall to my ears and I don't how to achieve the old sound that I got before.

Has anyone else experienced this? Can anyone else explain why this could be happening? I must be missing something here. Technically it should be the same exact sample from the same piano library, regardless of whether it's been loaded to Electro 4 or Electro 6, correct? I had the XL version on my Electro 4, just as I do now on my Electro 6. I'm truly baffled and it's making me want to sell my Electro 6 to find another keyboard because the piano sound is so tinny and fake-sounding that I barely want to play it ever, and I spent so much money on it! Truly can't understand how this is happening. I have to figure this out before I go on tour in a few months, so I would greatly appreciate any help with this! Thank you!

Ciao, ho avuto electro 4/5/6. I suoni di pianoforte erano identici tra electro 4 ed electro 5. Passando alla electro 6 hp è stato un disastro: tutti i pianoforti suonavano asciutti e sottili, il suono decadeva velocemente, non era rotondo come su electro precedenti. Non mi è rimasto che vendere electro 6 hp: grande delusione nord!

[FZiegler]

Hi, I had electro 4/5/6. The piano sounds were identical between electro 4 and electro 5. Switching to the electro 6 hp was a disaster: all the pianos sounded dry and thin, the sound decayed quickly, it was not as rounded as on previous electro's. I had no choice but to sell electro 6 hp: big disappointment north! (Translation: deepl.com)

Thanks for your insights! People who come by not on a regular basis may forget that the forum language is English only - due to the automatic translation offer from Google (which is of no use for those who just expect fully English conversation).

[Giusp7]

Hi, sorry for writing in Italian! returning to the sharper and less sustained sound of the electro 6 with the same sample, it could depend on the converters, a bit like what happens when you go from the Montage series to the MODX+ series.

[Gambold]

>especially since it's something they simply chose to remove for no apparent reason.<

It wasn't just that they removed it. They fully eliminated it. If it was too confusing for buyers not familiar with the feature on the actual Hammond, then turn it off for the default but let us turn it on in the system settings. I mean they have all sorts of tinkers in the system settings - why not this?

We've been over this before and I think someone(s) sent emails asking Clavia to at least tell us why (maybe there was a tech reason) - of course radio silence from that end. All the hootenany about the Stage 4 aside...Clavia still has a major problem with customer service/response that doesn't seem to be going away. Major as in the worst in the biz.

[manaje]

I listened to all of your mp3 files, and yes the two recordings of the Electro 6 sound definitely different from the mono recording of the Electro 4. I wouldn’t it call „muddy“ but the Electro 6 sound has more kind of body while the Electro 4 sounds thinner and a bit clearer to my taste. EQ on the Electro 6 could eventually help to some extent but I think I know what you mean. Comparing all of them with the stereo recording of the Electro 6 with the mono recordings puts all of the mono files second or third class though, stereo is way ahead of all of them which is because the Nord pianos are stereo (not sure if that applies to all of them but most of them are). Doesn’t help you though if you want mono

Thanks for your input. The stereo E6 Upright sound is growing on me, but because I like to run my E6 through pedals + using it with several other instruments, the mono sound is typically what I go for. I unfortunately don't have a stereo recording of Electro 4 grand upright, but I am absolutely sure there is a distinct difference (even comparing just the right channel of the E6 to the mono E4 recordings). The E4 upright sound was just considerably more inspiring to my ears, sounded more authentic and organic. I would prefer if Nord kept the original samples for all of their sounds, and just had a "Grand Upright Piano 2" updated version, etc. But that probably makes it more of a headache on their end to manage the libraries. Just hurts a consumer like me who didn't expect this big change, which is essentially a make or break for me. I am probably going to sell my E6 and go back to an E4 or find another keyboard in it's class.

[manaje]

To my ears, the Right Channel of the electro 6 in the stereo recording is almost identical to your Electro 4 recording.

The right channel would correspond with the brighter upper side of the stereo recording/sample.

Interesting... both of the MONO sound clips were from the left output specifically, so I just tried the same piano part with same settings using the right output for mono, and it does sound brighter and less muddy. Even still, the sound of the piano is definitely very different than before, in a less flattering way altogether.

Nord has not fundamentally modified the samples between the 4 and the 6. The question of if you recorded out of the LEFT output is not paticularly relevant as you don't know which half of the stereo sample is mapped to which output on each keyboard and they may very well be reversed or alternately a different mix or half is used in Mono mode.

What I can say is the Right side of the NE6 recording that you supplied is almost identical to the NE4 recording that you supplied.

So I would suggest you don't hit the mono button and listen to the Right output of the NE6 and compare that.

I did my comparison on a pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones just listing to both recordings out of the Right Ear.

I did a detailed AB between right side of E6 grand upright piano and mono E4 grand upright (I have many old recordings with dry E4 grand upright that I can go back and listen to). There is absolutely a difference. I am not trying to be in denial or disagree with you out of pride, but to me there is 100% a fundamental difference in the samples, after obsessively comparing for hours, I can very comfortably come to this conclusion without controversy anymore. And of course, in my opinion, the change in E6 Grand Upright sound is worse for my taste.