Nord User Forum

[eliasl]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering what the major differences are between the Nord Stage 3 88 and the Nord Stage Compact? I want to buy one but not sure which one to pick considering the variance of price ...

Marc from MyKeysToMusic on YouTube has many great videos, but he does not compare these two versions, at least to my knowledge.

Does someone know what the similarities and the dissimilarities are?

Greetings from Norway !

[Schorsch]

Hello Elias,

some of the major differences are

- Keybed
Nord Stage 3 88: 88 keys fully weighted hammer action
Nord Stage 3 Compact: 73 keys light weighted waterfall action

- Organ
Nord Stage 3 88: LED button drawbars, no live mode, no half moon switch
Nord Stage 3 Compact: Physical Drawbars, Live mode, Half Moon Switch Control for rotary sim possible

- Weight

- Size

The rest is the same on both

[FZiegler]

Even if Schorsch was a little faster:

On a feature level, there are little differences. Same sound engines and so on.

Differences start with the drawbars: LED stripes with buttons vs. real drawbars.Which makes a difference in handling while playing organ. There are more differences in that part: only the Compact with its real drawbars has a third drawbar setting: live setting whereas the other two NS3 have only 2 electronic presets which directly change the LED bars. Only on the Compact you can mount a half moon switch to change the Leslie speed; the other ways to do it are in common: via pedal or buttons.

Next difference is the keybed: 73 waterfall keys (E-E; organlike) or 88 halfway "hammer action" keys (pianolike). Which makes a difference in size and weight, too - but mostly supports different ways to play. The Compact keybed is better for organ and EP (synth, too), not so much for piano; the other keybed is best for piano and EP (synth, too), but not so much for Organ playing.

Last point: Only on the HA88, you can mount the Nord monitors, and only for that model, the Nord piano stand fits. To compare prizes: The HA88 comes with the triple pedal (right?), the Compact doesn't.

In terms of technical data, it's mostly the same machine, but in handling and playability, it's quite different. To me, the Compact seemed closer to a Hammond organ than the 88 model is to a grand piano key action. But maybe only because I know well what a real piano action is like - and I've little to now experience with different organ types. Both instruments are worth a closer look in my eyes - only the HP76 is a version I couldn't get a friend with (lightweight, but neither a piano nor an organ - just something a former keyboard or synth player could use if he didn't want to get fast).

As I already had a stage piano, I wanted a NS3C as a second stage instrument. And am happy with it. My piano sounds now come from it.

[ericL]

It's a fairly simple decision based on your playing style and priorities.
Do you want a weighted action to favor playing piano mostly? Or do you want a waterfall action to lean more towards organ and synth technique?

Me, I chose the Compact as I am more of an organ and synth player, though I did play live gigs for about 8 years with a NS2 88 and loved it! I still have it and miss playing it on gigs. It lives above my console Hammond in my music studio at home.

[Bjosko]

The triple pedal are not included with 88 anymore.
A single sustain pedal are included with the HP and 88 model.
https://www.nordkeyboards.com/products/ ... ifications

[whitenoise]

There is also another aspect to consider, which I have brought up before on this forum, which is that it's much easier and economically advantageous to "transform" the Compact into a piano by adding a 88 key weighted MIDI controller than it is to "trasnform" the 88 key HA into an organ, because waterfall-key organ style MIDI controllers are virtually non-existent -- or priced as expensively as full clonewheels.

I got the 88 HA early this year but I would do it differently if I could go back in time. Surely I'll get the Compact version of a future coming Nord Stage 4.

As for the 76 HP, I am also not sure whether I get the point of its existence, as quite some other people do, but that being said there are also many people who enjoy its action.

100%

I'm using such set up at home with my Kurzweil sp2x which has almost the same keyboard action as stage 88. It works perfectly. This way you get advantage of both.

I had both NS2 compact and NS2 76 for a little while. I didn't like the 76 action for Hammond and Clavinet. Also the weight was higher. The compact fits nicely into check in luggage limit (under 20kg with flight case). Fits better inside a car. It also has a better value in the second hand market. it's a great choice.

Nord Stage has great feature called Dual mode. I like to use it for live gigs if there is a second 88 keys keyboard in the venue. Basically turns this setup into 2 great instruments.

[eliasl]

Thanks for all response!

I am more of a pianoplayer than organ, but would like to play a little synth as well. Based on what you have said I think I should go for the Stage 3 88, but you also mentioned that a possible solution would be to have a Compact with a exterior 88 key weighted midi controller to control the Stage Compact, as if I was playing a 88 weigthed hammer action? But with the sound coming oft of the Nord. I already have a Technics KN1200 keyboard, could I use this as my midi controller to control the stage 88? The keybed is wery light and is great for organ playing. However, only the left builtin speaker makes noise when I play, and even with headphones the right area will not make a sound. Would this affect the sound coming out of the Stage 88 if I use my KN1200 as a midi controller?

Maybe a easier question would be: when the signal is going through the midi cable, is it mono or stereo?

[FZiegler]

The MIDI features you would need to control the NS3 from your Technics arranger keyboard haven't changed within the last 25 years - so this should work as long as your KN1200 still sends MIDI accurately. But I'm not so sure if its keybed is what you'd want to play acoustic piano with. It's up to you if you still like the key action.

[eliasl]

Yes Hlaalu, I think this will be the most optimal for my use (?), the keybed on the KN1200 is the type of light you would want an organ to be, and that way I can play both instrument on different keyboards. Or me and my brother can play one keyboard each, with equally good sounds.

[NoDirection]

Hi eliasl!

I will really recommend you to try out the different Nord's in a music store if you are able to do that. See if you like the action of the keys, and learn more about the possibilities and limitations. Also remember the big difference in weight between NS3 compact and NS3 88 with bags. If you are taking your keyboard out on rehearsal or gigs, the 88 is quite heavy.