Nord Stage 2 vs Stage 3. Is the 3 worth it?

[iAMjari]

Hello.
Im just wondering. Is the difference between the Stage 2 and Stage 3 so big? I newly own Stage 2 and I think that Im loosing on some features of Stage 3. Should I worry about it or just rock with what I have?

[smcelyea]

I can’t address the Stage2, but the Stage2ex (which I have along with my Stage3) has at this point a better sound in the area of samples. The pianos hold their own. I guess the best improvement Organ leslie simulator once they got it updated to 1.32. I like the close mic. I am, at this point, disappointed with the Sample sounds. Strings, horns, and really about everything. Perhaps after I spend hours tweaking them, I might “dial” them in. My Stage2ex sounded great out of the box, but NOT the NS3. I guess time will tell? Sorta a let down for such an investment. However there are some new features I like, but isn’t it really about the sound. Well it is to me...


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[analogika]

That’s amusing. My Stage 3 sounds *much* better. The Feather Strings are wonderful, and I’ve easily managed to build pop string pads and brass that sound WAY better than I ever managed on the Stage 2 (my brass patches always sucked on the 2).

There are also a number of samples I don’t really need, because the synth is so much more capable and flexible.

[smcelyea]

I certainly could not disput any of that. As I said, I just need more tweaking time. [emoji1360]


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[themixtape]

Had the Stage 2 EX 76 before having to sell for bills.

One thing to note: 2GB for the Piano Library-- One can fit ALL the pianos in there (Larges, and a few XLs of your faves)... that's a LOT of space.

Another thing to note: the Synth section is WAY more powerful than the Stage 2... it's the Nord Lead A1 engine... the organic LED displays (two)... really nice. Seamless transitions between patches.

Right now you can get a Stage 3 76 on ebay for $3500 new.... tempting indeed!

I should ask-- what kind of sounds do you normally use? Pianos? Synth? Samples? Organ? If you're a piano person like me-- the 2GB would be so nice to have. Each piano offers different feels/different inspiration... those uprights... mmm.

[cphollis]

NS3, definitely. Significant upgrade.

There's a long, long list ... here's just a few highlights?

Pianos: (1) more piano memory, (2) more piano categories, (3) one-touch EQ, e.g. "bright"
Organ: (1) two nifty pipe organs, (2) marginally better B3, (3) marginally better Leslie sim
Synth: completely redone, much more powerful and deep. No comparison with the NS2.
Samples sound better for some reason. Also much more control of envelopes, filter, etc. Almost like a separate synth section.
Effects: big upgrade, new "vibe" effect, better control of things like chorus, phaser, etc.

The OLED displays are very nice indeed. More splits with cross-fade. Etc. etc.
I will also agree that everything just sounds a bit better and cleaner, maybe new DAC circuitry? I dunno.

I loved my NS2 76 to death. Got my hands on a Nord Stage 3 Compact, and the NS2 was headed straight out the door, no regrets. Add a weighted controller below, and you have one dangerous do-it-all board.

In the US, you can get a NS3 Compact for right around $3K by calling around. Or at least I did. Such a deal!

Or you can rock with what you have. I made a lot of music with several different bands armed with my NS2.

[smcelyea]

I agree the SYNTH is indeed way better, yet the Samples, for some reason, do not sound as real (imo). They are much more “synthy”sounding and less realistic. The A1 is indeed a better synth, but the real sample quality seems to be not as natural OR it is greatly effected by the synth parameters thus (imo) it takes a lot more time to get a sample to become a usable REAL instrument. Perhaps I am the only one that feels/hears this way and my ignorance is hanging out. I apologize as I certainly do not wish to offend. Ultimately I just want my NS3 88 to sound incredible. As I know it can. [emoji1360]


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[Quai34]

There is a lot of threads talking about these differences, Stage 3 worth it or not etc....That convinces me to keep both...That's why I will continue to save to buy the Stage 3...Let's say a Stage 3 Compact on top of a Stage 2 HA 88 seems also to be a killer rig, right? And I won't have to redo all my programs on the Stage....Or will it be too much "Red"?

[anotherscott]

I actually sold my NS2-73 for an Electro 5D-73. I wasn't happy about giving up so much (a lot of split/layer functionality, the VA synth, pitch stick, mod wheel, aftertouch, a good amount of sample memory, a lot of MIDI functionality, more flexible output routing, clav EQ, pending load, more direct patch recall buttons with direct bank buttons)... but I really wanted the low E, the new display interface, the real drawbars, and what felt like a better action. With the NS3, I'll finally be able to get (almost) all of it, plus seamless sound transitions, a more capable synth section, more effects controls, more polyphony, more sample memory. The main bit of the NS2 I'll still miss will be the bank buttons, maybe the pending load.

[cphollis]

There is a lot of threads talking about these differences, Stage 3 worth it or not etc....That convinces me to keep both...That's why I will continue to save to buy the Stage 3...Let's say a Stage 3 Compact on top of a Stage 2 HA 88 seems also to be a killer rig, right? And I won't have to redo all my programs on the Stage....Or will it be too much "Red"?

No such thing as too much Red. Two Nords, a Stay stand in matching colors. If they had red cables, I'd buy them.

You know it's me when all you can see is Nord Red.