Why (Or When?) you don't need (Or need) a Stage 3

[Quai34]

A) If you have anything older than a Stage 2, the Stage 3 is a super beast!!! I think a MUST...
B) If you have a Stage 2:
1) Well, it's still a super instrument, so, no need for an automatic GAS to upgrade...
2) Well, if you are already using Setlist maker, no need for setlist and Prg Change with a pedal...BUT you have to have an Ipad (+1000$...) and to learn setlist maker which might not be as intuitive as the setlist in the Electro 5, I guess...Yes, I guess, I have never made a comparaison. Anyone could give us an A/B conparaison between Setlist maker and the Nord setlist feature?
3) If you really need the top in term of Piano Keybed, well, go for Kawai, GF on the MP11 or Kawai RM3 Grand II on the VPC1...Ok, you trigger you Stage 2 sounds with the VPC...BUT you have TO HAVE another extra keyboard...
4) If you have already other keyboards to help you switching seemlessly from one sound to another, even during the same song, well, you will not need that much the transItion features as well...
5) If you already have any NL2/2X/A1/NL4...No need for the A1 Synth engine, even the NL2 is still a very good synth...
6) If you weren't able to work around with only 3/4 piano sounds only, then, maybe the EX is enough...AND is going to be cheaper and cheaper as soon as the Stage 3 will flow into the market in July...Well, could be a good opportunity to get your first Stage 2...OR a second one?
7) You were able to deal with only one Organ Engine at a time....OR you have a C2 (Updated with the C2D Engine...) or a C2D...
8) You don't need the extra 100 MB for samples because you were able to work with Sound manager...

Ok, I stop here, I know that everyone is super excited about the Stage 3, myself as well, but if you have already added few extra units/modules etc to your Stage 2 to compensate for the few weaknesses of your Stage 2, well, no need for a Stage 3 right?
So, as a conclusion: Who will go for the Stage 3 route and who will go for the Cheaper (Used Stage 2, first or second one, other synths etc...) route, extra keys but tougher for transportation...? Just let us Know...
Sincerely

[anotherscott]

Sure, there have been ways to work around some NS2 limitations, but it's nice not to have to.

The funny thing is, I had already decided to sell my NS2 for an E5D, because I wanted the drawbars, the display, the updated organ, the low E... even though I knew I'd also be giving up a lot. With the NS3, it looks like I can have it all!

[ChillOnTheSun]

Well, my choice for NORD was primarily in use of Farfisa with all tremolo, delay and echo/reverb parameters on the fly, you can not make it on the other brands without external controllers + astonishing piano samples. But as I see, Stage 3 has no improvement of keyboard for piano players, nor drawbars in 88, only plus for me is 2GB for piano sounds bank. I rarely need extra portion of A1 synth engine. ONLY FOR MYSELF I will prefer Stage 2 EX 88. (If I have no problem with extra cash, I will buy Stage 3/88 of course!)

[analogika]

Really simple for me: from the second i bought my Stage 2, I wanted a nord stage with drawbars.

Deal. Sold.

[wolferl]

Definitely A) My (still great) Nord Stage Classic is now nearly 12 years old
Unfortunately I have to wait till july

[magpie85]

My Electro 3HP does me proud, but I always thought I'd upgrade to a stage model at some point.

I'm thinking my best bet may be to go for a stage 2/2ex from July onwards (second hand or new end of line stock). Its probably sooner than I thought I'd upgrade but would give me a whole new range of possibilities that the electro 3 doesn't have!

I will continue to use either my Roland RD 700GX or an acoustic piano for the piano keybed so I can probably go for a SW keybed in the stage model but don't like the idea of drawbars on the stage 3 (i'm not an organist and likely never will be).

[missoundscape]

I have the NS2EX (compact), and recently bought the NLA1.
I don't need the drawbars.
With the NLA1 I don't have the need for the extra split-zone feature.
The seamless transition is nice, but I can handle that with some creative thinking.
We are getting the layered piano-pads on the NS2EX as well, so that's nice.
I don't need the extra Gb's/Mb's for the piano/samples. I have the sound manager.

With my set-up, I have my own Stage 3. So, I will not buy the Stage 3.
I'm curious what the Stage 4 will bring.

PS; What really doesn't excite me, is the fact that I have to reprogram all my sounds, if I would buy the Stage 3.

[voodoo]

The funny thing is, I had already decided to sell my NS2 for an E5D, because I wanted the drawbars, the display, the updated organ, the low E... even though I knew I'd also be giving up a lot. With the NS3, it looks like I can have it all!

I think the same. I preferred the Electro 5 over the Stage 2EX, because of the drawbars and the display and the setlist. But now, the Stage 3 is the better Electro 5.

Uli

[ericL]

I don't need a NS3 since I have two NS2 (one the 88 original NS2 and the other 76HP NS2EX). I love these keyboards and they meet my needs. But, after having the NE5 for a period, I did become enamored with the Set List feature, the OLED, the drawbars...plus there are just enough other things in the NS3 that I'm sure I won't be able to resist.

[Spider]

My Stage 2 still checks all the boxes for me.
There is one single song in my whole repertoire where I'd need seamless transitions. Everything else, I manage with the slots.

Of course I'd like more memory and all the advanced features of the 3, but can't really justify the expense.
And the thought of reprogrammimg from scratch years of finely-tuned personal patches makes me nauseous.

So no, I'll resist GAS for the time being, and when I upgrade it will probably be to a used 2EX, so I can enjoy more piano memory (esp. for the layered samples) and still keep all my patches.