Nord's classical Virtual Analog Synth Nord LEAD 1/2/2x/3/4/A1 and Nord Rack versions

Nord Lead 4 Outputs

Postby Nogor » 27 May 2019, 20:15

Hi, I'm new to the forum here :)
I have gotten my hands on a nord lead 4 for a while now. I noticed that the outputs of it seem to be unbalanced. I do a lot of recording and haven't noticed that before. I somehow automatically connected 2 unbalanced TRS cables ( left and right) to output 1 and output 2 in the lead. However, is that the correct way to get stereo output from the device, since "you can assign the slots to each output". Does the lead even have stereo sound coming out of if? If it does, wich one is the left and wich one right. What should i do? I'm a bit confused!
Thanks in advance :)
Last edited by Nogor on 27 May 2019, 20:16, edited 2 times in total.
Nogor
 
Posts: 10
Joined: 27 May 2019, 20:11
Location: Helsinki
Country: Finland
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 1 time
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Lead 4
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Electro 6

Nord Lead 4 Outputs


Sponsor
 

Re: Nord Lead 4 Outputs

Postby CountFosco » 28 May 2019, 10:56

Interesting. I thought here's my chance to become an official forum grump and post a curt RFM response. So I searched the Lead 4 manual for stereo, mono, output, left, right. I can't see a way to control how L and R are routed. From a quick manual scan it seems like the only stereo information is contained in effects, and perhaps you're stuck with the default handling when you choose outs 12 or 34. Looking at the panel I can see LFO2 has a pan setting, and the unison modes should use the stereo field. There doesn't seem to be a ping pong type delay. So apart from a couple of effects, I guess it's essentially a mono instrument. Unless there is some stereo information built into some of the wavetable waveforms, but there doesn't appear to be any info in the manual about that. Anyone?
User avatar
CountFosco
 
Posts: 682
Joined: 16 Nov 2016, 11:23
Country: Switzerland
Has thanked: 152 times
Been thanked: 259 times
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Electro 5
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Lead A1

Re: Nord Lead 4 Outputs

Postby maxpiano » 28 May 2019, 12:21

Hi Nogor and welcome to NUF :wave:

@CountFosco: did the same research and came to the same conclusions. I think that bottom line NL4 output routing is similar to other Nord Keyboards (e.g. Nord Stage): when outputs are used in pairs you get a stereo output with 1&2 = L&R (or 3&4 = L&R), otherwise you get a mono output (on a single jack).
Last edited by maxpiano on 28 May 2019, 12:22, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
maxpiano
Patch Creator
 
Posts: 6187
Joined: 27 Jun 2011, 13:29
Location: Italy
Country: Italy
Has thanked: 441 times
Been thanked: 2177 times
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Stage 3

Re: Nord Lead 4 Outputs

Postby CountFosco » 28 May 2019, 15:51

maxpiano wrote: when outputs are used in pairs you get a stereo output with 1&2 = L&R (or 3&4 = L&R), otherwise you get a mono output (on a single jack).


Are you sure? I'm pretty certain if I just use one jack, on either Electro or Lead A1, I only get that output's signal. ie if I only use the left jack (Electro), or Output 1 (A1), I only get the left signal. Not a mono sum. Which is an important distinction for certain effects, eg panning or ping ponging. Or did I misinterpret what you said?
User avatar
CountFosco
 
Posts: 682
Joined: 16 Nov 2016, 11:23
Country: Switzerland
Has thanked: 152 times
Been thanked: 259 times
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Electro 5
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Lead A1

Re: Nord Lead 4 Outputs

Postby maxpiano » 28 May 2019, 22:36

That's what I said, when Output is set to 1&2 (as a pair) you get 1=L and 2=R, same for 3&4
User avatar
maxpiano
Patch Creator
 
Posts: 6187
Joined: 27 Jun 2011, 13:29
Location: Italy
Country: Italy
Has thanked: 441 times
Been thanked: 2177 times
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Stage 3

Re: Nord Lead 4 Outputs

Postby Nogor » 19 Jun 2019, 11:37

Thank you guys! This cleared it up! I will continue using the setup like before, but will not "pre"pan the signals to left and right in my Audio interfaces mixer. It actually sounds better that way too!
Nogor
 
Posts: 10
Joined: 27 May 2019, 20:11
Location: Helsinki
Country: Finland
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 1 time
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Lead 4
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Electro 6

Re: Nord Lead 4 Outputs

Postby pablomastodon » 21 Jun 2019, 03:44

The best advice on this kind of stuff will always be to "let your ears be your guide." That said, I pan hard left and right and prefer that sound.

bless, pablo
bun fyah weh fyah fi bun
User avatar
pablomastodon
Patch Creator
 
Posts: 4389
Joined: 30 Apr 2010, 20:45
Country: Jamaica
Has thanked: 1895 times
Been thanked: 1963 times
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Stage 3
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Wave

Re: Nord Lead 4 Outputs

Postby Synthetik Wookie » 15 May 2020, 22:07

So I feel dumb. I've had my Nord Lead 4 for seven years now. I usually play it with head phones, and always assumed that when I recorded into a project, for stereo, I sent output 1 to the left and output 2 to the right. I just set it up today for recording a preset with heavy panning, and it sounds summed to mono. I've tried everything, but it is clear that the headphones are in stereo. Either output 1 or output 2 are left or right, but together, they are sounding mono.

Any thoughts why this might be? I'm using unbalanced TRS and have switched out with several other cables, even trying a split ring and tip to try to get the separation I want.

Thank you!

************UPDATE***********

So I was using a UR44 USB audio device; switched to my Zoom H4N and got stereo using the NL4 outputs as 1L, 2R. Not sure why the UR44 wouldn't go stereo for me, but good to know.

Good to know I'm not crazy... or too dumb.

Cheers!

~Synthetik Wookie
Last edited by Synthetik Wookie on 15 May 2020, 23:03, edited 1 time in total.
Synthetik Wookie
 
Posts: 2
Joined: 15 May 2020, 21:54
Country: United States of America
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 0 time
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Lead 4

Re: Nord Lead 4 Outputs

Postby Dmkstbr » 27 Aug 2020, 21:12

Hi everyone!
I have a lead4 and i noticed a problem with the outputs. When i play suddenly the volume fall down to half.
I use the output 1-2 anyway, but i tried other outputs (3-4, headphones) and the situation was same!
What is it? Software problem?
Any ideas?
THX
Tb
Dmkstbr
 
Posts: 1
Joined: 27 Aug 2020, 20:57
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 0 time
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Lead 4
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Lead 1/2/2x


Return to Nord Lead / Rack Forum



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests