Nord User Forum

hello everyone,

Thanks a lot for all your comprehensive tips and opinions! This is very helpfull for me.

I think i will go for the NS3 88 key as i am playing in several bands and a allround tophits band too. Think i am a bit better off having a recent model and gonna do the investment for the latest model.

cheers all and thanks again,

Marc

Hello all,

Thanks a lot for all your comprehensive reactions! Very helpfull from a experienced group!

Think i will go for the NS3 and benefit the latest technology that is used in the NS3.

cheers,

Marc

I recently posted about this elsewhere, in some ways updating what I'd said in this thread earlier... I figured I'd put it here as well, to keep this thread more complete for reference.
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Each has some advantages over the other.

Advantages of the NS2/EX over the NS3 include pending load, bank buttons, endless encoders with LED rings for some synth and fx parameters (for visual indication of current settings and morph status, and no jumping when you move the controls), latch/KB gate, more flexible MIDI control, and more complete clav EQ emulation.

But the NS3 has the improved more informative display, seamless sound transitions, a more capable synth section, more polyphony, more sample memory, more morphable destinations, 4 definable zones instead of 3, improved Leslie effect, song mode, crossfades, pipe organ, compatibility with newest sample enhancements (piano EQ filters, nsmp3), and on the 73, the advantages of a low E (ETA: NS2EX had that too, but not the NS2), real drawbars, and an action that I find improved in terms of its piano playability.

The Monitor input only goes to the headphones on the 2 while it also goes to the main outs on the 3... I guess which is better depends on what you're trying to do with it, but I think the latter is more useful overall. Reverb comes after the Leslie on the 2, but before the Leslie on the NS3, and again, which is better depends on your goal (sounding more like a Hammond organ that had a reverb in it, vs. duplicating the sound of a room), though an external box will let you get the 2 approach out of the 3, whereas there's no way to get the 3 approach out of the 2.

The current version of the NS3 Compact has holes to support a music stand... earlier NS3 Compacts did not, and I'm not sure, but I don't think the 2 series Compacts had those holes either. I think all the 76 and 88s have had them, though, maybe someone else can confirm. A stand is nice to hold a tablet for charts/lyrics or a patch selection app.

Also, if you want a 76-key hammer action, the NS2 has the better feel, while the NS2EX and NS3 are lighter to carry around.

My personal preference might be the NS3 if I wanted the semi-weighted 73, the NS2 if I wanted a hammer action 76 (maybe adding a Ventilator pedal for better Leslie), and the NS2EX if I wanted the 88 (ditto), but someone else's priorities may be different.

Note that the shift down to including the low E for the compact model happened for the Stage 2 EX, already.