Nord Wave 2 introduced :)

[PScooter63]

Folks, help me out here... I just don't get the consternation over semi-weighted vs. non-weighted. This is coming from someone who owns and plays the full gamut of actions, including non-weighted, all the time.

Seriously, give me a real-life, specific example of something that any of you feel would suffer if saddled with a semi, vs. a non.

And as long as I'm asking here, I also don't grasp why a narrower-range keybed is desirable over a medium-range one. Is it about fitting well with the rest of your rig, or transportation complications due to the longer length, or weight?

[PScooter63]

Folks, help me out here... I just don't get the consternation over semi-weighted vs. non-weighted. This is coming from someone who owns and plays the full gamut of actions, including non-weighted, all the time.

Seriously, give me a real-life, specific example of something that any of you feel would suffer if saddled with a semi, vs. a non.

And as long as I'm asking here, I also don't grasp why a narrower-range keybed is desirable over a medium-range one. Is it about fitting well with the rest of your rig, or transportation complications due to the longer length, or weight?

As far as the action goes, I agree with you on that one.

For shorter keyboards (3 or 4 octaves,) I like this for synths simply because that is all I need in the first place. As long as the keys are high quality, full sized, with velocity and aftertouch, I'm happy. Partially this is due to space and transportation, partially just because I don't have a reason to need more and therefore I'd rather pay less for a smaller board with well-placed octave buttons. But 3 octaves is the minimum for me. I tried a 2 octave and could not deal with that at all!

[cgrafx]

Seriously, give me a real-life, specific example of something that any of you feel would suffer if saddled with a semi, vs. a non.

Uptown funk horn parts. 6 stabs in a row.

Alesis QS8.2 (fully weighted keyboard). Very hard/difficult to get all 6 stabs, you have to short stroke the keys to do it.
Nord Stage 3 Compact (semi-weighted waterfall). Much better than the Alesis, but still a little sluggish. (I have no problem playing funky b3 parts on the NS3.)
Alesis QS7/QS6 synth action. Very easy to get all 6 stabs. The action is very fast.

[LewTheKeysGuy]

As I understand it, it's a complete redesign, it takes on the physical principle of the G2X as a 61 key instrument, breaking away from the 49 key aspect, that in itself pleases me. changing the key profile ad action again is. a bold step forward. What you have to think of is this, the original Wave opened up doors for synthesis with sampling and was a bold move for nord especially with the electro and stage series, etc and well worth it. I personally loved the Wave as it was a nice, compact sampler synth and it felt right. Though I miss owning one, The Wave 2 to me would be a welcome replacement. For me, what it offers meets what I need in my production basis so I've no scope to complain. Personally, I see this as a complement to the stage 3 and grand as more of an actual synth than a stage piano. I honestly have to say that there are people looking at this the wrong way by trying to compare it against the original wave. Think about why the original wave was discontinued, you'd be surprised about the answer as to why. This was a bold move for Nord and I'm pleased they've done this. I wasn't expecting a stage 3 replacement, etc and I'm glad of that, that means that I have a working scope that's more comfortable for my needs. I can't wait to feel this instrument, run my fingers across the controls and get to know every parameter and of course, start recording and performing with it.

lew

I totally get your point.

But that's the thing, you are pleased with this idea being a stage and grand owner. Which in their own terms are behemoths. So naturally, being familiar with the stage format and keyboard action this comes to you as a pleasant addition.

And that's the point of Nord. They want to sell this to Stage/Electro players. Completely disregarding their synth consumers.

Nords are forgotten on the synth world. And they will continue to be... Meanwhile several synths are coming out in module/rack /small form factors with a much more appealing approach.

Sorry to disagree here.

It is not a case of me being loyal to nord. I'll give my reasons as to why I'd buy the Wave 2 over anything else at the moment.
1: I rely on sampling as part of my sound design workflow, when the Grand is taken up with orchestral samples and the stage 3 has pipe organ data on for projects, I don't want to be constantly backing up and replacing data to do other work with when I'm right in the middle of sound programming.
2: The Wave 2 offers me functions that workstations from Roland, Korg and Yamaha no longer offer. Accessibility and tactility, when blind, touch screens are useless.
3: I grew up with nord leads, stages, etc so do trust their gear.
4: A lot of the instruments now being discussed won't be here in the UK such as the. "udo super 6" and as they're companies I don't know, I need to road test equipment, I don't rely on youtube videos to listen to, I need to spend time with the instrument personally to review it and then make a decision. Been burnt before buying hardware to find it just doesn't work for me as I need it to.
5: I've worked with god knows how many synths, samplers, workstations, etc over the years, the synths of yesteryear have either gone, become ridiculously expensive to buy used in the UK or have been abused to the point where sellers think it's their god given right to sell crap at a high price.

The Wave 2 covers what I need. The Stage 3 synthesis does provide some support but not enough. If nord released rack versions of their gear again, I would be perfectly fine, that way a stage 3 could go on the road with a couple of rack nords for further support. But nord have shot themselves in the foot with me on this. so I will have to look at buying used Rack A1 and Lead 4 units for synthesis to work with the stage 3 and also the Wave 2. my mind is made up.

Korg released the Wavestate, what a turn off. it's a toy not a professional synth / workstation. Korg have lost the plot. Look at the Kronos, no updates on it, no changes other than paint work and an italian grand, no processor or hardware changes since 2011. it's ridiculous. Korg are just pandering to their share holders and not taking pros like us seriously.

Roland announced the new Jupiter, yet other than some marketing on their website, the only version out is the XM which I wouldn't nudge with a wet flannel. let alone anything else, bring out the full keyboard edition and I might consider it.

just researched the UDO super 6. WOW! and UK made, even more interesting. Thank you for that mind blowing piece of info. whilst at it. Waldorf have introduced the Kyra (Kyro?) module synth, 128 voice for a good price by the sound of it. hmmmmm food for thought.

lew

[Spider]

Imagine paying even more of a premium to make it more inconvenient (61 keys) and sluggish (organ keybed)

It's funny that historically, the main complaint about the Lead series has always been about the terrible FATAR TP7 keybed: only 4 octaves (not enough real estate to play bass+chords, or to set up splits...hell you can't even play Jump on it!!! ), without aftertouch and of very low quality and playability (except the TP9 in the Lead3 and Wave).

Now that Clavia finally answered that criticism, people complain that 5 octaves waterfall+aftertouch is too big and slow...
Honestly, the tightly sprung TP8 waterfall keybed may not be the best around, but I find it totally playable.
I can play it as fast as my technique allows, and certainly professional players have no problem playing as fast as humanly possible (see videos of Joey DeFrancesco on the C2D).
Also, apart from the shape of the keys it's exactly the same keybed used in some top-end synths like the Virus, Moog One etc. And everybody says those synths are a pleasure to play.

I hardly see the keybed of the Wave 2 as a deal breaker, I'd rather be concerned about some limits of the synthesis engine, but we still know almost nothing about it, let's wait for reviews and manuals to be available.

[Happy]

Have DCO, VCO, Digital and rompler synths but looking for wave-table/sampling morphing synth in price range of 1500-2000.
This would fit the bill but still having the same requests for 7+ years

[a] AC 90-240V 50/60Hz world-wide internal auto-switch power supply and not a different SKU per region.
Desktop or Rack version (would be nice because of this key-bed and not everyone has space space anymore for more keys.. yes, yes, Nord main audience are performers)
but since it's multi-part (as Electro's etc..) and so many synths are key-bed only, people may definitely want something to run in a rack.
with latest chipsets it should be very easy to implement separate logical MIDI USB interfaces on USB as just using separate channels, but probably this is still running the same Freescale
core as on all other products.
[c] Supports MIDI sample standard to load/download samples (the old reason that MIDI is too slow does not count anymore, USB 2.0 is fast enough) via Sysex.
[d] Public available Sysex specification to save and load presets , waves and samples. (for Sysex going back to the Lead 2x)
Nord, please, there is time, please consider even you are not reading this
P.S not favor the color scheme too much. Green, orange and red LEDs, orange wheel, blue OLEDs. The bright green LED array a bit too distractive.
Guess red wooden side panels will be optional or some will sell them on ebay

[AdamStage2]

I don't understand the negativity towards this newer Wave,most people have been crying out for a follow up model to the Wave line, and here it is and most of the complaints seem to be over the action and size of the keybed???

The Semi weighted Action is fine for synths,and more than adequate for everyday synth use, the minor details of response time/key action?????does its really matter or that critical that its going to hinder your playing in most situations,I doubt that!!!!

I have played all manner of semi weighted/synth action/HA keybeds from all manufacturers over 25+ years,I have my preferences in terms of keybed,but find the Nord semi weighted boards no worse than some units that are more expensive and the Nords are perfectly usable for all manner of duties,I do hope that Nord are moving to use these keybeds and making them 5 octave in there synths in future.

As for lack of portability it may be a longer keyboard than other Leads/Wave but isn't a beast to carry to gigs its still lightweight for a synth of this size, and no more a burden to carry than a Nord Electro 61

Most of the negativity to its specs is a knee jerk reaction to the cost of the machine,its far and above the cost of the usual Nord Synth price bracket and heading into Stage territory cost wise which puts it out of the reach of some who proably would in reality actually buy it regardless of the issues they seem to complain about

[cambe]

Most of the negativity to its specs is a knee jerk reaction to the cost of the machine,its far and above the cost of the usual Nord Synth price bracket and heading into Stage territory cost wise which puts it out of the reach of some who proably would in reality actually buy it regardless of the issues they seem to complain about

I don't see the problem in discussing Clavia's recent take on synth-oriented products...
Which in my opinion and of a few of people here has been ill-advised

But since elitism has been brought to the table. I will refrain from discussing any further.

[AdamStage2]

I don't see the problem in discussing Clavia's recent take on synth-oriented products...
Which in my opinion and of a few of people here has been ill-advised

.

Why have you been ill Advised???

Nothing about this Wave2 has been a carrot on a stick from the original Wave to make people think it would be a perfect product for everyone!Nobody knew if a Wave 2 would ever see the light of day, and here it is and its greeted with Negativity!!!!

As an original Wave owner I see this as a vast improvement in many areas that will appeal to a lot of people not just those who are Nord aficionados,what instrument alternatives to this do you have ???A Sequential Prophet X??how much more does that cost!and will that give you all the things you desire????

Nord are free to make whatever instruments they choose to build,I'm sure like all Music instrument companies they will listen to customer feedback to move forward, however each to his own you'll never be able to make a one size fits all instrument!

You either buy a Nord product for what it offers you or look at alternatives from another manufacturer,nobody forces you to purchase it if it doesn't have everything you require,no amount of criticism will change the specs of what they have released at this current moment in time.

Nothing wrong with a discussion but is it a discussion or simply just a passive aggressive way of bashing Nord,We haven't even heard or seen any real demos of it as yet so lets take a step back and see and hear it first.

[kimuz]

i think the main point is the name, wave 2, that triggers specific hopes in every wave owner including myself.
but here there is almost nothing of the spirit and heritage of the original wave....

is they called this keyboard as "Stage 3 SE" (like iphone SE) nobody would complain probabily.

but to me the wave 2 should have been something nearer to a Prophet X approach than to a Stage