Nord Piano 3 sounding flat/dull on monitors and recordings

[bsmlee]

Hello all,

I have owned Nord Piano for couple years now and I always have been disappointed by the dull/bad sound from the piano and in recordings. I am most definitely doing something wrong and I wanted to finally address it with the help of this forum.

Here's my current set up:

I own U-phoria UMC404HD Audio interface that connects to my mac via USB.

I run a Dual 1/4" TS to Dual 1/4" TS Stereo cable ( out of my Nord's left out/right out to my audio interface's Gain 1, Gain 2 in the front.

I have the knobs set to...
Gain 1: ~60%, line (not instrument), pad off
Gain 2: ~62%, line (not instrument), pad off (slightly set to higher because right out is always slightly quieter than the left out of nord piano. Not sure why.)
Main Out: MAX
Mix: half (to play both Mac and nord piano sounds)

I have my audio interface connected to my M-Audio AV-40 studio monitor.

I run a Dual 1/4" TS to Dual RCA Stereo cable ( out of my audio interface's L/R main out to my speaker's Line L/R on the back.

On my studio monitor, i have volume set to MAX as well.

Since I have main out and studio monitor volume set to MAX, my computer volume levels are always pretty low because it will be way too loud... but I have to do this because my piano sound is way too quiet/flat. (Even with everything maxed, it still has a "flat" texture)

When I connect my headphone through the headphone jack in the front of my Audio interface, or directly to the piano, it sound really nice, but I would really love to get 50% of this experience without a headphone sometimes...

This is just about playing the piano - when it comes to recording, it's another problem. I can address this later because I just want the playing situation to be fixed first, but recording is basically the same problem - volume is too low and sound is flat/dull.

I am definitely not an audio expert and this is my first electronic audio gear I have ever owned, so ANY expert opinions would be appreciated.

Thank you!

[cgrafx]

you have to pan the left channel to the left and the right channel to the right or you will be mixing the left and right channels to mono which will sound like crap

[bsmlee]

you have to pan the left channel to the left and the right channel to the right or you will be mixing the left and right channels to mono which will sound like crap

This might be a dumb question but how do I pan left and right? Isn't that a DAW thing

[cgrafx]

No thats a mixer thing and the software that drives your U-phoria UMC404HD will have controls to pan the inputs left or right.

[CountFosco]

If you use L & R outs from the Nord, into L & R ins to the UMC404, and select stereo on the 404, you have L and R signals going to your DAW. As long as you record into a stereo track, there should be nothing more to do. No need to do any manual panning.

[FZiegler]

If you want to hear the right thing first, could you try to play the Piano directly into the monitors? They have 2x20W which is not very much - but as you say, it seems to be OK for your computer.

[Akorder]

For a good stereo aural image you firstly need to have the signals panned hard left and hard right, and secondly have the two monitors' located from each other at approximately the same distance than your playing position is from each of the monitors.

[CountFosco]

Here's my current set up:

I own U-phoria UMC404HD Audio interface that connects to my mac via USB.

I run a Dual 1/4" TS to Dual 1/4" TS Stereo cable ( out of my Nord's left out/right out to my audio interface's Gain 1, Gain 2 in the front.

I have my audio interface connected to my M-Audio AV-40 studio monitor.

I run a Dual 1/4" TS to Dual RCA Stereo cable ( out of my audio interface's L/R main out to my speaker's Line L/R on the back.

On my studio monitor, i have volume set to MAX as well.

Do I have this right - there is only a single AV-40 monitor? If I look at pics of that monitor set, it should be a pair. The left monitor is powered, and accepts the L & R inputs. It then sends the right signal via speaker cable to the right monitor. If you only have the left monitor, even though you put a stereo signal in, you'll only hear the left signal. (or did you leave out an "s"?)

[bsmlee]

Here's my current set up:

I own U-phoria UMC404HD Audio interface that connects to my mac via USB.

I run a Dual 1/4" TS to Dual 1/4" TS Stereo cable ( out of my Nord's left out/right out to my audio interface's Gain 1, Gain 2 in the front.

I have my audio interface connected to my M-Audio AV-40 studio monitor.

I run a Dual 1/4" TS to Dual RCA Stereo cable ( out of my audio interface's L/R main out to my speaker's Line L/R on the back.

On my studio monitor, i have volume set to MAX as well.

Do I have this right - there is only a single AV-40 monitor? If I look at pics of that monitor set, it should be a pair. The left monitor is powered, and accepts the L & R inputs. It then sends the right signal via speaker cable to the right monitor. If you only have the left monitor, even though you put a stereo signal in, you'll only hear the left signal. (or did you leave out an "s"?)

I have a pair (left/right and of course they are connected to each other) that, i did

[bsmlee]

If you want to hear the right thing first, could you try to play the Piano directly into the monitors? They have 2x20W which is not very much - but as you say, it seems to be OK for your computer.

I would need a different cable to try this out right? I would need a dual cable out of Left/Right out of nord to my speaker's either TRS or line in (not sure what the difference is)