Which Nord Lead is the best?

[matje]

Which NL is in your opinion the best and why?

[Spider]

Short answer: the one that you like most according to your sound preferences and workflow.


Long answer: the 1, 2 and 2X are basically the same synth, with very minor differences in sound (a couple of modulation options) and improvements in memory and polyphony.

The 3 is a totally different synth. Many don't like its sound because it's said to be more "digital" than the previous generations. But it's also by far the Lead with the best features, modulation options, best keybed (aftertouch!!!) etc. And the best user interface of all the Leads with a proper screen, program names and those awesome LED-ring encoders.

The Lead 4 went back to the more typical Lead layout, lots of features but the interface (and keybed) was a definite step back from the 3. Impulse morph was great, the effect section much less so.

The A1 is said to be the most "analog" and "vintage" sounding, the effect section is also more geared towards classic vintage sounds than the "modern" effects of the L4. The interface however is severely "condensed" compared to all the previous leads, with much more limited modulation capabilities and lots of shortcuts and pre-determined configurations. Many people hate it, many love it. However, everybody agree that it sounds great, and the limited control panel make it super easy and fast to program.

I wouldn't forget the Wave series. It does a lot of what the Leads do, and add the possibility to load samples.
The original Wave was a really great sounding synth with some very interesting filter and oscillator options, and a simple but effective effect section.
The Wave 2 is more like a super-Lead A1, with the simplified interface but lots of great options and effects.

[23skidoo]

Ace summary, Spider.

I decided to have the best of all worlds and got an A1 and a Lead 3. If you asked me to sell just one of them I'd consider it worse than Sophie's choice. However, if I were to have neither and only be able to buy ONE Nord, I'd probably get either a 2x or a 4, depending on budget. Does that help?

[Spider]

Of the Nord I've owned/tried, in my opinion the best sounding is the Wave, and it's not even close. It has some weird (not to say stupid) limitations compared to the Leads (only two layers, no arpeggiator, no unison mode, aftertouch only to vibrato...), but when you start playing it you quickly forget, because it just sounds awesome. And it has some oscillators and filters which remain unique to this day among Nords.

The 2X is also very, very good, although a much more "traditional" synth. But the 4 layers and Morph greatly expand its seemingly limited capabilities (this is true for all Nord synths, of course).

The 3 is different and a bit more clinical and polite, but it has TONS more features and options than all other Leads before and after. So there are many many ways to make the sound more alive. And the interface is simply the best ever. Not "the best Nord ever". "The best ever", full stop.

I only spent a very brief time with the Lead 4 in a shop, but being already familiar with the Lead layout and features, I must say that it didn't amaze me. Its most innovative feature (onboard effects in a Nord synth, finally! WOOOAH!) was mostly a letdown, the effects are just not good in my opinion, maybe for making EDM or something like that, but surely not for my musical tastes. All in all, the thing that I liked most were the wood sides

I've never tried the A1 or Wave 2, so of course my opinion is missing a big piece of the picture. But I'm not really a fan of the reduced control panels. I have a Stage 2, whose synth section is almost exactly a Lead A1 (actually, the A1 is basically the synth section of the Stage 2 with 4 layers and a dedicated keyboard). While it's useful and more powerful than it looks, there are many times when I feel the need for more modulations options and control over the various parameters.

[matje]

The Wave is an iconic synth. I think much more then the Lead series.

I have the possibilty to buy a Wave, NL4 or A1. I will use it to play in coverbands. I have already a Stage 3 which has the A1 engine. So a NL A1 seems a bit stupid. The Wave is great, also the NL4. So don’t know what to choose.
A wave becomes a highly wanted synth. A NL4 not so much.

[anotherscott]

I agree with everything said above about the Nord Lead 3. It is a keyboard I don't expect to ever sell. Among synths that allow you to save your own presets, It's the fastest, easiest, most fun synth to program and use I've ever seen. Nothing else comes close in ergonomics/interface.

[maxpiano]

I have a Stage 2, whose synth section is almost exactly a Lead A1 (actually, the A1 is basically the synth section of the Stage 2 with 4 layers and a dedicated keyboard). While it's useful and more powerful than it looks, there are many times when I feel the need for more modulations options and control over the various parameters.

I had the Stage 2 for a few years, its synth section to me is closer to the Nord Wave rather than the A1 (and I agree that when using it for a while you start to get into its limitations, like the ones you mentioned)

To the OP I'd say that it is hard to say "which NL is best" because it depends on the genre and expectations (i.e. for example if you are looking for vintage or more modern/complex sounds and capabilities), but I think the other posts have described all Nord Synths quite well so you get an idea of each model's peculiarities and specialties.