Best to compliment an Electro 5D: Piano or Stage?

[philgm123]

I've had an Electro 5d for several years now and I love it. Looking to add to my rig with either a Stage 3 or Piano 5, primarily because I want an 88key unit on stage.

I play live gigs pretty frequently, with bands and solo. My plan is to use the Electro for synth and organ sounds and this other unit for piano/epiano primarily. There will certainly be some mixing and matching though.

Is the Stage 3 effectively just a beefed up version of the Electro 5d? What would compliment the Electro the best?

Fwiw, I want the stage 3 rather than the stage 4 because of song mode. I will change frequently between sounds and often without a plan, since I do a lot of improv.

[DJKeys]

The Stage 3 would basically duplicate the Piano and Organ sections you already have. The only difference would be the Synth section which is much more capable than the sample player in the Electro. If you had a Stage 3, in my opinion, there would be very little need for the Electro.

-dj

[ericL]

The Stage 3 would basically duplicate the Piano and Organ sections you already have. The only difference would be the Synth section which is much more capable than the synth player in the Electro. If you had a Stage 3, in my opinion, there would be very little need for the Electro.

-dj

I agree - the Stage 3 is essentially twice the horsepower of the NE5 and then some. Two piano sections, two organ sections, two synth/sample sections. Plus aftertouch, pitch stick, mod wheel, ability to morph multiple parameters for control via pedal, wheel, aftertouch. Far more advanced MIDI capabilities, song mode, etc.

If you're looking to use a two keyboard rig with one 88 note weighted action and one 61/73 note waterfall action, the NS3 + NE5 is a potent rig. As DJKeys mentioned, you'll have some duplicative functionality that could be helpful or unnecessary, depending on how you configure your rig. The NS3 could likely handle most anything you throw at it. While it would also be good to have a more compact solution in the NE5 for rehearsals or smaller gigs.

[cookie]

Seek for other brand, other sound type, no engine duplicate with either Piano/Stage.

Fred

[FZiegler]

My recommendation would vary a lot depending on what you are intending to do. If you are basically happy with your Electro (and want to keep it) and just want to add a second piano-like keyboard, you'd need to play two different keyboards and control two different sound generators: Electro + X. Then maybe add a Nord Piano (which has the same piano sounds you are already familiar with) or any other digital stage piano.

I'm using a Stage 3 Compact plus a 88-keys MIDI controller; I'm playing two keyboards, but every sound is from the Stage 3. There are downsides to this concept (mainly no independent piano-only keyboard), but less trouble with selecting the next program: Only one repertoire list. So, if you want to control all in one, sell your Electro and get a Stage Compact (2..4) plus any piano controller or a Nord Piano. A Stage 3 has song mode, for the Stage 4 you might need a software on a mobile device to organise and switch sounds.

Adding a Stage HA88 to the Electro is to me the same as for DJKeys or ericL. Depending on your demands towards a weighted key action, the compromise on the Stage 3 would be OK for you or not; the Stage 4 has the better piano feel in my eyes (rather fingers/ears) - but is quite expensive considering all that redundancy.