heavy sound problems with the piano section

[pianospieler]

I already wrote this to the nord support service the second time, but they didn't answer at all.

I am totally disappointed by Nord, because my Nord Piano II have real issues in relation to sound

Does anybody noticed similar effects, which I described in the following letter to nord?


"Dear Sirs,

Unfortunately I'm writing to inform you about several issues concerning some pianos sounds.

First some keys sounds defect or rather have a "hissing" in their tone.
Moreover there is a "stereo-bug": the sound from the keys comes from different directions (left, middle, right), even though they are in a line, side by
side. The stereo effect is not linear from the lowest to the highest key, so that some keys jumps from left to right into the ear (even when you play a
scale in the discant, where all tones have to come from the right side into the ear). It's hard to explain, but very annoying, because it isn't natural to
the ear. Normally you can hear the lower keys from the left side and the higher from the right. But nearly all instruments from the piano-section have got
this inconsistent stereo effect.

I tried different headphones to except these causes, but every time I heard the same faults.


The following instruments are affected especially:

-Grand Lady D StwD:
->keys with hissing sound: B1, H1, C2
->stereo-bug: this instrument sounds very "mono"

-Studio Grand 1 YaC7:
->keys with hissing sound: F#1, G1, G#1, A1, B1

- Studio Grand 2:
->keys with hissing sound: B3, H3, C4, C#4, C5, C#5,
->keys with hissing and (!) "mono-sound": B5, H5, C6 (sound comes from the middle, altough there are in the discant)
->all the other keys from this instrument have got the same issues, but in a lower scale! the whole instrument sounds like the recording had clipping in the microphones!

-Grand Imperial Bdorf:
->stereo-bug: for example play C2 to F2 in succession - the C2 sounds from the middle, D2 and E2 from the left and F2 from the right
-> no hissing sounds, but it sounds really synthetic!

-Italian Grand Faz:
->keys with hissing sound: C5, D#5, E5, F5
-> stereo bug not really present

I hope you understand, what I've tried to explain. I love your premium instruments and the quality of the hard- and software, especially my NordPiano2. But
this described issues have unfortunately disappointed me. I would be delighted to, if you will fix that for us users. I look forward to hearing from you
soon.

Many thanks to you!

Yours faithfully,

..."

[maurus]

Sounds odd. The best, to me, seems to check another unit. If (1) it is different, you have a defective unit. If (2) it is the same, something else (but not the instrument) is wrong.

[mjbrands]

I think you should contact the Nord distributor in Germany; you can find their contact data by going to the Nord website and clicking on Distributors on the top-right.

Sound Service European Music Distribution

Am Spitzberg 3
15834 Rangsdorf
Germany

Phone: +49-(0)33708 933-0

Email: info@soundservice.de

[bluesbaba]

you have got a pair of very sensitive ears brother!
i think most of us use the Nords in a live situation (on stage with a band) where the problems that you describe are not the main issue or of primary concern.(most of us have problems hearing ourselves at all)
Hope that you'll find help with your problem!

[pianospieler]

Can you post an mp3 file showing the hissing?

[pianospieler]

you have got a pair of very sensitive ears brother!
i think most of us use the Nords in a live situation (on stage with a band) where the problems that you describe are not the main issue or of primary concern.(most of us have problems hearing ourselves at all)
Hope that you'll find help with your problem!

No doubt, that's right. But the nords have (in spite of the described issues) a really high sound quality. And so I decided to buy an Nord PianoII for playing at home also.

It's a pity that Clavia has neglected to smooth out these very annoying problems in sound.

So I listened once again to the sound examples from the website. And I was capable to hear out my described issues from the hearing samples in the piano section. It's difficult, but after hearing my recordings you will hear.

So I can say, that my unit is definately not defect, but the Piano Libraries does have an inaccurate implementation of the recorded pianos...
This is really disappointing for such an enthusiastic brand like NORD
Especially the Nord Piano, which is promoted as an instrument particularly for piano sound.

[pianospieler]

here a few recordings - all following sound phenomenons occur in each quality (SML/MED/LRG/XL)

( Steinway D) hissings in some lower keys

• 1_GrandLadyD_StwD.MP3

(StudioGrand1_YaC7) keys with heavy overtones - sounds as if the frame of the piano was broken

• 2_StudioGrand1_YaC7.MP3

moore gentle hissings on the Bösendörfer

• 3_GrandImperial_Bdorf.MP3

(Fazioli) first a very synthetic sound, then strong hissings. unacceptable for such a premium instrument..

• 4_ItalianGrand_Faz.MP3

(StudioGrand2) noticeably clipping in the microphones - sounds terribly

• 5_StudioGrand2_YaC7.MP3

(ConcertGrand1) probably an interference phenomenon- not playable at all

• 6_ConcertGrand1_StwD.MP3

The "Bright Grand YaS4" , the "Black Upright (Petrof)" and the "BlueSwede Upright" are examples which are beautiful in sound quality - non such issues at all here.

[maurus]

Pianospieler, after listening to your demos of "unacceptable" sounds I would recommend that you sit down at a few real acoustic pianos and play them extensively and listen to them in detail. If you can, make recordings of them and listen to these after the fact. Many of the phenomena that you are referring to are characteristic of acoustic pianos (as opposed to unnaturally clean digital pianos). It has been one of Nord's decisions in their piano samples to include such realism - which may appear as 'imperfections' to some. The result is, among other things, that Clavia's samples sound much more realistic on stage (and in recordings) than many other DPs.

Sorry to disagree on sound aesthetics here.

[Mr_-G-]

@pianspieler: I think your nord sounds fine.

[sakari]

To my ears with my monitors, there are no problems with these samples...