I'm happy Nord haven't released a new Stage

[Mr_-G-]

Did you try http://www.bomus.org/

[smullins]

Nice

[analogika]

Nord Electro and Nord Stage are most popular instruments demanded on stage. You can easily proof that by checking statistics of what keyboards are normally requested in riders. Korg Kronos is almost never in these lists.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but a lot of the bands that have setups built around the Kronos don't send out technical riders that include backline.

They'll usually just carry their own redundant setups in one of the twelve trucks, and the only thing hired locally may be carpenters and hands.

[orangefunk]

I have a Kronos and I have seen it on plenty of stages… was even on the UK version of "the Voice". I think the beauty of the Nord is its simplicity. Just hit the power on and wait a couple of secs and you are playing. The Kronos is more a compositional tool although the setlist feature is fantastic. I have done a few gigs using the Kronos alone with just acoustic guitar and voice…. was nice to use set list, splits and all the features of the Kronos (Karma etc) and sound like a real full band...

[BobtheSquirrel]

It's kinda the question whether or not the great usability and on-the-fly editing of the NS weighs up against the downsides of it not having as many different sounds and detailed tweaking etc. etc. as other keyboards. For me, because Nord hasn't released a new NS on the past NAMM, they are now in the red (pun intended ). Maybe they can pull themselves out by releasing a great new NS soon.

[Gustavo]

I believe Nord is somewhat a nieche company, like DSI or Moog. Sure, you can get VSTs for the studio, a microkorg or an Ultranova for the live situation, or even a Yamaha or Korg workstation. In my city, everybody seems to use/buy/sell primarily Yamaha, then Korgs. But people buy DSI or Moogs because of the way they sound and the musician-instrument connection. That is why I believe Nord will keep it simple. Maybe add new effects, maybe improve some areas, maybe expand memory.

But I still believe the Nord Stage formula is a killer combo. Simple, intuitive, and at many times, just what people want: an emulation of the instruments used in 70s and 80s music: B3, Clav, Rhodes, Wurly, and simple synth leads and pads.

[soratach]

I'm very positive that the next stage will be a monster, and surely worth the wait! Besides to be very honest here i dont believe i've managed to use up my NS2 to its 100% fully yet.

[analogika]

Gustavo: Nord has long since left "niche" status.

The Nord stage series is the de facto standard for virtually every European touring act.

I was talking to a guitar player (a GUITAR player!) about a keyboard player for another project, and he explained that he'd tried to convince him to switch his ailing and broken gear to the stage standards: a Nord stage and a Kronos.
That is the guitarist's perception of "standard" keyboard equipment.

This may be different in North America, but Nord is actually pretty huge and damn near ubiquitous.