Stage Classic vs NS2 ?? (Help please)

[monsterjazzlicks]

Cheers RL,

There will be some stuff that you will still miss. There will probably be a ton of tedious re-programming of sounds and setups for live work especially. This is where a knowledge of sound and synth programming will be invaluable; if you know how your sounds are created, you can usually rebuild essential sounds without too much trouble. And even if you don't have that knowledge, almost all keyboards come with extensive sound libraries on board - chances are you'll find at least acceptable substitutes for almost anything, and you'll find a wealth of brand new and improved sounds that your old keyboard just couldn't do - after all, that's why you decided to upgrade in the first place, right? Even if you're actually downgrading for reasons of weight, size or budget, you'll find a ton of useful stuff on practically any keyboard these days.

You'll always miss something about old girlfriend - her cute smile or curly hair, but new girlfriend is a whole new adventure.

Yes, all in all, I think you are saying one should accept the (a) new instrument purely on it's own merits.

I think my current negative attitude has been shaped over the past 25 x years based upon the fact that I have, chronologically, moved through my family tree of keyboards in a particular fashion. It has been something like this (I have boiled it down to the mainstays):

Fender Rhodes Stage Mk2,
Korg Poly 61,
Yamaha DX21,
Korg M1,
Roland U20,
Roland XV5050 (module),
Nord Stage Classic,
MiniMoog Model D,
Roland Juno 6,
Hohner E7 Clavinet.

So you can see they ALL offer/provide something quite DIFFERENT to their predecessor and also, the two KORG's and three ROLAND's are of different entities. But I have happily accepted this fact because the (Korg) POLY 61 and M1 are at opposite ends of the spectrum to each other. And any changes have of course been much welcomed (the PIANO sound on the Korg M1 was far superior to the PIANO on the POLY 61!). Whereas, moving from a (say) NS2 to a NS3, I would have thought that most potential buyers would (for the simple reason that they both fall very much under STAGE umbrella) indeed WANT the next generation model to be downwards compatible? Imagine if you UPDATED from Windows_8 to Windows_10 and only 30% of your FILES would open/play/read in the latter mentioned?! I find it a delightful part of the purchasing/demonstrating process when the salesman replies: "Yes Paul, you can indeed load all of your old Nord sounds into this newer model". Also, by making the new instrument so different/incompatible (call it what you will), then they may as well RENAME it as well (eg the Nord Supertastic Professional). But I am not going to argue here anymore and I do always seem to be in the great minority on most things relating to the NORD! lol

To come full circle (back to the previous thread), regarding the SAMPLER and ARPEGGIATOR on the NS2, I could take them or leave them (but I might possibly enjoy the SAMPLER if I did buy one). What I mean is: I currently don't gaze down on my NSC and wish that it had both/either of these features. I am not sure if the ORGAN section has been UPDATED(?), but even if it has, I find the NSC ORGAN not to be lacking in anything (to my ears at least). In fact, a couple of my NS2 mates confessed that they really miss the FLASHING LEZLIE SPEED LED! But as for MEMORY (I am forever playing musical-solitaire!), and in fear of PIANO's becoming even larger MB (and also in hope that Nord increase the sizes of all of their RHODES samples!), having a mere arsenal of 128MB at my dispense is not very reassuring!

Best,

Paul

[RedLeo]

Imagine if you UPDATED from Windows_8 to Windows_10 and only 30% of your FILES would open/play/read in the latter mentioned?!

i understand your frustration but your analogy is not very apt. A better analogy would be if you upgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 10 and then expected your Windows 8 system files and settings to be compatible with Windows 10. Obviously this couldn't be because Windows 10 operates differently and there would be no one-to-one correspondence of the features and functions between the two operating systems. And surely it's not wrong for Nord to add new functions and features to the next version of any particular model. It's in the very nature of progress that things change. And with that change comes great responsibility - er, I mean incompatibility, pretty much by definition. Same with cars, for example. You buy a new model of your car, you don't expect to be able to install the old engine block into the new engine - too much has changed and it's just not going to fit.

In fact, a couple of my NS2 mates confessed that they really miss the FLASHING LEZLIE SPEED LED!

I'm glad you brought this up. I love this myself and I really hate the thought of giving it up someday. It was the perfect system and then they went and messed it up. Come on Nord, bring back the spinny rotor LEDs! You got it right then, it's not too late to see the light and repent of your sins!

Actually, I can't sleep so I'm going to start a new thread about this. You never know

[monsterjazzlicks]

Cheers RL,

And surely it's not wrong for Nord to add new functions and features to the next version of any particular model. It's in the very nature of progress that things change. And with that change comes great responsibility - er, I mean incompatibility, pretty much by definition. Same with cars, for example. You buy a new model of your car, you don't expect to be able to install the old engine block into the new engine - too much has changed and it's just not going to fit.

In fact, a couple of my NS2 mates confessed that they really miss the FLASHING LEZLIE SPEED LED!

I'm glad you brought this up. I love this myself and I really hate the thought of giving it up someday. It was the perfect system and then they went and messed it up. Come on Nord, bring back the spinny rotor LEDs

I am a typically annoying VIRGO, and so it goes without saying that I am most reluctant to CHANGE! lol

Well anyway, I have emailed DV247 (down in sunny Romford!) about the current price etc which they offer on the NS2.

Also, I watched a couple of You Tube videos on the NS2 SYNTH section. One is 17 x min's long but there's a bit of waffle and a few grey areas (and lot's of C-Pentatonic noodling!). But the poster did a good job to say it was his very first video. I will watch a few more and then probably post some unanswered questions here . . .

I think the LEZLIE LED is also used to show when a BULK DUMP is in operation.

Ta,

Paul

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hi,

I was trying to find the QUOTE (I think it was RED LEO) about the usefulness of the SAMPLER and it being a part of the SYNTH SECTION.

I did not quite understand, but I just found a You Tube video which explained it to a fairly reasonable level:



Secondly, what on earth does 'VIBE' mean please? It seems to have replaced FLANGER2 in the FX SECTION?

Thanks,

Paul

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hi,

The NS2 @ 2,050GPB (on the DV247) was an ERROR I have just come to learn! Shame, as I was very tempted indeed.

Paul


Hi Paul,

Hope you are ok,

The bundle you selected is a web error that has been already taken down, I do apologise.

The Stage2 88 is now discontinued.

Many Thanks,

Best Regards,

Sales Advisor

[RedLeo]

I was trying to find the QUOTE (I think it was RED LEO) about the usefulness of the SAMPLER and it being a part of the SYNTH SECTION.l

Not me, but anyway: on the Electros and Piano 2, you basically just use the samples "raw" ie they just sound as they come and that's about it. You can adjust the envelope of a sample, and on the E5 there is also a filter you can apply to vary the tone.

On the Stage 2, you can do a whole lot more to the sample. There isn't a separate "Sample" section as such; instead the samples are passed through the whole of the synth circuitry and you can use all the facilities of the synth section to change the sound of the samples extensively. In other words, the sample becomes the source sound of the synth instead of the oscillators. For any given sound, this is an "either/or" - if you use a sample as a sound source, you can't also use the oscillators at the same time.

what on earth does 'VIBE' mean please?

It stands for "Univibe", which was any early version of a phaser/chorus/vibrato/leslie simulator developed in the late 60s. They were most famously used by Jimi Hendrix and were popular through to the mid-seventies, when the development of more advanced choruses, phasers and flangers overtook them. While broadly similar to all of the above, they have a unique sound to them which has gained popularity again in recent years. They're often associated with a "psychedelic" or "spacey" feel. Pink Floyd used them as well, and Robin Trower's sound was heavily based around them.

[monsterjazzlicks]

Thanks RL,

On the Stage 2, you can do a whole lot more to the sample. There isn't a separate "Sample" section as such; instead the samples are passed through the whole of the synth circuitry and you can use all the facilities of the synth section to change the sound of the samples extensively. In other words, the sample becomes the source sound of the synth instead of the oscillators.

It stands for "Univibe", which was any early version of a phaser/chorus/vibrato/leslie simulator developed in the late 60s.

Well, visually at least, that was what was confusing me; hence my initial question in the other thread. I was (forgivably!) expecting to see 4 x PANELS (Org, Piano, Syn, Sampler) to accommodate for the extra engine. But as you kindly informed me, the latter mentioned resides/shares in the SYNTH section. That is actually very sophisticated in that you can tweak using all of the very same parameters!

I have still not heard of the UNIVIBE so thanks for the info. I used to listen to Hendrix when I was in my late teens so maybe I have heard it unknowingly. Do you think most people are happy to do away with the once was FLANGE2?

Cheers,

Paul

[Mr_-G-]

Paul, I know it is not the same price, but there is a NS2-HA88 in the PMT page at £2195. I wonder if that is further negotiable if one goes in person...

[monsterjazzlicks]

Thanks a lot Mr G,

Paul, I know it is not the same price, but there is a NS2-HA88 in the PMT page at £2195. I wonder if that is further negotiable if one goes in person...

Well it does seem very strange that the DV247 advert has been up for over 7 x days now and that they only noticed it when I brought it to their attention?

I am near Liverpool and my mate (would bought is NS2 from Manchester PMT) and has let me play on his to try it out, has kindly offered to take me over there.

In the mean time, I have emailed DV247 back this afternoon . . .

Best,

Paul

[RedLeo]

In the mean time, I have emailed DV247 back this afternoon . . .

I wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of that email...

Do you think most people are happy to do away with the once was FLANGE2?

I doubt it's any great loss. You still have depth control of the single Flanger, and while I don't know whether the effects were updated on the Stage 2, personally I find the Phaser and Flanger on the Stage Classic to be far too overpowering anyway.