NS3 hp76 mechanical noise on black keys

[Ecaroh]

Hi all!

I've read quite a lot of mechanical problems with new Nord keyboards (especially with Nord Piano 3). Now I have my own: my new Stage 3 hp76 started to have a mechanical clonk with some black keys. Problem is most consistent with G# below middle C, other black keys behave normally or make similar noises occationally and not that loud. Repair process under warranty has started: I've contacted my reseller and Clavia and now I'll see when I can leave it to repair and where would it be.

I discovered that noise comes with quite soft touch, you don't need to press the key all the way down. Just a small fast touch to black keys front edge and you'll hear it.
Here's a video (Stage is without power):


New NS3 owners: is this familiar to you? Can you reproduce this clonk on black keys? (So far) I haven't heard any anomalies on white keys. This is sad, because new HP 76 seems to be quite silent in general.
How about other models (NS3 HA88 or NP3), is this familiar or related to problems presented here before?

Thx,
P

[baekgaard]

Sorry to hear about your problems!

On my NS3 HA88 there is nothing similar to your noise at all.

[Pianohenke]

I don't have this problem on my NS3 hp76. I have played it every day since I got it two weeks ago. Hope you get good help with this. Cheers!

[Ecaroh]

Now when I've learned how to "wake it up" I can find few more keys and at least even one white key. Idea is to hit the key the way that it barely goes down and also hit close to the front end. Of course, normally you don't play that way. But when I play my NS3 normally I can hear it occationally here and there sometimes louder sometimes barely noticeably. But with this G# it was so consistent and loud that this payed my attention and I started to explore it more carefully. Of course no keybed is completely silent, so it's hard to draw a clear line when it "acceptable". But as said, this G# gave me a clear signal that everything isn't right. When I go to play my Kawai CS-7 digital piano (power off and similar touch) I cannot hear any clonks and all the keys behave similarly.

[maxpiano]

The Fatar TP100 keybed used in all Nord HP models is well known for being "a bit noisy", at least more than the average Digital Piano keybeds (including teh TP40 mounted on HA models), I think you just need to get used to it or just don't mind about it.

[Ecaroh]

To be clear: I am not talking about general noisyness of Nord keyboards. Before this I had NS2 which was much more noisy compared to NS3 HP76 (first out of the box). In fact I was very impressed how silent new HP76 was. But noises that I am talking about are with few notes (and most clearly with G#). This is new and hopefully something which can be fixed.

[GrandHp67]

I don't have this problem on my NS3 hp76. I have played it every day since I got it two weeks ago. Hope you get good help with this. Cheers!

As Pianohenke describes, no problem with NS3 hp76, so far. Two weeks of playing.

[Ecaroh]

Now when I found it and tested it further, I can reproduce the clonk even more consistently and loud. It needs a special touch to get it every time. In normal playing it does not sound all the time, it's just here and there. Easiest way to make it sound is to take your thumb and play it softly with its side to the front edge of the (black) key. Hit is quite fast but soft, barely moving the key. Maybe it's this bony contact of thumb which make it "clonk" very loud, I don't know. Now you may think that this is irrelevant, it does not disturb normal piano playing. I'd say it does. For example, you occationally play with your thumbs side. I have also tested all my other keyboards form pianos to synths. No other unit does that. Of course every keyboard does some sound when you play the way I described, but HP76's few keys make a special sound which is very disturbing.

Tomorrow I'll take it to nearest repair service to see if they can find any cause for this. If not, then it goes further. I'll let you know how this goes...

[Ecaroh]

Quick update:
My local repair service verified my problem (I am not imagining things ) but could not find any cause to it. Now it goes further to a repair company which is mainly responsible of Finnish Nord warranty services. Let's see if they can do more. Anyway it seems more and more likely that I won't keep this HP76. I'll try to replace it to HA88-model. Hopefully it's better.

[baekgaard]

Good to hear there is some sort of progress I'm quite happy with my HA88, so if you decide to go that direction, hopefully it will work well for you too!