Is it just me? Stage 2 sounds better than Stage 3?

[anotherscott]

the aftertouch was a single instance, but there aren't that many boards out there yet, so its a concern.

I son't think a single board with a particular defect is fairly any evidence that "the stage 3 was release before it really was ready".

[cgrafx]

I think that significant number of units with unconnected and miss functioning mod/pitch wheels, poor B3 emulation, no sample editor, midi implimentation errors, along with other issues made the stage 3 release too early.

[baekgaard]

I think that significant number of units with unconnected and miss functioning mod/pitch wheels, poor B3 emulation, no sample editor, midi implimentation errors, along with other issues made the stage 3 release too early.

Just to counter-balance the quote above a bit: I got one of the very first units ever shipped from Nord, and have been playing it happily for 6 months now

Yes, there were some bugs, but most of them have been resolved very fast and many of the initial ones also before real mass shipments started.

I haven't regretted having had it and been playing it on many occasions until now, and strongly prefer it like that rather than if I had to wait for it until now, even with some issues along the way. I've never had a crash or issue playing it live.

In terms bug fixes and updates, there has been way more releases from Nord (some even very fast) than what I've seen/received from any other (Japanese) keyboard vendor I've dealt with...

YMMV.

[Obwanz]

Stage 3 sounds much more open, and more Hi-Fi. punchier and more present than the Stage 2. Did an A/B comparison in Ableton with matching levels. Sounds like the D/A convertors have been greatly improved!

[Larsdka]

Hi, I have NS2EX and to upgrade i Bought NS3.
The same samples sounds different, i can live with that,
But the dynamic I also think is a big problem om NS3,
I cant play piano like i want to,cant be as expressive like I am used to with NS2EX.
I think either you can play really soft or loud, like there is no inbetween, feel wice. Like it lacks velocity layers.
i think it has has become a more synth than stage piano. I know that there is a lot of compromises in making a stage, that has to suit the most needs, and the synth is now useful, the organ is useful, the rhodes is nicer to play on ns3, but the piano,i think is a step backwards, and its so sad when i love nords piano and always have played them,when the came at the beginning. But now i feel like im playing piano on a synth. I Also noticed some syntheic respons in the bass section, that doesnt sound natural to me. I will wait a little bit to see if a OS update will fix this, otherwise i will sell it again and play with my NS2ex. I am not blown away of NS3, sadly.

[baekgaard]

@Larsdka: Which model are you playing (73, 78 or 88)?

[Larsdka]

88

[aureliopenna]

Hi to all - I struggle with "expression" too ... I bought a new NS3 88 back in August and sold it 'cause the piano section too me sounded like having too much "treble" but that is probably linked to either the different expression curves and / or the new function (soft - treb - brill) even when not activated. Sold it but then missed it too much and bought it second hand, you know once you go "red" ... I am sure Clavia is looking into it and hope with a new OS it will be addressed soon in 2018

Anyway ... time to rest and Happy Red NY 2018 !

Robbie

Totally Agree! You are not alone with this feeling

[aureliopenna]

Hi Baekgaard, yes I compared my NS3 to 2 others, all 88 key versions, side by side, they are all the same.

I have an NS3 and NS2EX, both 88 keys, side by side in my 'studio'. The difference is very clear, as I described before: NS3 behaves like NS2 with 'dynamic' setting to 2. For me it makes the NS3 no fun to play, as I cannot get proper expression like I get from NS2. It all sounds quite flat and too load.

@keyboardnut. I do agree that NS3 has a lot of advantages, the reason I bought it! I'm a Nord fan since the NS1....But to me it has turned out a big disappointment, as I simply cannot play the way I like it/I used to do.

And all it takes is a simple new velocity curve implementation. I cannot wait to see that system-menu-option: "NS2 velocity curve"...

Anyway, people that experience the same as I, pls. write Nord about this issue. Hopefully they will implement and then I can finally enjoy my NS3...

Last post of the year, best wishes to all of you!

Totally Agree with you too! You are not alone with this feeling!

[aureliopenna]

Hi Aureliopenna,

I did quite some checking on this subject. Pls. note that I only looked at the 88 key versions. The Stage 3 has a different velocity curve that makes it IMHO unplayable (that is for piano sounds). It doesn't matter how I play it, most of it sounds ff, it is extremely difficult to play with expression. It all sounds 'flat'.

I have no idea why Clavia made this change, but I believe it is likely that this setting makes it easier to play the Compact or HP76?

When you compare the Stage 3 side-by-side to the Stage 2 (or to the Nord Piano for that matter), the difference is very obvious. I got a second hand Stage 2 EX88 last week, and I finally have enjoyed playing since months(!)

For people that have a Stage 2 88 and are curious on how the Stage 3 plays, you can set the keyboard touch function on the Stage 2 to '2'. It is then comparable with how the Stage 3 plays in normal keyboard mode: basically impossible to play soft notes. increasing the keyboard touch function on the Stage 3 only makes it worse.

As I have hope that Clavia will implement a better velocity curve in the future, I haven't start selling my NS3 yet. But this topic is already under Clavia's attention for months now...

Totally Agree with you! Unplayable, Flat. I have nS2 and ns3 compact, the response is the same. it's, like you said, impossible to play soft notes (and sounding soft!) You are not alone with this feeling