NORD STAGE 4 officially announced for February 16th 2023

[Schorsch]

Just 20.5 hrs and we will (hopefully) know ...

[analogika]

True, there is no more an "External" section as such.
But I see the 3 synth sliders are labeled "Aux KB", and the synth mode can be set to "sample", "analog" or "extern". So it look like we have up to THREE extern sections controlled by the synth panel.

So it seems like they've gone from:
Stage 3 = two sample/synth sounds + two external sounds (total 4 sound sources, but max of 2 internal and 2 external)
to
Stage 4 = three sample/synth/expandable sounds (total 3 sound sources, which is less, but you can have all 3 be internal or all 3 be external)... even though it is "less" in total, it is probably more useful for most people. Okay, you can no longer have two synth/sample sounds AND two external sounds at the same time, but that is probably less frequently desired than the ability to use three synth/sample sounds, plus you also pickup the ability, if you prefer, to use three external sounds instead. Seems like a reasonable change. And Nords are often like this... the new version giveth, the new version taketh away. There are still ways the old Stage 2/2EX are the best of the lot!

All of the piano and organ sections have the same „Aux KB“ buttons, as well.

[florence]

In the Synth section, I remarked the Mode button, it shows: Samples / Analog / Extern

Could be the 'Extern mode' using the 'Monitor In' input to add Filters / FX to it ??

[Spider]

Stage 3 = two sample/synth sounds + two external sounds (total 4 sound sources, but max of 2 internal and 2 external)
to
Stage 4 = three sample/synth/expandable sounds (total 3 sound sources, which is less, but you can have all 3 be internal or all 3 be external)

All of the piano and organ sections have the same „Aux KB“ buttons, as well.

True, but only the synth has the "extern" mode... well, tomorrow we'll know!

[Spider]

In the Synth section, I remarked the Mode button, it shows: Samples / Analog / Extern

Could be the 'Extern mode' using the 'Monitor In' input to add Filters / FX to it ??

Let's hope it's NOT the Monitor in, but they finally added a proper audio input with one or two 1/4" jacks!

[hernjov1]

Well then buy another NS3C, I'm pretty sure that a NS3 program cannot be loaded directly to the new NS4... was the case between all previous version

Hoping that you can dump NS3 sounds on the NS4!
I was not aware that you cannot transfer sounds from Nord to Nord?
This would be a huge deal breaker for me personally!

[Schorsch]

Hoping that you can dump NS3 sounds on the NS4!
I was not aware that you cannot transfer sounds from Nord to Nord?
This would be a huge deal breaker for me personally!

I would not expect anything like this. Each generation of Nord instruments was based on a different technology or got changes in their concept, that's why a program from a Nord Stage 2 could not be loaded into a Nord Stage 3, or from an Electro 4 into an Electro 5 and so on. Since the new Stage 4 seems to have a very different concept compared to the Stage 3 there is very likely no way to import programs and setting from your Stage 3.

The only part which might be compatible are samples if the format did not change as well and the Nord Sound Manager supports loading .nsmp and .nsmp3 samples on the Stage 4, wwhich it did similarly over the course of the past generations of instruments and therefore is something which I would expect here as well.

[toniolito]

The details section of the NS4 on sud-clavier site seems to correspond to NS3 characteristics (ex: memory amount, polyphony).
Regarding pictures, I don't yet see major (for me) improvements: NS3 with some Nord wave 2 features and some adjustments.

But, we need to wait a little more to have real infos.
Major improvements can also be "inside the box". Ex: memory upgrade ability, velocity layers for the synth,...

[florence]

Well then buy another NS3C, I'm pretty sure that a NS3 program cannot be loaded directly to the new NS4... was the case between all previous version

Hoping that you can dump NS3 sounds on the NS4!
I was not aware that you cannot transfer sounds from Nord to Nord?
This would be a huge deal breaker for me personally!

yes was a concern for me too... one raison why I wrote this tool https://ns3-program-viewer.cyclic.app to see at least the settings for NS2 and NS3..

Maybe for NS4 this will change, and it allows NS3 files, but from what I see here it will be a challenge as the architecture is totally different. So I think Nord spent no time and resource to try to implement this feature.

[dansnord]

Sud Claviers took the page down just a minute ago. Who says Nord doesn't read these forums?!