Don't buy a Stage 2 the sounds are not good enough.

[Nordfan]

Congratz ZeroZero with your new gear. Still a Nord in your collection but then a C2.

Strangely enough you now have the Roland and the Nord C2 with the following results:
- you paid a few bucks more;
- you still don't have a synth;
- you carry the weight of 2 instruments which are all included in one NS2;
- Roland sucks bigtime (just jokin' ..... it's true though).

I only see advantages of the NS2 vs your gear. But probably the pianos are such a big deal for you (which is your right) that you completely forgot all the other advantages of the NS2 (built in Synth, weight, sounds, building quality, costs).

I feel you are not enthousiastic on the Kronos. With respect to the pianos you could have known that these were not so good as Korg has never been good in that area. The building quality is of bigger concern. I read on other forums that it indeed feels and looks like plastic.

Still, as written in this thread before, I think you just can't compare the synth from the NS2 with a workstation as the Kronos as this is Kronos' key component, the synth sections.

[lennaerttol]

Zero, can't you just use a NS2 for €3500 and buy a midi piano module instead of spending €4800 on a roland and a c2? I think you can get a decent piano module for less than €1300. If you do that, you'll have all the advantages of the nord, you won't have to carry 2 keyboards, you have good pianos and you'll save a lot of money.

[ZeroZero]

Hi guys
Some strong opinions but thats just fine - I was strong in my opinion too. Yes I could have had a stage with a synth, but it wasnt up to the jiob. I have omnisphere and absyth in the studio.
Why did I buy a Nord C2? Well I had a KeyB duo and that was as heavy as a large sofa, there is not much else out there with dual manuals and the Nord Hammond is not too bad if a little thin in places.
I have an electro 2 which also has hammond but I decided I wanted a dual manual.

After returning the Strage 2 i decided to be real careful in choosing my next piano, this is what the Roland is for although it does have some other sounds and the ability to layer them easily. I auditioned it on two seperate occasions.

Yes i have more humping to do - thats a fact. its a pity the Stage didnt have a decent piano.... but its Ok if you disagree.

If you are thinknig of buying a Stage 2 listen carefully, and not on cans as I did.

All best wishes to everyone.

[cleito]

If you are thinknig of buying a Stage 2 listen carefully, and not on cans as I did.

Can you tell us about the speakers/phones that you used to make your choice about the pianos?
And......do you work for Roland? just kidding...LOL

[Dave Ferris]

One BIG issue with the Roland 700NX , Yamaha CP5, Korg SV-1 and I'm assuming the Kronos is--

For live playing to get the best sound, you're gonna have to hump/schlep two speakers for a stereo imaging/sound. Other wise that SN Concert/Studio/Bright Grand on the 700 NX is going to sound like any entry level $6-800 DP. A Casio, P155, whatever. I've spent some time on the 700NX in the store now with my AKG 240s and my TT08A speakers. It's a great sounding DP I think--Roland's best to date imo. I do still have reservations about how it will sit in a mix or cut through over bass & drums--even in a more Acoustic jazz type setting. Maybe it will be cool, I'd have to try it in the heat of battle to say for sure though. I'm just going on past Roland experiences--their pianos have never worked out for me live--ymmv of course.

With the Nord Piano (and I assume this applies to the Stage 2) I used for 3 months last year, when engaging the *mono* feature, it had the best piano sound with only one speaker I've ever experienced on a DP.
Not to sound lofty or snobbish but I'm very picky in this area.

I've been chasing the *best piano sound* for what I do (Jazz) for a few years now. Buying , selling and trying this stuff out on gigs with different rhythm sections in diverse musical contexts. I've also spent countless hours auditioning different speakers looking for that perfect combination of lightweight and somewhat affordable. Your choice of speakers is the most important part of your *chain* and will greatly determine how both of your new boards sound to you.

Piano sound and action are so subjective, I'll just say if you're happy with the 700NX, good for ya. Basically I'm saying there are so many variables that go into all this that you can't make a blanket statement like "Nord pianos suck". I think they used to, but recently they've come up to Yamaha and Roland level--some might even say surpass. Again it's an individual thing largely based on your playing style, the level you're at on the instrument and the style of music you play.

[TheWeed42]

Hey ZeroZero, glad you found a keyboard that suits your needs. I think it's safe to say that you prefer the sound of a modeled piano (like Truepianos and the Roland), and that's definitely not what the Nord does. That's okay. There are tradeoffs either way, so I think it's great that you found one you like.

If you are thinknig of buying a Stage 2 listen carefully, and not on cans as I did.

I hear this a lot as a live sound engineer. Many people play their instruments on headphones or in the studio and then are shocked when their patches sound like garbage at the gig. Or "the board sounded great in the store, but when I got it home, it sucked." It's common to blame this on the keyboard, the headphones, the PA, the FOH guy, you name it. I once heard a guy complain about a new $3000 board because it sounded bad through his tiny Peavey guitar amp. The problem was not the keyboard.

The truth is that a set of headphones can be your best friend when auditioning new gear. They are relatively cheap and portable, and you don't hear the sound of the room at all (which will change depending on the room.) If you own a pair of accurate headphones, and your keyboard sounds good when you play through them, your job should be to get everything else to sound like THAT.

You are under no obligation to play with a piece of gear that doesn't suit you. But under no circumstances should you trash a piece of gear because it sounds bad through an amp or speakers, unless the speakers cost at least as much as the board and you've tuned them flat for the room. Amps and PAs can and should be tuned, so that you are hearing your sound every time you play.

It baffles me that keyboard players are willing to tolerate bad amps and speakers. If a guitarist or bassist had a setup that made his $4000 axe sound like crap, that thing would be in the dumpster.

[cutmyearoff]

I owned an RD700Nx for a few months and played out with it but sold it after I got the NS2. The Roland is 55lbs and in an skb soft case it is 73lbs. If you gig a lot this is a real pain. The piano sound is nice and full and the action is very good but a little on the heavier side which can be taxing for lots of fast passages but very expressive for slower ones. Roland's organs and EP don't stand up to Nords. The pianos are just different. The Nord piano has more character in my opinion but the Roland has a big full sound. The flexibilty of an open architecture, and the ability to layer and split sounds on the Nord make it a great live instrument. Personally I think the piano sounds on the Nord are simply fantastic. The mono piano on the Nord sounds soooo much better than the mono piano on the Roland. Plus after hearing the Nord in a few videos it is clear that the piano sounds very warm and realistic (rockabilly, country-boogie). I've got nothing but raves from fellow musicians concerning the new keyboard.

If one is so picky about piano sounds maybe it would be better to just use a real piano. I've owned the Roland, a Yamaha cp33, a Korg SV-1 and the Nord and it is clear the Nord is the best of the bunch, also the most expensive, but hands down the best.

[Nordfan]

It baffles me that keyboard players are willing to tolerate bad amps and speakers. If a guitarist or bassist had a setup that made his $4000 axe sound like crap, that thing would be in the dumpster.

I agree!! It's truly amazing that there are no good dedicated keyboard amps. You got the Rolands KC's but those are not good at all. And I can't tell how much I see Behringer amps. They're ok for hooking up you iPod but for the rest they pretty much suck and everything sounds flat and lifeless through those amps.

So in my opinion the only option is monitors for home use and a descent active speaker (EV ZXA-1, QSC K8 or K10) for rehearsels and smaller gigs.

[KeyMaster88]

I must chime in when I first decided on the NS2, I did so without ever hearing it live or ever playing it. However I was initially sold on the Kronos piano sounds, then the RD-700NX and had played both of them. Kronos, although unlooped piano samples, still sounded like a toy keyboard. Roland was a step up from Kronos plus a brilliant action (admittedly my favorite to date). However I was still missing something that didn't allow me to be satisfied with the realism of the piano sounds.

Finally I was led to the Nord website! WOW! I only listened to a few piano samples and the Rhodes and was convinced. I purchased it without playing it. When it arrived I plugged in my AKG-240 headphones and was blown away by the realism of the piano sounds. I wanted more power so I ran it through my Roland KC-350 (150w)amplifier. Whoops!!! Big mistake!! My first inclination was to blame the horrible sound on the keyboard! The problem was I already knew how great the keyboard sounds through cans and recordings!

Long story short...A close friend of mine asked me, "Why would you run a $4000 keyboard through a piece of crap amplifier?" I really couldn't give a justifiable answer. So I went out and bought 2 Mackie thumps 400w each. They were a step up, but still really cheap speakers and you could tell they were on the lower end of things.

So I bit the bullet and got what a $4000 keyboard deserves! I returned the Thumps. In the end I purchased two EV-112P speakers $600 each! Also, the EV-112P's are 1000w each!

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW is all I can say! This is hands down the best digital piano sound I've ever played...#PERIOD! While not perfect, it is miles ahead of anything else out there. This is the first time I'm opting against using a VST (Ivory 2, my favorite) in favor of the NS2 for a recording. I have played the NS2 live on 10 separate concerts from intimate to the big stage. There is no question about it cutting through the mix and maintaining it's realism.

Speakers make a huge difference. In studio recordings the NS2 is superb! On stage its just as awesome!!

[ZeroZero]

Just so people know I have spent today playing my new Roland 700NX.
its home now and in my studio. It hurts me to say that in a straight ahead comparison, the TruePainos still wins. My system has a decent sony surround sound amp and four reveal passive monitors.
What seems to be lacking (in my entirely subjective point of view) is a ringing sustain in the higher registers. I have just tested my partners Knight piano (which unfortunately is not in my studio) and it has a lovely sustain when you hit and hold a upper register note. This is lacking in my set up on the Roland, but not so much on the TruePianos Diamond module. When you do a run and then hit that high octave, its er OK passable but not what I really want.

Oh dear I seem to be going through a lot of pianos here!

I think I am looking for the modelled idealised sound, rather than the rustic.

I played the Yamahas in the shop but settled for the Roland as it was warmer.

I also updated my Cubase to 6 and ofund there is a free trial of Steinbergs piano, I have not loaded this up yet, but gonig back to TruePainos its the only one that is inspiring me...

As for the action of the 700nx, I ma told by everyone it is very good, trouble is my fingers grew up on cotroller keyboards (Axiom, and then the electro 2). I have been playing so many pianos lately and i have also sawn the legs of a studio take to get the 'officiAL height' (of around 27 inches). my muscles are in a state of confusion!

I still think the Nord Pianos aren't up to the job in the studio though they may cut through the mix in the band. I once played the flute in a band reheasal in front of an SM58 maxed out and could not hear a note!

Ah woe is me!

I wish I was tone deaf

I see grand pianos going for a steal on Ebay, maybe i should squeeze one in to my garage sized studio!"

Is my core I7 win 7 utlimate with 4 gig reliable enough for a gig, with TruePianos?

I am gonig into a bit of a spin ....

My C2 arrives on Monday - hopefully this is safe.