Stage 3 Excitement waning? Is it Disappointment?

[kbrkr]

Seems like the excitement and anticipation of the Stage 3 is waning.

So is the keyboard a disappointment or was the anticipation higher than what was delivered?

Seems like it got quiet around here quickly after release.

[maxpiano]

Simply too few NS3s delivered so far then not many users to report their feedback, you will see it raising again in the next months when shipments will restart

[Ecaroh]

We are living in a imperfect world and NS3 ain't perfect for sure (but is there any perfect keyboard?? Acoustic Steinway maybe?). I am a lucky to have received mine (NS3 76) quite early while so many are still waiting. Despite those obvious problems in general I am very happy with my new instrument.

Quick pros and cons:
+ great feeling and very quiet 76-keybed. After first notes played I was so positively surprised how good it was. Enough key weight and precision and mechanically very quiet and same time VERY portable!
+ Those extra GBs really make things different. It's great to get all your favorite pianos inside with XL-size sampling.
+ OLED-display makes it very usable
+ synth has lot of new power and high quality sound
+ nice little extras here and there (new filter-effects and new morphing features for example)

- firmware bugs. There are quite a lot of things found (just read:
- Sample Library incompatibility and lack of Sound Manager or Sample Editor. To me this is the most annoying thing at the moment. OK, it will be fixed in a month or two but for a gigging musician this really complicates things.
- Synth: to me it seems overstatement that NS3 synth is "same" as in Lead A1. I own A1 and I have a feeling that NS3 synth is quite limited compared to A1. (I say this with some hesitation because I haven't really gone deeply into NS3 synth yet) On the other hand there are features in NS3 synth that aren't in A1 (Superwaves and sample playback). I must say to me NS3 synth was same time nice suprise but also a little disappointment. I was waiting to get a real A1-synth with all its features...

[analogika]

(but is there any perfect keyboard?? Acoustic Steinway maybe?).

Nah. That's more like an Apple product: The most consistently high-quality product one could hope to expect from mass production.

My piano tuner recently had the opportunity to tune a Fazioli. From how she describes it, that's more of a spiritual experience. "Perfect"? I dunno. But a different universe from a Steinway, apparently.

I don't think I'll ever want to play one.

[zahush76]

- Synth: to me it seems overstatement that NS3 synth is "same" as in Lead A1. I own A1 and I have a feeling that NS3 synth is quite limited compared to A1. (I say this with some hesitation because I haven't really gone deeply into NS3 synth yet) On the other hand there are features in NS3 synth that aren't in A1 (Superwaves and sample playback). I must say to me NS3 synth was same time nice suprise but also a little disappointment. I was waiting to get a real A1-synth with all its features...

Besides the fact that the A1 has 4 parts vs the NS3's synth which has 2, and the lack of an ensemble effect that the A1 has - what features are lacking? The NS3's synth section seems to have the same oscillator - only enhanced, it has the same number of envelopes, lfo, filter types, arpeggiator etc. So what's lacking? Is it perhaps simply more crammed?

[fjzingo]

Its a bit early to say, there are quite afew things still missing as compared to stage 2. Especially wrt routing of engines to audio out, limited midi and software for handling user samples.The sampling is said to be handled in the next few months. I really hope the audio and midi implementation gets closer to ns2 in function, else its a disappointement wrt centeepiece in the live rig.

The Keys and synt/organ are major upgraded as compared to previous versions. The screens are also really helpful. In summary as a self contained instrument being played only from its own keys, its great!

[baekgaard]

The Keys and synt/organ are major upgraded as compared to previous versions. The screens are also really helpful. In summary as a self contained instrument being played only from its own keys, its great!

Indeed. It's a very nice and immensely playable board. I'm not disappointed; in fact, the board is better than what I had anticipated.

There are also only very few NS3 out there, and those few of us that are so lucky to have one maybe like to spend time playing (with) it

[zahush76]

- Synth: to me it seems overstatement that NS3 synth is "same" as in Lead A1. I own A1 and I have a feeling that NS3 synth is quite limited compared to A1. (I say this with some hesitation because I haven't really gone deeply into NS3 synth yet) On the other hand there are features in NS3 synth that aren't in A1 (Superwaves and sample playback). I must say to me NS3 synth was same time nice suprise but also a little disappointment. I was waiting to get a real A1-synth with all its features...

Continuing what i wrote, i decided to take a look into the A1 front panel. If you ignore the program section to the left, and ignore the effects section to the right, and focus just on the A1 section dedicated to the oscillators, filters, envelopes, lfo, arpeggiator, and voice mode - you'll find out that not only your not missing anything in terms of knobs, buttons and controllers when it comes to the NS3 version of this synth - but you also get some better aspects of the synth such as the oled screen and better program management. Add to that the extra features and polyphony - and your statement just isn't true.
Add to that the fact that the NS3 has a broader fx section and a dedicated program section, and you get the picture.

[BuckW]

Ecaroh (and others who have a stage 3),

In your opinion would someone be better off with an Electro 5D and an A1 than a stage 3?

A stage 2 and an A1 than a stage 3?

[RichardG]

That's not really a fair comparison I think...

In general a dedicated instrument (E5D, A1) is most capable to do what it's designed for.
The Stage series is always a compromise between Electro/Organ, Piano and Synth.

For me personally having to carry less, having most of those machines in 1 package is key.
Unless you have a Roadie who's lugging your stuff around and setting things up it's the best way for me.

I'm not disappointed in the NS3, coming from NS2.
But if you're a synth wizard coming from the A1 (to the NS3) you might feel limited in the synth area.