Nord User Forum

With the latest sound sample updates - White Grand, Marimba and Vibraphone - it seems to me the older Nord products (Nord Electro 4 and older, Nord Piano 2 and older...) will not be getting ANY new instrument samples.

I really think this is unfair (and will also substantially lower our instruments resale value).

Your thoughts?

First of all, I can empathize with the feeling that you're no longer able to participate fully in all updates. It happens with my Macs, tablets and phones when they are no longer able to install new updates. It doesn't feel good to see the commercials, read about the new features, go to the discussion forums and know that I have to buy new equipment if I want to be part of it, even though the hardware I have works perfectly fine.

On a positive note, you are still getting new samples like the guitars that were recently released and can still download all the updates that were provided in the 7 years since the NE4 was launched.

To look at things from a different view, what are your thoughts on the following?:

1. For how many years should Nord ensure that every update is available to a specific model?

2. Are you proposing that Nord should not create updates that take advantage of technologies available in the newer models, since those updates will not run on 7-year-old hardware? Would that be fair to the people who buy the newer models?

Interesting topic.

ajstan, I am not talking about software updates, for those I understand...

But as for the samples, I have not yet experienced this from Nord and it definitely warrants a discussion...

sudkcoce wrote:ajstan, I am not talking about software updates, for those I understand...

But as for the samples, I have not yet experienced this from Nord and it definitely warrants a discussion...

Newer samples have improvements that require software updates (and often they are also quite larger in size, for older boards limited memory), so you cannot disconnect the 2 things...

But ajstan made a good point you have not answered to: for how many years would you expect a digital keyboard to be supported with factory sounds and software updates?

It *IS* a software update though - they have changed the format of the samples to accommodate new features in the newer products. It is a simple business choice to stop spending resources on down-grading new samples for older hardware. As an NP2 owner I am disappointed about not being able to use the newer sounds, but not at all surprised. My NP2 still does everything I bought it for years later.

D.

maxpiano wrote: But ajstan made a good point you have not answered to: for how many years would you expect a digital keyboard to be supported with factory sounds and software updates?

Definitely more than 7. Nord is not just any digital keyboard and I do not think making the new samples compatible with old engines is that much of an effort (no re-sampling required).

As for software updates: I never complained about those...

This has been discussed before, e.g. here: general-nord-forum-f29/patiently-waiting-t16985.html

sudkcoce wrote:

maxpiano wrote:for how many years would you expect a digital keyboard to be supported with factory sounds

Definitely more than 7. Nord is not just any digital keyboard

Now that warrants discussion. Nord should be held to a higher standard because… why?

I feel like this topic will always come back as Nord keeps changing what their boards are capable of. I remember loving my Electro 2 15 years ago, and then getting pangs of jealousy every time a new piano got released that I couldn't use. Eventually I got a E5 and now I wish I could use the EP filters. I imagine in another 5 yrs, maybe I'll upgrade again.

sudkcoce wrote:ajstan, I am not talking about software updates, for those I understand...

But as for the samples, I have not yet experienced this from Nord and it definitely warrants a discussion...

sudkcoce wrote:

maxpiano wrote: But ajstan made a good point you have not answered to: for how many years would you expect a digital keyboard to be supported with factory sounds and software updates?

Definitely more than 7. Nord is not just any digital keyboard and I do not think making the new samples compatible with old engines is that much of an effort (no re-sampling required).

As for software updates: I never complained about those...

Some additional thoughts:

- An update is an update, whether it's the OS, the Sample Library, or the Piano Library. Your OS is solid. You are still getting Sample Library updates.

- The new Piano Library sounds require an OS update/upgrade that's not available for the NE4. Just because you think it's not "much of an effort" to make the samples compatible with older models, doesn't make it so.

I'll ask again:

1. For how many years should Nord ensure that every update (that means OS, Sample Library, Piano Library) is available to a specific model? I'm looking for a number (8, 9, 10, 15, 20?), not just a cop-out answer of "more than 7".

2. Are you proposing that Nord should not create updates that take advantage of technologies available in the newer models, since those updates will not run on 7-year-old hardware? Would that be fair to the people who buy the newer models?

I'm hoping that you created this topic to have a discussion, not just to complain. Please let us know what would be the parameters necessary to satisfy you. Then we discuss the merits of what you proposed.

Tracii wrote:This has been discussed before, e.g. here: general-nord-forum-f29/patiently-waiting-t16985.html

sudkcoce wrote:

maxpiano wrote:for how many years would you expect a digital keyboard to be supported with factory sounds

Definitely more than 7. Nord is not just any digital keyboard

Now that warrants discussion. Nord should be held to a higher standard because… why?

The argument always brought up is that they’re priced higher than others on the market. I feel that this argument has some merit, BUT:

Nord already does FAR better than other manufacturers in terms of updates, and in some cases even upgrades functionality years after release: all Electro 1 could be upgraded to full Electro 2 spec via software update. My Stage 3 got more detailed piano samples and Filters for the E-piano, which really improved sound and the usefulness of this board, beyond what it was worth to me when I got it.

I have a JX10 whose MIDI implementation was utterly broken and that Roland NEVER fixed. It finally got a new life after thirty years, but not from Roland.

Nord has diligently and constantly thrown out Update after update, sometimes breaking details along the way, but always coming through. Most boards see maybe one or two updates, EVER.

I can’t wait to see what they do with the inevitable new versions of Sample editor and sound manager.