Nord User Forum

Hi,

I‘ve just happened to find this Andertons’ video on yt, a blindfold comparison of Nord Grand, Roland Fantom, Yamaha Montage and a Keyscape (played over a Casio keybed):



Listened to it with my headphones, I think it’s quite interesting.

Don’t know whether this has already been posted here, but I think, better twice than never.

Sunny regards from Germany

Edit: Ui, now I’ve noticed that the user tolgaege has written about the same video only yesterday. Sorry for my ignorance. I should have seen that earlier.

Hi Tasten-Bert,
there are other similar videos by Andertons' with similar blindfolded challenges featuring Nord keyboards. I think this is the first one they made:

And what does that suppose to prove?
Sorry to be skeptical, but in this context, the only valid blind test is when *you* do it, not when somebody else (probably paid) does it for a commercial firm. Too many interests at play.

Short version for those who don't want to watch the whole video: Player's opinion is that Nord Grand and Keyscape are about tied for best sound. Nord Grand has the best action of the 4, and Yamaha Montage the worst.

Mr_-G- wrote:And what does that suppose to prove?
Sorry to be skeptical, but in this context, the only valid blind test is when *you* do it, not when somebody else (probably paid) does it for a commercial firm. Too many interests at play.

I think there is a fair amount of entertaining component in the scope of that channel's videos, in general And I mean this in a positive way, because to be fair the host to me does manage to come off as a down to earth nice chap.

As for the content, it's still useful to watch audio comparison of the products one is about to buy, regardless if the person doing the review is blindfolded or not. I'd say it's comparable to searching on forums before buying an instrument. You'll get lots of personal opinions, and you know that ultimately it is your own thats's the only one you care about, but they give you some sort of orientation before buying.

Numerical scores (with decimal point resolution!) to justify a completely subjective assessment...
The proof of the cake is in the eating, not what they tell you it tastes like at the bakery.
Caveat emptor!

Yes. But why do you look at the scores as if they were the only truth worth looking at? For me it was a very good occasion to listen to these different piano sounds. Where else do you get this opportunity? So easily? Cheers

I literally just saw that video on Saturday - not sure how I came across it. I loved it. Most Anderton’s videos are great. The demo confirmed my experiences over the decades of playing digital pianos from Yamahas to EMUs to Rolands to Kurzweils to Nords. A great sample like Nord’s library, or Coakley’s on the EMU or some of the software versions like my friend’s Ivory collection is always going to sound like a real piano. Mucking with the sample to make it “perfect” like Yamaha, Roland, Kurzweil, Casio (whose keyboard was only a controller in this video) always have a weird fake sound to them. They may cut through a mix well (which you can do with eq and would have had to do for a real grand in an ensemble anyway) but as solo piano instruments I find they always leave me wanting more. I knew the order of the shootout before it began. Maybe it’s “confirmation bias” and no question I’m enamored with Nord’s library, but it could also be this guy (and I) are just right

Tasten-Bert wrote:Where else do you get this opportunity? So easily?

At a music shop, obviously. I would not buy something af those price ranges without trying it personally.
I appreciate that some people cannot access a shop easily (specially now), but that does not change my impression of the video.
Proper blind testing needs to be more rigorous than what we saw in there.

It's much more an advertisement for Anderton's than a reasonable comparison, like many "test" videos are....