Nord User Forum

Hello all,

Just started my research and am unsure which one to purchase. First impression is that the main difference between the two is the Grand 2’s superior keybed? Anything else of note that should be a deciding factor?

I do not gig, but have a small home studio where I compose. I have several synths and don’t use organs very often, so I ruled out the Stage 4 88.

Thanks for your input!

Joel F.

If purely for home use, I'd go for the NG2. The benefit of the NP5 is that it's more portable for gigging.

The NG2 has the best piano action offered by Nord/Kawai and a number of the latest improvements in the effects, UI, etc.

The Grand 2 is not out and there isn't a manual available yet. All we know is marketing information from Nord themselves. Hard to compare.

You will be able to get a Grand 2 starting in June, it seems. The Grand 2 has a much different keybed, and maybe it's closer to a common grand piano. It seems to feature a real hammer action (not graded, though) while the the Piano 5's action is called 'virtual hammer' technology.

The handling of the layers is a little different as the Piano 5 still has the encoder knobs to dial in the volume (which will switch automatically when switching program) and the Grand 2 now has the faders that will often have the 'wrong' position when switching program - but makes the handling of both layers at the time easier.

The attribution of effects to a layer may work differently - but that's not so obvious: Maybe, you can dial in every effect section with individual settings to any layer on the Grand 2 (like on the Stage 4), on the Piano 5 you can probably only switch on and off every effect section for each layer. The Grand 2 has a new Spin effect which the Piano 5 doesn't (no idea what that is). The selection of amp sims is different - no idea what AltTone means in combination with JC/Small/Twin amps. The Grand 2 now has a dedicated Compression knob whereas the Piano 5's was in combination with the drive knob. It seems as if EQ, compression and delay can be switched between global and individual for the layers - the Piano 5 instead has on/off for each layer. Concerning reverb, the Grand 2 now has spring reverb which the Piano 5 didn't have - and you can have it pre-/post-delay on the Grand 2.

That's what you can derive from the panels.

What's a difference, too: You can place things onto the Grand 2, and you may touch knobs unintentionally with your fingers when playing.

ericL wrote:If purely for home use, I'd go for the NG2. The benefit of the NP5 is that it's more portable for gigging.

The NG2 has the best piano action offered by Nord/Kawai and a number of the latest improvements in the effects, UI, etc.

Thanks Eric!

I do have a nice digital piano, buts it downstairs in my living room. My studio is in my Man Lair (it’s a Man Cave but on a second floor
So I am not sure I’ll need a top of the line keybed. May be leaning toward the Piano 5

Thank you for the clarification! Volume sliders and individual effect layering are both major plus’s IMO!

I would go for the piano 5 (used) or original grand (new or used,) rather than the new grand 2. there's not a nickel's worth of difference in the action, and the original grand is currently $1,000 less than the new grand 2 is going to be (or even less if you buy used.) if you're talking about buying new, just get a piano 5, grand 2 AND a stage 4, if you have the cash.

You can find open box NP5 for $2500-ish range. I got one for 2300, saving lot's of cash. Ignore, if money's no object. I got it for the keybed action exactly. The NG felt the same as NP5 in store back when I was doing search. One unexpected benefit from NP5 is synth module with 2 layers on the top of the two layers of the piano. Not sure if grand has synth though, if you care.

Suavek wrote:You can find open box NP5 for $2500-ish range. I got one for 2300, saving lot's of cash. Ignore, if money's no object. I got it for the keybed action exactly. The NG felt the same as NP5 in store back when I was doing search. One unexpected benefit from NP5 is synth module with 2 layers on the top of the two layers of the piano. Not sure if grand has synth though, if you care.

Thank you SuaveK,

I am in the exact same position.
I wonder if I should go for the old Nord Grand for $2650 or a Piano 5 for $2400?
I feel the price for a Grand 2 is a bit to hefty for me.
The Nord Piano 5 and Grand 2 have two layers, Grand 1 have only one layer.
The keybed is superior to Piano 5.

eksund wrote:The keybed is superior to Piano 5.

This is quite subjective. I liked the keybed of the NP5 more than that one of the Grand1.