Nord User Forum

I know most of you keep an eye on what other keyboard mfgrs are doing -- is there something better out there?

Dan Bingham is admittedly a Nord fan (and can play blindfolded) but he immediately recognized the sound and feel of the NS4. I found it interesting that he complained about some of the actions, but not the NS4's -- a common criticism others make.

'To my ears, the other three were decent enough, but sounds like -- well -- digital piano. Even over laptop speakers, I found the NS4 immediately immersive.

You get what you pay for, no?
Anderton Piano Shootout Vid

You are right. I watched this as well, and though I am going to play the V-Stage at NAMM, I cannot get over the fact that the V-Piano, just doesn't sound anything like a recorded piano! I can even make pianoteq sound far better. I am pretty frustrated.. but to have the best of the piano world, it seems Nord is the only kid on the block. Yamaha, for all their talk about making real pianos, so they must be able to duplicate them digitally... just gives me an overly compressed way too processed sound, and Korg have lost their minds with the PlayStation 5...I mean... GrandstageX.

I'm looking at either buying the Stage 4 again.. (sold it last week for financial reasons) or getting a Piano 6, a Viscount Legend one.. and something for serous synth, maybe just my iPad!

Macsaint777 wrote: ↑22 Jan 2025, 21:23a Piano 6, a Viscount Legend one.. and something for serous synth, maybe just my iPad!

I just picked up a Nord Lead A1 to pair with my Piano 5 for synth duties.

It still sounds brilliant and has loads of great performance features. It’s very ‘Nord’.

I always prefer the sound of the good Nord piano samples over any other keyboards I've tried, but then I'm always looking for a nice, rich, solo piano sound. Everything else sounds thin by comparison.

The Yamaha's / Rolands / Korgs might standout more in a large band though, but I don't have any experience there.

After owning a few Nords I’ve gone to a keyboard controller and iPad setup running Pianoteq. I don’t miss the Nords.

agcohn wrote: ↑23 Jan 2025, 07:01 I always prefer the sound of the good Nord piano samples over any other keyboards I've tried, but then I'm always looking for a nice, rich, solo piano sound. Everything else sounds thin by comparison.

The Yamaha's / Rolands / Korgs might standout more in a large band though, but I don't have any experience there.

That’s where the piano filters come in very handy — they’re extremely musical, and will do just that: give a piano you really like the bite to cut through a mix.

By the way, just as an update... I BOUGHT the Roland V Stage... and quickly sent it back. Why? Here is my full review of that..https://forums.musicplayer.com/topic/19 ... nt-3029815

But it boils down largely to PIANOS.. and to that end, I am so thankful to have found my friend selling his Stage 4 compact for the same price I paid for that Roland V Stage! The Stage 4 Compact will be here in a few days. With a great weighted controller on the bottom (in my case, a Studiologic SL88 Grand) and a Viscount Legend One up top for the organ side of things (Nord is great, but I frankly no longer need a ventilator with this Legend One!) I am set. I have known all along, but now I've really come to understand - Nord does pianos better - better than anyone else on the market. D Bingers knew it in that video... Jack knows it, and I think most of us here also know it.

I sold my NS3 88 one year ago and did not want to buy the NS4 as it was too expensive. I had the NS2 88 and NS2 ex 88.
So I bought a Yamaha M8X. I wasn’t able to connect to the piano sounds at all… I have the YC61 and was able to get a better sound with the piano by alrering the tone…

So I replaced the M8X with an RD2000ex. Wow, the keybed is the best I had in years and the master controller options were awesome. But I did not connect again with the piano sounds. Pianoteq 8 pianos sounded better. And I do not want to bring any laptop to a rehearsal or a gig as I prefer to play only with hardware.

So I replaced my rd with a Nord Stage 4 88, had an issue with the first one but had a replacement a week later. I love the piano sounds again.
The keybed is not the best but I had 3 stages and I’m ok with it and I really do not mind that.

Nord knows how to make a piano sound very good, so many programs without reverb or any eq just to show how good the sounds are.

I still prefer the YC organ over my NS4 as I can have reverb post Leslie like my NS2s.

Regards

Macsaint777 wrote: ↑06 Feb 2025, 05:51 By the way, just as an update... I BOUGHT the Roland V Stage... and quickly sent it back. Why? Here is my full review of that..https://forums.musicplayer.com/topic/19 ... nt-3029815

But it boils down largely to PIANOS.. and to that end, I am so thankful to have found my friend selling his Stage 4 compact for the same price I paid for that Roland V Stage! The Stage 4 Compact will be here in a few days. With a great weighted controller on the bottom (in my case, a Studiologic SL88 Grand) and a Viscount Legend One up top for the organ side of things (Nord is great, but I frankly no longer need a ventilator with this Legend One!) I am set. I have known all along, but now I've really come to understand - Nord does pianos better - better than anyone else on the market. D Bingers knew it in that video... Jack knows it, and I think most of us here also know it.

So, if I'm following you, you plan to play a triple stack? Legend One, NS4C, SL88?

I've listened critically to the Legend One's organ sounds, and -- yeah -- they're a notch better than the organ on the NS4C. But not that much better -- and only a purist could tell the difference in a live band context. The NS4 B3 engine and signal chain are pretty darn good in my book.

And -- at least for me -- there would be serious downsides to a setup like that. Sure, there's another board to schlep and rack, but you won't get easy access to the NS4C's control surface -- and you can't really drive the show from the Legend One. Maybe an L-shape setup?

Chuck,

I'm only using the SL88 Grand at home. I can play the Nord Stage 4 Compact just fine for piano... and now I may even use the keys on the Legend One to do that some. I will have my Stage 4 Compact tomorrow, and I'll shortly compare the Stage 4 organ, with that of the Viscount in a video. Should be interesting! I MIGHT bring the SL88 Grand to certain venues, but they would need to be multi-day affairs.