Nord User Forum

Hey guys
i own a classic 88 nord stage and i want to buy now a new nordstage 2 or the new electro4hp?
give me your opinion. witch is better ? i tried the ns2 and i loved it but its to big and heavy...the ns2 73 with hw keys is really nice...but maybe the new electro 4hp is even better? what do you think?
thanks

has anyone even laid hands on the 4hp? It's just been announced!

There is a great difference in weight and price. The keybed of the HP was easy getting used to. Now the 4HP has some more memory too. Should be more sufficient than the 3HP.
I also suppose the synth part of the Stage is inferior to the L2X which I happen to own (found it used for 4.500:-SEK).
Anyhow, both are Swedish products

E4HP = weighted keys (better for piano playing, worse for organ), less expensive, upgraded organ model (but if you're mostly an organ player, it's doesn't have the action you want, unless you'd be triggering it from another board), keyboard goes to low E (especially useful for LH bass work... not so much of an issue on the Electro since you can't split the keyboard anyway, but could also be handy if you're also using it to control some other sound source where that split may be available)

NS2-73 = More sample RAM, full synth section, ability to split/layer sounds, aftertouch, pitch/mod controls, advanced piano string resonance support, more connectivity options

Overall, I'd say the NS2 is a much more capable board... and if you really want to be able to play its pianos from a weighted action, add something like a Korg SP170 or other inexpensive lightweight weighted 88 and have the best of all worlds. (You can even play the NS2's piano from the external weighted action while playing its organ and synth sounds from its internal action at the same time.)

I think the Electro is an incomplete keyboard. When I had enough money to buy one, I was going to buy it, but then I thought that I needed splits, synth sounds, to be able to connect another keyboard and use both keyboards with the sounds from the nord simultaneoulsy, so I waited and bought the Stage 2.

With a Stage 2, you get:

• 33% more memory for Pianos (512 instead of 384 MB)
• 200% more room for samples (384 MB instead of 128 MB)
• the synth section, which is pretty much a Nord Wave that's been on a really strict diet
• the ability to set up splits and to easily control external equipment
• 33% more voices for samples (20 on the Stage 2's synth section v.s. 15 on the E3HP)
• better and more effects

Unlike the E4HP, you can use all instruments (piano, organ, synth/samples) at the same time and you actually get two of each, so you get 2 piano sounds, 2 organ sounds and 2 synth/sample sounds all at the same time.

The E4HP does have a newer version of the organ sounds and is quite a bit lighter and cheaper.

mjbrands wrote:The E4HP does have a newer version of the organ sounds and is quite a bit lighter and cheaper.

it's not lighter than the 73, which is what the OP is comparing