Nord Lead 2X 49-Key Virtual Analog Modeling Synthesizer (AMS-NL2X) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a professional musician and music teacher with a graduate degree in Music. I have owned numerous synths over 3 decades and my Nord 2X is by far the best synth I have ever owned. If you are looking for a great synth for solo work, this is the one to get.

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The original Nord Lead 2 is among the most popular synthesizers ever built. Debuting in 1995, the first Nord Lead virtual analog synthesizer took the music world by storm. It instantly became an industry standard and takes a place among the most revered classic synthesizers. Its warm analog sound coupled with cutting-edge digital technology moved the Nord Lead into a 'leading" position in the synthesizer community. Musicians from all over the world loved its simplicity, intuitive design, and its musicality and expression offered with the virtual analog concept.The Nord Lead 2 improved upon the original Nord Lead, including expanded polyphony. A decade later, the Nord Lead, and its descendant the Nord Lead 2, are still among the most popular synths ever built. The Nord Lead 2X features all the characteristics of its predecessor, and incorporates many new features as well. The 'in your face" sound of the Nord Lead 2X has been enhanced with 24-bit D/A converters. The preset memory houses 7 x 99 factory Programs, 3 x 100 factory performances, and 7 x 10 Percussion Kits. Additionally, the user banks give you room to store your own sounds - 3 x 99 Programs, 3 x 100 Performances, and 3 x 10 Percussion Kits. The polyphony has been upgraded to 20 voices as well.The Nord Lead 2X is compatible with the Nord Lead 2, so you can transfer your custom sounds directly via MIDI. The Nord Lead 2X preserves all the essential parts of the Nord Lead 2, including the user fast and easy interface and its characteristic sound. The Nord Lead 2X continues the tradition of Nord's unique method of sound generation. Mathematical simulations of the signals generated by analog oscillators are the basis for the incredible sound that speaks for itself. People know Nord by its sound, and the Nord Lead 2X gives you that certain quality that is unmistakable!The compact and smart design of the Nord Lead 2X makes it equally perfect for live performance and for production studio work. With 26 knobs and 27 buttons - all sending MIDI controller data - the Nord Lead 2X communicates with every piece of MIDI gear in your setup.Virtual analog brings the technology and physical control together, recreating the warm, thick sound of analog synths without the overheating or tuning deficiencies. Modern technology allows the knobs to not only digitally manipulate the internal sound, but also send MIDI information to be captured in a sequencer or change a parameter on another MIDI-enabled device.The Nord Lead 2 also offers the Nord Pitch Stick, so you can create your own vibrato, much like a guitarist or violinist, without the 'dimple" resting place other pitch benders use. The 'dead zone" has been conquered! The ergonomic handling adds another dimension to your performance.A special Velocity Programming section can be controlled by the Modulation Wheel, making it possible to continuously morph between parameter settings. This feature is a musically expressive tool that allows you to shape your sound in realtime.In the studio, the Nord Lead 2X offers real time MIDI recording of knob settings and special 'MIDI patches" to recreate many of the effects produced by external patching on traditional units.Get 4 synths in one - there are four parts which are directly accessible from the front panel. This makes it possible to instantly create layers with up to four different sounds, where each separate sound in the layer can easily be edited in real time. Each sound can have its own independent output. Make up super patches in the Performance section. Create monster basses and mega pads.49-Key keyboard.

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Nord Electro 3, 73-Key Electronic Stage Piano and Organ (AMS-NE373) Review

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(More customer reviews)I sold my Electro 2 so I could partially buy the latest model. After using it a few weeks it's clear how much better it could have been. Here are the good and bad:
Good:
- New sounds including Vox Continental, Farfisa, harpsichords and samples.
- Better Hammond organ sound.
- Better piano sounds but they take up a lot of memory and do not have keyboard resonance features of the Nord Stage EX.
- Sample software allows you to create your own sounds, organize your patches and is easy to use.
- More built-in effects including reverb, compression and 3 different amplifier distortions.
- USB (not MIDI) interface to download patches.
Bad:
- Limiting up/down buttons plus A/B patch selector makes it difficult to get to the sounds you want quickly. The Electro 2 had 8 buttons plus bank up/down which is more useable.
- Unergonomic button layout makes navigation difficult. For example, the shift button is too far from the organ presets making it impossible to play and switch presets at the same time.
- Lack of effect amount knobs as on the Electro 2. You are stuck with toggling through only 3 preset amount settings.
- Ring modulation should not be an oscillator like tremelo. The Electro 2 is correct.
- New Vox and Farfisa sounds aren't that accurate.-
- Expression pedal always effects organ volume so there is no way to do Wah-Wah organ.
- Only 64 MB of onboard sample library memory means you'll be limited to how many sounds you can use at a time.
- Sample software is limiting and doesn't allow for more than one sample per key, assigning polyphony, glide (portamento) or other patch functions.
- No pitch wheel. Nord provides many synthesizer samples but, there's no way to control them. The Electro 3 cannot receive pitch bend MIDI commands from another keyboard either.
- No modulation wheel. Why bother having any synthesizer sounds without modulation.
- Same non-weighted keyboard feels junky.
- Expensive.
[DW]

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Much like it's predecessors, the Nord Electro 3 Seventythree stage piano/organ meets the demands of the performing keyboard player. It offers up some of the best stuff Nord has to offer in affordable and easy-to-use instruments. The keyboard is compatible with the Nord Piano library and takes full advantage of the Library's multitude of velocity layers, pedal-down samples, and extremely high quality samples providing you with unprecedented expressiveness. The keybed itself features a 73-key (6 octaves) velocity-sensitive, semi-weighted "waterfall" (square front) keyboard to help make this possible. Any current or future piano that is available for the Stage family will also automatically be available to the Nord Electro 3.Exquisited New PianosRight from the start, the Electro 3 is loaded with a great selection of pianos. There are 3 acoustic grands (2 Yamaha C7s and one Steinway D) and 2 electric grands. Electric piano aficionados will love the time-based types; an Mk I, a Suitcase Mk I, an Mk II and an Mk V all with their unique and distinctive personalities. A great Wurlitzer A200 is present, as is the mighty Clavinet D6. The Clavinet type also includes the Harpsichords. There is a French harpsichord in the factory sound bank, and more to come in the Nord Piano Library download area. Each and every one of these pianos can be replaced if you wish. There are plenty more to choose from in the Library area, including some XL versions of Nord's grand pianos, with even more details like added velocity layers and pedal-down samples. And all those sounds are available for free.Samples from the Nord LibraryNot only loaded with great piano sounds, the Electro 3 also sports some great samples to add flavor to your sonic arsenal. You'll find some of the classic Mellotron sounds, a selection of strings, celeste, vibraphone, and many others. And, just as with the piano partition, all of the samples can be replaced if the factory selection does not suit your immediate needs. You

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