Awesome video but I'm still not clear and would be ever so grateful for your opinion, Douglas! My current 88 note is a Fantom 8. I love the action. However, I've decided to sell it as there's a lot about the board that doesn't resonate. I have a Stage 4 HA73 which lives between being above the Fantom and in the Salon of my sailboat. So here's the $10,000 question... do I replace the Fantom 8 with a Stage 4 88 or a Grand 2. I absolutely love the functionality and sounds of the Stage 4. I'm not crazy about its action but am still able to emote while playing. Apparently, the Grand 2 will have a more realistic piano action, but not the functionality of the Stage 4. If I go with the Stage 4 88, there will be times when I have 2 Stage 4s in my studio. If I go with the Grand 2, there will be times when I won't have a Stage 4 in my studio. You have so much experience with Nord, I feel you're able to offer really valuable insight... Thanks! Mitch
Just the question on my mind, thanks for putting this video together. Can you talk a little more about how the action compares on them? I play and practice classical piano, so I'm looking for something that is as close as possible to a real piano in touch and sound. Also, you mentioned the grand 2 is heavier; do you know how much that difference is? Is the Grand 2 still what we could call "portable" (as opposed to something like a Clavinova, which I would not call portable)
If you play classical piano I would definitely go with the Nord Grand 2. The action is going to be more like an acoustic piano than the Nord Stage 4. The Nord Stage 4 is about 43 lbs and the Nord Grand 2 is about 47 lbs. While the difference isn't that much, the Nord Grand 2 is bulkier and harder to carry (at least by yourself). It's still in the portable category though.
I had the same issue. I wanted to have the piano feel. I went to the shop and checked all the available models. I travelled 3 hours to the nearst shop. You have to do it before making a purchase. Nord Piano and Nord Stage are out of discussion. It is a very light synthesiser-like keyboard. The control panels are amazing but the keyboard was a no-go for me. I tried Nord Grand 1 and I liked the keybed. It is the closest you can get to the piano experience with Nord... but. The keys were very loud. I wouldn't want my family to listen to it. Plus on headphones, it didn't sound so well (probably you need an audio interface). And I had Beyermedia gear. Don't get me wrong, I think Nord are the top choice for gigging musicians, but I am not the one. So I checked Kawai 701 - amazing feeling of keys, very realistic piano sound but lows were to bassy + I didn't like the sound of it on my headphones + there are many quality issues with these pianos. I picked the Roland LX-5 - it is the closest Digital Piano to the synthesisers. You can have 2 levels of sound patches Piano + Pad, Strings etc. You have over 300 sounds + an app. They keys are a bit heavier but there is a great dynamic of them. The sound is a bit less realistic than on Kawai but you have an amplification of the headphones and the sound is stunning.
Nord need to start giving us at least 256 voices of polyphony as a minimum. Also, can you imagine if Nord develop a modeling piano engine with unlimited polyphony? One can dream…
I have way too much set up on a software keys rig with Mainstage/ Sunday Keys with Native Instruments sounds. If i end up getting the nord i'll definitely have to give up either the software or hardware rig🤕
Once you've invested down a particular path it's certainly difficult to switch! I have a large library of VSTs and just added Keyscape to the mix...excited to see how that compares to the big red!
I switched to VST in my live rig. After I had problems during two gigs (lost USB connection), I switched back and bought a Nord Stage 4 and do not look back. A few weeks agomK bought also a Montage M7 in addition, which I did. not use on a gig until now. Soundwise VST is for sure better (especially on my Inear mix), but the difference is not noticeable for the listeners.
You’re right, I was remembering the weight wrong when I made the video. From my experience moving them around by myself, the Nord Grand 2 just seems quite a bit heavier due to its bulkier shape.
@@DSoundmanis there a big difference between Nord Grand and Nord Grand 2? I can get a Nord Grand brand new for $3,200 vs the Nord Grand 2 being a thousand more. Do they have Bluetooth? I’m making the purchase tonight. Thank you kind gracious sir
In my opinion the Nord Grand 2 is worth the extra. More refined key feel, more layers and effects meaning better programs, and no, neither of them have Bluetooth.
@@DSoundman thank you very much. I would only be using for the piano but I appreciate your reply 😎 it would be my secondary instrument to my Kawai GL40 grand
Thank you for a positive approach to the benefits and limitations of both keyboards.
Great video but why would you get both of those ?
Well done video. Thanks.
Awesome video but I'm still not clear and would be ever so grateful for your opinion, Douglas! My current 88 note is a Fantom 8. I love the action. However, I've decided to sell it as there's a lot about the board that doesn't resonate. I have a Stage 4 HA73 which lives between being above the Fantom and in the Salon of my sailboat. So here's the $10,000 question... do I replace the Fantom 8 with a Stage 4 88 or a Grand 2. I absolutely love the functionality and sounds of the Stage 4. I'm not crazy about its action but am still able to emote while playing. Apparently, the Grand 2 will have a more realistic piano action, but not the functionality of the Stage 4. If I go with the Stage 4 88, there will be times when I have 2 Stage 4s in my studio. If I go with the Grand 2, there will be times when I won't have a Stage 4 in my studio. You have so much experience with Nord, I feel you're able to offer really valuable insight... Thanks! Mitch
Just the question on my mind, thanks for putting this video together. Can you talk a little more about how the action compares on them? I play and practice classical piano, so I'm looking for something that is as close as possible to a real piano in touch and sound. Also, you mentioned the grand 2 is heavier; do you know how much that difference is? Is the Grand 2 still what we could call "portable" (as opposed to something like a Clavinova, which I would not call portable)
If you play classical piano I would definitely go with the Nord Grand 2. The action is going to be more like an acoustic piano than the Nord Stage 4. The Nord Stage 4 is about 43 lbs and the Nord Grand 2 is about 47 lbs. While the difference isn't that much, the Nord Grand 2 is bulkier and harder to carry (at least by yourself). It's still in the portable category though.
I had the same issue. I wanted to have the piano feel. I went to the shop and checked all the available models. I travelled 3 hours to the nearst shop. You have to do it before making a purchase. Nord Piano and Nord Stage are out of discussion. It is a very light synthesiser-like keyboard. The control panels are amazing but the keyboard was a no-go for me. I tried Nord Grand 1 and I liked the keybed. It is the closest you can get to the piano experience with Nord... but. The keys were very loud. I wouldn't want my family to listen to it. Plus on headphones, it didn't sound so well (probably you need an audio interface). And I had Beyermedia gear. Don't get me wrong, I think Nord are the top choice for gigging musicians, but I am not the one.
So I checked Kawai 701 - amazing feeling of keys, very realistic piano sound but lows were to bassy + I didn't like the sound of it on my headphones + there are many quality issues with these pianos. I picked the Roland LX-5 - it is the closest Digital Piano to the synthesisers. You can have 2 levels of sound patches Piano + Pad, Strings etc. You have over 300 sounds + an app. They keys are a bit heavier but there is a great dynamic of them. The sound is a bit less realistic than on Kawai but you have an amplification of the headphones and the sound is stunning.
@@sharingmattersJesus guy I don’t think you’ll ever enjoy playing piano. Christ your so frikin picky. Just enjoy playing
What’s more than a “decent pipe organ” on keys in your opinion?
Nord need to start giving us at least 256 voices of polyphony as a minimum. Also, can you imagine if Nord develop a modeling piano engine with unlimited polyphony? One can dream…
I have way too much set up on a software keys rig with Mainstage/ Sunday Keys with Native Instruments sounds.
If i end up getting the nord i'll definitely have to give up either the software or hardware rig🤕
Once you've invested down a particular path it's certainly difficult to switch! I have a large library of VSTs and just added Keyscape to the mix...excited to see how that compares to the big red!
I switched to VST in my live rig. After I had problems during two gigs (lost USB connection), I switched back and bought a Nord Stage 4 and do not look back. A few weeks agomK bought also a Montage M7 in addition, which I did. not use on a gig until now. Soundwise VST is for sure better (especially on my Inear mix), but the difference is not noticeable for the listeners.
Nord Grand 2 is "quite a bit heavier." Can you elaborate on this? Specs say the Grand 2 is less than 4 lbs heavier than the Stage 4 88
You’re right, I was remembering the weight wrong when I made the video. From my experience moving them around by myself, the Nord Grand 2 just seems quite a bit heavier due to its bulkier shape.
@@DSoundmanis there a big difference between Nord Grand and Nord Grand 2? I can get a Nord Grand brand new for $3,200 vs the Nord Grand 2 being a thousand more. Do they have Bluetooth? I’m making the purchase tonight. Thank you kind gracious sir
In my opinion the Nord Grand 2 is worth the extra. More refined key feel, more layers and effects meaning better programs, and no, neither of them have Bluetooth.
@@DSoundman thank you very much. I would only be using for the piano but I appreciate your reply 😎 it would be my secondary instrument to my Kawai GL40 grand
I prefer my Nord Piano 5
"the Nord you already have" 😉
Sounds terrible with youtube compression 😢
Keep on practicing the piano ..
Nord is cheap. They have not updated their engine with better samples for a long time.
Compared to what, do you think?
@ if you want realistic Hammond B3 sounds; Viscount rules.