Nord Lead 4

[Kevin Nolan]

I own an NL2 which I have mixed feelings about. I fell in love with the sound of it when demoing it in the shop about 10 years ago. The NL2 does have a very, very strong sound. It's among the few VA's that can deliver a fat, punchy bass - it really is _very_ good. It sits quite respectably along side the best analogue synths.

And its sound is raw, true, unprocessed (if you know what I mean) - there are no effects on the thing, so they are not hiding anything under layers of effects - they had to get the basic sound right, and they got it right.


My beef with it is its ergonomics. Storing and retrieving programs is a pain, done though few buttons while there's loads of space free on the control surface for a better implementation on that front; and, for me, it's not a synth I find I want to tweak (perhaps that’s my quirk).


Also, although I've tried out their Electro and Stage series and they are truly absolutely awful (my JD800 Piano Card from 1992 has a better CP80 on it than the Nord Electro and Stage CP80); the NL2 is in a different class to all other Clavia instruments and is the real deal.

The NL3 was a completely different instrument with a different sound which people didn't like because its basic strength is supposedly not on a par with the NL2 (I've never tried one out), and in fairness to Clavia they realised the issue and reverted back to the NL2 sound engine for the updated NL2X.


I believe the NL4 has the very same sound engine as the NL2 - so you are getting that same strong, no-nonsense synth engine as a starting point, and in my opinion that's a very good thing. You really should try it - it's a 'true' synth sound. On top of that you are probably getting better non-aliasing oscillators; and overall better dynamic range, DA's and noise floor, as well as all of the new features.


So I wouldn't be too harsh on this - it's a serious Virtual Analogue with the heavy weight pedigree of the NL2; and if you're considering getting a Virtual Analogue synth, this should be at the top of the list.

Kevin.

[chilly7]

i do not think that Nord Lead 4 can be on pair with the best VA plugins for computers today.... Uhe, Diva, Uhe Ace,Uhe Bazilie, FXpansion Synth Squade, NI Monark and so on...

[Donethur]

I think that a soft synth cannot be competition for a Nord, that is just a blind opinion IMO. A Nord sounds thousand of times better. What they do better is synth power to tweak sounds (example: Zebra), but they don give you that fat organic sound. I have tried a lot of synths and the only one that sounds similar to Zebra (which is the best IMO) is the VIrus TI, because it is an attempt to sound like a VST. But still, I like more the sound of the Virus.

I dont know how a VST can be compared with a Nord in term of sounds. Also, plese dont lose your focus, synths are about sound, no a touch screen or lights, etc. The Nord sounds great and that is what it is important.

Also, have you checked the latest demos?, it seems to sound very cool, I dont know if as good as the 2X, but very cool.

My 2 cents

[jimknopf]

Funny, I don't like the Nord Lead sound at all.

It is one of the VAs which are completely uncapable of sounding analog-like, and it is far below the sound quality of the above named soft synths like Zebra or Diva for my ears, and not even a close match for the Kingkorg sound. It has a certain cold raw power, yes, but rather a very digital sounding one (which is not bad or good, but definitely not my cup of tea).

The demos of the Nord Lead 4 sound extremely ugly and trashy to me. It's one of the synths I would never use for anything, because it always sounds so artificial.

But this thread shows how much taste and judgement can vary among keyboarders.

[Donethur]

Funny, I don't like the Nord Lead sound at all.

It is one of the VAs which are completely uncapable of sounding analog-like, and it is far below the sound quality of the above named soft synths like Zebra or Diva for my ears, and not even a close match for the Kingkorg sound. It has a certain cold raw power, yes, but rather a very digital sounding one (which is not bad or good, but definitely not my cup of tea).

The demos of the Nord Lead 4 sound extremely ugly and trashy to me. It's one of the synths I would never use for anything, because it always sounds so artificial.

But this thread shows how much taste and judgement can vary among keyboarders.

Thats true, there is differences in taste. But, it is strange that people like Jexus (Wc Olo Garb), who has tried and uploaded a lot of videos showing the patches he programes says that this indeed sounds more very analog and good and i usually agree with this guy abd this guy knows. http://syntezatory.prv.pl/

I own a kingkorg and I dont think it sounds analog. Have you owned a real analog before?. Kk sounds great, but it is still digital sounding.

Lets say that oranges and apples have different tastes and each one of us have a lot where to pick.

Cheers!

[jimknopf]

As you see from my signature, I still use analog Moogs. And I have used other analog synths before.

There is no doubt to me that the Kingkorg sounds a lot more analog than anything from Clavia ever did or does. The Nordlead 4 demos do sound quite cold and harsh in comparison.

Anyway, everybody is free to use what they like. Have fun with whatever!

[Donethur]

Well, you have a very nice collection of gear, congrats for that!

Have you seen these videos?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFANX9JY ... Hr1-wwgW_Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHr1-wwgW_Y

Also check this:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/clavia/nord2.php

"The Nord Lead 2 is the synthesizer of choice for many professionals including: The Crystal Method, Fatboy Slim, Nine Inch Nails, The Prodigy, Leftfield, Mike Oldfield, Front Line Assembly, KMFDM, Mirwais, Underworld, Jean Michel Jarre, Skinny Puppy, Depeche Mode, and A Guy Called Gerald."

I think there is a reason for that.

I think Clavia sounds a lot more fat than KK and not over make up with effects (it doesnt have effects). I also own a KK and I love the sound of that machine, but that is not my preference if I want a good fat bass.


Well, maybe I need to try for myself since I have never owned a Clavia, just tried 1 once many years ago and thats it.

[jimknopf]

All better synths are "the synthesizer of choice for many professionals". Do you want to see the Access list over the last decade? And still I would anytime prefer my KK over my Access TI for most leads and basses.

Common use says nothing but that the much used synth does something well. In case of the Nords it is
a) how easy they are to program and use
b) how well they cut through in mixes and band context

But if the Nord Leads are easy to use and cut through well, that doesn't mean I like their sound. I heard Mezzoforte live with their Nord lead, and I found the lead sounds clear, but uninspiring and lifeless for soloing. Each and every of their solos would have sounded better with a Moog or the KK from my view.

Concerning "fat": that has become a non-category to me over the years. With nowadays means you can make anything sound "fat". Any third class plastic sound can be "fat". The much more relevant question is if your "fat" sounds natural and organic, or at least that's the question for my personal taste.


P.S. Yes, I know the Jexus site since a while. He is definitely a nice
and skilled synth freak, but still I do not always agree with his taste or judgements.

[Donethur]

Well, we have different tastes, but you have to consider that thousand of musicians say that Nord is a great sounding synth, so apart from the fact a lot of famous artists use it, there is other thousand musicians as reference to know that maybe your opinión could be totally subjective and may be wrong from other point of view (example: mine).

To me NL fat sounds are indeed organic and that is the opinión of a lot of people. How wrong could be all the rest of the world?.

So, at the end, this is subjective, nothing more, nothing less.

[NuSkoolTone]

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[NuSkoolTone]

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[NuSkoolTone]

I always thought of the NLs as "euro techno" synths. They have a distinct powerful sound, but doesn't really fall in the typical analog synth sounds IMO.

The next thing is I think VAs are VERY much like samplers. Both tools are limited to available technology and every couple of years technology improves making old versions comparatively useless. Remember the Ensoniq Mirage? The Emax? There's no reason for them anymore because there really is no reason for them now.

The available tools to do sampling and processing now are far beyond what any sampler can do and are no longer even a category. Now keyboards allow you to load ENORMOUS samples (Like the Kronos) which are far beyond anything the previous technology allowed. Prep it in your computer, and import it over.

Being that VAs are much more complex and there is far more that can be done implementation wise and it's still an interactive instrument, it's still has validation. However being these are technology based, there is NO EXCUSE for a VA to have 20 voices! I mean SERIOUSLY? In 2013? With no display to boot? For HOW much? We have REAL Analogs giving close to that now for a similar price. To put out a new NL that what appears to be the same as its predecessors with a few bells and whistles is near insult. You can only take the "Apple" route for so long before people wake up.

Now if the Nova synths could step up to the professional level, that'd be something to talk about!

[rrricky rrrecordo]

Novation were on top of the game, wtf happened? I still love my K-Station, with just a fraction of the old SuperNova's capabilities at that.

My Apple thoughts... Is better, faster and cheaper a bad thing? And is it just Apple? Innovation aside of course Milk that cash cow and when she runs dry, open up the pipeline... one can only imagine what's ahead.

[mariachisocial]

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