Is the Nord Piano 5 Worth It? (Compared to The Nord Electro 5)
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The Original Question (from a YouTube Subscriber):
@JAYDEZ Productions asks: "Hello Marc, can you do a video about Nord Piano 5? I'm thinking about upgrading from Nord electro 5 or what do you think?"
Summarized Question: Is the Nord Piano 5 Worth It?
Answer:
Hello @JAYDEZ Productions great question here. I think that it would be a step in the right direction IF you can live without the dedicated Organ engine. Remember that this is almost an unfair fight, as the Nord Piano 5 is the latest Nord offering. The Nord Electro 5, on the other hand, has been in the field for years. So, the newer tech in the Piano 5 really shows itself on the list below. With that said...
Advantages of the Nord Piano 5
Here is a list of the immediate advantages of the Piano 5 over the Electro 5
- A better keybed for pianists: 73 or 88 key Triple Sensor keybed with Grand Weighted action. This versus the waterfall semi-weighted or the HP from the NE5.
- NP5 has the "virtual Hammer Action Tech," which is good if you want that authentic acoustic piano feel.
- Two layers. The NE5 has only a single layer. (this is a HUGE feature to consider as the extra layer really helps with music making and song emulation)
- Split Crossfades
- Seamless Transitions
- More memory (lots more) for both engines: 2 GB/1GB versus 1GB/256MB
- More polyphony (lots more) for both engines: 120 / 40 versus 60/15 - Pedal noise and support for the Triple Pedal (again, more suited to people looking for traditional piano features).
- 7 Split Points versus 6
- Vibrato in the synth engine.
- Glide option (portamento) (this is a big deal for synth sounds)
- Unison Option (this is another big deal for synth sounds)
- Layer detune only applies if you have multiple layers, which the Piano 5 has)
- Dynamic Compression
The effects are nearly identical, but the Piano 5 has the edge in the reverb department, offering both a Normal, Bright, and Dark setting along with a Chorale effect. Most notable, however, is the inclusion of the "Cathedral" reverb which is almost worth the price of admission. This is my favorite reverb when creating ambient sounds (think worship/space/ethereal sounds). So the NS5 is a clear winner in almost every department. (Obviously, you pay a higher price for it as well ).
Now, what will you be missing from your NE5?
- Set List/Song Mode option. The NE5 has a very handy set list option absent on the latest Nord keyboards for some reason.
- Organ engine and rotary speaker effect. Yes, you can play some basic organ sounds on your NP5, but nothing like what you get with the NE5 rotary effect and classic B3 emulation.
- No optional half-moon switch option. (If you don't have a rotary speaker, you don't need a half-moon switch option).
Good luck!
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Marc 🎹
My Keys To Music
