Nord Lead 2 v Novation X-Station

[mcallyam]

Hey,

Which do you guys think is a better instrument? I'm mainly concerned about the capabilities of the onboard synth of each. Though I'd also like to be able to use either as a midi controller as well somtimes. Does the X-station have as much power as the Lead 2? I realise the keybed is probably better on the Novation.

Cheers.

[flat earth]

Personally I think the Nord has the best basic raw sound of any VA, and unlike many other synths, sounds very good with no f/x. It certainly sounds closer to a real analogue than any other VA i've ever played.

 

On features though, the X Station is in another class. Its a great little synth with all sorts of bells and whistles. The Nord on the other hand has very little in terms of 'extra features', but thats not why you'd buy it, its the pure, almost organic sound that makes it so popular imo.

[raffor]

 

The Nord on the other hand has very little in terms of 'extra features', but thats not why you'd buy it, its the pure, almost organic sound that makes it so popular imo .

 

 

The Nord is multi timbral whereas the X-Station is mono-timbral. For me a big different.

[mcallyam]

Thank you very much for your replies

would you say that the synth engine on the X-station has more long term value than the Nord then? (i.e as I'm relatively new to synthesis would this last me longer without having to upgrade)

 

Do all of the knobs on the Lead transmit midi, like on the X-station?

 

Cheers.

[mcallyam]

As far as multitimbrality, it's like the Nord Lead 2 can have 4 scoops of icecream, with the only flavors being chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

 

Ah who needs all the other flavours like banana and rum-raisin anyway?

 

Ok, I see the merits of the Korg, its just I don't think It's as well laid out as the others, and I'm not a fan of the Korg keybeds, but then I'm thinking of getting a NL2 so that probably doesn't make sense!

 

But yeah I don't really need multitimbrality as I'm fine with mono-leads.

 

Ah, I do use some softsynths so that may be a problem, but who knows the Nord may be versitile enough to replace them, as I'd rather use hardware than soft.

 

What about the Waldorf Blofeld and a cheap(i.e m-audio axiom) midi controller? Compared to the Nord etc? I've heard people rave about the Waldorf equipment, the Q+ etc...

 

Cheers.

[McHale]

Between the two, I would say the Nord. I don't have one and have very little time on them, but I briefly owned the X-station and was very disappointed with it. They're only 700 bucks for a 61 key for a reason. It had a lot of useful features and worked great as a controller, but I just couldn't bring myself to falling in love with it.

 

-Mc

[mcallyam]

Between the two, I would say the Nord. I don't have one and have very little time on them, but I briefly owned the X-station and was very disappointed with it. They're only 700 bucks for a 61 key for a reason. It had a lot of useful features and worked great as a controller, but I just couldn't bring myself to falling in love with it. -Mc

 

Yeah, I get what your saying. In my head I know the X-station is more suited for me but in my heart I still love the Nord

 

Ah well I guess I'll go and try them all out again

[Tomkeen]

I'll just say that I would trade my X-station for a Nord Lead without thinking about it. Only thing I would miss is the excellent keybed and the midi/audio-interface. I don't really like it's synth engine.

[Nillerbabs]

I'd take Nord over X-station any day. In fact, right now I'm listening to an album on which the keys player plays all his synth parts on a Nord Lead. No fx whatsoever, not even reverb - it cuts, it growls and it just does the job. That's my top priority - not a synth dependant on fx. I put my trust in Nord VA's.

 

 

BTW - people oughta own that album. Bentzon Brotherhood: Wired up - they're my 21st century Headhunters

[bloopbleep]

I'd take Nord over X-station any day. In fact, right now I'm listening to an album on which the keys player plays all his synth parts on a Nord Lead. No fx whatsoever, not even reverb - it cuts, it growls and it just does the job. That's my top priority - not a synth dependant on fx. I put my trust in Nord VA's. BTW - people oughta own that album. Bentzon Brotherhood: Wired up - they're my 21st century Headhunters

 

 

Nord all the way, it doesn't have that oooh and ahhh like others with fx but what it put out is great sounding. I'm having a blast with it along with the SH-32:thu:

[mcallyam]

Cheers guys, I reckon I'll go for the Nord then

 

(and get an X-Station as well for my softsynths , no I'm sure an X will be easier to pick up than the Nord in the future or maybe not..)

[mcallyam]

 

How does a synth become dependent on FX? Is it by habit? Does it exhibit withdrawal symptoms, like maybe stuttering when you turn them off? Every synth I've ever used that has FX let's you not use them, and then they disappear. But every synth I've used that doesn't have FX, well, doesn't have them. So if you have a compelling need to use a synth without the effects, then it is entirely under your control to not use them. I can understand when the programmer becomes too dependent on effects. I prefer to use effects very selectively to achieve specific goals, because I agree that going too far can muddy up the result. Maybe Clavia should remove the effects from the Modular G2 to make it sound better?

 

 

Isn't the point, and I'm mainly quoting others hear, that If you, for whatever reason, don't like or choose not to use the effects inbuilt with the synth and you try and turn them off you'll end up with a thin and pretty poor tone in many cases, but with the Nord when used without effects gives an awsome sounding tone...or am I missing somthing...?

 

So the reason for the hesitation in removing the FX is the anticipation of a poor tone as a result, on somthing like the X-Station?

[flat earth]

Cheers guys, I reckon I'll go for the Nord then

 

You wont regret it

 

Just listen to this the whole way through:

 

lFWTgvItQmc

[brandonm]

The thing I love about the Lead2 is its WYSIWYG interface. The thing is just raw synth. The filter lacks for producing thick bass sounds, but it is awesome for leads. The thing is called a "Lead" afterall.

 

The Nord's modulation can produce some sort of "effects". LFO 2 has an echo mode, as well as an arpeggiator. The unison stereo mode really adds character with a bit of a chorus effect. It is also possible to modulate somewhat of a delay effect as well.

 

If you get the Nord, you won't be disappointed. It's a great synth. I will never give mine up.

[The Hamburglar]

For some reason the nord VA sound just doesn't really do it for me, but I haven't really heard a VA that does.

 

I do still lust for a Wave though it has more to do with its sampling abilities.

 

Check out this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7PKmY4PsJ8 (I don't konw how to embed)

 

I know it can't use multi-samples or whatever but those pianos and organs and still sound amazing to me. It obviously helps that this guy is an excellent player...

[evildragon]

Nord has a punchier sound for sure. On the other hand, I love Novation's filter flexibility (Q-normalize in particular). I also don't like that Nord doesn't include negative filter envelope modulation. Come on, guys...

 

I also like 3-osc filter design

[whosthatguy]

Hey, seems like there's some folks here who know a bit about the x-station...

Allow me to highjack with one quick question?

 

Just trying to figure out if it's possible to have the keyboard send on different MIDI channels for different templates. It seems like keyboard channel is a global setting, so how do you operate a setup with multiple hardware?

 

Cheers with a cheeky grin... Again sorry about the interruption!

[The Hamburglar]

 

Check out this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7PKmY4PsJ8 (I don't konw how to embed) I know it can't use multi-samples or whatever but those pianos and organs and still sound amazing to me. It obviously helps that this guy is an excellent player...

 

Am I the only one amazed by the versatility of this instrument as demonstrated by this vid? Maybe it's just that I lack a really good rompler in my setup...

[whosthatguy]

Have you tried the midi override channel on the template settings?

 

Cheers for that. Yep, that setting applies a global MIDI channel to all the templates though. Haven't found a way to have a different MIDI channel for each template yet... Maybe it's just not possible

[mcallyam]

 

I responded because that line of thought is utter bull{censored}. When you turn off the effects in a VA synth, they are not effecting the sound at all, in any way to make a thin and poor tone. VA synths are software algorithms running on specialized computers (DSPs) with a digital signal/software path until the final stage of D/A converters at the end of the process. When the effects are turned off, they don't add or subtract a single bit to the signal. All of the X-Station effects can be punched out of the digital signal path. I played some bass patches on the X-Station for some musician friends of mine recently and they were blown away about how thick and liquid they sounded out of 25 key, and the last thing they would say is anything about thin an poor tone. Now someone might argue that they still like the sound of the Nord Lead 2 over XYZ, and that's fine, but it is NOT because it doesn't have effects. I would easily choose the Nord Modular G2 over the Lead 2, and I suspect that many other people hear would do so as well, and the G2 has effects. In fact, most would also choose the Lead 2X or 3 over the Lead 2, since they improved a lot in the last 12 years. I think it's great if you end up buying a Nord of any variety, so long as you don't do it for some BS reason like that but instead for legitimate reasons, like the sound you actually hear when you play it, how the keyboard feels, or that you like the way the controls are laid out. I can see many, many reasons why someone would prefer the Lead 2 over the X-station, so long as you end up getting what you want, that's a good thing. But please, go to a store and actually listen to them with some pro-quality headphones, then you can judge for yourself as to the supposed thin and poor tone of synths with effects according to your own ears.

 

 

Yes I understand that the signal put out is in no way altered, but isn't it similar to,for example, the Nord is a Ferrari(damn they're red as well!) with the engine tone unaltered and the X-station is say a Ford Escort with a larger exhaust bolted on(or chorus/reverb..) to make the sound fatter(without adjusting the actual bore,intakes etc of the actual engine, just the end result of sound) but still ending up not sounding as good as the Ferrari? no? yes?...personal preference? or BS again?

Not being able to try out an X-Station I can't really comment on the sound except what I have heard in comparisons to other products that I can try out, i.e the Nord, and people seem to infer that the X-Station doesn't sound as good.

On another note, how does the X-station handle leads rather than bass?..All the youtbube videos I can find are of bass patches..I have to admit they do sound rather impressive, slightly digital, but impressive none the less.

 

Of course I would prefer it if the Nord had effects, I am in no way buying it as some sort of anti-effects protest, nothing other than that I loved the tone, but I didnt really like the keyboard feel so it has its pros and cons.

[xmlguy]

Please define what a fat sound is. For me it's a meaningless term applied to synths. Yes, it's used all the time, and that's the problem, it just means 'something I like' vs. 'something I don't'. Therefore it has no meaning without more information.

 

If I generate a simple sine wave from an X-station or Lead 2, I'll guarantee that you will not be able to guess which is which any better than random chance in a blind hearing. For novices, the biggest difference between VA synths is their own ability/inability to program them to do the sounds they want to hear. If they have a problem getting a 'fat' sound, it is because they don't know what makes it sound that way, much less how to reproduce it. There are significant differences between VA synths, of course, but they don't become apparent until you know enough to build a complex program that tests the limits of the engine.

 

So for most novices, it really doesn't matter which synth they buy as far as the sound capability. More important is the synth's ability to make it easy for you to learn. The synths that contain lots of knobs and faders assigned to the synth programming section are generally better for learning than synths that don't. The X-Station, Nord Lead ##, SH-201, and Radias are all great in that regard. Any of these that you find at the right price or with features that you particularly like should be great for you.

 

With regards to the comparison of Nord:Novation as Ferrari:Ford, that isn't a fair or accurate analogy. The X-station has a much wider range of function than the Lead 2, having the full USB audio interface and superior midi controller capability. The X-station also has some advantages (as well as disadvantages) vs. the Lead 2. For example, the X-Station has some sampled waves and it has 3 Oscillators per voice. The X-station also has a nice keybed with aftertouch. The X-Station has 200 program slots. The Lead 2 falls short in these areas. But that doesn't make it a bad choice. I'm just pointing these out to show that the analogy doesn't hold up, not to characterize the Lead 2 as a bad choice.

 

In fact, I think you'll probably be very satisfied with the Nord Lead 2, so I'm not going to try to steer you into another direction at this point. Good luck in your search!

[whosthatguy]

But if you set it to MIDI channel 0, then it won't override the template midi channels, as I understand it. You'll note that the template midi channel is on a different tab. I'm away from my X-station at the moment so I can't try it.

 

Ah I see I was mistaken. Don't have synth with me now but manual says Template common mode is used when editing settings which apply to

the Template as a whole such as the Keyboard MIDIchannel. Not templates plural. Hopefully this mean it isn't global after all. Sigh. That is good news

[mcallyam]

Hi guys thought I'd let you know what I ended up getting! Weeell....I got the X-station in the end after all that time deciding

But no, excellent advice from all and xmlguy i appriciated our discussion and you did manage to persuade me haha , I'm definitely happy with my purchase and the keyboard feel is beyond words!!

Plus its light enough just to carry around town so I'm looking at getting a cheap Roland/EMU rack module for the piano sounds(one of those old but still good sounding ones) and I'll be sorted

Cheers again,

Al

[Tomkeen]

Plus its light enough just to carry around town so I'm looking at getting a cheap Roland/EMU rack module for the piano sounds(one of those old but still good sounding ones) and I'll be sorted Cheers again, Al

 

You might wanna take a look at a second hand GEM RP-X. Great piano samples combined with physical moddeling = awesome pianos for little cash. Also great rhodes and wurlitzers and whatnot.

[mcallyam]

 

You might wanna take a look at a second hand GEM RP-X. Great piano samples combined with physical moddeling = awesome pianos for little cash. Also great rhodes and wurlitzers and whatnot.

 

 

that sounds pretty amazing from youtube clips, but also incredibly rare(on a initial search) to find for sale! was thinkin somthing easier tp find, along the lines of Emu Proteus 1 or the Roland U-220 or Roland MT-32...whatcha think?