Members Palaver Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 Hey guys, I have experience with the Radias-R, but I don't have access to a Nord lead in order to demo one. I LOVE the Radias rack, and the vocoder. I know the Nord doesn't have a vocoder, but if you were to choose one or the other... which one would you go with? All I have is the Clavia demos on their page. What does the Nord have that the Radias doesn't? I think in the end, I'll go with a Radias-R, simply because it has built in effects, and seems like it has more to offer.., plus they're going for pretty cheep on ebay these days. What's the verdict? Which one would you choose, and why? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. PB EDIT: And yes, I did go through the search function. I know both boards are well liked on the forum... just want a more direct comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hoopaa Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 I think you're comparing apples and oranges here... the Nord has its own unique sound and interface, which a lot of people like apparently (I have no personal experience with Nord synthesizers). The Nord is a VA so it tries to sound like an analog synthesizer. The Radias makes no claim to be a VA, although it is a subtractive synthesizer. It has a more "digital" sound and a lot more performance and programming abilities than the Nord, such as drum and step sequencing, and the modulation sequencers. It has a great vocoder. It's a completely different sort of sound and working environment. Apples and oranges. If it were me, I'd get the Radias because I like the programmability of Korg synthesizers and don't care if it sounds like a "true" analog synth or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members raffor Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 I think you're comparing apples and oranges here... the Nord has its own unique sound and interface, which a lot of people like apparently (I have no personal experience with Nord synthesizers). Do you at least own the Radias or do you take this information straight from the pictures?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Palaver Posted July 25, 2008 Author Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 I think you're comparing apples and oranges here... the Nord has its own unique sound and interface, which a lot of people like apparently (I have no personal experience with Nord synthesizers). The Nord is a VA so it tries to sound like an analog synthesizer.The Radias makes no claim to be a VA, although it is a subtractive synthesizer. It has a more "digital" sound and a lot more performance and programming abilities than the Nord, such as drum and step sequencing, and the modulation sequencers. It has a great vocoder. It's a completely different sort of sound and working environment.Apples and oranges. If it were me, I'd get the Radias because I like the programmability of Korg synthesizers and don't care if it sounds like a "true" analog synth or not. Korg calls it MMT - Multiple Modeling technology... it's basically a VA. You select your waveform/ASDR and all that other junk. I messed around with the one in the M3 enough... I LOVE the vocoder. While I haven't played a Nord Lead... I do have experience with their electro, and have seen their Stage model. I love their layout, and design. Very tactile, very visual, and very easy to use. I'm tired of layers of touch screens, and I really enjoy working in Logic/Ableton as opposed to the traditional workstations. I'm considering the Nord Lead rack/Radias rack simply because if something pops up for cheep on ebay, I may make a low-ball bid. More than likely, I'll end up grabbing a Muse Receptor, and try to keep things tied into the box. I'd rather have all the A/D & D/A conversion done with my Apogee box, as opposed to running a whole mess of patch cords. Less noise and better recording quality thru lightpipes and digital cables... so I may skip out on the Nord/Radias all together. Who knows? I'm just GASing for something tactile... and preferable with a light pipe - maybe the V-Synth XT? Who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hoopaa Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 Do you at least own the Radias or do you take this information straight from the pictures?? My opinion should be taken with a brick of salt. I do not own the Radias. Everything I wrote is based on research I've been doing on it, since I'm about to either pull the trigger on either it or a used Alesis Ion. I've been spending a lot of time lately listening to audio clips and demos from both instruments. My two cents were based on this knowledge, and my familiarity with the Korg MS2000 (which shares many aspects with the Radias, my favorite being modulation sequencing ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meatball Fulton Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 I've messed around with the Nord and own the Radias. The Nord does sound "more analog" and can do a few tricks the Radias cannot. The #1 limitation with the Radias architecture is that the second osc is nowhere near as comprehensive as the first, you can't even do PWM on osc 2. It's almost as if osc2 is there as a modulation source for osc 1 first and a signal source second. Where the Radias completely blows the Nord away is MIDI synch of LFOs and FX, FX in general, arp/sequencing options, multitimbral operation and a USB port that can be used as a MIDI interface for your other hardware. Since everything I do revolves around sequencing it was a no-brainer, esp. once the Radias prices fell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members enx Posted October 23, 2008 Members Share Posted October 23, 2008 Bumping to avoid thread clutter! bbbbbam... anyway, I'm considering either teh NL2X keyboard version (good price too), or the Radias. The radias i know can do much more, but if i sell my R3 i need another synth right away (within the week) and i don't know if i can track down a Radias keyboard in that time. I could buy a rack, but having multiple pieces (rack, midi keyboard) seems like a cluster of FAIL. I really want a knobby synth that will make me love making sounds (unlike with the microkorg...). I've heard great things about the nord, but the radias can do so much. I don't want to limit myself, but at the same time i don't want another piece of gear that I'll have to upgrade from (something I'm not afraid of with the Nord) Halp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members raffor Posted October 23, 2008 Members Share Posted October 23, 2008 That is a matter of personal taste. I consider the Radias keyboard as one part. If you need internal effects and a step sequencer, the Radias can do that. Also it has a dual filter and many, many oscillator modes. Therefore the Nord sounds great, has not double function knobs, and is a classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Delicious Lamprey Problem Posted October 23, 2008 Members Share Posted October 23, 2008 Love my 2X rack. I won't ever sell it, until I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members enx Posted October 23, 2008 Members Share Posted October 23, 2008 I really like the fact that Nord hasn't changed the Lead much since the NL1 (excluding the NL3), and that it's likely that they'll stick with this same idea, rather than Korg, who'll replace the Radias like they did the MS2000 Currently I have dibs on a NL2X for cheap, and cannot find a decently-priced radias keyboard.... hmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundxplorer Posted October 23, 2008 Members Share Posted October 23, 2008 Currently I have dibs on a NL2X for cheap, and cannot find a decently-priced radias keyboard.... hmmmm I don't think you'll regret the Nord if you get it.After years of wanting a Nord Lead, yet for some reason or another choosing other synths instead of it, I finally got a Nord Lead 1. I wish I had bought one 10 years ago. There's just something inherently musical about the way it sounds. I don't know anything about the Radias though. Is it just an updated MS2000, or is it radically different sounding? The MS2K wasn't bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Darkstorm Posted October 23, 2008 Members Share Posted October 23, 2008 Both excellent. Would prob pick the nord myselkf though if was gonna add nuther synth and was piucking between those two. Just poreferances for wants, size, layout etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 I have a Nord 2X Rack and a Radias-R. As much as I like the raw sound of the 2X I would rather have a Radias if one was the only option. The Radias is a very deep synth that will give you lots of programming mileage. V-Patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members enx Posted October 24, 2008 Members Share Posted October 24, 2008 aight, so as sick as a NL2X would be, i think i may go with a radias rack, and get a behringer 25-key controller for it, and keytar it upp could i set synth sounds to 2 timbres, and control with a keyboard, then program drums to the other 2 and trigger them with a drum pad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members idiotboy Posted October 24, 2008 Members Share Posted October 24, 2008 Meatball was too modest in his prior post here. Read his posts in this thread over at VSE. No player every got fired for playing a Nord Lead. But, if you want to tweak n' phreak, Radius might be the better choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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