StrangeAeons wrote:(but would anybody here seriosly contend the Kronos' library is bigger than Nord's?)
Doesn't the Kronos have a 40GB SSD in it, and now also has the capability to stream samples from said drive? People have loaded entire Kontakt libraries into it. It also loads user samples that can have many velocity layers rather than just one for Nord...not to mention the synthesis aspects are miles deeper. Now, I think Nord has some amazing sample content that the Kronos does not (many of the Nord pianos are far superior to the ones Korg has built in for example.) Not to mention Nord's main selling point...simplicity and ease of use. A Kronos will NEVER be as easy to get up and running as a Nord Stage. Korg's answer to that (sort of) was the Grandstage, which also has a larger piano selection; but that's still not the same animal. But in terms of size and expandability of the sound library? I don't see how Kronos couldn't win that battle. But it's such a different product that it's hardly worth the comparison anyway.
StrangeAeons wrote:Likewise, Yamaha rarely releases significant updates for their keyboards (even the Montage's last update dates back to 2020).
Yamaha seems to release updates that are more comprehensive with a wider gap in between. Fewer larger updates vs many smaller ones, basically. Of course there are exceptions but that's been my experience at least.
StrangeAeons wrote:Crumar does update their lineup frequently but, concerning their Mojo organs, no real improvements were made since 2017-2018: and certainly the Mojo 61 can't even compare to the Electro for anything that's not pure Hammond tones.
I can't speak to the Mojo, but the modeled electric pianos in the GSI Gemini (Crumar's other brand) are wonderful to play especially after the last few updates. Nord still has them beat for acoustic pianos although they've been trying to make progress in this area. What sets Nord pianos apart for me is their raw character. So many products include an ultra perfect piano with no imperfections. Nords have a slight bit of detune on some, for example, and that really adds life to the samples. But that Gemini module is a really nice all-in-one solution; it could certainly replace an Electro plus it has a VA synth in it among other things, though it only layers or splits 2 sounds at once so couldn't really compete with a Stage.
StrangeAeons wrote:Finally, it's hard to complain about the Wave 2 if it isn’t affected by any bugs:
If only that were the case!
StrangeAeons wrote:but no pro, and very few dedicated amateurs still play keyboards from more than a decade ago (and when they do you can clearly feel they sound "old": the Kronos might be the only notable exception).
I come across Yamaha Motifs in their various forms on a regular basis here. Korg SV1 still seems to have a good following as well, and of course lots of older Nords are still gigged with. In terms of older digital keyboards I think Yamaha has dominated that space. The Motifs are classic, and their sounds are often instantly recognizeable. This may depend on the styles of music you play and your location; perhaps these boards are not so commonly used where you live. I even know a few people still using the old Roland Fantom X from the early 2000's!