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One would still stick with the NP5… nothing special with the NP6… no audio interface integrated like in RD88 no way to control MainStsge…. No increase in memory…. no micro-tuning....The same AMOLED screen??
Clavia are selling a kind of NP5 with new effects it could be an updated firmware for NP5. What an arnaque/scam!
"Clavia Disappointment ver6.0"
Last edited by Nordine on 17 Jan 2025, 22:55, edited 3 times in total.
—Nordine
Jazz pianist & co-author of "Jazzology: The Encyclopaedia of Jazz Theory for All Musicians" Nord Piano 5 (88)
Roland RD-88
Korg Triton Extreme
M-Audio Keys 49 MK3
Yamaha HS5 Monitors
Audient Evo 4
redder2 wrote: ↑17 Jan 2025, 17:24
Meh. Totally unnecessary release. All it really does is offer a slightly different product to those in the market for an NP5.
Are you familiar with the concept of a "product update"?
An updated outside with some useful new additions (two synths with extra capabilities, quadruple effects, some added/updated) while maintaining the basic concept is *exactly* what one would expect of a product bearing the same name +1, no?
analogika wrote: ↑17 Jan 2025, 17:48two synths with extra capabilities, quadruple effects, some added/updated) while maintaining the basic concept is *exactly* what one would expect of a product bearing the same name +1, no?
The table posted above is actually inaccurate in several places. The Piano 5 already has two independent synth engines, for example, and the effect configuration looks the same to me but with some new models and types.
But sure, it adds lots of nice things. Not enough for me to upgrade personally but if I were about to buy an NP5 I'd be happy to buy this instead.
These users thanked the author dcjams for the post:
I like the updates overall. I was about to get a Piano 5 and glad I held off. One thing I didn't like on the NP5 is that you can not control the "amount" of the Mod 1 and Mod 2 effects, only the "rate". I was actually kind of shocked by this. The sliders are nice. Overall it seems much more close to the Grand 2 now, save for the action. Other than the action and cabinet shape, what are the substantive differences between the Piano 6 and the NG2?
These users thanked the author jason88 for the post:
This follows the unfortunate line of Nord ”development”:
1. Introduce new features and multitimbral parts
2. don’t develope midi to fully take advantage of new parts and features
Stage 4, Grand 2 and now Piano 6 all suffer from this. Stage 4 is the worst case of all: there are many things you cannot do which were possible with NS3. With Grand 2 and Piano 6 the most obvious flaw is the one that you cannot give any part to external control. (In other words parts would have different midi channels and you could put one or more to local off)
Now… I already hear some users saying that ”this is not that kind of instrument” etc.etc. but this ain’t the argument which I accept. MIDI development should definately go with multitimbral development. This has been weakness of Nord for a long time. They’re clearly lacking MIDI competence. As said NS4 is the most horrible example because it’s clearly a step backwards. Others like Piano/Grand-line or Electro is just no development.
Last edited by Ecaroh on 17 Jan 2025, 18:24, edited 1 time in total.
These users thanked the author Ecaroh for the post:
They took various bits and pieces from the NS4 and updated the Piano line. Before long, the same will happen to the Electro. Collectively, it's a good suite of updates and not rant-worthy. Go pound Korg for re-releasing the exact same Kronos for the umpteenth time instead?
I play all these new bits on the NS4C via using a NP5 76 as a controller, so I can directly comment on the playing value of the various upgrades. Simply put: they are collectively quite nice but not essential to its core mission: great APs.
I do almost nothing with dynamic compression (it can make your playing sound robotic) and will routinely use Unison to thicken AP sounds. The independent FX processing might be under-appreciated, I use it all the time and now can't imagine not using it. The new FX types are interesting for a hot minute, but I don't use many of them. "Spin" is like a "Leslie-light" with no phase shifting. I use the faders all the time now.
Do these upgrades make the NP6 a more capable instrument than its predecessor? Yes, but it also makes the now-obsolete NP5 a great value in my eyes.
These users thanked the author cphollis for the post:
no audio interface integrated like in RD88 no way to control MainStsge…. No increase in memory…. no micro-tuning....The same AMOLED screen?? 
"Clavia Disappointment ver6.0"
