get the HA 88 or a compact with midi controller?

[cphollis]

I'm just battling two ideas that I can't sort out for myself...

1. Does the midi controller for the NS4SW need its own sounds? I can imagine two scenarios. (1) if the NS4sw craps out at a gig and I need to create sounds from the midi controller board instead or (2) if I use the midi controller solo to play a piano centric gig.
2.The cost of having a Nord Piano as a midi controller 90% of the time is not justified in my opinion... I use a custom enclosure that I'm super happy with the aesthetics of and I can stick any midi controller that can output midi inside it. It just needs to have a good action and keybed feel. I'm fine with the TP100 but would love to try out a better action (Nord Piano 73HA, Numa X Piano, or the Yamaha YC73 all seem like a better action vs. my Acuna 73 w/ TP100).

That leads me to the next 2 questions. Is it important to have redundancy in a rig that uses a NS4SW as the primary sound source? i.e. should your weighted midi controller be able to produce its own sounds? Is an iPad and a midi controller good enough in a pinch? BX3, Neo soul, Moog, and pianoteq seem to be just fine for my 3 primary sounds and can easily be on an iPad.

What is the best keybed feel in a 73 or 76 keyboard for Piano playing (Not for EP's, organ, synth or any combo of these)

No, the midi controller doesn't have to make its own sounds, but your choices are limited when considering keybed-only models that don't make sounds.

The go-to in this category is the Studiologic SL73 which uses a TP/100 action (same as Numa X), but I've discovered that all TP/100 actions don't play the same, depending on OEM. Good luck finding a SL73 in a music store to get your hands on

Not a lot of shorter piano actions out there, so that's another factor. For example. the Yamaha CP73 plays sweetly, but is ~$2100 vs. ~$2700 for the NP5 73. Since I've done NPs in the past (NP3 and NP4) that's the one I got.

I've never had any of my Nords fail during a gig, ever. Then again, I always have a backup plan just in case.

[FZiegler]

It just needs to have a good action and keybed feel

I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. Depending on that I'd tend to say: This is not fully true. Not only does a MIDI controller need to feature a good key action, but also a matching velocity curve in relation to the controlled unit. Only this will give a really good keybed feel. And this is a matter of compatibility.

Today, a lot of keyboards (and MIDI controllers of course) allow to set different velocity curves - but still they have to match. I first used a MIDI velocity converter to get my weighted controller keyboard and my Stage Compact together. Only after an OS change, I could get rid of that additional piece of gear. So, it can be a threat.

[ziberto]

I'm just battling two ideas that I can't sort out for myself...

1. Does the midi controller for the NS4SW need its own sounds? I can imagine two scenarios. (1) if the NS4sw craps out at a gig and I need to create sounds from the midi controller board instead or (2) if I use the midi controller solo to play a piano centric gig.
2.The cost of having a Nord Piano as a midi controller 90% of the time is not justified in my opinion... I use a custom enclosure that I'm super happy with the aesthetics of and I can stick any midi controller that can output midi inside it. It just needs to have a good action and keybed feel. I'm fine with the TP100 but would love to try out a better action (Nord Piano 73HA, Numa X Piano, or the Yamaha YC73 all seem like a better action vs. my Acuna 73 w/ TP100).

That leads me to the next 2 questions. Is it important to have redundancy in a rig that uses a NS4SW as the primary sound source? i.e. should your weighted midi controller be able to produce its own sounds? Is an iPad and a midi controller good enough in a pinch? BX3, Neo soul, Moog, and pianoteq seem to be just fine for my 3 primary sounds and can easily be on an iPad.

What is the best keybed feel in a 73 or 76 keyboard for Piano playing (Not for EP's, organ, synth or any combo of these)

No, the midi controller doesn't have to make its own sounds, but your choices are limited when considering keybed-only models that don't make sounds.

The go-to in this category is the Studiologic SL73 which uses a TP/100 action (same as Numa X), but I've discovered that all TP/100 actions don't play the same, depending on OEM. Good luck finding a SL73 in a music store to get your hands on

Not a lot of shorter piano actions out there, so that's another factor. For example. the Yamaha CP73 plays sweetly, but is ~$2100 vs. ~$2700 for the NP5 73. Since I've done NPs in the past (NP3 and NP4) that's the one I got.

I've never had any of my Nords fail during a gig, ever. Then again, I always have a backup plan just in case.

Just to be precise... the Numa X keybed (tp110) is not the same as the SL73 (tp100).
I agree with the rest of the considerations.

[mtier0067]

Just for continuity… after considering many options here (and thanks for the help everyone!!) I think I’ll stick with my acuna 73 and wait for SL/Fatar to release a 73 HA (like the SL Grand88 in a 73 key model) or a TP110 upgraded SL73. While I’m sure there are better keybeds out there in the NP73, YC73, Numa Piano X 73, and possibly others, I just don’t see the need at this point given all of these options are over $1K and most of then over $2K and I don’t really need their sound engines. My backup sound source is my iPad Pro running into a little powered USB hub into an Orange amps OLEC teleporter pedal. If you haven’t seen this little pedal before, it’s amazing… Truly one of the most compact set ups for those that have a pedal board and wanting to use their usb keyboard to control iOS modules.

I really do wish SL would release a HA 73 midi controller or a 73note HA numa (not the tp110) or Yamaha/Roland/korg release a good weighted no frills controller or YC-like board that uses graded hammer action in a smaller 73 note keybed. It seems like every company making good actions out there thinks that people are unanimously going to lug around 88 keys if you really want to “play piano”. I may be an anomaly here or maybe everyone is asking for the same thing. Let’s get a hammer action small 73 note board for those of us who would rather play Rhodes and other EP sounds on a piano action instead of the TP100/TP110 style ungraded weighted action.

[LeftyBass68]

Six years into an early version of the S3C73 it has more issues than the five year old S3HA88.On it's third pitchstick and just had the third one adjusted.
Not as robust a build as the HA88.Saving weight and size is about as much edge as the smaller one gets.Pianos play less accurate, than organ does on a piano style key.
If I had to keep just one? It's the 88 by a wide margin.Hardware easily more useful than a 'controller'.If you get a compact, the choices are numerous for an 88.That Yamaha YC has a triple sensor keybed at less than half the price of a Nord and feels REALLY good!Has some better overall EP's and synth sounds and is a bargain priced feature rich inexpensive unit that is flying off the shelves at it's price point.
In the forty years I've bent the pitch paddle of this JX8P it has NEVER failed! Way better built than the Nord pitchstick which is a joke.

[cgrafx]

One more option that seems to have been missed, the Kurzweil PC4. Its got a vary capable synth engine, good pianos, 88 weighted keys, a very flexible/robust MIDI implementation with layers and splits and it only weighs 28.7lbs vs 40.1lbs for the Piano 5 or 43.2lbs for the Stage 4/88.

All the more impressive is its only $2,500 and can be found used for well under $2k.

[jcamp4]

I have the Numa x piano 88 with the tp-110 action to control my Nord Stage 4 Compact. It’s pretty good but had to send back under warranty for noisy keys. They repaired it and a couple of months later I’m getting clicking keys again, it starts with the most played keys and spreads. Had take same problem with YC-73 Yamaha. Best action I have found to compliment the compact was the Nord Piano 5, but without the organ engine it seems like a waste to have as a back up, but it is a great controller for the compact. I would like to use a YC 88 but too heavy for me. Perhaps a Korg D1 set up very close to the NS4 compact. All in all I would like a lightweight (under 30lbs.) controller or main keyboard like the NS4, But wouldn’t we all. Hope this helps.