Anyone who has used both of these could you please tell me if the NL1 is worth buying, or should I save up and go straight for the NL3?

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nl3 aint avaliable anymore, but what you should do is considering 2x! it has the awesome oscs from NL1/2 pluss better dacs and more ployphony and memory pluss better presets (even good drummaps presets). Unfortunately it does knot have the endless rotarys and FM from NL3, but do you really need that? its almost half the price too. Get the 2x imo! Listen to the demos and ull understand why. Such dry distinct and powerfull sound you would be looking long for. add some analog reverb/delay device and u have the best leads in the world.

Well I'm buying second hand and I can pick up an original NL rack for a steal. My main question is do they sound much different?

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Kill the women. Eat the children.
It's just one of those days where you want to bend over everyone you know and kiss their ass goodbye with a big sideways boot.

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yes. NL1 sounds very much like the NL2 which is better than the NL3 imo (note imo, some like the unison and FM on NL3 so much that they just cant live without it). NL3 is about functions more than pure sound i think. Function wise i really dont know whats the differense between NL1 and 2 are, probably more poly and multitimbral and better dacs. Id look for the 2x second hand anyway though. Others might have other opinions wait for them.

btw looked at NL1 specs abit. seems to have very little poly and limited filters pluss only one part and single stereo outs, almost like an old analog synth. no arpegiator it seems. NL2 have more filter options, arpegiator, two parts, four outputs, more memory, 16 poly (i think, 2x have 20), and in general the 1 looks very limited. though with good sound.

The voices can be expanded right? Really I just want something hands on that sounds good and I love the Nord sound.

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I've never been able to eat a whole baby.
Kill the women. Eat the children.
It's just one of those days where you want to bend over everyone you know and kiss their ass goodbye with a big sideways boot.

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quote:

Originally posted by Zild Well I'm buying second hand and I can pick up an original NL rack for a steal. My main question is do they sound much different?

I've owned the NL1, NL2, NL2X, and now have an NL3. I loved my NL2X and was hesitant to go to the NL3 because it is a somewhat different sounding synth from the earlier Leads, but now that I have it, wouldn't give up my NL3 for anything.

The NL1, 2, and 2X all have a similar sound to them, with a few more features and/or voices added with each new version, but the NL3 has some major improvements and a more diverse sound IMO. I particularly like having the screen on the NL3 - the 2-digit display on the earlier models are a PITA. I also love having the rotaries with the LEDs on the NL3 to see at a glance exactly what each parameter's are set at. I'd say if you can get the NL1 at a steal (i.e., at a price that you're sure you can sell if for a profit later on), then it's worth the investment. If not, I'd say save for an NL3.

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dont think u can do anything with NL1 man. Its a synth from 1995!

btw heres some audiosamples of NL2X:
http://www.nordkeyboards.com/main.a...nlm=Information

if i ever get a hardware synth again it will be that one. i had the NL3 and seriously got tired of its sound.

Are you sure because I see a nord voice expansion pack on ebay and I see a rack that says it is fully expanded. Maybe that is only for the NL2?

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Kill the women. Eat the children.
It's just one of those days where you want to bend over everyone you know and kiss their ass goodbye with a big sideways boot.

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I'm not sure you would want the Nord Lead/Rack 1 when comparing to the 2/2x, as it is missing a number of useful features, such as an OSC model and polyphony. Here are some useful links for comparison:

Nord 2:
http://www.planet-groove.com/clavia/nordlead2.html

Nord 1:
http://www.planet-groove.com/clavia/nordlead1.html

But, like all synths, it's what you can do with it that counts most. I personally would not get the 1 when the 2 is available, and the 3 has even more versatility. But, I think the 1 and 2 are pretty similar in sound, and the 3 sounds a bit different overall (I can't really qualify this statement too well since it's been a while since I played a 3). Either the 2 or 3 are good buys though.

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik I've owned the NL1, NL2, NL2X, and now have an NL3. I loved my NL2X and was hesitant to go to the NL3 because it is a somewhat different sounding synth from the earlier Leads, but now that I have it, wouldn't give up my NL3 for anything.

My post overlaps, but exactly my sentiment! It is a bit different sounding. Perhaps the 1/2 are a bit more "raw" in their sound, and the 3 is more polished and diverse? Again, it's been a while since I played a 3...

NL3 sounds like software imo, except the unison sounds very warm, ull get tired of it though. Older models sounds much rawer phatter stronger more dynamic, distinct i dont know more positive words for sound but its just phatt. as i stated early id get 2x. it has better dacs too allowing more dynamics/bigger signal noise-ratio and better samplerate for recording.