Clavia Nord Lead 3

*I'm using the latest softare, ver. 1.2.
*The presets are pretty amazing, a huge variety of sounds. I used to own a NordLead2, and I think the NL3 is a vast improvement in terms of variety.
*How hard is editing? I can't image a synthesizer that is easier to edit than the NL3 except perhaps for my old Moog Prodigy...
* The manual is excellent, very detailed, more than I need to get the synth to work, in fact, you don't need the manual unless you want to know the background of things or tricky details.

* Comp. to the NL2 the polyphony is great, especially with the Unison option
* The sounds and variety thereof are THE features of this thing. The ease of editing is just a bonus.
* No effects as such, a bit of a pity, but I use it in a studio exclusively together with other instruments and effects. The sounds are great on their own and sit beautifully in a mix. 90% of the time I don't add effects.
* No expansion what I know of except for software revisions which already have "expanded" this instrument beyond what I expected.
* No sequencer, I use my computer instead.
* Arpeggiator. I haven't explored this yet, but I will. I whish there were advanced preset patterns, maybe in an update?

*I compared the NL3 with an Access indigo quite extensively before purchasing the NL3. The Access really shines at first, but then I realized that most of the sounds are either based on arpegiator patterns and/or effects. The NL3 shines without those gimmicks, that I anyway can add afterwards. The quality in the Nord3 can best be described as sounds that sit great in a mix and that have a quality impact. It reminds me best of the old ddrum machines - I used to have access to one... Their sound quality was so great they just bump up the quality of the overall mix, although on their own they can sound a bit boring - the ddrum that is. I use the NL3 for all of my songs to date, except simple one piano/one voice tunes. I play everything from bizarre synth-pop to acoustic/jazzy tunes.
* The greater improved variety comp. with the NL2 has made the NL3 much more versatile and useful. I'm happy I sold the NL2 although I liked it and lived without it for more than a year...
* The morph function is so easy to set up and easily turns the NL3 into a VERY expressive instrument. I whish the presets had morphs on every instrument, but it's easy to add yourself.
* Very nice key-action, although my S80 Yamaha does most of the job with better feeling. It's a synth-keyboard after all, and for some tunes that feel can be good. In retrospect I should have got the rack version instead, but ...

In a studio it works fine. Don't know how it would react to gigging and roadie-handling, I guess one needs to be careful about the knobs.

The updates have been superb, and I hope they continue. Hopefully with more advanced arpegiator patterns and more operators to the FM mode if possible, even at the expense of polyphony. Downloading from their website is a breeze, and they have new sounds there too which is nice.

It's the center-piece together with my sampler and S80. I love it. If it was stolen and I had the money I'd get it again. Without the money I'd just have to dream about it. A touch too expensive perhaps considering one can buy advanced HD/mixer studios or two S80s for the same price... The quality is all there though and I don't regret the purchase. The rating is for the value for money. Qualitatively it's a 10.

1.2
The bass sounds are OK.
Editing is nice but over rated.
The manual is OK.

24 voices, no effects, and only a 4 octave keyboard. For this kinda money it should sound way better than it does.

If this didn't have that stupid unison knob this synth would be worthless. Most of the sounds suck. There are some nice bass sounds though.

It's made of plastic and switching patches while playing was really bad. You had to stop playing for a second or two for the patch change to take. I hope those fancy knobs don't break on yours because that will take forever to get fixed!

Buyer beware!!!

I was not impressed with 85% of the sounds in this synth. The only thing it seems to be moderately good at is bass sounds. Thank God that unison knob is there because otherwise this would be the most useless piece of crap. I had to pay $300.00 just to get rid of this POS. Want to see how Clavia does business? Educate yourselves and read on.

Just like you I went online to read review after review and I eventually got convinced that I should purchase one of these synts. I also bought a Waldorf Q at the same time but the Nord Lead III showed up three weeks late thanks to Clavia.

I won?t compare the Nord III to the Waldorf Q because there isn?t any comparison at all other than price. If you spend the extra cash for the Q you get about 10 times the synth. I wish I had known how bad the Nord was but there was no way to hear it. The Nord III has zero effects, a lousy four octave keyboard, a worthless plastic case, and two very weak oscillators. With only two oscillators this thing sounds very thin without using that unison knob on every patch. I know your thinking ?But It does have than unison knob, don?t it??. Use it all you want it still doesn?t excuse the fact that this synth sounds like a Target Casio tone.

I had this synth for one day and I took it back because for $1999.00 I got a $600.00 synth. The Novation A station sounds better than this piece of crap and it is less than $600.00 so I?m being nice with this figure.

Well, to make a long story short to return this board Clavia says I have to pay a 15% restocking fee. That makes this board cost me $2300.00 wow. I guess this is how Clavia intend to make money by selling shit which people will return and then charging them to return it. I suppose I could try and sell it in the paper or something but why should I be burdened with this product. After all it isn?t my fault this board sucks.

Keep in mind this board came three weeks late and it has been hell working with Clavia to get rid of it. They originally were going to chare me a 50% restocking fee! Yeah, holy shit is exactly what I said. Now I?m out $300.00, plus a month of not having second synth, and I?ve endured a month of Clavia induced pain and suffering because they have no idea what customer service is.

Buyer beware,

dminusk@yahoo.com

I couldn't get rid of this board fast enough. The only reason I'm passing this information on to you is because Clavia was so uncool and so hard to deal with.

The sound is so organic you can almost touch it! Editing is so easy that you end up with hundreds of sounds in a few days. The special Clavia knob LEDs are the very best, and you can always see what you are editing in any light condition Yeah!!! This synth is so inspiring to work with that you forget that you have to eat and sleap!

It is so ridht on when editing or programming, and it is buildt like a tank!

Everything from Oberheim matrix silk to icecold Yamaha DX7

I have never had any trouble with Clavia instruments!

You can upgrade your Nordlead 3 on their homepage

This synth is going to be a member of the classics like Oberheims Yamaha DX7, Roland jupiter 8 and so on!

One of the best user interfaces on the planet. An absolute no-brainer
to figure out. Having the LEDs light-up and change as you go to
different patches is brilliant!! Sets a new standard for ease of use
that, hopefully, other manufacturers will follow. Upgraded mine to
the latest software rev 1.04. The update worked like a champ. Only
took one pass thru my sequencer (Cubase 5.0) to get it to stick.
Manual is O.K. I'm not a big Manual guy, so this isn't that important
to me.

Clavia actually updated the polphony from (20) to (24) at no extra
charge. What other company has done that? Unit has NO EFFECTS, aside
from an O.K. Distortion/Filter and some Panning/pseudo-delays that
can be accomplished by tweaking an LFO or two. Some people say
"No Big Deal" to having no effects, but personally I would have liked
to have had some type of effects included in this unit. Clavia is
asking us to pay a pretty steep price for this 'board and I think
they could have at least included a chorus/delay/flanger or something.
Even the lowest end 'boards have 'em, why not this one?
No expansion capabilities, but I don't know if you would need them
seeing as how you have (8) banks of (128) Patches and (2) Banks of
(128) performances. Should keep even the most intense tweak-head busy
for at least a couple of days. The usual MIDI suspects are all here.
Velocity, poly-aftertouch, etc. Really liked the "Stone" Mod Wheel
and "Wood" Pitch Stick. The pitch stick is so tight and springy that
you can "twang" it to get a pretty cool tremolo/vibrato effect.

O.K., here is where I will probably get into some trouble with any
die-hard Clavia/Nord fans. Remember folks, this is personal opinion
and if "all" synths sounded the same to "all" users then the music
world (at least the keyboard side of it) would be a pretty boring
place. I found the sounds of the Nord Lead 3 to be lacking something.
I had used a Nord Lead 2 previously and loved it, so when the "3"
was announced, I assumed I'd be getting the same "killer" sound
engine with all the new cool bells and whistles. To my ears this is
not the case. The new sound engine seems to be geared more toward the
"FM"/softer side of the house, and while I will admit that there are
some head ripping sounds in this thing, a vast majority of the
pre-sets tend toward a more mellow vibe. Not to worry though, that's
what all those cool knobs are for, right? Well, I began tweaking, and
tweaking, and tweaking in an attempt to get the kind of killer sounds
I had heard from the NL2. Maybe I'm clueless, but I just couldn't
get there. Clavia even seems to be admitting it when they add a
patch called "NL2" (which I still couldn't get to sound like an NL2).
In it's defense this board shines at evolving pads and decent FM
emulation intruments, but I didn't buy this board to get a really
good sounding FM Trumpet, and I kind of doubt that anyone interested
in this 'board is looking for that either. The filter and resonance
are a little different than on other 'boards. The filters available
are generally pretty good and have more than one "sweet-spot"(un-like
most VA filters), but the resonance was strange. It does not self-
oscillate and on numerouse occasions I found myself tweaking the
'board into silence, when I turned the Resonance up too much. Not
really sure why Clavia (or anyone for that matter) would find this
useful. Maybe they'll change the way the Res control works in a
future update.

Didn't have any problems with it for the (4) weeks I owned it.
the buttons seem kind of cheesy and if an LED knob ever goes
out you probably have to wait a long time to get it fixed.

Sent E-Mail to Clavia re: the rev. 1.04 upgrade, but never got a
response back. Could be because they posted the update (2) weeks
later, but it still would have been nice to know that someone at
Clavia acknowledges and responds to E-Mail.

I took the 'board back after (4) weeks and got a (30) voice Waldorf
Microwave XTK. I know the Nord is supposed to be a better 'board, but
it just didn't work out for me. I really wanted to love this 'board
and gave it (4) weeks of effort to get me excited, but it just never
happend. I own a bunch of other synths (SuperNova II, Microwave XTK,
MS-2000, JP-8000, XV-5080) and each one of them got me goin' the
minute I plugged it in. The Nord Lead 3 did not.

Perhaps the best synth user-interface ever made! Every parameter has a knob or button, and rings of leds around the `endless rotary' knobs show the value of everything (so, you can immediately see all the settings of a patch when you select it, unlike other synths with knobs). If you're used to the NL2, the NL3's interface seems a bit daunting at first --- there are many more parameters, and the front panel doesn't let you forget it --- but after playing for a while, the sheer brilliance of the design draws you in, and gets you tweaking in no time, even if you hadn't intended to. Not only is the new interface very useful, it's also <b>fun</b>; you can watch the knobs `turn' in real-time as you use aftertouch and the modulation wheel! I never used the NL2's morphing feature very much, because it was just too hard to use, but the NL3's implementation makes it almost trivial, and it's very useful (I'm especially enthused about the key-tracking morph group, as I really missed key-scaling on the NL2).

24-voice polyphony; unlike other synths, unison mode doesn't reduce the polyphone, although each patch can also specify a chord to be played for every note the user plays (which does reduce polyphony).

The voice architecture is much more complete than previous Nord Leads; it seems as if Clavia has listened to all the grips people had about the previous models, and address every one. You'll have to look at Clavia's web-site to see the full list of new features, but especially noteworthy are the hugely expanded oscillator section (which can do up to 4-osc FM, have both oscillators `synced' at once, and has a bunch of interesting inter-oscillator modulation/distortion features), the ability to use multiple filters at once, and the improved modulation section (modulation destinations expanded greatly, each LFO can be an envelope, and the `modenv' can be an LFO).

The 49-key synth-action keyboard seems slightly better than the NL2, but is basically still just adequate; it's better than a cheapo MIDI keyboard, but nowhere near as nice as the best synth keyboards out there. The keyboard has aftertouch, which feels pretty good. The `pitch-stick' pitch controller is much better than a traditional pitch-bend wheel, very intuitive and playable. The mod-wheel is made of an interesting stone-like substance, which is cool.

The NL3 sounds lovely, lush, warm, and dynamic (but not mushy unless you want it to be --- the minimum envelope attack time is 0.5ms!). I think it's a lot less "boring" sounding than some other current VAs (ahem) noted for their warmth; in that sense, the Nord heritage is evident. The non-voice-stealing unison mode works really, really well. It sounds much better than the NL2's unison mode, and doesn't cost anything (and each voice finally has its own unison detune parameter)!

The sound is rather different than the NL2, so a NL3 and a Nord Rack2 (or Nord Modular) might make a fine pair.

Others have wondered why Clavia kept the "Nordlead" name for the NL3, given the clear difference in sound. For me, it's the the immediacy, the fluidity, the sense of being close to the core of the sound, and of playing a musical instrument rather than programming a computer. The Nordlead 3 is a more-than-worthy successor to that tradition.

As with all Clavia products, the build quality is top-notch. The case is all steel (no plastic end-caps here), and the knobs and buttons feel very solid.

My experience with previous Clavia products has been very positive --- I always get a prompt reply to email I sent about problems, and when I needed something fixed, the local distributor did so quickly and cheaply (and they were nice as well).

The NL3 is a kick-ass, inspiring, synth. Buy it. For all those people that were dissapointed with the Nord Lead 2, the NL3 is what you've been waiting for...

Actually, this synth is easier than I thought to open out of the box and play; however, to put it in a manual mode and create great analog sounds was a little harder than my old Prophet-5. It has no effects, yet somehow sounds like it does. Mine shipped with the V.09 software...I easily downloaded the V1.04 OS and patches, and they are far improved. I understand the new updated performance patches will be on Clavia's website in a few weeks, which is great because I erased mine (be very careful to read what you are erasing before you hit "enter". Editing patches is a BLAST !!...very easy with the graphic pots and display. There are many more parameters than on the old analogs by Sequential and Oberheim, so there's more to tweek.
The manual that came with the instrument is really good, but you can download the new manual (V 1.04) off the Clavia website.

With the new OS, polyphony is 24 voices...the velocity and aftertouch action is among the finest I have ever played...very nice feeling. Like I said, there are no effects, even though it sounds like there is on alot of patches. There are many features missing on this that are on other similar synths (no sequencer, no effects, no 5 octave kbd,etc.), yet I think that these are advantages of sorts (cleaner, purer sound; and smaller size). Besides, the graphic display pots to me are worth their weight in gold !! Polphony with the V1.04 software is 24 voice. And the unison mode (w/full 24 voice polyphony) is also very cool.

The instrument sounds are fantastic off the website...they show off the entire spectrum of this synth (the original patches seemed to focus on the FM-ish type sounds). I could find a use for it in many musical genre's. The velocity and aftertouch seem to respond positively to my touch...but I must admit that the pitchbender, although very nice and expressive, has taken me a while to adjust to (I am best with the Roland lever on my XV-88).

So far, it has not logged enough hours to comment on it. Other than a incorrect fuse placed in it at the factory, it has been ultra dependable in it's short life. I think it'll be great...I have left it on for hours, and the bottom is only slightly warm.

So far, I have had no dealings with Clavia. Clavia posted all upgrades in their website, and they were very easy to download to the instrument as MIDI files using Steinberg Cubasis VST 2.0.

If this were lost or stolen, I'd be very heartbroken...I would definetly replace it with another (a very long wait, I'm sure). It sounds great, looks great, feels great; and I wish that I had more time to play it. If I had it to design, I may put a 5 octave board on it, but that's all. In short, I love it !!

I've had the NL3 for a week now and the more I play with it the more I like it. The unit shipped with OS 0.98. Clavia has announced on their web site that a 1.0 version of the OS should be available for download within the next two weeks. Actually, the OS seem pretty complete to me. Other than fixing some Midi sync/timing hiccups, I don't know what the update could add. The unit is constructed in the typical Clavia tradition; The case is entirely constructed of sheet metal and all components are of the highest quality. The NL3 has a very well though out interface; its incredible complexity is masked by its ease of programming. All editing and programming is done via the buttons and knobs; no menus involved at all. There are 31 knobs, twenty six of them are continuous rotating within a circular LED display that indicates the current parameter setting. Also, when a knob is tweaked, the exact setting is displayed in the main LED in parameter specific information such as Hz, Secs, etc. The engine was designed from the ground up for the NL3; it is not a repackaging of the NL and NL2. It inherits its sonic character from the Nord Modular. I've been told that designer of the NL3 is the same person responsible for the Modular. The stand-out capability of the new Clavia synth is the implementation of FM capabilities. FM adds to the timbral possibilities both by enhancing the "analog" type sounds and also by allowing it to practically emulate a DX7. This is a very, very, deep machine. As complex as the NL3 is, the task of learning the synth is eased considerably by the well laid out user manual. Although the inside front cover of the manual contains a disclaimer stating that the book is a preliminary manual and that a more complete edition will be made available, it is remarkably thorough.

When the Nord Lead 3 was first announced by Clavia, it was to be 20 voice polyphonic. Several months prior to its release, Clavia changed the spec to 18 voices. It seems that somewhere along the line Clavia managed to find some extra DSP. The NL3, as it was released, is 24 voice polyphonic. Clavia has departed from earlier convention by adding after touch to the NL3. In keeping with convention, there are no built in effects in the NL3. There is an adequate, but not spectacular, arpeggiator. No sequencer. On board patch memory is more than adequate; there are eight banks of 128 patches, about half of which were empty in the unit I received, and two banks of 128 performances, which were also only partially filled.

The factory presets seem to be designed to show off the FM capabilities of the NL3. It only takes a short while tweaking the knobs though, to see that the synth is capable of more traditional analog timbres as well as sounds never before heard from any synthesizer. It will find favor among a wide variety of players from rock, to tehno, to ambient.

Judging by its construction, as well as experience with other Clavia products, I expect the NL will be reliable and dependable.

??????

Definitely a keeper.

This baby arrived yesterday. Its blown me away . The sounds are unbelievable. Editing patches is amazingly simple with all the knobs present on the front panel of the keyboard.Of course like every new synth one has to get into learning the architecture of the synth so that'll take some time. The manual as yet is incomplete and an updated maunal is going to be available soon. The presets sound huge . I've only checked out the keyboard at home but I plan to test drive this baby in the studio tommorow through Genelecs meant for film mixing.

24 voice polyphony with this version .98 so I guess more polyphony will be available in the future. There are no built in effects which I think is a good thing because I prefer to track a sound dry and then process it with a plug in or an external effect processor. I actually plan to plug the Nl 3 into my K2600 R and use the KDFX.
I dont think that the NL 3 is expandable. The keyboard is nice and firm , I'm not really a keyboard player so i'm not that particular.
There is no sequencer but that doesnt make a difference either cause this is not a workstation type keyboard. I plugged it in and almost lost my hearing because the first patch Welcome Pad almost blew my headphones !!!!!! Its very easy to get into editing etc.

I'm going to be using the NL3 for all kinds of stuff from commercials to film soundtracks and remix projects I think it'll do just fine.
There are no onboard effects like I mentioned earlier I think that is good. Very often you get blown away with this lovely patch on a synth which is soaking in reverb or delay and then you find that when you actually are tracking the synth to tape it either gets too washy or it just doesnt sit in.
It is a very dynamic synth and the velocity and aftertouch are very well mapped to the patches.

I've just had it for 2 days so its a little early in life to comment on this one.

I deal with the Nord dealers in Bombay , India ( SUN Media Ventures ) who have always been great with their aftersales service on other products I've purchased from them so I'm pretty secure I guess.

I would definitely get a new one if this were stolen. I have a bunch of other gear like a K2600 , Z1 , Wavestation Ad , EMU e4 and XL 1 , Roland JD 990 and 2080 and S760 and a K5000R. I guess each synth has its own character. I'm not one for using multitimbral setups on synthesizers I prefer to run a single patch on each synth and working on Pro tools really eases up a lot of such problems.
I only wish it had a slightly advanced arpeggiator because that is something I like to use a lot of.
This is the first Clavia product Ive owned and I can see myself checking out more of there stuff in the future.