Nord Lead A1 vs Lead 4 - anyone know about these and differences?

Philtre

I'm getting GAS for a Nord Lead 4 but I'm not clear what the A1 brings to the party. Anyone tried both of these keyboards?

octatonic

Yes, I do.
What do you want from a synth?

Do you need PWM? The A1 doesn't have it, the L4 does.
There are quite a number of differences but that is the big one for more serious synth guys.

If you want something that is pure 'synth' with the most flexibility then go for a L4*, if you want something that also has electro-mechanical sounds then get the A1.

* actually, I'd probably suggest getting something other than a Nord these days if you want to go deep into synthesis, but if you want a Nord synth that is very synthy then the L4 is the one.

Philtre

octatonic said:

Yes, I do.

Ooh, you tease.

octatonic

Philtre said:

octatonic said:

Yes, I do.

Ooh, you tease.

I was editing the post- I squatted at first reply position and then went back to add more.

Philtre

octatonic said:

Yes, I do.
What do you want from a synth?

Something that doesn't have too much menu diving, can create/edit patches quickly. Ambient quirky stuff. Hate dance music. Already have Electro 6. I guess I just like the Nord thing, having now got an Electro 6 and always wanted a Lead ever since I saw David Sylvian using a Lead 3 live back in the day.

octatonic

Philtre said:

octatonic said:

Yes, I do.
What do you want from a synth?

Something that doesn't have too much menu diving, can create/edit patches quickly. Ambient quirky stuff. Hate dance music. Already have Electro 6.

There are about a dozen synths I'd suggest before the Lead 4, but if that is what you want and you already have an Electro 6 then get the Lead 4. Don't bother with the A1, you'll be disappointed.

octatonic

You might want to consider getting into Eurorack, or things like the Novation Summit, perhaps several of the Dave Smith/Sequential synths too.

Philtre

Thanks for advice so far.

I found this comparison chart:

https://www.nordkeyboards.com/products/nord-lead-a1/comparison-chart

Interesting that A1 has "Flanger, Phaser, Ring Mod, Chorus, Ensemble, Drive" effects, but L4 has only "Crush, Drive, Talk, Comb Filter, Compressor"

> "You might want to consider getting into Eurorack"

I thought about that. It's probably better I don't because that would be me gone down the rabbit hole.

octatonic

Nord have never really had great effects- the early synths didn't have them at all.

Philtre

> Don't bother with the A1, you'll be disappointed.

OK, thanks for that advice. Does it have fewer features?

octatonic

Philtre said:

> Don't bother with the A1, you'll be disappointed.

OK, thanks for that advice. Does it have fewer features?

It just has some of the functionality of the stage/electro that you already have instead of the more hardcore synth features.
I don't know what you want and how far you get into patch creation but a synth without PWN is just very limiting.
A1 is good for what it is, but it isn't for people who like to dig deep.

goldtop

Philtre said:

octatonic said:

Yes, I do.
What do you want from a synth?

Something that doesn't have too much menu diving, can create/edit patches quickly. Ambient quirky stuff. Hate dance music. ... wanted a Lead ever since I saw David Sylvian using a Lead 3 live back in the day.

Well, a Nord Lead 3 is just the ticket then. The LED collar display means that editing is so easy, and the menus are only for system-level settings. Plus it's 4-part multi and that makes long evolving layered oddness easy. Plus you get the easiest way to create 4-op FM, too.

No FX at all though. And it is an omission. I have one hooked up to a Sony HR-MP5 (see Juno demo below).

(A few people don't like the sound of the NL3, but I've never heard what it is that they're alluding to.)

Philtre

> Well, a Nord Lead 3 is just the ticket then.

I've done more research and it seems that the NL3 is a classic, especially with the LED rotaries.

So far I think the A1 is not an option. I also looked at things like the KingKorg and, well, it's just not...red.

Shark_Eyes

On the eurorack idea, you could get a semi modular and a small euro set up.
I.e. make noise 0-coast and a small eurorack setup consisting of a multiplier, a mixer, a pedal interface and an output then you can add to it as you need.

Works for me anyway.

lysander

I’ve had both, IMO the A1 is severely limited and while it sounds good it’s way way overpriced for what is is. The Lead 4 is nice.
Both have terrible keybeds.

octatonic

Shark_Eyes said:

On the eurorack idea, you could get a semi modular and a small euro set up.
I.e. make noise 0-coast and a small eurorack setup consisting of a multiplier, a mixer, a pedal interface and an output then you can add to it as you need.

Works for me anyway.

Eurorack requires discipline.
18 months ago I built a small Minimoog style system.
This is where I am now:

octatonic

Philtre said:

> "You might want to consider getting into Eurorack"

I thought about that. It's probably better I don't because that would be me gone down the rabbit hole.

What animal makes the biggest underground hole?
Wombat?

Shark_Eyes

octatonic said:

Shark_Eyes said:

On the eurorack idea, you could get a semi modular and a small euro set up.
I.e. make noise 0-coast and a small eurorack setup consisting of a multiplier, a mixer, a pedal interface and an output then you can add to it as you need.

Works for me anyway.

Eurorack requires discipline.
18 months ago I built a small Minimoog style system.
This is where I am now:

Totally agree, it's not for everyone, and you need to have a clear purpose and end goal in mind, but thought it was worth giving an example of a set up that might do the Ambient Quirky thing, while utilising some elements that @Philtre might already have I.e FX pedals.

P.s. love the rack, don't think I'll ever get that size TBH. What are the black modules on the bottom left, they look 5u sized.

octatonic

Bottom left are Erica BD and SN modules next to a Moog DFAM.

Top row of the bottom 6u case is are some AJH Minimoog inspired modules.

Shark_Eyes

@octatonic it's the AJH's i was thinking of, didn't know someone had made eurorack sized versions. Thanks.

Philtre

octatonic said:

Shark_Eyes said:

On the eurorack idea, you could get a semi modular and a small euro set up.
I.e. make noise 0-coast and a small eurorack setup consisting of a multiplier, a mixer, a pedal interface and an output then you can add to it as you need.

Works for me anyway.

Eurorack requires discipline.
18 months ago I built a small Minimoog style system.
This is where I am now:

Holy Keith Emersonitis!