King Korg or Nord Lead 4?

[cl516]

KK vs NL4, not quite as exciting as NAMM news perhaps, but pls hear me out:

I have a few new analog mono synths already. I want a poly I can just tweak and play, come up with new ideas. Used to own Virus TI2, but even using it standalone, I heard glitches when it came to multi-mode and also the serial / parallel filter routing.

Narrowed it down to King Korg vs Nord Lead 4.

KING KORG:
61 keys, 24-voice polyphony.
3-osc, 2 timbres at once.
2nd timbre can transpose.
1 filter per timbre.
Many oscillator and filter types.
6 slot virtual patch mod matrix.
User tuning scale of each note.
Has Oscillator Mixer Levels
2 LFO's, rate up to 100 hz


NORD LEAD 4:
49 keys, 20-voice polyphony.
2-osc, 4 programs at once.
1 filter per program.
Multiple filter types.
Impulse Morph.
Chord memory.
No mod matrix.
Master clock sync of all 4 programs / arpeggiators.
Fixed Oscillator Levels, Balance between A/B only
2 LFO's, rate up to 532 hz.
+1 LFO for simple vibrato.



Any thoughts at all would be appreciated!

[meatballfulton]

Possible considerations:

Do you need CV control of outboard synths? -> Korg

Do you need multitimbrality? -> Nord

Do you need 61 keys? -> Korg

[BaconTastesGood]

I would get a KK first. It doesn't have some of the unique weird things of the NL4, but you can get a used one for 1/3 the price of a NL4 (!). KK sounds fantastic, the filters and oscillators sound remarkable for a VA, and it even has CV out that can drive both V/Oct and V/Hz (MS-20). The only real downside of the KK is fewer knobs than the NL4 and more plastic build quality.

You could probably even get a KK + Prophet 08 Rack for the same price or less than an NL4.

[philip]

Do you need a good sound?-> Nord

[cl516]

CV control and Vocoder function are not important for me.

It's the KK's lower price, more keys, and more voices that make it a tough call.

The Nord sound is, no question, excellent.

[rob_lee]

@OP

I have no experience with the Korg however a few weeks ago i bought the Nord 4r and was that impressed i ordered another one today (keyboard version) I had never owned Nords before but i ended up with 2, both rack and keyboard versions. Now i have plenty of great sound going in to Logic when its delivered this week.

BTW

If your in the UK Nord 4 keyboard is only £1299 and that's cheaper than what i paid for the rack last month. This is where to get them instead of £1549

NORD LEAD 4 KB

Rob

[vcs3]

Nord of course!

[celebutante]

I haven't played NL4 (though I have ongoing memories of the somewhat crusty sound of my old NL1), but the King Korg sounds as good as an VA I've ever played and is an awesome value. I agree that the build quality is a little plasticy, but the controls feel fine. And it's VERY easy to get to genuinely weird noises!

[pmh]

I do fancy a Nord myself, but find anything less than 61 keys too limiting these days, so I'd go for the rack version.

Also takes up less space and is a little cheaper.

Kind regards,



Phil

[cl516]

Well, been reading a lot more, and also played them a few times in person.
Not sure which synth is deeper.

While the NL4 has got morph and faster LFO's, sometimes the crazier modulations just starts to sound a bit hazy. Not even like useful digital glitch, but more just like a samey samey digital haze.

Meanwhile, KK doesn't seem as deep at first, but layering crossmod osc with dwgs with normal osc, and then AGAIN in the 2nd timbre, seems quite cool...

Both synths don't do serial filter routings...

[Andy_X69]

I played with the King Korg recently. I hate to admit it but I wasn't really impressed. If you want a VA that models old analogue brilliantly, the Alesis Ion/Micron (or Akai Miniak) is a better choice.

The KK isn't very flexible at all. Plus it sounds kind of muffled unless you've got the tube distortion cranked up to maximum.

The NL4 isn't that flexible either but its more flexible than the KK, and sounds very bright and toothy and in-your-face.

[vampyre]

KK is a nice synth, so many options and the sounds are just great.

Lots of knobs and killer effects, this is what a VA should be, The Alesis micron does not compare to the KingKorg.

The Alesis micron has few knobs and a PIA to program using the keyboard interface and a useless small keyboard, looks just like any synth from the 1990's with a limited interface and few knobs, and lots of menus, No thanks...

KingKorg with all the filter and wave choices and knobs, it replaced a bunch of my gear, and no worry about tuning and old school midi lockups.. Prophet 600, MS20, Minimoog, DW8000, OB-Xa