NORD Electro 6D vs KORG Pa4x

[Vlady]

I know...weird comparison but considering going to a one board solution to meet my needs.
Background...I have an acoustic upright piano, so don't need hammer-action or piano focus in a board.
Not a musician, just a guy with an expensive hobby who will play at home, and write/record a few songs for my own entertainment. I do have a separate 16track multitracker if I decide against the arranger.

Looking for killer Wurly and Rhodes sounds; killer rock organ sounds (more Boston/Kansas-ish); good electric grand sounds; and then a smattering of other useful sounds. I'm mostly a 70's rock guy obviously!

I know all these things are highly subjective but wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the 2 keyboard actions...how they compare to each other???

Organ sound and functionality/playability are important...not that I'm all that good, but I'm learning and don't want to be too limited. I assume the NORD would take that one, but I have no reference for the Pa4x organ module...

Finally I guess would be user-friendliness of the 2 boards...

And anything else I should be considering? I want 73/76 keys not 61.

 

[Biggles]

Yep, weird it is.

I have only played the Nord once and that was quite a while ago, but loved and for the price its a great keyboard.

The Korg is another matter, way more expensive especially for the 76 key version (£2600 here in the UK). It has a semi weighted keybed with after touch, plenty of sounds and pretty good onboard memory including its own hard drive.

There are sliders on the 4X that are multi use to the right is the selector to scroll through the modes, one of which is Drawbars so no organ issue, here is the rub though, the Rotary and Percussion effects gets a mixed bag review from users, I like it but I am no connoisseur of the intricacies.

Korg have their own Youtube channel under the heading of Product Support where you will find the video tutorial series for the 4X which will give you an idea of how the keyboard operates.

Korg also have their Bonusware website where they are a mass of free Styles, Sounds and add on available.

Theres more, Korg UK have a website specifically for the Pa series korgworld.co.uk is the site and here there are free addon Registrations available plus 20+ hours of prior webinars that are packed full of info and guidance.

Sorry I cannot be more detailed on the Nord, hopefully another member can add far more about that keyboard.

 

[delaware dave]

You have the 16 track multitracker already. You mentioned this: "..killer Wurly and Rhodes sounds; killer rock organ sounds (more Boston/Kansas-ish); good electric grand sounds; and then a smattering of other useful sounds...". The 6D-73 will get you there better than the Pa4x. My two cents.

 

[Vlady]

You have the 16 track multitracker already. You mentioned this: "..killer Wurly and Rhodes sounds; killer rock organ sounds (more Boston/Kansas-ish); good electric grand sounds; and then a smattering of other useful sounds...". The 6D-73 will get you there better than the Pa4x. My two cents.

Hey, that's worth a lot more than 2cents to me!

 

[Vlady]

Yep, weird it is.

I have only played the Nord once and that was quite a while ago, but loved and for the price its a great keyboard.

The Korg is another matter, way more expensive especially for the 76 key version (£2600 here in the UK). It has a semi weighted keybed with after touch, plenty of sounds and pretty good onboard memory including its own hard drive.

There are sliders on the 4X that are multi use to the right is the selector to scroll through the modes, one of which is Drawbars so no organ issue, here is the rub though, the Rotary and Percussion effects gets a mixed bag review from users, I like it but I am no connoisseur of the intricacies.

Korg have their own Youtube channel under the heading of Product Support where you will find the video tutorial series for the 4X which will give you an idea of how the keyboard operates.

Korg also have their Bonusware website where they are a mass of free Styles, Sounds and add on available.

Theres more, Korg UK have a website specifically for the Pa series korgworld.co.uk is the site and here there are free addon Registrations available plus 20+ hours of prior webinars that are packed full of info and guidance.

Sorry I cannot be more detailed on the Nord, hopefully another member can add far more about that keyboard.

Thanks Biggles, that is quite helpful.

 

[anotherscott]

Assuming the organ in the PA4X is the same as what's in the PA1000, it is not close to being in the same league as the Nord. However, you can improve the Korg organ by connecting an external Neo Ventilator pedal, and the PA4X has auxillary outputs which should help facilitate that. I've never played the PA4X so I can't comment on the action, unfortunately.

Other possible 7x-key semi-weighted boards with organ engines, real-time 9-drawbar control, and Rhodes/Wurli:

Dexibell J7 Combo
Hammond SK Pro (and SK1)
Kurzweil PC4-7
Roland VR-730
Vox Continental

There is subjectivity to this, but to me, Vox and Kurzweil have the best actions in that list. All the rest use some variation of the same Fatar TP/8O that's in the Nord. Which isn't bad, but I think not as good as those two. Though the SK Pro is unique in simulating the "multi-trigger" aspect of a tonewheel organ's action. Sound-wise, I'd probably put SK Pro in first place for organ, Vox Continental in first place for EPs. I think the Kurzweil and Dexibell are strong for EPs also, in part because of their add-on capability. The Kurzweil has memory into which you can load the nice EPs from Purgatory Creek. The Dexibell stock EPs aren't so good, but they have much better ones you can download from their web site. The Dexibell has motorized drawbars, which is cool (they snap to the correct positions whenever you recall a saved preset).

 

[Biggles]

One more thing on the Korg.

All Pa’s come with a sound palette that is rich but slightly dull, the Eq needs configuring but on the 4X there is the Max system that improves the tonality across the frequency range which in turn is adjustable as it includes Parametric Eq.

Alas not all Korg users bother to make the changes to the settings that will transform their Pa.

 

[Vlady]

Assuming the organ in the PA4X is the same as what's in the PA1000, it is not close to being in the same league as the Nord. However, you can improve the Korg organ by connecting an external Neo Ventilator pedal, and the PA4X has auxillary outputs which should help facilitate that. I've never played the PA4X so I can't comment on the action, unfortunately.

Other possible 7x-key semi-weighted boards with organ engines, real-time 9-drawbar control, and Rhodes/Wurli:

Dexibell J7 Combo
Hammond SK Pro (and SK1)
Kurzweil PC4-7
Roland VR-730
Vox Continental

There is subjectivity to this, but to me, Vox and Kurzweil have the best actions in that list. All the rest use some variation of the same Fatar TP/8O that's in the Nord. Which isn't bad, but I think not as good as those two. Though the SK Pro is unique in simulating the "multi-trigger" aspect of a tonewheel organ's action. Sound-wise, I'd probably put SK Pro in first place for organ, Vox Continental in first place for EPs. I think the Kurzweil and Dexibell are strong for EPs also, in part because of their add-on capability. The Kurzweil has memory into which you can load the nice EPs from Purgatory Creek. The Dexibell stock EPs aren't so good, but they have much better ones you can download from their web site. The Dexibell has motorized drawbars, which is cool (they snap to the correct positions whenever you recall a saved preset).

Scott...thank-you for this. You always have very helpful thoughts/opinions...really appreciate you taking the time.

 

[Vlady]

One more thought that puzzles me... In almost every review/video I see, when it comes to the eps the Rhodes are always covered/shown in some detail but very few ever show or talk about the Wurlies. I play way more Wurly stuff than Rhodes stuff although I love both.
Is it a mistake to assume that if the consensus is that a particular board has "really good eps" that that applies to the Wurlies as well? Often the comment is along the lines of "really good Rhodes/tines imitation". Any opinions as to who has the better Wurlies???

Ok, one more thing...this is likely a very subjective point but is there any consensus as to which is the better/more accurate sound reproduction technology between modeling or sampling? I'd love to be able to do side by side comparisons in person but closest store with decent keyboards is 7hrs away...plus they aren't open cause of covid anyways...

 

[delaware dave]

One more thought that puzzles me... In almost every review/video I see, when it comes to the eps the Rhodes are always covered/shown in some detail but very few ever show or talk about the Wurlies. I play way more Wurly stuff than Rhodes stuff although I love both.
Is it a mistake to assume that if the consensus is that a particular board has "really good eps" that that applies to the Wurlies as well? Often the comment is along the lines of "really good Rhodes/tines imitation". Any opinions as to who has the better Wurlies???

Ok, one more thing...this is likely a very subjective point but is there any consensus as to which is the better/more accurate sound reproduction technology between modeling or sampling? I'd love to be able to do side by side comparisons in person but closest store with decent keyboards is 7hrs away...plus they aren't open cause of covid anyways...

watch this video especially the written words on the screen which explains what is happening in the physical model; then he demonstrates it on the keyboard

Also, you might want to consider this module with the controller of your choice. Killer EP's (both wurli and rhodes), decent acoustic piano, killer organs and about two other physically modeled instruments. the real beauty is that if you don't like your controller, you can switch that out and just move the module from keyboard to keyboard. I have one; my favorite piece....

Genuine Soundware and instruments

Professional Audio software and hardware

www.genuinesoundware.com

 

[anotherscott]

this is likely a very subjective point but is there any consensus as to which is the better/more accurate sound reproduction technology between modeling or sampling?

No. Because outstanding sampling beats medicore modeling, and outstanding modeling beats mediocre sampling. ;-)

 

[Vlady]

watch this video especially the written words on the screen which explains what is happening in the physical model; then he demonstrates it on the keyboard

Also, you might want to consider this module with the controller of your choice. Killer EP's (both wurli and rhodes), decent acoustic piano, killer organs and about two other physically modeled instruments. the real beauty is that if you don't like your controller, you can switch that out and just move the module from keyboard to keyboard. I have one; my favorite piece....

Genuine Soundware and instruments

Professional Audio software and hardware

www.genuinesoundware.com

Wow...never even thought about this option but it makes so much sense

 

[Vlady]

One more board up for consideration now...KURZWEIL Forte 7. I realize it is hammer-action keys but what are people's thoughts on this as compared to the Electro and the Pa4x. 3 different beasts, but beasts all 3!

 

[anotherscott]

Forte 7 has better feeling hammer action than the PC4, plus Kurzweils largest sample set and largest amount of user sample space. OTOH, if you prefer semi-weighted, the PC4-7 otherwise comes pretty close to the Forte and actually has more assignable controls. Note that the PC4-7 is going up from $1799 to $1999 on June 1.

 

[Vlady]

Awesome...thank-you again.

 

[Vlady]

Talk about going down a rabbit hole...there's so much info and so many good choices!
Looking at the Forte7 vs PC4-7...supposing I was to load some of the more premium sounds from their library into the PC4-7...would that more or less get me the Forte quality sounds in a semi-weighted board? Am I missing something there?
I realize there are Purgatory Creek and countless other options for adding but ideally I am more inclined to want to do everything from one board kind of guy. I may yet evolve.

I did see the KRONOS LS and that seemed like the perfect keybed/action for my needs, at least on paper, and it sounds incredible; but I want to spend the majority of my time PLAYING and not getting lost in controls and menus where I don't know what I'm doing.

 

[anotherscott]

Looking at the Forte7 vs PC4-7...supposing I was to load some of the more premium sounds from their library into the PC4-7...would that more or less get me the Forte quality sounds in a semi-weighted board? Am I missing something there?

While Forte and PC4-7 are both compatible with the older Kurzweil PC3 and KORE64 sounds, Forte also has a set of newer sounds that are specific to the Forte, while PC4-7 has a reduced set of those sounds. There is no way to get those other Forte-specific sounds into the PC4. Besides the fact that Kurzweil doesn't make them available, there is also no way to fit 16 GB of sounds into 4 GB of space (the PC4 series having 4 GB total, between the 2 GB already in there and the 2 GB available for you to add more).

 

[Vlady]

Now I have to factor mathematics into this as well?!?!?! Now I understand...that makes sense, thanks.