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Studiologic Numa Compact 2x


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The week is not over yet! I checked in with my rep today and they are still showing an unconfirmed ETA of 04/06 to arrive there. And with MusikMeese coming up next week on the 11th, Studiologic most likely intended to have the product actually released & shipping by the start of the show.

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Gig: Yamaha MODX7, NumaX 73 Piano  Studio: Kawai ES-920; Hammond SK Pro 73; Yamaha Motif ES7 w/DX,VL,VH; Yamaha YC 73; Kawai MP-6; Numa Compact 2x

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You're welcome. The video isn't very helpful, but it's something. First time I've heard the synth, not much added re. the organ. A little info given about how the sliders work as CC controllers in MIDI mode. Gianni said "about a couple of months" to ship, the bullet points state that factory and user sound will be updatable with a separate application coming out in the fall.

 

This also came out, meant as a companion to the SL controllers:

https://sonicstate.com/news/2018/04/11/messe-2018-studiologic-mixface-clever-multi-zone-midi-controller/

Shipping est. August/September

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That MixFace thing is a little bizarre. It's obviously intended to add live knobs/fadersto an existing "naked" board. Fine - it's a big NanoKontrol or similar.

 

The odd thing is the "thru" capability to allow a "dumb" board to become four-zone capable. But because there's no DIN MIDI (USB only) you're only really going to use it in a software rig - and the host can do the zoning itself. If they'd had a USB MIDI Host socket, and 5-pin MIDI, you could have used it to connect something like a Casio PX160 to another (hardware) board or sound source, with four-zone goodness included.

 

Thinking about it, there's potentially a slightly esoteric use case with boards that have both USB and DIN MIDI, whereby you could USB MIDI OUT to the MixFace, which would USB MIDI IN four zones right back at you (I'm guessing the USB MIDI is bidirectional). Use the DIN MIDI THRU (or soft thru, or similar) to drive your second hardware board. But that's all conjecture, I haven't Svengled the manuals.

 

Cheers, Mike.

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Well how about now? Studiologic doesn't have a history of hitting target dates. I'm saying the last part of April is the best we can hope for, but it will probably be May.

 

 

Looks like you called it! I called my rep today to check in, and he now says that the revised ETA showing in his system has it arriving by the end of May. :(

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Gig: Yamaha MODX7, NumaX 73 Piano  Studio: Kawai ES-920; Hammond SK Pro 73; Yamaha Motif ES7 w/DX,VL,VH; Yamaha YC 73; Kawai MP-6; Numa Compact 2x

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Super interested in this wee thing. Anyone know how the action compares to the TP-80 semi-weighted? More or less piano-like?

 

I played it a few times at NAMM and it felt like a true semi-weighted spring-based action. Frankly. all of the Fatar actions that Studiologic had at NAMM felt like they were the latest versions and played great. It actually felt a lot like the VR-730, and while it is a compromise action, it would be suitable for playing quite a few different voice & style types. So assuming that the production models don't change I think that it could be quite a versatile board.

----------------------------------------------------------

 

Gig: Yamaha MODX7, NumaX 73 Piano  Studio: Kawai ES-920; Hammond SK Pro 73; Yamaha Motif ES7 w/DX,VL,VH; Yamaha YC 73; Kawai MP-6; Numa Compact 2x

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Super interested in this wee thing. Anyone know how the action compares to the TP-80 semi-weighted? More or less piano-like?

Slightly more piano-like, based on the shape/size of the key surfaces.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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That MixFace thing is a little bizarre. It's obviously intended to add live knobs/fadersto an existing "naked" board. Fine - it's a big NanoKontrol or similar.

 

The odd thing is the "thru" capability to allow a "dumb" board to become four-zone capable. But because there's no DIN MIDI (USB only) you're only really going to use it in a software rig - and the host can do the zoning itself. If they'd had a USB MIDI Host socket, and 5-pin MIDI, you could have used it to connect something like a Casio PX160 to another (hardware) board or sound source, with four-zone goodness included.

 

Thinking about it, there's potentially a slightly esoteric use case with boards that have both USB and DIN MIDI, whereby you could USB MIDI OUT to the MixFace, which would USB MIDI IN four zones right back at you (I'm guessing the USB MIDI is bidirectional). Use the DIN MIDI THRU (or soft thru, or similar) to drive your second hardware board. But that's all conjecture, I haven't Svengled the manuals.

 

Cheers, Mike.

 

Hmmmm...perhaps Compact2 owners might get some 2X functionality with the MixFace? Not available until Sept, though. 199 is way easier to explain to the finances than another 700. Regardless, it seems like a wonderful tactile interface for all of these iOS synths and such.

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Hmmmm...perhaps Compact2 owners might get some 2X functionality with the MixFace?

Not really. Not the organ or synth engines, just the MIDI fader feature... and it looks too deep to actually sit on the NC2.

 

Regardless, it seems like a wonderful tactile interface for all of these iOS synths and such.

Yes, though for that purpose, I think the Korg NanoKontrol may do more for less.

 

This would be more interesting with a standard MIDI jack, where it could possibly provide extra controls for any keyboard you might want them on. Assuming it is USB only, I'm not sure what it really brings to the table in a live performance environment.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Well how about now? Studiologic doesn't have a history of hitting target dates. I'm saying the last part of April is the best we can hope for, but it will probably be May.

 

 

Looks like you called it! I called my rep today to check in, and he now says that the revised ETA showing in his system has it arriving by the end of May. :(

 

In the video on Sonicstate showing the NC2X, at Musikmesse, the demonstrator says it will be out in June. After that I got a call from Sweetwater also saying June. Sigh.

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Ugh.... in this day and age, why do the voices sound like shit? The organ, especially percussion and overdrive are particularly distasteful.

'55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D

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Ugh.... in this day and age, why do the voices sound like shit? The organ, especially percussion and overdrive are particularly distasteful.

It was a $499 keyboard. For another $200 they added a clonewheel organ and a VA synth. I'm not surprised that it doesn't sound like the high quality tonewheels.

 

Overdrive is an interesting problem. It must be particularly difficult to do cheaply in the world of digital effects. It's the worst sounding aspect of a Hammond SK1. Among the lowest cost boards that pass for a clonewheel is the Casio XW-P1, and again, the worst thing about it is its overdrive. Kronos and Motif don't have spectacular overdrive. The least expensive pedal I'm aware of that people say does a really good job on organ is the Lounsberry, $200 for nothing but an overdrive. So again, maybe it's not surprising that the $200 premium of the 2X over the 2 doesn't get you a top notch overdrive too.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Ugh.... in this day and age, why do the voices sound like shit? The organ, especially percussion and overdrive are particularly distasteful.

 

I thought the demo from the floor at Music Messe was pretty good, considering. It's got me thinking about abandoning my master plan for live gigs... which was going to be the SL88 Studio or Mojo61 MIDI'd up to a new iPad that can run Korg Module + Ivory + Scarbee, interfaced with something like an iTrack Dock.

 

Now, I'm bending the other way... SNC2x as standalone. From what I've been able to discern, the organ doesn't sound worse than any Yamaha or Roland "tonewheel" and could be at the least something you could get by on. For organ-centric gigs, take along the Mojo61. Or... iPhone Korg Module which has some very usable CX3 - type Hammond sounds already.

 

Or - just thinking aloud here - Studiologic makes a Numa Super Compact with 73 keys next... that I'd velcro to the flat top of my Mojo61.

 

 

 

____________________________________
Rod

Here for the gear.

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There's also the option of using a Ventilator. Though that would be less than ideal unless they at least let you pan sounds to one side or the other, which I don't think they do.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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You're welcome. The video isn't very helpful, but it's something. First time I've heard the synth, not much added re. the organ. A little info given about how the sliders work as CC controllers in MIDI mode. Gianni said "about a couple of months" to ship, the bullet points state that factory and user sound will be updatable with a separate application coming out in the fall.

 

 

 

 

Wait what does that mean? Will new samples be uploadable to the 2X?

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That's how I interpreted it; watch the video and give us your take.

 

Whether Studiologic will be sampling new instruments and having a downloadable library of sounds a la Nord remains to be seen.

 

It does have 1GB of sample memory, and the impression Gianni gave was that a good bit of it remains unused.

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That MixFace thing is a little bizarre. It's obviously intended to add live knobs/fadersto an existing "naked" board.

Indeed. That, perched on the SL88 Grand, would make me a happy man.

Yamaha P515 & CK88, Pianoteq, Mainstage, iOS, assorted other stuff.

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That MixFace thing is a little bizarre. It's obviously intended to add live knobs/fadersto an existing "naked" board.

Indeed. That, perched on the SL88 Grand, would make me a happy man.

 

 

+1k

 

 

____________________________________
Rod

Here for the gear.

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I would guess yes, they use the same OS and share most components.

 

Yeah, that's sort of my assumption too (I was pleased when I was able to update my Numa Compact 2 with the USB Audio functionality, rather then them making that a feature you had to upgrade to the 2x for).

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How has studio logic been in recent years with firmware updates for bug fixes - the Numa and SL stuff, the Sledge, and the first Compact, etc?

Eh.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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