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Studiologic Numa Compact 2x


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Am a bit late to this thread, honestly was hoping for an instrument with this form factor and versatility from Crumar.... They have all the pieces and then some...

Lightweight 88 key perfect for open mike nite...one instrument, 4 minute setup...bliss! Anxious to try Compact 2x..hope the organ engine works out.

OTOH Maybe korg/yamaha has something on the drawing board. Would sell like hotcakes cakes.

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Am a bit late to this thread, honestly was hoping for an instrument with this form factor and versatility from Crumar.... They have all the pieces and then some...

Lightweight 88 key perfect for open mike nite...one instrument, 4 minute setup...bliss! Anxious to try Compact 2x..hope the organ engine works out.

OTOH Maybe korg/yamaha has something on the drawing board. Would sell like hotcakes cakes.

 

Sure Korg or Yamaha could do something like this, but it would cost a lot more.

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What is the level of tweakability of this board? Or is it more of a "take it or leave it" type of format? Since we all have our own definitions of the best Hammond sound, programmability of both the basic organ sound and also Leslie parameters would be desired, and the same would also be said for the other sounds as well. One glaring omission I did spot, checking on what info was available on the SL webpage, was the lack of a wah effect, which we would want for clavs.
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I don't expect a whole lot of on-board synth editing, but an ipad or computer based editor would be really cool

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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IAt about 6:04 the keyboard went silent. I was wondering if that was on purpose, or if it was a glitch.

 

Ugh. That certainly didn't look intentional or like normal functionality to me.

Nord Stage 2 Compact, Yamaha MODX8

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IAt about 6:04 the keyboard went silent. I was wondering if that was on purpose, or if it was a glitch.

 

Ugh. That certainly didn't look intentional or like normal functionality to me.

 

Do we want to believe that a company would be stupid enough to consciously leave a major malfunction in a marketing video?

 

I guess in this day a and age, yep. :)

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IAt about 6:04 the keyboard went silent. I was wondering if that was on purpose, or if it was a glitch.

 

Ugh. That certainly didn't look intentional or like normal functionality to me.

 

Do we want to believe that a company would be stupid enough to consciously leave a major malfunction in a marketing video?

 

I guess in this day a and age, yep. :)

 

The video wasn't an official Studiologic video, so they didn't have control over the content. It looked like the presenter was trying to act like it was nothing, but he was raising one of the sliders and still not getting any sound. I'm glad Sweetwater has a free 2 year warranty on their merchandise.

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I found another video today. It goes a little bit more into the synth section. It seems that there are a variety of waves available.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-obRJmD-iQ

 

At about 6:04 the keyboard went silent. I was wondering if that was on purpose, or if it was a glitch.

 

 

LOL! Now that was hysterical! I love how he kept hitting the key waiting for something to happen... and then runs his fingers up and down the keyboard...clackety-clack! Talking over it all the time. Good salesman! OY

'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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There's another video, showing much more of the organ engine (skip to 6:10 to go directly to the playing part):

 

 

And a more synth/performance oriented one:

 

 

Wonder if that keyclick and leslie parameters on the organ section are adjustable and if you can assign the leslie speed to the damper pedal...

My drawbars go to eleven.

Gear: Roland VR-09, Nord Electro 2 61, Korg CX-3. Hear my music: facebook.com/smokestoneband

 

 

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There's another video, showing much more of the organ engine (skip to 6:10 to go directly to the playing part):

 

 

And a more synth/performance oriented one:

 

 

Wonder if that keyclick and leslie parameters on the organ section are adjustable and if you can assign the leslie speed to the damper pedal...

 

I like the first video better. It showed that the organ can be split and used like a two manual Hammond. I wasn't impressed with some of the sounds on the second video. It looks like the two drawbars controlling LFO speed and depth only affect the LFO modulating the filter. Maybe it can do a good imitation of the Yamaha GX-1 on the beginning of ELP's Pirates.

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I found another video today. It goes a little bit more into the synth section. It seems that there are a variety of waves available.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-obRJmD-iQ

 

At about 6:04 the keyboard went silent. I was wondering if that was on purpose, or if it was a glitch.

 

 

LOL! Now that was hysterical! I love how he kept hitting the key waiting for something to happen... and then runs his fingers up and down the keyboard...clackety-clack! Talking over it all the time. Good salesman! OY

 

Had to add my 2 cents.

Just watched that video and he was showing how the drawbars can control parameters of the synth. He then pushed a drawbar all the way up and lost his sound. I think he pushed "attack" full up and didn't hold the keys long enough for the sound to fade in.

Anyhow, still very interested in this keyboard. Hope they can get it in somebody's hands soon - so they can do an in-depth demo/review.

Professional musician = great source of poverty.

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I emailed American Music and Sound and received a reply today. The first shipment is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. in late May. The units will appear in stores in the beginning of June. They are already almost sold out of their first shipment. Summer NAMM starts in late June. I might skip the 2X and wait for the Compact 3, which will probably have much more synth control.
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  • 2 weeks later...
Cancelled mine yesterday. Bought a Mojo 61 instead. Perfect lightweight rehearsal board.

'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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I think it's pretty safe to assume that virtually everything the Mojo 61 does, it will do better than the Numa. The question would be whether that's all you need, since the Numa does so much more.

 

If you don't need aftertouch or more than 61 keys, the Casio XW-P1 is similarly a lightweight, low-priced 9-slider organ + VA synth + rompler. Up from there, Roland VR-09. If you need more keys, there's Roland VR-730 and Kurzweil Artis7. But sure, if you can get by with 61 keys of monotimbral organ/EP/clav, Mojo is top tier.

 

 

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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Anybody else have that sinking feeling that it's going to be delayed further?

Perhaps the cases are on the same boat? I've had one on order since January. Still loving my 15lb 88's, though.

 

I noticed that too. Why is the case not already available? It would work fine for a Compact 2 also.

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If you don't need aftertouch or more than 61 keys, the Casio XW-P1 is similarly a lightweight, low-priced 9-slider organ + VA synth + rompler.

 

Quite frankly the XW-P1 blows. Nowhere near the same league as the Mojo 61 and likely nowhere near the Numa 2x if it has the Numa Organ engine. The pianos and the EPs in the normal 2 killed the Casio. Plus the action is better. Why give this guy a bum steer?

 

Do we know if the 2x has the Numa Organ 2 engine? The demos don't really show enough yet. But in any case if I was just looking for a stage piano the 2x would be high on my list if I wanted something cheap and light.

 

The Mojo 61 is flat out awesome but I've played the Numa Organ 2 a lot and for B3 they are fairly close. With each being slightly better at certain things. If the 2x has that, watch out.

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If you don't need aftertouch or more than 61 keys, the Casio XW-P1 is similarly a lightweight, low-priced 9-slider organ + VA synth + rompler.

Quite frankly the XW-P1 blows. Nowhere near the same league as the Mojo 61 and likely nowhere near the Numa 2x if it has the Numa Organ engine. The pianos and the EPs in the normal 2 killed the Casio. Plus the action is better. Why give this guy a bum steer?

As a Numa Compact 2X alternative, sure the Mojo 61 is a far better organ and EP than the XW-P1. But the XW-P1 is a far better synth and rompler than the Mojo 61, which isn't a synth and rompler at all. The XW-P1 can at least perform all the basic functions that the NC2X can, the Mojo 61 cannot.

 

Do we know if the 2x has the Numa Organ 2 engine? The demos don't really show enough yet.

From what I've seen so far, while the NC2X may use a Numa Organ based organ engine, I don't think it has the same rotary/overdrive, which of course is a big part of the sound. I think the NC2X organ will be better than the XW-P1, but not as good as the Mojo.

 

BTW, I think the XW-P1 has nice synth functionality. I'll be curious to see how the NC2X compares. (First video is mono lead sounds, second video is poly synth stuff.)

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

 

XW-P1 beats the NC2X in having more real-time controls, patch recall buttons, four independent zones. NC2X has the 88 keys, aftertouch, and probably mostly better bread-and-butter sounds.

 

 

 

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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If you don't need aftertouch or more than 61 keys, the Casio XW-P1 is similarly a lightweight, low-priced 9-slider organ + VA synth + rompler.

Quite frankly the XW-P1 blows. Nowhere near the same league as the Mojo 61 and likely nowhere near the Numa 2x if it has the Numa Organ engine. The pianos and the EPs in the normal 2 killed the Casio. Plus the action is better. Why give this guy a bum steer?

As a Numa Compact 2X alternative, sure the Mojo 61 is a far better organ and EP than the XW-P1. But the XW-P1 is a far better synth and rompler than the Mojo 61, which isn't a synth and rompler at all. The XW-P1 can at least perform all the basic functions that the NC2X can, the Mojo 61 cannot.

 

Do we know if the 2x has the Numa Organ 2 engine? The demos don't really show enough yet.

From what I've seen so far, while the NC2X may use a Numa Organ based organ engine, I don't think it has the same rotary/overdrive, which of course is a big part of the sound. I think the NC2X organ will be better than the XW-P1, but not as good as the Mojo.

 

BTW, I think the XW-P1 has nice synth functionality. I'll be curious to see how the NC2X compares. (First video is mono lead sounds, second video is poly synth stuff.)

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

 

XW-P1 beats the NC2X in having more real-time controls, patch recall buttons, four independent zones. NC2X has the 88 keys, aftertouch, and probably mostly better bread-and-butter sounds.

 

 

 

Hey didn't you read that earlier post? The XW-P1 blows. No amount of good sounding demos is going to change the expert opinion. Case closed.

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Hey didn't you read that earlier post? The XW-P1 blows. No amount of good sounding demos is going to change the expert opinion. Case closed.

 

True. I had an XW-P1 for several years mainly used as a back-up for a Kurzweil that had issues. The Casio just doesn't sound good compared to the Kurzweil or the Numa. The XW-P1 is feature rich but GM sounds and the B3 is very week. I won't even get into the Leslie sim because it will drive you to stab coat hangers into your eardrums.

 

It's okay but it sounds every penny of its $400. The Numa 2 is about the same price but the pianos and EPs are well above Generalissimo MIDI quality. And the keyboard action is superior to the XW-P1 in every way.

 

The Numa 2x still looks like a stage piano with extra sounds and not a synth so there are no controls. I'm guessing an app will be needed to really edit the synth parameters at all but if the synth if close to the Sledge it'll smoke the P1. The organ demo sounds better than the P1.

 

The P1 sounds better on youtube than in person and the key action is cheap. Not bad for a 13 year old in a cover band for the junior high talent show playing The Final Countdown but nowhere near gigworthy sound quality. The Privia pianos are but the P1 does not have those samples.

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I'm guessing an app will be needed to really edit the synth parameters at all but if the synth if close to the Sledge it'll smoke the P1.

 

I'm guessing that if the 2-way audio over USB and MIDI over USB work as advertised, the synth engine in the compact 2X won't really matter as people will use it to trigger synths or even samples from the many capable apps available for even old iPhones/iPods/iPads.

Nord Stage 2 Compact, Yamaha MODX8

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I'm guessing an app will be needed to really edit the synth parameters at all but if the synth if close to the Sledge it'll smoke the P1.

 

I'm guessing that if the 2-way audio over USB and MIDI over USB work as advertised, the synth engine in the compact 2X won't really matter as people will use it to trigger synths or even samples from the many capable apps available for even old iPhones/iPods/iPads.

 

The 2-way simultaneous audio / MIDI through USB works beautifully with the latest firmware on my Compact 2. The thing is a darned good controller for my iPad.

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The 2-way simultaneous audio / MIDI through USB works beautifully with the latest firmware on my Compact 2. The thing is a darned good controller for my iPad.

 

QED.

 

I've never played a sledge but I'd hazard a guess that something like Propellerhead's Thor can rival the capabilities of a hardware VA.

Nord Stage 2 Compact, Yamaha MODX8

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