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Studiologic Numa Compact 2x


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To improve the CX2 as an organ, the first thing I would do is have working on/off for both vibrato and percussion, independant of their settings, like the real thing. The soul of the Hammond is how many ways you can play one riff. On my RT3 I turn vibrato on and off all the time. On the numa I just leave it off because I feel stuck there if it's on, there is no simple way out, unless you are on the last option, which requires multiple button hits to get to in the first place.

The MIDI implementation of of the NC2X is pretty thorough. There are probably MIDI commands you could send to switch the vibrato and percussion on and off, which you would be able to do from a screen on your smartphone with a variety of apps. Just velcro the phone down to the empty panel space (there is enough for a phone) and you've kind of extended the control surface with whatever other custom buttons you'd like. Or a NanoKontrol could give you hard buttons, but you'd still need the phone or some other piece to get the NK's USB MIDI into the NC2X.

 

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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For what it's worth here is a response from Studiologic regarding the sample memory issue...

 

Hi Derek,

 

as we announced in different moments, half of the memory is dedicated to the internal Factory Sounds, while the second half will be used (very soon) to install new Sounds that can be downloaded from our Site, and applied to the NC2x with a new Sofware app called NC2x Manager, published soon...

 

Let me know, thanks for your kind interest and best regards !

 

Gianni Giudici

 

Studiologic Brand Manager

www.studiologic-music.com/artists/gianni_giudici/

www.giannigiudici-music.com

Derek Disbro wrote on 29.07.2019 20:36:

 

COUNTRY: USA

 

MESSAGE

How is this accessed? The manual make provides no indication of how to utilize this.

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New sounds would have to go into one of the 8 sound banks (Piano, EP, Keys, Bass/Guitar, Organ, Synth, Orchestra, Other). I hope their "NC2x Manager" lets you re-arrange the order sounds appear in in those categories, and even let you move sounds to other categories. I'd like those buttons to bring me to my 8 favorite sounds, and that would require moving an EP to a different category since I want a Rhodes button and a Wurli button.

 

In the original Numa Compact, I had wished the 10 sound bank buttons could be repurposed as a number pad. Instead, they reduced them from 10 to 8! I'd still like to see a number pad mode, where the buttons represented numbers 1 through 8. While you couldn't recall all 99 user programs that way, you'd at least have shortcuts to 11 through 18, 21 through 28, 31 through 38, etc., which would be very useful. You'd only have to resort to the scroll wheel to pick user programs with a 9 or 0 in them.

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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For what it's worth here is a response from Studiologic regarding the sample memory issue...

 

Hi Derek,

 

as we announced in different moments, half of the memory is dedicated to the internal Factory Sounds, while the second half will be used (very soon) to install new Sounds that can be downloaded from our Site, and applied to the NC2x with a new Sofware app called NC2x Manager, published soon...

 

Isn't that the biggest open-ended thing you would expect StudioLogic to say?! I wouldn't hold my breath given the content/history in this thread.

MainStage; Hammond SK1-73; Roland XP-80, JV-90, JV-1080, JV-1010, AX-1; Korg microSAMPLER;

Boss DR-880; Beat Buddy; Neo Instruments Ventilator; TC Electronic ND-1 Nova Delay

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Has anyone discovered how to change the brightness of the display?

 

It's fine for me in daylight, not distracting. In darker settings it can be bright to my eyes, I just tape over it now, and I can make a lens, but it would be nice to adjust it...

RT-3/U-121/Leslie 21H and 760/Saltarelle Nuage/MOXF6/MIDIhub, 

SL-880/Nektar T4/Numa Cx2/Deepmind12/Virus TI 61/SL61 mk2

Stylophone R8/Behringer RD-8/Proteus 1/MP-7/Zynthian 4

MPC1k/JV1010/Unitor 8/Model D & 2600/WX-5&7/VL70m/DMP-18 Pedals

Natal drums/congas etc & misc bowed/plucked/blown instruments. 

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These kinds of rollouts are frustrating. The Digitakt is in the same boat. Folks have waited for overbridge way past what was promised. The Novation Circuit is in the opposite boat. They promised nothing and have delivered 8 epic updates noone expected, though it has taken a good while.
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Here's a thought: Since the NC2x gererously provides 99 program presets, use 2 ADJACENT programs identical one to the other, one with vibrato OFF and its neighbor with vibrato ON, and rotate the program selector knob back and forth between the 2 to activate or deactivate your favorite vibrato / chorus sound.

 

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Here's a thought: Since the NC2x gererously provides 99 program presets, use 2 ADJACENT programs identical one to the other, one with vibrato OFF and its neighbor with vibrato ON, and rotate the program selector knob back and forth between the 2 to activate or deactivate your favorite vibrato / chorus sound.

Good thought, except the Numa does not have seamless sound switching (patch remain) between programs, so you still would not be able to switch the effect in and out as you played, since any held notes would cut off when you made the switch.

 

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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I can't compare sound quality to the Sledge, but the functionality is extremely minimal by comparison. e.g.

 

* One oscillator vs. three

 

* One filter mode (2-pole low pass) vs. six modes (2-pole and 4-pole low pass, band pass, high pass)

 

* Two LFOs with fixed waveforms and destinations vs. three LFOs with selectable waveforms and destinations

 

* 3-stage filter envelope and 2-stage amp envelope vs. 4 stages for each

 

* no monophonic mode, no portamento

 

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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OK, OK, it's not a reinvention of the wheel.

 

I thought it would be nice to have a more grippy surface for the small control sticks, which are a bit slippery; but seem sturdy enough, just not quite there in usabilty.

 

So I ordered 2 items to try, and this one is just PERFECT:

 

Name of Product:

 

Jocon SF9000 PVC Flexible Vinyl Round End Caps Shelf Organizer Tip Caps Wire Thread Protector Cover (Inner Dia 5mm, Black)

 

Probably used in dishwashers or electronics. Or, I suppose, on Shelf Organizer Tip Caps (DOH!).

 

Link for product:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071HBB9HR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I attached a photo, hope it works, this is my first try.

 

 

IT FITS LIKE A GLOVE. I love it. When i slipped the covers on, there was a click: Either I broke the control (will let you know, no time to play this morning); or it has a push-click switch which to my knowledge is not activated in the current Numa C2x iteration.

 

For ~ $6.99 (WITH 98 spares), a perfect accessory. Maybe it will make you like the control of the STICKS better !

 

 

122.png.82f99e23541d216551bc40b3d1b31588.png

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I think I'm going to wait until you find out what the 'click' was.
Legend Exp,NC2x,Crumar Seven,KeyB Duo MK111,Nord C1,Nord C2D,Triton Classic,Fantom G7,Motif ES,SonicCell,BK7m,PA1x pro,VP770,TC Helicon,Leslie 3300,MS Pro145,EV SXA250(2),Traynor K4,PK7a,A70,DM10 Pro.
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Have no fear. The sticks are fine - there definitely is a CLICK when you depress the stick while it is centered. The excursion is ~ 1/2 to 2/3 as much as the main control knob (shall we call it the "INFRA-KNOB" - in contrast to the Yamaha Montage SUPER KNOB ?) and seems to have potential use as a switching device, much like many musical / electronic multi-function controls.

 

Meanwhile, the vinyl sleeves look good; feel very good; and to me improve the function and reliability of the controller sticks.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just wanted to update everyone to the fact that Studiologic appears to have quietly updated the NC 2x Owners Manual on their website to an improved English only version. I have been going thru it and it reads considerably better than the original English\Italian version. I went thru it and actually learned a few new things myself, even though I have owned my unit for the better part of a year. Hopefully this also means that the upcoming NC 2X Manager release is also imminent.

 

Updated Manual available HERE

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

 

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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Waiting for news of a Numa C3, where they fix and improve everything they promised with the 2x. ð

The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers

 

People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin

 

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It was 5 years from the Numa Compact to the (still current) Numa Compact 2.

The 2X has only been shipping for about a year, so I would be surprised at a near-term replacement.

 

In what ways are you looking for them to fix things promised with the 2X? Hopefully they can be fixed with a software upgrade rather than having to buy a new board!

 

Meanwhile, we're still waiting for the update for downloadable sounds that was scheduled for Fall of 2018...

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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I have the 2x predecessor, the 2. Odd thing at rehearsal last week, after about a half hour into practice the EP sounds went wonky. Most of the keys above middle C sounded like the hammers were misaligned from the tines (clunky sounds) and one note, the D below middle C made a sound like a hammer hitting a jaw harp. The acoustic piano sounds seemed unaffected as were the organ patches. Seemed to be a software issue.

 

The next day at home it played normally. I was going to do a hard reboot (after backing up my performance patches) but decide to upgrade the firmware first to see if that would help. So far so good.

"The devil take the poets who dare to sing the pleasures of an artist's life." - Gottschalk

 

Soundcloud

Aethellis

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  • 4 weeks later...
Just downloaded the firmware update, the manager and the new sound files. Not a whole lot of doc but it's useable. I like that they finally did it and the new piano and mellotron are welcome but all in all not too thrilling. From my perspective, it'll live and die on the availability of a lot more new sound content.

Kurzweil PC4-7, NE-6, Roland FA06, MODX-7, Numa Compact 2x

 

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For those of us not in the loop- this firmware update delivers the long-promised 1 GB of loadable RAM?

Numa Piano X73 /// Kawai ES920 /// Casio CT-X5000 /// Yamaha EW425

Yamaha Melodica and Alto Recorder

QSC K8.2 // JBL Eon One Compact // Soundcore Motion Boom Plus 

Win10 laptop i7 8GB // iPad Pro 9.7" 32GB

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Sort of - According to the manager application, my 2x reports only 512MB available(?!) - who knew?

Better than nothing...

 

That seems to check out with the response from my inquiry to Studiologic. They state 1GB sample memory. Half of that is taken by the presets, while the other half is accessible to the user.

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Just downloaded the firmware update, the manager and the new sound files. Not a whole lot of doc but it's useable. I like that they finally did it and the new piano and mellotron are welcome but all in all not too thrilling. From my perspective, it'll live and die on the availability of a lot more new sound content.

 

This pretty much mirrors my feelings about the update which I also installed. One new thing that I like though is when you select a category, the sounds in that category don't immediately go away, IOW, you can audition any or all the sounds in that category before selecting one. BIG improvement. The sounds themselves though, except for piano and (tweaked) organ, are barely record-worthy IMO. Still struggling trying to play expressively with that keybed, especially softly.

Legend Exp,NC2x,Crumar Seven,KeyB Duo MK111,Nord C1,Nord C2D,Triton Classic,Fantom G7,Motif ES,SonicCell,BK7m,PA1x pro,VP770,TC Helicon,Leslie 3300,MS Pro145,EV SXA250(2),Traynor K4,PK7a,A70,DM10 Pro.
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Just from reading the notes, it looks like the ability to re-order the patches in each category is a really nice enhancement, making it easier to get to the patches you most need, and (I'm hoping) set a permanent default for which sound comes up when you hit a button.

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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It was 5 years from the Numa Compact to the (still current) Numa Compact 2.

The 2X has only been shipping for about a year, so I would be surprised at a near-term replacement.

 

In what ways are you looking for them to fix things promised with the 2X? Hopefully they can be fixed with a software upgrade rather than having to buy a new board!

 

...

 

While that"s true, the time between the 2 and 2X was much shorter. MUCH shorter. As far as improvements I"d like to see: more synth editing controls, like ADSR envelopes even if they have one set of controls switchable between separate envelopes for amp and filter.

 

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It was 5 years from the Numa Compact to the (still current) Numa Compact 2.

The 2X has only been shipping for about a year, so I would be surprised at a near-term replacement.

...

 

While that"s true, the time between the 2 and 2X was much shorter. MUCH shorter.

But the 2 replaced the original. The 2X did not replace the 2, it was a new, additional model.

 

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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There is a new software manager in the download (update) section of 'SUPPORT' on the website. This is what is used to load in the new sounds.
Legend Exp,NC2x,Crumar Seven,KeyB Duo MK111,Nord C1,Nord C2D,Triton Classic,Fantom G7,Motif ES,SonicCell,BK7m,PA1x pro,VP770,TC Helicon,Leslie 3300,MS Pro145,EV SXA250(2),Traynor K4,PK7a,A70,DM10 Pro.
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To improve the CX2 as an organ, the first thing I would do is have working on/off for both vibrato and percussion, independant of their settings, like the real thing. The soul of the Hammond is how many ways you can play one riff. On my RT3 I turn vibrato on and off all the time. On the numa I just leave it off because I feel stuck there if it's on, there is no simple way out, unless you are on the last option, which requires multiple button hits to get to in the first place.

The MIDI implementation of of the NC2X is pretty thorough. There are probably MIDI commands you could send to switch the vibrato and percussion on and off, which you would be able to do from a screen on your smartphone with a variety of apps. Just velcro the phone down to the empty panel space (there is enough for a phone) and you've kind of extended the control surface with whatever other custom buttons you'd like. Or a NanoKontrol could give you hard buttons, but you'd still need the phone or some other piece to get the NK's USB MIDI into the NC2X.

 

Great suggestion, thank you.

 

At the moment I'm not using the organ alot because I have real one in the house and am not giging. I almost always use the same patch, which I've just layered several EPs, and it is a real nice gospelish tenor. Probably too fat for a band, but in the shed it's very nice.

 

I inherited half a SUV full of sheet music a month a go. Over a thousand "singles", these gorgeous 2-6 page foilos with a single song and some adds for others. Covers are jaw-droping graphics, most printed in the 30's. Many of the songs all full of penciled notes from my Grandma, who died when I was very young. I had not even realised she played untill recently.

 

Of course I scan these and have them accessible on my big ipad, but I've grown very attached to playing them as they are, as well. Most everything is in C, G, F, Bb or Eb, LOL, but that accessiblity as helped me raise my sight reading a long way in not such a long time.

 

@cgiles

I had fits with consistent expression soft v loud, espcially since there is a big variatioin in the bass. I don't know if I changed the curve at some point, and the sounds I'm using may help, but now I can go from a whisper to a real boom with ease, so my advice is: find the responsive patches, test the curves, but most of all just keep playing. You will get over the top, because it does have a crazy range in there, way more than my real upright. You can see me whining in earlier posts about the springs being too tight (which they are), but my fingers are alot stronger now and it's no longer something I notice. I can switch seemlessly between that 1986 Young Chang U-121 and the Numa now, and honestly love both keybeds at this point. Obviously I'm not a virtuoso on either, but I have no problem getting the soft/hard expression I'm trying for. I think the Numa has improved my touch on the acoustic bed, believe it or not.

 

Very exciting to hear SL has got all this new stuff for us!!!!

 

Bottom line: I have 6+ keybeds in the house, and there is nothing I play more than the numa, usually on my lap, with Ipad and BT page switcher in big comfy chair. Sound goes simotaneously through a good 5-channel surround, including a vintage Lesile 105 over my right shoulder, and a pair of ilouds which are a few feet away. I have my old SL-880 midi in so I can stand and practice also. My back has been getting better, with a new regular workout regime.

 

It's pretty obvious there is nothing technically stopping SL from giving us the whole farm: 76 keys, the WHOLE organ they made, and the sledge, with some pads a sequencer etc, all in one package, and with a light 2 octave pedal board, wireless, all for 750.00

 

They would double their market share, but probably kill some of their other products....not least, this one! LOL

 

RT-3/U-121/Leslie 21H and 760/Saltarelle Nuage/MOXF6/MIDIhub, 

SL-880/Nektar T4/Numa Cx2/Deepmind12/Virus TI 61/SL61 mk2

Stylophone R8/Behringer RD-8/Proteus 1/MP-7/Zynthian 4

MPC1k/JV1010/Unitor 8/Model D & 2600/WX-5&7/VL70m/DMP-18 Pedals

Natal drums/congas etc & misc bowed/plucked/blown instruments. 

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