Nord Stage 4 Announced

[TomKittel]

3 hours ago, ProfD said:

There is no competitor KB that consolidates the features and functionality of the Nord Stage in the way that it does.   

 

The Nord Stage is a one stop for a gigging musician in need of those requirements.  

 

To the point above, the competition lies in configuring a KB rig encompassing the same capabilities according to one's own needs from a musical and gig perspective.😎

 

There is one competitor: Nord Stage 3 😉 

 

[TomKittel]

50 minutes ago, Iconoclast said:

Regardless what you think of the board, there's some MONSTER performances on the release website. Do yourself a favor and go watch a couple or all of those:

https://www.nordstage4.com/

 

Great stuff indeed. But most of that could also be played with Stage 3 if in capable hands. 

[jeffincltnc]

1 hour ago, Jim Alfredson said:

The price is outrageous for what it is. Get yourself a Kurzweil K2700 for near half the price and enjoy 256 note polyphony, as many FX chains as you want (only limited by DSP), 16 voice multitimbrality, user flash ram sample memory, ribbon controller, built-in USB audio interface, 28 fully programable knobs and sliders, multiple pedal inputs (again fully programmable), multiple audio outputs, sequencer, arpeggiator, chord / key triggering (insanely powerful), 16 velocity sensitive pads (fully programmable), master transport controls, big color display, one button splits and layers, Quick Access mode for set lists, an FM engine that can load DX7 sysex, etc.

Oh, and the Wurli and Rhodes are far superior, imho.

The only weak spot is the KB3 engine, which honestly I'm using in my Floyd tribute band for many of the background organ parts because it's great for rock organ. If you need something better, put it through a Vent or MIDI up the IK B3x and save yourself $2500. 

 

 

I'm a Kurzweil fan, too and the one product that I had a run of for several years as a gigging keyboard was the Forte 7.  Agree with a lot of what Jim says here favorably about the power, the electromechanical instruments excluding organ (especially using Busch's Purgatory Creek sounds) and on a much deeper level of precision for synths and orchestral sounds.   The KB3 wasn't really as good either.   The one thing I disagree with is that I had a hard time getting along with the acoustic piano sounds in the Kurzweil.  For some reason I would be happy with them in my home studio and in headphones and I would go to a gig and wonder why my pianos sound like crap in the mix.    Nord Stage is kind of the opposite as I always think they're flat and underwhelming at home and through headphones, and when I play Nord pianos live they always deliver and sound great to me in the mix.  So there's that.

 

I did look at the K2700 but it's a 52lb instrument and a very deep 88 key footprint vs. 36lbs for the 73 key Stage 4 73 HA and 16lbs is a big difference in carry weight too.

[ElmerJFudd]

 

there it is in its $5700 glory.  

[Sam Mullins]

I had  a brief pang of GAS yesterday before the thing was announced, but I'm over it already.  Some nice user interface changes (panel architecture and drawbars on the 88),  additional synth and FX.  But same piano memory and same organ engine.  So not worth it to me to upgrade from Stage 3.  

 

Frankly, I have a lot of time invested in learning and programming on my current rig (Stage 3/Kronos midi'd back to  back).  It does everything I want and has been reliable.  But if I wiped the slate clean (new material, didn't need the programs, etc), I'd probably do something cheaper and lighter.   Maybe Yamaha YC-88, Arturia Keylab Mkii controller and iPad?  

 

 

[Docbop]

I think when I was last at the Nord forum website yesterday the announcement thread for the Stage 4 was about 6 or 7 pages of replies.   Just now hours after the release of the Stage 4 it up to 36 pages of replies.   From what I've read no one is super excited and a lot of disappointment.    I see the people into the Synth section are the one who got most the change in the Stage 4 so they are happy.  The Piano people like the new interface and the Organ people like the drawbars on all models.   Internally my gut is telling me little has changed and most the difference is software and the physical control panel.    Does that justify being a called a upgrade to new model or would this had been better called a Stage 3 version 2.    I'm  really surprised they didn't update the piano library with some new AP and EPs, the EP really need a refresh, that would of excited quite a few people myself included.      Someone said the sample format has changed again I haven't found the info on that, but it true that means all your old Stage 3 programs will have to be reprogrammed on the Stage 4 that is a lot of work.   You think Nord would write a software tool to help with that process.   Then the price increase,  Nords were already expensive and now no way would I pay that much for Nord Stage 4.   I'd Yamaha and Roland are both sitting back saying thank you Nord about now. 

 

I say Yamaha in creating the YC series did a better job of taking what people liked about Nord Stage 3 and making their own version minus the synth section for a way better price. 

[Stokely]

Yeah, there goes any pressure on Yamaha to add a synth "engine" to the YC.    

If I upgrade from my Modx--I'd like to get something with better keys and build quality--my main contender right now is the Fantom 6.  Granted it's not cheap either but it's a level down from this in price.  Probably used, which considering Nord high used prices, this increases the gap.   This has a decent organ when I'm not using my sk pro.

[cphollis]

I think Nord has built an incrementally better Stage.  Lot of nice improvements compared to my NS3s.  I wouldn't expect a new Stage to start covering new sonic territory, just make what it already does incrementally better in every way.   And it does that.  That mod FX section looks great to me, as do the big volume sliders.  The song mode has disappeared, something I use each and every gig.  And I too was hoping for a USB audio interface.  Not in any hurry to ditch my NS3s, but I'm sure one of these will be in my future at some point.  If they fix the setlist thing that is

[jeffincltnc]

3 minutes ago, Docbop said:

I think when I was last at the Nord forum website yesterday the announcement thread for the Stage 4 was about 6 or 7 pages of replies.   Just now hours after the release of the Stage 4 it up to 36 pages of replies.   From what I've read no one is super excited and a lot of disappointment.    I see the people into the Synth section are the one who got most the change in the Stage 4 so they are happy.  The Piano people like the new interface and the Organ people like the drawbars on all models.   Internally my gut is telling me little has changed and most the difference is software and the physical control panel.    Does that justify being a called a upgrade to new model or would this had been better called a Stage 3 version 2.    I'm  really surprised they didn't update the piano library with some new AP and EPs, the EP really need a refresh, that would of excited quite a few people myself included.      Someone said the sample format has changed again I haven't found the info on that, but it true that means all your old Stage 3 programs will have to be reprogrammed on the Stage 4 that is a lot of work.   You think Nord would write a software tool to help with that process.   Then the price increase,  Nords were already expensive and now no way would I pay that much for Nord Stage 4.   I'd Yamaha and Roland are both sitting back saying thank you Nord about now. 

 

I've gotten my order in and I'm happy, happy, happy and love the HA73, though.  I will have it in April and I can't wait.  To each their own, I suppose.

[cphollis]

Just now, jeffinpghpa said:

 

I've gotten my order in and I'm happy, happy, happy and love the HA73, though.  I will have it in April and I can't wait.  To each their own, I suppose.

Congrats!  Looks more likely that it's the exact same keybed on the NP5, so sweet!

[b3plyr]

10 minutes ago, cphollis said:

Congrats!  Looks more likely that it's the exact same keybed on the NP5, so sweet!

May be the same keybed but not necessarily the same touch. The Piano 5 uses a version os the TP40H - the heavier touch for piano. A multipurpose keyboard like the stage will likely want a TP40M or L.

[Iconoclast]

12 minutes ago, cphollis said:

... The song mode has disappeared, something I use each and every gig.  ....  If they fix the setlist thing that is

Where did you see that? Because that would be a problem for me too.

[EricBarker]

Not to open a new can of worms but the “Nord vs Other” debate seems identical to “Apple vs PC”.

 

In each case you have a very expensive, on-paper lower spec machine with a strong emphasis on “out of the box” interface simplicity.

 

I get there are some major differences between these analogies, but some distinct parallels. Also Nords are Red like an apple.

[Iconoclast]

User interface and experience has a lot of value. My time is expensive. Menus and manuals are where inspiration dies.

[cphollis]

34 minutes ago, Iconoclast said:

Where did you see that? Because that would be a problem for me too.

Over on the Nord User Forum -- no "song mode" button or equivalent.  There's a small hope that it's buried in a menu somewhere.  We'll see!

[Iconoclast]

Ahhh, hoping that it's buried under the "Organize" section? Or something like that. Got it.

Along those lines, it also would appear there's a chance of user selectable splits by looking at how the split button is labelled.

[U.Honey]

If you're considering Yamaha YC + iPad vs. Nord Stage 4, keep in mind that with Yamaha + iPad you can browse the internet during the gig if the music get too boring to play. Good luck doing that with Nord Stage 4 only!

[Mighty Motif Max]

Question from someone who doesn't actively gig with a Nord unless it's a house keyboard. The Stage 4 has 8 favorite/program select buttons. What was the advantage of Song Mode that can't be covered by the favorite buttons?

[ElmerJFudd]

1 hour ago, EricBarker said:

Not to open a new can of worms but the “Nord vs Other” debate seems identical to “Apple vs PC”.

 

In each case you have a very expensive, on-paper lower spec machine with a strong emphasis on “out of the box” interface simplicity.

 

I get there are some major differences between these analogies, but some distinct parallels. Also Nords are Red like an apple.

I don’t see the comparison other than…

 

high prices for stingy storage 

😁

[DJkeys]

2 hours ago, cphollis said:

I think Nord has built an incrementally better Stage.  Lot of nice improvements compared to my NS3s.  I wouldn't expect a new Stage to start covering new sonic territory, just make what it already does incrementally better in every way.   And it does that.  That mod FX section looks great to me, as do the big volume sliders.  The song mode has disappeared, something I use each and every gig.  And I too was hoping for a USB audio interface.  Not in any hurry to ditch my NS3s, but I'm sure one of these will be in my future at some point.  If they fix the setlist thing that is

I agree that this is a better stage, but actually think it is more than incremental.  The Stage 4 is a completely new interface based on the Wave 2.  This Layer approach I think opens the door to additional flexibility in the future.  It has the same Arp as the Wave 2 (polyphonic, gate, pattern mode, etc), effects per layer, layer switch feature, support for the P5 unison features and a 73 keybed that a lot of users wanted.   I am hoping this may lead someday to a six-layer instrument where each layer can access any engine, piano, organ, or synth. 

 

-dj

[jazzpiano88]

7 hours ago, timwat said:

Man, that's a lotta cheddah.

 

No kidding!!!

 

[AnotherScott]

20 hours ago, analogholic said:

Wasn't there something IIRC that drawbars don't work in EXT mode?

You'd have to set the global MIDI to the same channel as you used for that EXT. But then it won't add only the MIDI from the drawbars, it will add MIDI from all the other controls and keys as well.

 

20 hours ago, Noah DC said:

I don’t want to beat a dead horse on this point (as I have on other threads haha…). But I completely agree re: the YC. And while we’re at it, since the Numa X 73 actually does have that excellent external zone implementation that the YC lacks, there is very little difference between this Nord Stage 73 and a Numa X 73 with an iPad — except $3,000 and the fact that the Nord is a much crappier controller given the lack of USB. This is especially true if it turns out the Nord uses the same TP/110 action. I just don’t buy that having on-board physical drawbars is worth several thousand dollars. 

It's about that full complement of dedicated real-time controls (both for pre-gig programming and for in-gig manipulation), not just the drawbars. 

 

19 hours ago, Mighty Motif Max said:

They did add a new preset structure for each section as well - so AnotherScott's longtime complaint about not being able to import, say, an EP patch with an amp sim and some EQ into a new program is no longer an issue. 

Indeed! If you like to use your same tweaked sounds in multiple programs, this is huge. Much quicker and simpler than copying-and-pasting panels (likely bringing in additional things you don't want, and possibly obliterating things you do), and worrying about effects allocations. This really couldn't have been done well without the new effects capabilities of the NS4, because each panel could have only one set of effect parameters. 

 

18 hours ago, ProfD said:

I'm not aware of another single-KB solution that has drawbars/drawbuttons, organ, piano and programmable synth engine on the front panel. 

I think the closest is the Fantom.

 

17 hours ago, Jim Alfredson said:

The price is outrageous for what it is. Get yourself a Kurzweil K2700 for near half the price

Kurz is great, but it's an entirely different way of working, and may not give the Nord customer what he's after, operationally. If you don't care about how you get there as long as you get the end result you want, for even less than the K2700, you can tell that prospective Nord buyer to pick up a Macbook, Mainstage, and a Casio PX-5S or other low-cost board for a controller. 

 

14 hours ago, Docbop said:

Does that justify being a called a upgrade to new model or would this had been better called a Stage 3 version 2. 

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue. ;-) (There actually already is a Rev 2 of the Stage 3, but the differences were super minor.) Anyway, it's really very different, IMO, in interface/operation and in synth and effects functions. There's certainly a whole lot more difference than there was between Kronos, Kronos 2, Kronos X, and Kronos (again). I'd say more than between SV-1 and SV-2, or Motif XS and Motif XF. Calling this another version of the Stage 3 would make about as much sense as the calling all the Peter Gabriel albums the same thing. ;-)

 

13 hours ago, Mighty Motif Max said:

The Stage 4 has 8 favorite/program select buttons. What was the advantage of Song Mode that can't be covered by the favorite buttons?

I don't think it's any kind of "Favorite" implementation, I think it's just banks of Programs.

 

So anyway, NS3 has spaces for 400 Songs... each Song is a set of pointers to up to 5 Programs (i.e. up to 5 sounds that you may want to use in that song, each one then being just one button-push away). If you use the same sound in many Songs, that sound would still take up only one of your 400 Program slots , all the Song instances would point to the same Program. As I understand it, on the NS4, yes you could theoretically set up different banks of Programs with the sounds you need organized by song, but if you need your favorite piano in 100 songs, you'll need to take up 100 of your 512 programs with that Piano sound. If you like to have sets of sounds grouped by song, I think this will now be a job for an iPad app.

 

Other thoughts:

 

Someone posted this translation from another site about the board:

"The entire instrument operates with proprietary SEAMLESS TRANSITION technology, which enables seamless transition between sound resources, thus enabling smooth and homogeneous performances."
I wonder if they may have implemented a more "complete" implementation of seamless switching, which on the NS3 works for some kinds of sound changes (i.e. between programs) but not others (within programs). Since this board is so much more geared toward enabling/disabling sounds even within a single Program, that could be even more beneficial.

 

Another translated paragraph:

"Also with a view to making the instrument more versatile in Live use on Nord Stage 4, another very useful function LAYER SCENE II has been introduced, which practically allows you to define two independent Layer settings by switching immediately from one to the other by simply pressing a key. For example: I can set on Piano an Acoustic Grand Coda with a String Layer on Synth, and on the next scene an Electric Piano plus a Digital summed with a SynthBrass, the two configurations can be selected by simply pressing the Layer Scene II button, obviously in Seamless Transition mode without interruption."
This look like a nice solution to a problem I hadn't anticipated with the new layout, While it is immediately obvious that being able to independently enable/disable "section" sounds is a lot more flexible that only being able to enable/disable entire panels, there is also a trade-off for the loss of the dual panel approach... what if you WANT to instantly instantly enable/disable different multi-engine setups within a single Program? This looks like the solution. It sounds like Scenes may be the new Panels.

 

 

And traveling back to the future, one of my favorite other things is having eight patch selection buttons instead of four. Finally we get as much instant patch recall as on the first Nord Stage in 2005! Like the old Electro 2, as well. I can't believe it took them this long to return to that, with the reduction to 4 or 5 being such a step backwards. Now the big question, dare I ask... might there be a way to see the names of the programs assigned to all 8 buttons, on the screen simultaneously? Maybe two columns each with 4 truncated names in the smaller font, something like that. Besides the 8 buttons, the completely independent and simultaneously accessible on/off/volume controls for each of the 8 sounds (2 organ, 2 piano, 3 other) should be real aids for live work, and apparently calling up your individual sounds from your Preset Library on the fly is supposed to be well facilitated as well, in case you want to bring up some sound that you hadn't already saved as part of that Program.

 

The triple sensor semi-weighted on the Compact is interesting, too. The only other board I've seen that on is the Hammond XK5, which uses the extra sensor to better simulate the staggered contact triggering of a tonewheel organ. No mention of that feature on the Nord, but it is something that could theoretically be taken advantage of in that way. Other than that, it could make it the only non-hammer board that permits retriggering a (non-pedaled) piano note without lifting it so high as to silence it first, and could facilitate low-velocity note repetitions, as this feature typically does on hammer action boards.

 

I'll be curious about the enhancements to the vibrato function. On the NS3, there were global settings, and I found I could either set it for the natural sounding vibrato I wanted on an acoustic instrument sound, or the wilder vibrato I might want on a synthy sound, and it was frustrating that I couldn't specify the setting individually in different programs for the sound at hand.

 

Compared to the NS3, I suspect I'll prefer editing many of the synth parameters from the screen, if it will allow me to adjust the parameters with endless controllers. That's not as good as the LED-circled rotary encoders of the Nord Lead 3, but better than the lack of anything but the fixed jump-when-you-move-them knobs on the NS3.

 

it seems like they've gone from:
Stage 3 = two sample/synth sounds + two external sounds (total 4 sound sources, but max of 2 internal and 2 external)
to
Stage 4 = three sample/synth/expandable sounds (total 3 sound sources, which is less, but you can have all 3 be internal or all 3 be external)... even though it is "less" in total, it is probably more useful for most people. Okay, you can no longer have two synth/sample sounds AND two external sounds at the same time, but that is probably less frequently desired than the ability to use three synth/sample sounds, plus you also pickup the ability, if you prefer, to use three external sounds instead. Seems like a reasonable change. And Nords are often like this... the new version giveth, the new version taketh away. There are still ways the old Stage 2/2EX are the best of the lot!

 

Similarly, no longer having to decide between a model with drawbars or a model with LEDs that show the current position is nice... though we are losing the buttons that let us smoothly move them from that position.

 

I know people are complaining about "only" 2 GB of piano memory. Seriously? That's still more than most boards, but specs aside, I think Nord's pianos already sound as good or better than everyone else's, except maybe some of the Kawais. I know, people like all the Nord variety, but 2GB still gives you plenty of room for variety, and different pianos appeal to different tastes, and only a few really appeal to me, and they are sufficient for all my piano needs on the board. I never felt constrained by the 2GB in the NS3, so more piano memory was never on my wish list to begin with. I can't imagine needing more than a handful of piano sounds at a gig... and at home, if I want something less common, I can have as big a VST library as I want. I mean, as much as I like the Nord pianos, it's not like I really like all of them.

 

Remaining irritation: Still no velocity morph, which exists on the Nord Wave and Wave 2. That would allow at least a crude way to create velocity-switched samples, and the fact that they've already had this feature on other boards makes its absence here particularly disappointing. And yes, I'd like to be able to over-ride a fixed split point, which presumably still isn't supported. Likewise, I doubt pending load has returned. Replacing the screen and the 8 buttons with touchscreen sound patch selection (of 8 or more) would have been better (and would also have taken care of the Pending Load issue). And as long as I'm dreaming, replace all the fader/drawbar-LED combinations with motorized faders/drawbars, which would be far better even than having the LEDs. If it had all those things I'd be drooling for it. As it is, as much as I like about it, I think I can keep my lust in check.

 

The funny thing is, I never used the NS3 as much as I'd expected, largely for reasons they have now addressed! That would seem to make me a prime candidate for an NS4. But I'm happy with just using other boards in my stable. So while I've decided to sell my NS3 due to its minimal use, much as I'm sure I'd like the NS4, it is pricey, and it still lacks some things I'd really like (described in the paragraph above), and I'm content with the other boards I'm using, which still work for me in ways that even the NS4 probably would not. And quite honestly, its price is quite a bit above any board I've ever bought. Possibly above the price of any pair of boards I've ever gigged with. And as you probably know, I'm not someone who needs to find everything in a single board, which right there puts me in a different category from some other potential customers. So for me to even consider it at that price, it would really have to be perfect for me, and it's not quite that.

 

 

[Iconoclast]

1 hour ago, Mighty Motif Max said:

Question from someone who doesn't actively gig with a Nord unless it's a house keyboard. The Stage 4 has 8 favorite/program select buttons. What was the advantage of Song Mode that can't be covered by the favorite buttons?

it's easier to find song names than to remember where I started the string of patches in a nameless list of favorites.

If your songs have a lot of patch changes it's a lot easier to manage them as a single song than as a gigantic number of favorites.  And if you do it right, you can easily footswitch your way through the entire setlist. 

 

For example I'm doing Totos Rosanna right now in a band and I think that song has like 14 patch changes (?)  I just don't see an easy way to do it without a foot switch to change programs and having each patch in sequence even though there's several repeats of the same patchs.

[Al Coda]

5 hours ago, Jim Alfredson said:

The price is outrageous for what it is. Get yourself a Kurzweil K2700 for near half the price and enjoy 256 note polyphony, as many FX chains as you want (only limited by DSP), 16 voice multitimbrality, user flash ram sample memory, ribbon controller, built-in USB audio interface, 28 fully programable knobs and sliders, multiple pedal inputs (again fully programmable), multiple audio outputs, sequencer, arpeggiator, chord / key triggering (insanely powerful), 16 velocity sensitive pads (fully programmable), master transport controls, big color display, one button splits and layers, Quick Access mode for set lists, an FM engine that can load DX7 sysex, etc.

Oh, and the Wurli and Rhodes are far superior, imho.

 

QFT !

 

5 hours ago, Jim Alfredson said:

The only weak spot is the KB3 engine, which honestly I'm using in my Floyd tribute band for many of the background organ parts because it's great for rock organ. If you need something better, put it through a Vent or MIDI up the IK B3x and save yourself $2500.

 

With some tweaks (leslie sim included), I can live w/ KB3 too, especially when the organ isn´t the main axe in the rig.

In fact, because of the freely progrmmable FX chains in KURZ keyboards, there are lots of possibilities w/ KB3 which won´t be achieved w/ most other otrgan clones,- except using a lot of outboard gear.

 

The KURZ is also a good controller for a HX3 module b.t.w. !

 

 

A.C.

[Iconoclast]

BTW, don't confuse 8 favorites with LIVE mode. The Nord really doesn't have favorites but it does use those as 8 hot buttons in LIVE mode.

The difference between LIVE and favorites is that ALL EDITS done in Live mode are instantly memorized in that patch without going through any kind of SAVE dialogue. So if you change the volume of the patch in button 1, it's changed whenever you come back to button 1. It's absolutely made for the guy who needs to set up 8 (or less) patches in a heartbeat, and memorize edits on the fly. They stay there until you exit LIVE mode and go back to the normal patch file system, but they're still there if you go back to Live mode.

[Jim Alfredson]

37 minutes ago, AnotherScott said:

Kurz is great, but it's an entirely different way of working, and may not give the Nord customer what he's after, operationally. If you don't care about how you get there as long as you get the end result you want, for even less than the K2700, you can tell that prospective Nord buyer to pick up a Macbook, Mainstage, and a Casio PX-5S or other low-cost board for a controller.

Yes, there are indeed many options, but don't forget you would need a separate audio interface for your example as well. So three pieces of gear plus software to replace s single keyboard? Would that really be cheaper if you factor in the cost of the Macbook? It would certainly be more complicated. And you still wouldn't have the amount of controllers or controller inputs as the Kurzweil.

And yes, like any manufacturer, Kurzweil has it's own terminology and methods of implementation. It would require some studying and (oh no!) reading the manual to familiarize one's self with the architecture. But at the end of the day, the K2700 is far more powerful, flexible, and I would argue better sounding than the Nord at a fraction of the price. But it's not red, so I get it.

At almost $6000, it should make me coffee in the morning and pick up my dry cleaning before the gig.

[Iconoclast]

 

[timwat]

23 minutes ago, Jim Alfredson said:

At almost $6000, it should make me coffee in the morning and pick up my dry cleaning before the gig.

 

As a stupid and incomplete point of reference, I think that's about the same price as a used 10-year-old Toyota Camry in average condition.

 

Which you could then take to Earl Scheib to have painted red.

[ElmerJFudd]

12 minutes ago, timwat said:

 

As a stupid and incomplete point of reference, I think that's about the same price as a used 10-year-old Toyota Camry in average condition.

 

Which you could then take to Earl Scheib to have painted red.

Make sure to specify you don’t want the windows painted as well.

[AnotherScott]

1 hour ago, Jim Alfredson said:

Yes, there are indeed many options, but don't forget you would need a separate audio interface for your example as well. So three pieces of gear plus software to replace s single keyboard?

No separate interface required. USB cable from PX5S to Mac. (Headphone out of Mac requires a cable, but line out of a Kurz requires a cable too, just a different one.)

 

1 hour ago, Jim Alfredson said:

Would that really be cheaper if you factor in the cost of the Macbook?

Macbook Air, $999.

Mainstage, $30.

Casio PX-5S, $1099

TOTAL: $2,128

 

Actually, let's make that a Roland RD88 instead, it's another $200, but it has specific Mainstage integration and an expression pedal input.

 

Or for less money...

... Studiologic SL88 Grand: Fatar TP40Wood action (a variation of what's in the K2700) with aftertouch, $999 (but maybe add $200 for their Mixface control surface)

... Studiologic SL73 or SL88 Studio: for something much lighter in weight, $500-$530 (ditto)

... or for a non-hammer action, Numa Compact 2X, 88 semi-weighted keys with aftertouch, 9 programmable sliders, $750

 

But of course, that's not as convenient as a plug-and-play Kurzweil, with all its controls, etc. But that's the point. If all you care about is the result, then neither Nord nor Kurz are the cheapest way to get there. If workflow matters (including convenience of setup and pre-assigned/logically arranged controls, etc.), then Kurz and Nord both offer advantages... but people will differ about what kind of workflow they want, and what they're willing to pay for it. That is, the same reasons you'd suggest someone should pay more for a K2700 than a controller/Mainstage combo (e.g. workflow, convenience, control surface) are the reasons someone else might find it worth paying more for the Nord over the Kurz, that's my point. All good solutions, for different players. (And their different wallets!)