Blah Blah Cafe, the Jean-Michel Jarre forum

[Apul]

I've googled everything I can about this but no joy, so lets see if any of you knowledgeable lot can help me!

Can anyone explain the difference to me of the Nord Lead 1 chassis. Why do some have the corners sliced off and others not? I believe that the models with the sliced off corners were the original originals, where as the 'normal' (ie: none sliced corners) were a later edition of the original?

Is the difference purely cosmetic, or is there any indication to the internals? Am I correct in thinking that Clavia released a second Nord Lead 1 with updated polyphony? Did this coincide with the chassis re-design?

Any advice welcome before I buy one!

Cheers guys.

[GeeJee]

As far as I know there was only one NL1 and it had this 'sliced off' corner.

The NL2 had some added features and looked the same, except for the mentioned corner which was just straight like every other subsequent models.

Later on the NL2x was released which had increased polyphony..

[Apul]

No, there's definitely two Nord Lead 1's, one design without corners and one with.

Subsequent to posting this, I found a video on YouTube with a guy from Clavia talking about their history and he pointed to a Nord Lead 1 without corners and said that the chopped corners was the very first, earliest edition, as originally the Nord Lead was due to be called 'Edge'.

My thinking now is that they had clearly pre-ordered a load of chopped corner chassis, (hence the name 'Edge') and changed the name to Nord Lead, then when those models ran out they switched to the normal full chassis, which then carried on across the range.

That's my bit of investigation work done for the day. Still quite haven't got the answer I'm looking for, but what I think (as above) seems to make sense in my head.

[Equinoxe]

MK1 Polyphony upgrade is via a Chip fitted to the PCB,simply gives 8 extra voices of polyphony over the standard 4 and also gives drum sounds and allows access of PCMCIA sound cards,this upgrade is fitted to my MK1 NL,all MK1 can be upgraded,there isn't a Version 1 or 2 model in the mk1 production models its simply a chip and OS upgrade which was availible as an after sales upgrade.

I Doubt there is a MK1 With a MK2 style chassis,theres certainly no evidence or talk of this being the case of a rare Non chopped off corner model of the MK1 or an end of production case change,and the theory of using those first cases and switching to the later full rounded version and then carrying on through the mk2 and rest of the range seems to fall into an ommision in the mk2,firstly because all the MK1 I have ever seen(including my own model) have chopped corners and secondly because:

The cases changed on the MK2 production run for a few cosmetical,and engineering technicalities,this was down to there being slight differences in the casing manufacturing because of changes to the amount of Drilled holes needed due to LED count as the MK2 have more oscillator choices on Osc 1 hence why they probably changed the Livery as well.the same with the 2X also

I'd guess its simply speculation about the Original MK1 having an alternative chassis,there is very little on the Interent with regards to the MK1 per se,Even clavia have very little info on there site.

Personally I think the MK1 is the best of all the Nords,it sounds warmer and more analogish than both the 2 and 2X,hence why I kept hold of the MK1 and sold the others,the 2X filter envelopes were far too clicky using short percussive sounds and it sounded very digital and cold,The filters certainly weren't as smooth.

[Jakob BC]

There's no Nordlead MK1 without the chopped off corners... at least not commercially produced. However there's a prototype of the Nord Electro (don't know if it still excists) with chopped corners.

[matt222]

I remember ordering my Nordlead 2 as they were released and all the Nordlead ( 1 ) 's had that chopped corner at that point in time .

Very interesting that Equinoxe says the original sounds better than the 2nd. I may search a MK1 out instaed of another 2 which I was going to buy.

[JPQ]

I remember ordering my Nordlead 2 as they were released and all the Nordlead ( 1 ) 's had that chopped corner at that point in time .

Very interesting that Equinoxe says the original sounds better than the 2nd. I may search a MK1 out instaed of another 2 which I was going to buy.

Which sounds better depends taste and i think mostly reason for different tastes is ears.

[Jakob BC]

Apparently they have been working on making "better" sound quality for each generation. It has also become lighter. I think the NL2 had a weight of about 8kg, where the 2x is on about 5, so some components must have been changed.
Then it's just about how the synth is built. Are the components just a computer running a piece of software, or does each component have an influence on the sound?

[Jarp2600]

Apparently they have been working on making "better" sound quality for each generation. It has also become lighter. I think the NL2 had a weight of about 8kg, where the 2x is on about 5, so some components must have been changed.
Then it's just about how the synth is built. Are the components just a computer running a piece of software, or does each component have an influence on the sound?

Yes, the choice between high quality capacitors and resistors and cheap budget ones definitely affects the sound quality!

[Jakob BC]

At least something must have been pulled out of the NL for the 2x, unless it's simply due to use of smaller ocmponents.
Anyway as Clavia has stated:
X-tra high resolution: The awesome sound in the Nord Lead 2X is refined even further thanks to the brand new, crystal clear 24-bit DACs running at 96kHz.
Well that's of course a difference at some point.

[Equinoxe]

Anyway as Clavia has stated:
X-tra high resolution: The awesome sound in the Nord Lead 2X is refined even further thanks to the brand new, crystal clear 24-bit DACs running at 96kHz.
Well that's of course a difference at some point.

The 2X rack I had was certainly too clean and digital it didn't have a warmth like the MK1,and its noticable when you have them to A/B the differences,the MK1 just had something more gratifying to its tones,so I ditched the 2X,the polyphony and added functionalities over the previous models are pointless if your cutting the main attribute to a synth in giving it a less than convincing "Virtual analog"sound and trying to make it too clean by introducing better D/A convertors,its simply processing the sound and taking it further away from the Analog domain,even though its only emulating it.

The filter envelopes on the 2X Had an audible click with short attakc times,its all well and good trying to mimic Moog fast filter response times but very much like the JP8000/8080 whereby you have to alter the attack times to remove the audible clicks,which totally defeats the purpose of having fast responce times.

I'd say the sound preference and choice over the various models is a personal opinion and taste,I can't pinpoint it exactly but I just prefer the sound of the MK1 Nord over the other models I've used/owned,having a few of the other manufacturers Virtual Analogs in my armoury the MK1 Nord lead has something warming to its tone that resides more in the realm of True Analog timbres

[Jakob BC]

I see what you mean, however I don't recognize the "problem" with the attack on the 2x (or maybe I haven't understood your point). Still it sounds like I should give the mk1 a go, if I get the opportunity.

[matt222]

Having been a big Nord fan and now turning to my Nord 2 keyboard for almost all my Jarre cover sounds, I have found a mint condition Rack 2 for £300 . A cheque is on it's way and the extra 4 voices should tidy up my covers no end.

[Rico]

There's no Nordlead MK1 without the chopped off corners... at least not commercially produced. However there's a prototype of the Nord Electro (don't know if it still excists) with chopped corners.

Not so sure about that mine is a nord1 and does not have the chopped off corner on the right side.
I bought it in 1997 and it was one of the last nord1 produced.
This little red thing is my baby !! I love it, so big and rich sound !!!

[Jakob BC]

Nice! That's actually really interesting Only one of the corners are chopped. It seems to be the same as with the NL2x. Mine has a casing identical to the one on the NL2 with sharp edges. The later NL2x models have bowed edges as seen on the Nord Wave and NL3. Argh damn it's hard to explane this difference, as it's not visible at first sight.