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Definitely! At least have this as your main AP sample. Even the Large, at 97.3MB is a very nice, dynamic, and detailed sample. The XL just sounds a little bit bigger (as it should being fully mapped).

What does "fully mapped" mean ? I know Nord likes to hype their samples being "fully mapped"

I think they mean fewer notes per sample (ie, less stretching). I don't think the XL versions are 88 note sampled though. I think there's still some stretching going on.

Would be interesting to see XL sample going through DPBSD test

Yes, I'll see if I can do that this evening...

I was under the impression that XL 'fully mapped' referred to 88-key sampling...

Is this not the case?

James
x

Interesting observation. Since the difference between an XL and an L is that they sample more keys in the XL (all of them, I believe), then I think the relatively large size of the L probably means that that version includes closer to the same number of samples that the XL does, compared to other L/XL pairs, i.e. there is less stretching than on other Ls. The fact that this XL is smaller than other XLs tells me that it has less something than other XLs, though we don't know what. Maybe fewer velocity layers (arguably, not every piano benefits equally from the same number, as the timbre variation from soft to loud is more extreme in some acoustics than others). It could also be shorter samples (attack portions and/or loop portions, the latter more conceivable, if the tone of the piano happened to lend itself to shorter loops that worked). If I get a chance (and no one beats me to it), maybe I'll get copies of these to dewster for DPBSD analysis.

Yes I know what you mean James. But for some reason I suspect not. I bet it's "more mapped" and not "fully mapped". Nord's benchmark for "fully mapped" may not actually mean 88 note sampling. I'll have a close listen later. Stretch groups are usually easy to hear.

EssBrace, I expect you may have read this already, but just in case, here's the explanation from the Nord site:

Yup, that's the relevant passage, and the only published reference to the feature that I know of, and the question is one of how precisely it was written. They never say "88." That is a logical interpretation of "fully mapped" as a differentiating feature, but it's not completely unambiguous. Especially when you consider that a simple omission of a word could completely alter it, i.e. "Extra Large versions are more fully mapped accross the keyboard." (Something like that could happen as a kind of typographical error, or confusion between an engineer and a copywriter, or even the fact that English isn't their first language over there.) Also, a phrase like "fully mapped" could technically be whatever the manufacturer defines it to be. For example, it's not impossible that Nord's definition is along the lines of "we usually assign samples to every 3 to 5 keys, but our fully mapped version assign a sample for every two keys" -- that is, it could be fully mapped by their standards. I still think it's likely that they do mean all 88, but until destwer does an XL analysis, I would say that the web text alone is not 100% conclusive.

I need to reload the XL version onto my NP88. The Large version is stretched - just been playing it. Although on this new Faz the transitions are in many cases very good indeed. But I've found a couple of obvious clusters where there is clearly three notes per sample. So maybe the XL really is 88 note sampled. The DPBSD will reveal all....

I take it the Extra Large version has String Resonance samples across the keyboard like the Medium and Large?

From what I've read, the XL versions are 88 key sampled, non stretched, full string resonance. This makes sense because the XL samples in the Nord Piano Library are far larger than the typical 40-80MB sample size in most other DPs like Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, Korg, Casio, etc. The Fazioli is the nicest piano sample by FAR that Clavia has released.

A couple of recent YT vids I've just found...The first compares Nord Grand Imperial (Bosendorfer) and the new Italian Grand (Fazioli). The second is a piece this guy has written and he plays it using the Italian Grand. I think the first video is a classic example of how something sounds different when you just listen as opposed to playing. I feel that the first video flatters the Bosendorfer because when I play it I hear a thinnish nasal quality on the mids/upper mids that I rather dislike. To play the new Fazioli is vastly preferable to me. But they both sound good on video 1.

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Wwz1mNmEY

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp79RpIL8ps

Cheers,

Steve

I know this thread is a lovefest for Nord and I really want to love or at least like very much their acoustic pianos but I just keep hearing "fake..."

I didn't hear much of a difference between the imperial and the Italian grand. Add a sub-par action and I just can't jump on board yet.

(I know no one really cares what I think but there you go. I have the means, so I shall add my opinion.)

cheers.

Nord sound + decent action = fantastic playing experience.

James
x

We hear things differently. Fake is the last word I'd use to describe any Nord Piano sounds. I find them more real sounding and characterful than any other hardware DP. And in practice the Bosie and Faz are very different beasts to my ears. I do agree the action is weaker than many others, there's no doubt about that - but it interacts with the sounds well. I'm currently playing Nord's sounds using MP10's keyboard so I'm pretty happy with that combination although I don't like having both pianos out in the room because it just looks a mess.

I was thinking it must be something to do with the live experience with other gear and a band. I guess it is the whole package being greater with the new sound.

My Nords were leaps and bounds ahead of my old AvantGrand N1. There was no comparison. With headphones, the N1 sounded like a Clavinova sadly. I used to midi the N1 and Nord to use the N1 action to control the far better acoustic sounds of the Nord...that was cool!!

OK, fake is a little strong and I'm strictly referring to the acoustic pianos. I was just checking out some more YouTube vids. I'd say from middle C up, the samples are just not long enough for my ears. The very top is really lacking any length or woodness to sound real.

I guess it's tough after playing gigs using Vintage D. And I'll be bias and say the Roland FP4 is also more to my liking for acoustic. Nord certainly has the other sounds right on.

I'm leaving my N2 out of this discussion since I don't gig with that, but I'm totally satisfied with the live sound that generates.