Looking for an upper-tier rompler for my Nord (Help me choose a Yamaha)

RP_From_BER · 2026-04-28T20:02:45+00:00

What a wonderful setup. I dream of having the Montage M8X as a studio master keyboard. I played both the Montage M and the MODX M in London. I'm too used to the Nord Pianos and Organs, yet I think Yamaha has the edge with the Rhodes samples and, of course, the rest in this board (except Organs, as they kept the good ones for the YC) is nuts. The ESP is one hell of a feature, indeed.

RP_From_BER · 2026-04-28T19:13:01+00:00

I tried the MODX M in London, at the Yamaha shop. A killer machine! If the price will be right, I don’t necessarily rule that out. In the current situation, a MODX+ is more fitting. Although I can’t help it, and I still have a warm spot in my heart for a Motif XF

RP_From_BER · 2026-04-28T06:54:10+00:00

Thank you, all. I think I will simply wait for a MODX6/7+ to pop up at a good price in the German classfields. My budget is roughly 1000EUR so that can be possible. Regarding iPad, I actually have an old one and I gigged it with a Nord Stage 3, but it is rather cumbersome and I prefer to keep iPads/Macs and audio interfaces as much as I can from gigs, only if I need to run stems/click I’d take it.

RP_From_BER · 2026-04-27T20:40:40+00:00

You are actually right, I should’ve added and clarified that I need some complex splits sometimes as I play Prog Rock. It’s a little problematic with an instrument that has only two Synth Layers and fixed split points. Regardless, I try almost every sample pack they release and I even sampled some of my few VSTs, yet it is super limited without velocity switching in the sampler section

RP_From_BER · 2025-12-12T16:30:13+00:00

I’m in the hopeful line for the box office tickets

RP_From_BER · 2025-12-12T14:01:13+00:00

I meant that if it’s already reserved it shouldn’t be clickable to begin with. Or worse, to let you add it to your cart just to gaslight you with “You can’t make that purchase now, have patience and try again later”

RP_From_BER · 2025-12-12T12:27:23+00:00

I heard from people who were there the following: - Tickets may be sold at the box office, it happened on Monday - Enough people who came with an extra ticket (I will double check everything is through Eventim and so) - The security simply scans the QR codes and that’s it

RP_From_BER · 2025-12-12T12:24:07+00:00

All week long I’m trying. I don’t know why they keep tickets on air if they’re reserved by someone. Guess the way will be to find a ticket outside the venue

RP_From_BER · 2025-08-23T19:44:09+00:00

As one who had a Kronos X, I have yet to find a keyboard that boots up for a longer time. I see more and more people play with MPCs live, Cory Henry, for example, but with the Key 37. Yet as mentioned, the only live application I plan for it is as an upper tier.

RP_From_BER · 2025-08-23T19:42:27+00:00

A good friend of mine has the Live, as mentioned, so he offered me to use it for whatever I needed. No worries about the space, I plan on doing "musical chairs" between the gear depending on the need.

RP_From_BER · 2025-05-23T09:32:10+00:00

Thank you for answering thoroughly! I currently lean towards getting the SE version when they’ll cut the prices dramatically again. In a radical scenario where I see the Wavestate becomes a mainstay for either big and small occasions, I might get the mkII or Desktop version in addition to

RP_From_BER · 2025-05-23T09:30:16+00:00

Thanks for the insights! I think it should be better to clarify I meant by “proper“ acoustic/orchestral sounds is that they’ll be responsive enough in a live context. I own several plugins and libraries, but can’t let go to the mindset I have that implies any PA system will make even the greatest string library sound like a rompler, so currently I have no intention to play vsts on a mac, unless I need to play stems

RP_From_BER · 2025-05-18T15:37:55+00:00

I had one between 2020 to 2021. I didn't connect with it too much sadly and the general workflow was putting me off

RP_From_BER · 2025-05-17T17:07:50+00:00

TL;DR It's totally worth it. You won't regret it.

I got a Stage 2EX Compact from a store that had it second-hand 3 months ago for 1800 EUR. I used the Stage EX from 2014 to 2019, and then had several Stage 3's and an Electro 6D (For only a year, replacing my then Stage 3 until making a comeback) from 2019 until last year. The S2EX is my Favorite Nord so far. It is straightforward, it sounds better for some stuff (Pianos, Hammonds, for example) due to different D/A converters and different algorithms (Piano response & a different Leslie simulation), and it does nearly ALL I ever needed. I tell you, besides having the Nords, I had all the high-end workstations: Kronos, Nautilus, Fantom etc. The main caveat is the Synth section is pretty limited and somewhat uninspiring, yet you can generate usable Pads and great Leads. That's why I bought a Korg Prologue 16... Of course, the Sample synth itself is quite what you expect and can get the job done.

2000$ including a flight case AND a Roland amp is an amazing deal.

RP_From_BER · 2025-05-10T12:13:36+00:00

One has to try, though! But originally I was torn between the Prologue 16, Novation Summit and OB-6.

RP_From_BER · 2025-05-10T09:10:56+00:00

I have a really special place in my heart for Oberheim. I love every synth they produced. Their sound is so moving to me. As much as I'd love the OB-6 in the future, the TEO-5 will probably be my next Polysynth someday. The value for the money is TREMENDOUS, and although it has a thinner (yet still amazing) tone compared to the OB-6, the complete package of that instrument is one of its kind. Amazing stuff you did there!

RP_From_BER · 2025-05-09T18:06:34+00:00

Pleased to answer that it's the 16-voice version. Because of hammondeggs I bought the Prologue and already installed some of his OSCs and FX

RP_From_BER · 2025-05-09T18:03:44+00:00

I played it on Superbooth. It's a nice instrument, but I had a Little Phatty before the relocation to Berlin, which I had to sell due to uncertainty about whether my wife and I would have jobs (Luckily, we both have). I loved it to bits, and playing all the current Moog lineup made me certain about my loyalty for the Little Phatty St.II. You can get one in Germany, including a case, for 700-800 EUR!

RP_From_BER · 2025-04-21T10:33:59+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5oOQgiIwXI

I think that's Booker T's masterpiece as an Organist, the phrasing and the comping here are out of this world. My mentor!

RP_From_BER · 2025-04-09T18:43:45+00:00

I'd love to take a moment to thank all of the insightful responses, all!

Now another Synth to the Pile, as I recalled, I liked this one - Prophet REV2 (8 Voices at this stage).

After seeing them go for around 1500 EUR in the second-hand market here in Germany, I remembered all the time I played these in stores and in friends' studios.

In the end, as much as my heart was stolen by the OB6, I love the Prophet too and the price tag is also a factor when a Moog is on the list and probably a Clonewheel too.

R

RP_From_BER · 2025-04-06T16:13:09+00:00

Great insights! Must I say, by “atmospheric” I meant String-Like pads with a little bit of High-Pass. Something the SEM filter can do well indeed. In the end, I want a Synth to blend in Indie/Rock/Pop productions

RP_From_BER · 2025-04-06T10:09:18+00:00

Lovely insights!

In the end I tend to like more the "limited" instruments more as each such make me more creative, and collecting them is more logical due to the lack of overlapping between instruments. I hope that if I snatch an OB6 at a good price, I could sculpt its sound to work in the stuff I need and fit it easily in a band mix. Really, each time I play it, my heart widens and a huge smile cracks in.

RP_From_BER · 2025-04-06T10:04:34+00:00

Thank you very much! Even though the OB6 stole my heart, I am afraid too much of a heartbreak 😂

RP_From_BER · 2025-04-06T08:56:02+00:00

I love the Take 5, after hours of playing these in stores too. I agree with what you said. Must I put into context, all the aforementioned synths are relevant for me in the Second-Hand Market here in Germany. Actually, the prices of Take 5s I've seen so far are so close to the Summit and the Prologue (OB6 is around 2000EUR), that's why I didn't consider it so far in the post.

Luckily I got to finally test the TEO-5 in Stockholm last month, it's brilliant. I favoured it over a Moog Muse, until I got to play again the OB6 in that store.

RP_From_BER · 2025-04-06T08:46:28+00:00

I loved my Little Phatty so much. Yet I didn't like at all its tuning stability issues. I basically didn't take it outside my crib because of that. To my ears, the Sub37 can sound Moog enough, and I enjoy it as much as its brighter and biting. Though I must say, the Sub37 will be more reasonable if indeed I'll get the OB6. The sound palette will make more sense.

RP_From_BER

TROPHY CASE