KVR Audio

forw · Post by **forw** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:51 am

hi,
I'm thinking of buying
a good old hardware synth and decided on clavia.. I love the nord lead sound but I'm not
sure which one to buy.. either nord lead 2x or modular g2x.

It's 1100 eu oder 2500 eu and I ask myself if the modular is worth to pay that much more..
Of course soundwise it's more flexible with all the modules and has 5 octaves instead of 4
which is not unimportant for live-use. but do you think it's worth it? So incredibly much more
possibilies to tweak?
I didn't have the chance to test the modular..the sound characteric is not so different from
the lead 2x, right?

thanks for help on deciding..
forw

p.s.: modular g2x has only 2 split zones.. same as nord lead 2x ??

whyterabbyt · Post by **whyterabbyt** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:03 am

The G2 is, I suspect, vastly more flexible than the NL2. You'll get far more than a VA architecture out of it; DX-style FM, additive stuff, all sorts of things.

To find out what the G2 offers, try the demo software... that'll give you an idea.

(You could always get the NL2 and a G2 engine...)

vstliefhebber · Post by **vstliefhebber** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:05 am

Depends on your needs.
The nord modular (you know you can demo it? It has a software demo at: www.clavia.se => products => G2 and there you go.)is worth every penny and is very usable if want to look a bit further than the usual 2vco-1(2)Filter combinations. A certain sound needs quite some work and knowledge to get it properly done.
I don't think the idea of "imitating" te nord lead in the modular with basic modules will stand. So for purely subtractive needs I'd look to the nord lead.

whyterabbyt · Post by **whyterabbyt** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:13 pm

vstliefhebber wrote:I don't think the idea of "imitating" te nord lead in the modular with basic modules will stand. So for purely subtractive needs I'd look to the nord lead.

why not? Arent there several G2 factory patches which are basically nord lead sounds?

vstliefhebber · Post by **vstliefhebber** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:55 pm

Oops, I should have written "emulating". I don't have a NordLead, but I've read several times on VSE that there is more under the hood of the NordLead then just linked basic blocks of the G2, hence it sounds a bit different. It can also be some whining of soundsnobs.

@OP: A big advantage of the G2 is also that it, besides it's use as a synthesizer, can be used as a monstrous soundmangler and Fx processor. There are also quite some in-depth tutorials on the net about the G2 and the original NordModular.

D-Fusion · Post by **D-Fusion** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:28 pm

I would go for the G2X since it has more polyphony + drums and effects

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:38 pm

vstliefhebber wrote:Oops, I should have written "emulating". I don't have a NordLead, but I've read several times on VSE that there is more under the hood of the NordLead then just linked basic blocks of the G2, hence it sounds a bit different. It can also be some whining of soundsnobs.

@OP: A big advantage of the G2 is also that it, besides it's use as a synthesizer, can be used as a monstrous soundmangler and Fx processor. There are also quite some in-depth tutorials on the net about the G2 and the original NordModular.

Yep I use the G2 as an fx box as well as synth. It's also a great midi sequencer btw.

It would be interesting to know what exactly the Lead 2 has "under the hood" that cannot be found in the G2, if anything. Several times I have had my eye on getting a Lead 2ex rack as they are quite cheap now but thought is it justified since I have a G2 already?

forw · Post by **forw** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:39 pm

thanks alot everyone!!! i think I will try to scrape together the money for the G2x...

Shy · Post by **Shy** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:57 pm

aMUSEd wrote:It would be interesting to know what exactly the Lead 2 has "under the hood" that cannot be found in the G2, if anything. Several times I have had my eye on getting a Lead 2ex rack as they are quite cheap now but thought is it justified since I have a G2 already?

It just sounds completely different, that's all.

Opax · Post by **Opax** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:17 pm

forw wrote:thanks alot everyone!!! i think I will try to scrape together the money for the G2x...

The G2X is now discontinued, although there should be a few retailers with some units left over.

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:28 pm

It really comes down to how you like to work with a synthesizer. If you enjoy the modular workflow, approaching each new patch as a completely new synth, selecting modules and routing them in experimental ways to devise a sound, then yes, the G2X is for you. If you prefer to take an existing sound and just tweak a few parameters without spending hours on a single sound, then you should probably stay away from the modular.

I've owned the original Nord Modular and currently have a G2. There was never even the slightest question in my mind that perhaps I should get a standard polysynth instead. The fact that you are questioning the difference between the two suggests that you might not be ready for a modular. Have you ever played with any modular before?

DevonB · Post by **DevonB** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:40 pm

I never liked any of the Clavia Nord synths... until the G2 came out.

Devon

TOTAL · Post by **TOTAL** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 6:24 pm

I have a slightly related question.

If Both Lead and Modular are by Clavia, and (supposedly) Modular has all the components that Lead has, is it possible to just faithfully recreate the architecture of Lead in Modular? And thus get an exact Lead sound in G2?

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 6:39 pm

I've played with a NL before but don't own one, so take this answer with a pinch of salt. There are G2 patches which recreate NL patches, so yes, you can get a NL sound out of a G2. However, I would expect that the NL has various modulation routings which you would have to manually connect in the G2. In other words, I don't think you can devise a single G2 patch which encapsulates all the functionality of a NL in its entirety. The patching of each sound would need to be tweaked.

assaffff · Post by **assaffff** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:46 pm

i dont know about these products, but i got the older ones (micro modular and rack 2) and i can say that the micro modular can do much more impressive things though the nord rack is like a really really good patch in the micro modular and thats why almost everything you make sounds good. if you want to play with presets and make really sharp and clean sound get the "lead". if you can seat only for one patch an hour, and not getting tired than get the modular

also i thing the nord dont have effects (the nord 2, idont know how is the 2x) and g2 have lots of effects.
good luck.

clavia modular g2x VS. nord lead 2x