Nord Piano 5 review – The Best Digital Piano Ever?

Use my Nord Piano 5 review to discover if this piano is worth your money!
In my Nord Piano 5 review, find out if this unique keyboard is worth your money

Finding a quality digital piano can be a challenge, especially if it carries a hefty price tag.  So in this Nord Piano 5 review, I’m going to share my experience with this powerful digital piano and help you determine if this piano’s sound engine, key action, and features are worth it’s $3,500 price.

PHOTOPIANO
Nord Piano 5
Nord Stage 3
Nord Stage 4
Nord Electro 6D

Nord Piano 5 review (TLDR)

Is the Nord Piano 5 worth the money? Find out now.

The Nord Piano 5 is an exceptional digital piano that offers an authentic acoustic piano playing experience. It features the Virtual Hammer Action Technology, which replicates the feel and response of an acoustic piano, making it a versatile instrument for professional pianists and serious hobbyists.  If you can get over the sticker shock ($3,499), you’ll end up with one of the best digital pianos on the market.

BEST SELLERS
1) Casio PX-560
2) Nord Piano 5
3) Roland RD-88
4) Korg D1
5) Roland RD-2000

Sound Quality

The Nord Piano 5 is renowned for its outstanding sound quality, and it’s not hard to see why. It features an extensive range of sounds, including the exclusive Nord Triple Vintage V3 technology that emulates the sound of three classic vintage pianos – the Steinway Model B Grand, Yamaha C7 Grand, and the upright piano. The piano also includes a range of other sounds, including electric pianos, strings, and organs, all of which sound incredibly authentic and lifelike.

The Virtual Hammer Action Technology is also a significant factor in the Nord Piano 5’s sound. It provides an accurate key response and feel, making it feel as if you’re playing an acoustic piano.

Additionally, the piano’s advanced sound technologies, such as the Advanced String Resonance, Pedal Noise, and Dynamic Pedal Noise, add to the authenticity of the playing experience by providing a realistic emulation of the sounds you’d hear when playing a traditional piano.

Overall, the Nord Piano 5 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an authentic acoustic piano playing experience without the maintenance requirements and expenses of a traditional acoustic piano.

PHOTOPIANO
Nord Piano 5
Nord Stage 3
Nord Stage 4
Nord Electro 6D

Portability

The Nord Piano 5 is a highly portable digital piano that is designed to be taken on the road. It weighs in at under 20 kg (44 lbs), making it lightweight enough to carry around—but I wouldn’t say it’s easy to do so. 

In fact, considering that there are very nice pianos made by Yamaha or Kawai that weigh half as much, the weight of the Nord 5 might be a burden for some people (especially if you have a bad back or don’t possess good upper body strength).

The Nord Piano 5’s portability is further enhanced by its sturdy and durable construction. It features a rugged aluminum chassis and reinforced corners that help protect the instrument during transport. The piano also includes a specially designed Nord Soft Case that provides an extra layer of protection when you’re on the move.

In terms of connectivity, the Nord Piano 5 comes equipped with a range of input and output options, including a stereo output, two headphone outputs, and a monitor input. This allows you to connect the piano to a range of audio equipment, making it suitable for use in a range of live and studio environments.

Overall, the Nord Piano 5’s portability makes it an excellent choice for musicians who need a high-quality digital piano that can be easily transported from gig to gig. Its compact size, lightweight construction, and durable design make it a reliable and convenient choice for musicians who are always on the move.

Build Quality

Close up of the Nord Piano 5 keyboard.

The Nord Piano 5 is built to the highest standards of quality and durability, ensuring that it can withstand the demands of professional use. The piano’s body is constructed from rugged aluminum, providing excellent protection against bumps and scratches during transport. Additionally, the piano features reinforced corners that provide extra protection against accidental impacts.

The keys on the Nord Piano 5 are also built to last. They feature a premium weighted action that is designed to replicate the feel and response of a traditional acoustic piano. The keys are also made from high-quality materials that are resistant to wear and tear, ensuring that they will last for years of use.

The piano’s control panel is another area where the Nord Piano 5 excels in terms of build quality. It features a clear and intuitive layout that makes it easy to access all of the piano’s features and functions. The control panel is also designed to be durable, with high-quality buttons and knobs that are built to last.

Overall, the Nord Piano 5’s build quality is outstanding. Its sturdy construction, premium materials, and attention to detail ensure that it can withstand the demands of professional use and provide a reliable playing experience for years to come.

Touch Response

The Nord Piano 5 features an advanced keybed that provides a highly responsive and expressive playing experience. The keybed uses the Nord Virtual Hammer Action Technology, which replicates the feel and response of an acoustic piano. The technology accurately captures the nuances of your playing, such as the velocity and pressure of your keystrokes, and translates them into an authentic piano sound.

The keybed on the Nord Piano 5 also includes advanced features such as the triple sensor key detection system. This system ensures that every keystroke is accurately detected and registered, even when playing complex and fast passages. This ensures that the piano provides a highly accurate and responsive playing experience that feels just like playing on a real acoustic piano.

In addition to the advanced keybed technology, the Nord Piano 5 also includes a range of other touch response features that enhance the playing experience. The piano includes features such as Dynamic Pedal Noise, which emulates the sound of the pedal mechanism when you press the sustain pedal, and Advanced String Resonance, which adds to the realism of the piano sound by simulating the sympathetic resonance of strings when you play.

Overall, the touch response on the Nord Piano 5 is outstanding. Its advanced keybed technology and range of touch response features provide a highly authentic and expressive playing experience that is sure to satisfy even the most demanding pianists.

PHOTOPIANO
Nord Piano 5
Nord Stage 3
Nord Stage 4
Nord Electro 6D

Features

The Nord Piano 5 is packed with features that make it an excellent choice for both professional musicians and piano students. The piano includes a range of high-quality sounds, including grand pianos, upright pianos, electric pianos, and more. These sounds are all meticulously sampled and crafted to provide a highly realistic and authentic playing experience.

The Nord Piano 5 also features a powerful polyphony engine, which allows you to play complex arrangements and use effects without any notes dropping out. The piano has 120 voices of polyphony, which is more than enough for most playing situations. This ensures that you can play even the most complex pieces without any notes being cut off or dropped.

In terms of teachability, the Nord Piano 5 is an excellent choice for piano students of all levels. The piano includes a range of features that make it easy to learn and practice. For example, the piano includes a Split and Layer function that allows you to play two different sounds on the keyboard at once. This is especially useful for practicing left-hand and right-hand parts separately.

The Nord Piano 5 also includes a range of connectivity options, including USB and MIDI, which allow you to connect the piano to a range of devices and software applications. This makes it easy to access online piano lessons and tutorials, and to use the piano with a range of digital audio workstations.

Overall, the Nord Piano 5 is a highly versatile and teachable digital piano that is packed with features and advanced technology. Its powerful polyphony engine, range of high-quality sounds, and connectivity options make it an excellent choice for pianists of all levels.

Pros:

–The Nord Piano 5 features a highly responsive and expressive keybed that accurately replicates the feel and response of an acoustic piano, making it an excellent choice for pianists who want a realistic playing experience.

–The piano includes a wide range of high-quality sounds, including grand pianos, upright pianos, electric pianos, and more, that are all meticulously sampled and crafted to provide a highly authentic playing experience.

–The Nord Piano 5 includes a powerful polyphony engine with 120 voices of polyphony, which is more than enough for most playing situations and ensures that even complex arrangements can be played without notes dropping out.

–The piano is built to the highest standards of quality and durability, ensuring that it can withstand the demands of professional use and provide a reliable playing experience for years to come.

–The Nord Piano 5 is highly teachable, with features such as Split and Layer function that make it easy to practice left-hand and right-hand parts separately, and connectivity options that allow you to connect the piano to a range of devices and software applications.

Cons:

–The Nord Piano 5 is a high-end digital piano that comes with a premium price tag, which may not be affordable for everyone.

–The piano is relatively heavy and bulky, which may make it difficult to transport and move around.

–While the piano includes a wide range of sounds, some users may prefer more customization options to fine-tune the sounds to their preferences.

–The Nord Piano 5 is a digital piano, which may not be suitable for pianists who prefer the warm and organic sound of an acoustic piano.

–Some users may find the control panel on the piano to be a bit complex and difficult to navigate, especially if they are not familiar with digital pianos.

Nord Piano 5 vs Nord Piano 4

Compared to its predecessor, the Nord Piano 4 (you can read my Nord Piano 4 review here), the Nord Piano 5 offers several significant improvements.

One of the most notable changes is the addition of the Nord Virtual Hammer Action Technology, which provides a more dynamic and responsive keybed that accurately replicates the feel and response of an acoustic piano. 

The Nord Piano 5 also includes more memory than its predecessor, allowing for more sample storage and a wider range of sounds. Additionally, the Nord Piano 5 includes an OLED display, which makes it easier to navigate the piano’s controls and settings.

Wrapping It Up

At the end of the day, the Nord Piano 5 is a high-quality digital piano that offers a wide range of features and exceptional sound quality. It includes a highly responsive keybed, powerful polyphony engine, and a wide range of meticulously sampled sounds, making it an excellent choice for pianists who demand a realistic playing experience. 

While the Nord Piano 5 may come with a premium price tag and be relatively heavy and bulky, its exceptional build quality and highly teachable features make it an excellent investment for pianists who are serious about their craft.

Overall, this Nord Piano 5 review shows that this instrument stands out as a top-quality digital piano and a worthy successor to the Nord Piano 4, offering significant improvements and enhancements to an already exceptional instrument.

This article was written by Elliott and edited by Michael.

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