Nord Grand 2 Review

The Kawai keybed comes into its own for piano playing

On the refined keybed based on Responsive Hammer III, the prevailing assessment is that "the feel when playing piano voices is excellent." Reviewers also note that mechanical noise on key strikes is held down and the playing feel is more comfortable than on the earlier model.

The expressive sound of the Nord Piano Library

Many say "Nord's piano sound is not run-of-the-mill and has character," and the expressiveness is rated especially highly when playing the more detailed XL samples.

Voice combinations and large memory

With four sources — two piano plus two synth — the freedom to build layers and splits at will is well received. The sample memory has been expanded, so you can swap in your preferred grand or upright to suit your needs.

Heavy, better suited to a fixed setup than to carrying

The unit is on the heavy side, and reviewers note it is "not the kind you carry casually" and is "suited to being set up at home, in a church or in a hall." If you take it out to gigs often, reviews routinely recommend the lighter Nord Piano 5 88.

High price, with limited appeal in upgrading from the older model

Beyond the high price, the takeaway for owners of the original Nord Grand is that "the upgrade is hard to justify." There are improvements, but whether they are worth the difference depends on how you use it.

Reports of unit-to-unit variation and keybed faults

On owner forums there are reports of keybed faults on a portion of units, such as "a particular key not responding" or "loud key-strike noise." The majority rate the touch as good, so checking the actual unit and understanding the support setup at purchase is the safe approach.