Korg nanoPad2 first impressions

**DJZILCH** · 04-15-2011, 11:48 AM

okay i got the new nanoPAD2 today

i must say im not very impressed

the pads arent as responsive as the akai LPD8 (which i still got) or even the old nanoPAD (first gen, which i had and i broke)

worst thing is the software, they give you a serial number for you to input in the korg kontrol editor but the current version of the kontrol editor does not even support the new nanoSeries

so yeah this product does not have any kontrol editor yet (as of today - i even browsed uk japan and usa korg sites with no luck)

Did the product get released before the drivers are ready or something??

Anyone else got this and had any luck finding the right kontrol editor link to download?

for slower drumming performances they are okay but for rapid fire ultra fast cue juggling - the pads arent for it

just my two cents on this new product in case anyone is considering getting one - TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! they are cheap indeed but imo the LPD8s have a much better feel, although much lesser buttons

**Eliot Han** · 04-15-2011, 01:03 PM

thank you for this post .. i myself use an lpd8 and was actually looking at the korg2 series for more options (i was assuming they got their act together on build quality). but now after reading this i think imma just double up on my lpd8 or just trash it for an mpd or something.

**DJZILCH** · 04-15-2011, 01:25 PM

yeah just wanna share to those who are thinking of getting it

by the way, they did improve the general build quality of the product, i also have the nanoKontrol2 and i must say the build quality is miles ahead the first gen, thats why i bought the nanoPAD2 without hesitation as i was really expecting a much improved nanoPAD, well the XY pads are a bit better on the new one, but the pads arent that responsive, they just dont feel right somehow

the lpd8's have much bigger pads (and LED feedback) , so at least you know when you trigger it the light turns up, the nanoPAD2 dont have this plus they just dont feel that great, maybe too small? what a shame, 16 pads in 4 banks means 64 freely assignable pads, thats a lot you can map!

**DjWindzOne** · 04-15-2011, 03:06 PM

@DJZILCH
Thanks for the post. . .

I felt the same way when I heard this was announced. But sad to see KORG isn't listening. My friend swears by his LPD8. . .I used to swear the pad and kontrol (Still use the Kontrol tho!). . but now I have dicers. . .but there isn't enough for midi (I use SSL).

**zestoi** · 05-21-2011, 04:09 PM

anyone else got the korg nanopad2? i'm still trying to figure out which of the nano/nano2/lpd8 i want to get. i like the xy pad on the nano's but the led feedback on the lpd8 might be very useful.

i was to mostly use it for drum programming - as already have a launchpad for triggering - though i'm sure (?) the pads on any of the nano's and/or lpd8 would be better for controlling effects and cuepoints compared to the launchpad.

seeing a video of james zabiela using a nanopad is what made me think of maybe one of those. saw him using the xy pad for filters/sweeps and the triggers to control the gator setting in traktor i think.

**BradCee** · 05-21-2011, 05:10 PM

Used my 1st Gen nanopad for effects. So the buttons being crap weren't a big deal...

**Ryan Leo** · 05-21-2011, 08:43 PM

the nano control looks sick for controlling filters and volumes of triggers. Half tempting t swap it out for x1

**zestoi** · 05-21-2011, 09:49 PM

must admit the nanopad2 with 16 triggers and the xy pad is quite tempting... i've read a couple of reports that the pads are worse than the original nanopad though - not very good for quickly tapping for drumming or cue point juggling on (not that my cue point skills have reached that level yet

)

i guess it would be cool to maybe get a lpd8 for drum programming and a nanopad2 for cuepoints and the xy pad...

i already have a nanokey and nanokontrol and think they're both pretty good within their limitations.

**DJZILCH** · 05-22-2011, 07:34 AM

nanokontrol2 = awesome
you cant go wrong with extra pots and faders

nanopad2 = meh!
if it wasnt so cheap i would have regretted buying it, something with the FEEL of the pad is just not right, even the first gen nanopad feel much better than this one, perhaps they want to fit more buttons in and in the proccess dropped the quality of the pads

I did try to get a refund from the shop but they wont let me as there was nothing wrong with it and they couldnt refund me just because "it doesnt feel right" lol

I actually bought it for the sole purpose of controlling KONG drum designer (in reason), with the ldp8 i have to switch between the banks to access all 16 kong pads so i was hoping the nanopad2 with its 16 buttons would be perfect - and here i am still using my LPD8 instead of the nanoPad2 hahaha

IMO if i knew I would have saved a bit and either get the bigger akai pads or the korg Padkontrol (16 buttons, 2 pots, xy pad, much much higher quality pads)