In my opinion, Studiologic is a brand that people overlook far too often. They make some outstanding stage pianos, synths, and controllers. This review looks at the Numa Compact 2, a flexible keyboard piano with 88 semi-weighted keys.
The Numa Compact 2 isn’t a typical stage piano, so I will discuss everything it offers and what makes it different.
About the author
- 88 semi-weighted keys
- aftertouch
- 128-note polyphony
- 88 sounds
- built-in speakers
- OLED display
- USB, MIDI
Final verdict on the Numa Compact 2
The Numa Compact 2 is an absolute powerhouse and represents value for money that is hard to beat. If you want a keyboard piano for the stage, the studio, and one that has incredible features without breaking the bank, buy the Numa Compact 2.
What I like
- Incredibly flexible instrument.
- Outstanding sounds.
- Built-in speakers.
- Assignable controls.
- Lightweight.
- Value for money.
What I don’t like
- Semi-weighted keys.
Sound quality
It’s hard to know where to start with this keyboard; it really does just about everything. It has 88 preset voices in total, with a max polyphony of 128 notes. The sound comes from Studiologic’s TrS (True Sound) stereo multi-samples.
There are eight acoustic pianos, eight electric pianos, various keyboard instruments, guitar/bass sounds, orchestral voices, synths, and more.
I think the acoustic piano sounds are remarkable when you consider the cost of the instrument. They are incredibly realistic and display a richness and depth of tone rarely seen at beginner prices.
If anything lets them down, semi-weighted keys don’t let you get the most out of the pianos, but we can’t have it all.
The electric pianos are also fantastic, but what impresses me most are the synths. It shouldn’t be any surprise, given Studiologic’s experience with synths, but these sounds are a perfect blend of cool, modern, and retro, with a nice analog flavor.
Again, please keep the price in mind. These sounds aren’t better than a high-end instrument like a Nord Stage 4 or Roland RD-2000, but they overdeliver.
Built-in speakers
The built-in speaker system isn’t overly powerful or impressive, but you don’t always get built-in speakers, so it’s a bonus for many users.
It’s powered by a 10 W + 10 W class-D amplifier, which is great for home practice. Anything other than home practice will likely require additional speakers (PA system, etc.).
One nice design feature is that the speakers are on the back panel, which creates a cleaner top panel.
Keyboard feel
I want to score higher here for so many reasons, but as I focus on the piano experience, I must be sensible.
It has 88 velocity-sensitive semi-weighted keys, which will never provide a realistic piano feel. But, they offer the perfect balance for the entire range of onboard voices. Synths, organs, and many other voices require a much lighter touch for faster playing. It also has a very responsive aftertouch feature that is awesome for synth FX and organ swells.
The keyboard has enough resistance to allow dynamic playing, especially after getting used to the weight. So, all is not lost for piano players, and four levels of touch sensitivity should help.
To sum it up, it doesn’t feel like a real piano keyboard, but if it did, many of the onboard sounds would be wasted.
Features
I would have scored 5 out of 5 here if it wasn’t for the Numa Compact 2X, which offers a bit more for a slightly higher price.
Built-in effects
The onboard effects start with various reverb types, including Room, Hall, Plate, and Spring. You can then delve deeper into effects with drive, chorus, phaser, flanger, rotary, tremolo, pan tremolo, and delay.
The best thing about the effects is that you can use up to six simultaneously. That includes two on the upper zone, two on the lower zone, reverb, and strings resonance. Each zone has a dedicated FX sections, as does the reverb.
OLED display
It would be impossible to navigate the Numa Compact 2 without a decent display with so much going on. The featured OLED display is small, but it’s vital.
Assignable controls
You get two fully-assignable sticks, which control pitch and modulation by default. You can also use them to control FX parameters. There are also inputs for two assignable pedals (expression/sustain/universal).
Master controls
The Numa Compact 2 includes some master EQ controls to go with the master volume.
Strings resonance
Strings resonance is available on all piano sounds with adjustable levels.
Programmable zones
The Numa Compact 2 offers two MIDI zones in Layer/Split modes.
Piano modes
Layer mode allows you to layer two sounds, and it’s more flexible than most, thanks to the wide selection of sounds and keyboard zones. Split mode is a great performance tool and ideal for piano and bass combos.
In use
The Numa Compact 2 makes for a fantastic performance keyboard or studio controller. Thanks to a clever modular-style layout, getting around the sounds and effects is quick and easy.
Each sound group (piano, synth, and so on) has a dedicated button for fast switching. The dedicated FX sections make it easy to add, remove, and adjust FX on the fly.
If you can live with semi-weighted keys, it’s such a fun keyboard to play. Using built-in speakers or taking a line from the audio outputs gives the user added flexibility between playing at home or on stage.
Build quality
The Numa Compact 2 is a well-designed instrument on par or ahead of most in its class. It’s not a solid metal chassis, which might disappoint users who plan to gig with this keyboard piano. The upside is that it weighs just over 15 lbs, and that’s incredible for such a versatile keyboard piano.
We just need to compare it to cheaper instruments because its flexibility makes it easy to get carried away and start expecting too much in every area.
Connectivity
I would say you probably get more than most for your money. It features two dedicated audio outputs (1/4″), a single headphone output (1/4″), and two 1/4″ pedal inputs. It offers MIDI in/out and USB type B.
Compared to other keyboard pianos
Despite the semi-weighted keys, I love the Numa Compact 2. It’s on my list of the best keyboard pianos this year. There are a lot of instruments in the same price range, but not many offer the flexibility of the Numa Compact 2.
Numa Compact 2 vs Numa Compact 2X
If you are a performer, the nine faders on offer with the Numa Compact 2X make it worth the extra money. You can use them as organ drawbars or adjust synth/FX parameters, so they add a new dimension to your performance.
Numa Compact 2 vs Casio PX-S1100
If you need weighted keys and don’t mind spending a little extra, the PX-S1100 is a great place to start. Extremely slim and lightweight, despite having 88 hammer-action keys.
Read the full Casio Privia PX-S1100 review
Numa Compact 2 vs Alesis Prestige
The Prestige isn’t as good overall as the Numa Compact 2, but it has hammer-action keys and a very good piano tone. It’s cheaper and gives outstanding value for money.
Read the full Alesis Prestige review
Who is the Studiologic Numa Compact 2 best suited for?
The Numa Compact 2 perfectly suits performers who want a lightweight stage piano that doubles as a fantastic studio controller.
Buy Studiologic Numa Compact 2 at: SweetwaterAmazon