Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

There is a certain bleating donkey bray, sometimes, in the treble, 
somewhere  between "bell-like" and "tinny" but too purely synthetic 
to really resemble  either.  But in the bass, the same patch may have 
a nice throaty  growl that I do like.  But I can turn the key follow 
all the way up and not get rid of the bray.

Velocity, on the other hand, seems to have a far too great range. If 
you turn up Velocity all the way you're quite likely to break a key, 
if not your fingernail.  I often find myself wishing for setting like 
1.5  or  5.3,  but 15 is useless. 

When I bought my CZ-1 (new)  the Yamaha DX-7 was supposedly the 
really cool synth.  At least it cost twice as much. But even then I 
thought the FM  sounds were rather thin and reedy.  The CZ's sound is 
totally ersatz, but while the DX sound is kind of like being hit over 
the head with a plastic pea shooter, the CZ's sound, is like a hefty 
plastic wiffle ball bat. 

All in all I would have to say that I do prefer my 1903 Hamburg 
Steinway.  But the two give perspective on each other. 

After 20 years it's still working fine.  I've kept Saran Wrap over 
the buttons.