Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

The CZ's I have are not easy to program via SYSx - unless one has an editor - such as CZedit (which I don't use) - all the parameters (and more) are available via Sysx as far as I know. I think the VZ has more impressive characteristics (more timbres?) but the 8 on the 101 are quite useful - not having got hold of the VZ - I can only go off the Youtube vidz and the fact that the user interface seems a little FZ-like - which means it ought to be a crazy ass monster.
The useage of the SYSx is exlained in a couple of the dox I have on links off the cz page at atspace.

I have a youtube vid that covers the 101/PD synth:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8A3JgFud6A



PD starts about 10mins in.



________________________________
 From: mm47 <marcoballins@...>
To: CZsynth@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Monday, 5 November 2012, 11:11
Subject: [CZsynth] Re: choice of a CZ synth
 

  
Hi all!

thank you all for the suggestions and considerations!

I have other synths, so the casio won't be my only one.
From this perspective, I don't care much about polyphony: 6 voices would be enough for me.
Also, I am not sure I really want multitimbral, though having it would not be bad :)

Patch storage and sequencer are not important for me.
I also don't care about key-straps, as I am not performing on stage, only using it at home.

I think the most important aspects for me, beside the sound, is a complete MIDI implementation, that will allow me to program patches ENTIRELY using the computer.

So, the big question is: which of the CZ can do that?

I understand from comments that most (some) have actually good interface on the synth. Nonetheless, I am still looking for programming only from the computer. (Beside patch storage on the PC, I am also thinking about integration into a DAW, namely Ableton Live in my case).
This might be the key parameter in the choice, other aspects being secondary.

I had a quick look at the MIDI specs of the CZ-1, and it seemed to me that it had more MIDI capabilities.
But I could not understand, if all sound parameters on the CZ-1 are programmable via MIDI, and what is the situation with the others.

Thank you templarser. I will definetely have a look at your page:
http://templarseries.atspace.com/cz.html
However, do you know already, off the top of your head, if some parameters cannot be programmed via MIDI on some CZs?

About the VZ, I also really like it's sound, but from couple of demos I had the impression it's a different synth, the VZ having more clean, bright, or even harsh, sound, while the CZ being more lo-fi, organic (not in terms of organ). It is actually that organic feeling that I am looking after!
So I thought I won't get from the VZ the exact same sounds as the CZ... (I know one day I'll probably get a VZ too! ;)). Am I wrong here?

Back to the CZ, are there differences in the sound engine sound (besides polyphony)?
And how do they compare in terms of, for example, noise?
I would be tended to think that the CZ-101 might have more noise (like the DX-100 has more noise than the DX7, at least that was my impression, since I don't own those), but this might be a wrong assumption.

Thanks.
Best,
Marco


 

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