Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

Also in 1982, Casio released its first midsize keyboards with polyphonic fingered accompaniment. While the MT-70 is again based on sine wave synthesis, the MT-45 and the MT-60 use good old Consonant-Vowel. While the latter (and its bigger brother, the Casiotone 403) are said to be the best sounding of all Consonant-Vowel keyboards (I haven’t heard them yet), the MT-45 has many accompaniment variations with arpeggio and two bass variants. This was made possible by the versatile NEC D930G accompaniment chip, whose greatest moment was yet to come. Another peculiarity of the MT-45 is that accompaniment cannot be switched off — in fact, the lower part of the keyboard is hardwired to the accompaniment chip and the upper part to the voice chip."

http://generror.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/history-of-casio-keyboards-1/

Regarding the CT6000, the same website confirms that it did indeed have the Phase Distortion engine as its sound generator:

"In 1985, Casio released the first of its line of CZ synthesizer, beginning with the CZ-101 (the only midsize CZ) and its bigger brother, the CZ-1000. The CZ synths used a synthesis method called PD (Phase Distortion), which is functionally similar to Yamaha’s FM synthesis. Especially the CZ-101 was very successful, which encouraged Casio to concentrate on the pro market — unfortunately neglecting the home market in the process.

Casio also a few high-end home keyboards which use PD synthesis for its presets, the first being theCasio CT-6000. The CT-6000 had many professional features, many of them unique for Casio home keyboards, and may well be the most sophisticated home keyboard of its time: Not only does it feature key velocity with aftertouch, it also comes with a pitch bend wheel and MIDI support. Also interesting is its “Super Accompaniment”, meaning that the accompaniment reacts to key velocity and chord progression — from what I know, this is unique for Casio keyboards. It also comes with a chord sequencer."

http://generror.wordpress.com/2010/07/08/history-of-casio-keyboards-2/

And the excellent Table Hooters website also contains details about many infamous Casios:

http://weltenschule.de/TableHooters/instruments.html

Obviously these websites can't be taken as pure gospel as they are put together by enthusiasts/ collectors, thus there may be some errors in the information. For instance the 'generror' website says this about the HT/ HZ range:

"In 1987, Casio’s next attempt to enter the professional market was the HT/HZ series of synths. These used a synthesis called “Spectrum Dynamics“, which apparently is just a new word for good old Consonant-Vowel — somewhat expanded and made editable, of course."

I believe this to be incorrect as the HT range has something like 32 waveforms to choose from (more with the HT6000) thus appear to be based upon a 'wavetable' type of synth, using digital waveforms to generate sounds and then put them through an analogue filter (as per Korg's DW series). The HT';s do not sound at all like Consonant Vowel in my opinion, though it's not entirely clear how they generate their sounds. What does seem apparent is this type of sound engine was only found in the HT/ HZ range. No other model of Casio before or since used this method to my knowledge. One speculation is that Yamaha got upset about Casio's Phase Distortion allegedly infringing on their patented 'FM', and Casio quickly developed and released another range (HT series) that was was unique to them only. Maybe in case they thought that Yamaha would push a lawsuit that would stop the production of CZ models?

Either way, it's interesting to discover how Casio experimented with their sound generation giving us some unique keyboards. Such a shame that musical snobs largely ignore them purely because of the name. Then again, this allows some great bargains to be had so us Casio fans can enjoy them more so than if they had Roland/ Moog/ Korg etc. written on them, which no doubt would send prices sky high.

Just for interest, my Casio collection at present looks like this (listed in kind of smallest to largest, and also in model type):

1. VL-1 (VL Tone) - my very first Casio!

2. M10

3. MT65 (one of my favourites)

4. MT68 (same as MT65 except in grey(ish), might circuit bend one of them).

5. CT410-V amazing beast! (Full sized keys version of the MT400V)

6. Casiotone 403 (x2 - one going up for sale shortly. Great sounding 'TR77 alike' drums!)

7. Casiotone 201

8. HT700 (x2 - one immaculate and boxed, the other slightly scruffy and may possibly be modified. Has a very 'analogue'; like and at times warm sound, especially when the chorus and filter is used. I find the little HT700 to be one of my most inspiring Casios to use).

9. HZ600 (same as the HT700, with full size keys and minus speakers and drums/ accompaniment section).

10. HT6000 (x2 - one recently died and luckily I found another for sale on Ebay. They're one of the rarest Casios)

11. 1000P (the 'pro' sine wave Casio)

12. CTK1000 (interesting 'IXA' sound source. Apparently unique to this model? Not much known about this.)

13. CT6000

14. CT7000

15. CZ101 (my second Casio!)

16. CZ3000 (going to sell soon because I subsequently bought no.17)

17. CZ-1

18. FZ20M (rack mounted 2mb SCSI equipped version of the FZ1 sampler).

19. VZ-1 (features iPD, the successor to the Phase Distortion CZ's).

20. XW-P1 (latest Casio flagship - a VERY interesting and powerful synth).

21. 2 x RA100 ram cards for use in the HT synths. Very handy, and quite rare!)

22. RA3 ram pack for the CZ's. Bought for my 101, but it won't work in that though it does with the 3000 and CZ-1(???)

I think that's all of them, certainly enough to keep me occupied! Oh, and asides from my Casio collection, I do also have a Roland JX3-P and a Korg DW8000 to compliment them ;-)