Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

Hi,

> You may be right there.  I initially thought it would be PCM mainly 
because 
> most cheap casios of the time used PCM- it would have been easy for 
them to 
> adapt sample playback architecture from the SK-1 or MT-240 or another 
> keyboard of that era and add a filter and basic synth parameters.  
But one 
> interesting thing to think about is that the HT/HZ synths were market-wise 
> between the low end PCM models and the high end PD models.

I came to think HT/HZ resemble not only CZ but Casiotones at that time. 
Casiotones adopted 'CD tone generation system' (simple PCM playback without 
filter) since around 1989. HT/HZ were introduced around 1987 and I suspect 
PCM playback keyboard were still expensive at that time.

Casio proudly printed 'Pulse Code Modulation' on the panels of HTs (not 
on HZ). Like other benders at that time, they seem to only began to adopt 
PCM for rhythm playback.

As an aside, the rhythm sounds in HT (or Casiotones?) remind me of RZ-
1. They seem to be 8bit format or so, and the samples may be reused, 
though it is quite uncertain as I have no experience of actual RZ. Of 
course HT has no sampling ability like RZ.
 
> If you want to investigate more then I suggest looking at the waveforms 
on 
> your computer and comparing the SD waves to the PD waves and see how 
similar 
> they look, or take a peek inside each and see if they've got similar 
custom 
> chips and that sort of thing.

I'm a bit afraid of opening the synths as I have little experience in 
electricity... But I can easily sample the sounds of HT and CZ and look 
at the waveforms, and I think it's a good idea. When I find something 
of interest, I will upload it on the net.

> This exactly why I wish there was a site somewhere detailing each model..
.  
> "line edit" does sound like a PD term..... but I've never even heard 
of the 
> HT-6000 before.

As I found no information on the net about HT-6000, I doubt if it was 
released only in Japan.

> I definately think I should pick up an HT-700 off of ebay one day...
I 
> probably wouldn't use it much but it would be fun enough to justify 
paying 
> for it.

Yes, that's exactly what I thought when I bought my HT. As a faithful 
user of PD synth, I've been interested in HT's mysterious SD synthesis 
engine for years.
All I heard about SD is that its waveform changes 'temporally and dynamically,
' and that it has one analog VCF. I imagined something like Waldorf Microwave, 
but at the same time thought it is very very unlikely. But I wished it 
had some new PD waves modulated by LFO.
Actually, I found that SD is more like a preset CZ with VCF, and that 
its waveforms are not so 'dynamically' sounding. This is not what I wished, 
but I'm enjoying very much tweaking and investigating my HT, and creating 
some new sounds with it.

If you buy an HT, I'd like to add its liabilities I've found.

* It has only one VCF for its 8 polyphony, like KORG Delta or Poly-800. 
VCF EG is always retriggered everytime you play a new key.
* The VCF works mildly (no self-oscillation).
* The VCF has no 'key follow' function. High Keys tend to be very mild 
sounding.
* No portamento.
* Key range is only 5 octave, even when driven by MIDI. And there is 
no 'Octave shift' function.

Of course, there are many limitations... We are often informed about 
them only after we actually owned a synth. But synthesizing with HT is 
still enjoyable for me. I believe if repackaged appropriately, SD synths 
could have sold better, even today.


Best,
Sealed