Synthesiser Dave - Episode 4 - Casio CZ-101

[@pocketlintartist]

Just bought one. So, looking forward to adding it to my ever-increasing collection.

[@ivanski28]

Love mine very powerful, thanks for the button cleaning tip, mine has this issue. Only the 101 and 230S had mini keys, the 1000,3000,5000 and CZ-1 had full size keys but only the CZ-1 has velocity. Much easier to program than DX series though not as powerful, I find it best to use the presets to begin with then change them. The other trick was to leave it powered off for a while and your patch would mutate itself.

[@PM-ly9gc]

Thanks for sharing. Is a great little synth but often overlooked. Videos like this to remind me why it's so fun to program and play.

[@wolfunplugged]

very interesting technical background infos. thanks for that, dear Dave!

[@NickSBailey]

The first synth I ever learnt to program :-) surprisingly versatile.

[@seanwolfe5161]

Casio's mid-80s output was criminally overlooked during its time as professional sound equipment. I think it largely had to do with the reputation it garnered around that time for their massively popular mass consumer sampler keyboards (the SK line, like the SK-1 and SK-5 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXnEnYN9gdKjhbs). The CZ line was made as an affordable, but serious contender to the Yamaha DX line. It's cheap keys held the reputation back a bit. The CZ was way more accessible to program than the early DX line. But Casio did try to improve their professional image with their follow up lines, the VZ and FZ series. The VZ was an iteration up from the CZ line. It took the core PD synth engine and made each voice essentially contain 4 CZ voice engines. They called each of these CZ like cores "lines". Each of the 4 lines could be routed into each other in different ways, sort of similar to the DX algorithms, but a little more flexible. With the 4 cores working together in a single voice, you could make some surprisingly complex sounds with them. The Casio only released 3 VZ models. The flagship VZ-1 keyboard, the VZ-10m rack version of the VZ-1 and the VZ-8m a scaled-down version of the VZ-10m with special features to integrate with their PG-380 Guitar Synth. It didn't catch on, not sure why, probably lack of marketing, because I didn't hear about them until the last decade. One major downside is that the user interface was unintuitive with this multi-page sort of flow that was too confusing (they tried to make it simple, but it just made it worse). The FZ line was their entry as a professional sampler. It stood well against the Roland samplers of the era. This was also unique and ahead of its time. It had the ability to draw your own waveforms and use them sort of like wavetables. I kinda wish Casio would try to bring this pro line of synths back.

[@ricky4001cs]

I used to have a CZ-101 in the mid 80s, loved it, but traded it for newer stuff. Regretted it ever since. Just bought one a few days back for 300 USD ~ thirty seven years later

[@maxmatson1578]

The CZ 3000 was my first synthesizer!!¡!🎹

[@srs7593]

I just got one yesterday. The clogged buttons had me worried, but now I seem to have it up and running properly. Very powerful tone shaping capabilities. The noise mod button seems silly but maybe I just don't know how to blend it yet.

[@hoagy_ytfc]

I had a CZ-1000 - the main issue was the batteries leaking, apart from that it was pretty robust and reliable.

[@marcbrasse747]

Er, if I remember correctly the 101 actually was the only CZ series model with a mini keyboard!

[@andrewglassey874]

There was also a CZ-230S. Which was more of a preset machine rather than a editable synth which also had mini keys

[@marcbrasse747]

Thanks for the correction. I in turn forgot about that one.

[@infesticon]

@@marcbrasse747 Every one forgets about that one, They where sold next the toy keyboards back in the day. I got one in a junk shop for 20 quid!

[@Eyepatchfilms]

I've noticed cz1s have started getting snapped up pretty quickly. They used to sit for awhile now they are getting harder to find

[@brianoshea1178]

SHHHHH shut up! or we'll never get one :)

[@benanderson89]

They really are. I just bought a CZ1 and the cheapest I could find in good condition was £480!

[@rsrbfb012]

The CZ-1's keyboard has full-sized keys not mini-keys. Apart from that, good summary!

[@NickSBailey]

So did the 1000,2000,3000 etc. more CZ models have full size than mini but it's good to see someone enthuse over a sometimes overlooked synth, they're a worthy classic really wish they'd remake it.

[@VIDKID666]

£80-£90. I wish. £250-£300 on eBay for these now. Typical time for me to want one haha

[@mrstephenpariah]

Excellent! But where the fuk did Synthesizer Dave get that awesome jumper?

[@quietobsolescence7773]

awsome synthesizer. i bought my first one for $35. probably cost me 10x's that now!

[@finebalance]

One big thing he failed to mention was it is also 4 part multitimbral over MIDI, a feature I used to use the hell out of back in the day when my equipment choices were limited. It was brilliant for basslines and had lightning fast envelopes so was great for programming drum and percussion sounds too.

[@TheRetroGamingKid]

I have had a Casio CZ 230s for about 2 years and have just found a Casio CZ 101. Love the sound of these. My 230s has a broken key which I can still play! Does anyone know where i could get a replacement key for it?

[@mrstephenpariah]

Perhaps some old (much cheaper) Casios use the same keybed?

[@BluePlanetMedia]

Can you tell me which output transistor was bad? D313, 2sc1740, etc. Thanks for the upload!

[@ElectronicSound]

+BluePlanetMedia We'll ask Dave and try and find out for you

[@davepegz]

+BluePlanetMedia Oohh, can't remember now, it was actually part of the regulator circuit for the output amplifier, the actual output is via op amps. I do remember I used an equivalent, so it's actual specification probably isn't that critical

[@BluePlanetMedia]

Thanks for replying. Love your videos!

[@nachom1971]

Mine is blinking lights and cycling patches non stop. Tried resetting but still the same. I have more than average experience in electronics and pretty good with the soldering iron but I have no clue where to start. Anyone had this issue? Any tips to repair this issue? Thanks in advance!

[@synthguy7774]

I've been trying to make custom patches but when I do, there's no sound. Is there something I'm not doing? Not sure.

[@jackedsouls]

Yeah, you have to manually go in and turn up the rate of the Amp envelope or else you have to hold the key down for ages to hear anything lol

[@jonnystiztv]

Now they are 400$

[@jonnystiztv]

You said 100-150 that’s awesome they need to bring these back

[@spodule6000]

6 CZs were made, maybe you forgot the CZ-230S. :)

[@mrstephenpariah]

CT6000 & CT5500 are PD too, a bit like larger versions of CZ230s with analogue (MIDI programmable) drum section.

[@annother3350]

These were a great let down by almost zero modulation

[@InternalMind]

You sure this isnt santa claus? the synth santa? syntha claus? huahua

[@GTMarmot]

That's no toy