The CZ-1 competes with the CZ-5000 for the best all around Phase Distortion digital synth. The CZ-1 has the most advanced keyboard of all the CZ series synths. It has a full 61-note 5-octave keyboard with velocity and aftertouch sensitivity. Very professional features from a Casio synth! Otherwise it is essentially a CZ-3000 (which is essentially two CZ-1000s or CZ-101s). With the CZ-1 you get 8-stage envelopes, 2 oscillators per voice and a whole lot more with relatively easy programming. Whereas the CZ-5000 may not have had as good a keyboard, it had the benefit of an on-board 8-track real-time sequencer which the CZ-1 lacked.

If you're looking for low-cost Yamaha DX-like sounds, the Casio CZ line of Phase Distortion synths are a good buy. For performance, the CZ-1 may be the best of the CZ-series. Its dynamic keyboard and enhanced memory abilities make it ideal for live situations. Memory, MIDI and multitimbrality have all been upgraded in the CZ-1 making it one of the nicest budget synths ever to grow out of a consumer market.

Rod

August 16, 2010 @ 10:02 am

Hard to come by these nowadays, by far the best I have ever used in my career. I recently picked one up for $200 and it was still the best I have even with my newer, computer-aided synths. Can't be beat in my op.

LiqMat

June 20, 2010 @ 8:38 pm

My first professional keyboard I ever owned way back in 1987. I had this keyboard hooked up via MIDI to my Commodore Amiga 1000 using Activision's Music Studio for the Amiga. Ah... great memories!

Juno6

May 30, 2010 @ 10:43 pm

@Scott Gibbons: The CZ1 is superior to the 5000 because it have real time control over pitch, timbre and volume thru velocity, that alone makes it the most desirable of the CZ line.

Solstice

January 7, 2010 @ 6:16 am

Used by Vince CLARKE with Erasure.

Neven Dayvid

October 14, 2009 @ 7:03 pm

"If you're looking for low-cost Yamaha DX-like sounds, the Casio CZ line of Phase Distortion synths are a good buy."...
sorry , this is quite uninformed... they sound quite different despite certain procedural similarities in sound generation.
it´s like saying, if you want low-cost Roland Jupiter sounds, get a Korg Polysix...well yes, and NO...

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