Vintage Synth Explorer

Casio • VZ-1 / VZ-10M

The VZ-1 is a full-sized, 5-octave, velocity & pressure sensitive keyboard utilizing the IPD tone generation (a type of Phase Distortion synthesis) and offers 16 note polyphony. It's a digital synth capable of some great strings and "polite 80's sounds". You could use up to four sounds for splits, layers, velocity, cross-fades, etc. It has a large, blue, back-lit LCD display for editing patches. Editing is in-depth and quite a different approach than other synths before it. Its sounds are akin to the Casio CZ-series and sort of Yamaha DX-like. It's not particularly cool, but it looked impressive in its day with the blue back-lit graphical display.

The Casio VZ-10M is a rack mount version of the VZ-1.

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Posting Rules: Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

 

Oneki Kai

Posted 451 days ago

reFX makes a VST called PlastiCZ that uses the same synthesis method. It's a lot easier to use and generally sounds more pleasing to the ears.

If you're masochistic, this is still a great box. I played with it a bit and gave up trying to program it. Still, it's impressive that Casio ever made pro-class synths.

viva6581

Posted 452 days ago

An interesting device. The presets are sort of disapointing, with a few exceptions, though often the sounds are very nicely and *expressively* programmed. Programming is rather difficult, but on the other hand offers a near-ridiculous variety of programming options. You can even tweak the tension of envelope curves! Some of the presets have the most hard hitting, albeit cold and metallic, attack envelopes I've ever heard. Hardcore tweakers will propably enjoy this synth.

Martin

Posted 453 days ago

The best bit about this synth, is the display! Had some nice sounds, but ultimately sounded pretty thin. It sounded much better teamed up with my SY77 to add extra layers to the pads I was creating.

The build quality is actually very good, which surprised me, as I really dont rate Casio at all.

It's worth having one, only if you can get it for a bargain. I wouldn't pay the Est. Value displayed here on VSE.

The guy I sold it to, argued with me that it was incapable of aftertouch... Which was funny, because I'd just demonstrated it working!

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