Vintage Synth Explorer

To readers of Jonathans comment and potential buyers: this is definitely much much MUCH more difficult to program compared to FM synthesis. It's hard to prove it as this are just words in the forum but of course you can buy both and see it for yourself.
Another thing with J:s comment -it's not thinner than DX/TX synths its just different if not "fatter".
It depends programmiing skills and effort. Envelopes are in big role with this machines and because those are 8-stage it asks time.. especially with VZ8M version which has no any data slider and everything is edited through button presses.
I also had Hohner HS2 for a while so i know what difference it makes. HS2 is VZ1 with different name and look BTW. I wish that someone somewhere would make hardware controller for this iPD synths.. :P

I used to own one back in the early 90's and I really like it. It's quite simple to create weird metallic sounds and bass sounds that you will never be able to make from other synths. But I agree with most of the others commenting on the VZ-1 - It is a pain in the [beep] to program. But once you get the hang of it you can do amazing stuff!

Well, this is never going to be you're main synth and in many ways it's a slightly thinner sound to the Yamaha DX range but it does have a different character to FM and is interesting for that. Yes, it's a pain to program, although probably easier than FM and there are loads of presets on the web. The manual is crap and it took me ages to "get my head' around it but I use it, not on everything but enough to keep it.

This are eazy to program after trying VZ8M -1U version of this.. you can imagine that it has less buttons and smaller display. :D

If you have one of this iPD synths and are unable to program it find a manual.
It's freely available as PDF.

Anyhow this iPD is possibly the most difficult synthesis to learn. :)

Ebay, $100. Updated CZ ("CheeZee" as some people put it)synthesis. Still different from HT synthesis (HT is not PD, and is an actual synth (Think Poly-800), despite the series having speakers). Weak presets. Weird programming. The programming hierarchy confuses me, despite the fact that I program my DX-7 with no trouble. The module is heavy and solid metal. When I was lugging it, I felt confident I punch a hole in the wall with it. I'd say go for it. It's amusing. It's got this module thing happening. basic tweaking of these can change harmonic content without need for actual programming.