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Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 10 Apr 2016 21:44
by Mike Bracchi
Two new arranger keyboards from Casio ....

The MZ-X300

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The MZ-X500

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Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 11 Apr 2016 06:44
by Brian007
Looks pretty interesting for under £1000.00 a lot on it but depends on quality of sound etc

Brian007 8) 8)

Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 04 Jun 2016 11:25
by peanut
Yo! That's really a nice one. The YT demo vid is unbelievable - amazing sounds for under 1000 bucks!

Thanks for posting - very interesting!

Cheers :D

Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 04 Jun 2016 20:49
by andyg
I personally think they came of age 16 years ago with the vastly underrated MZ-2000. These two look good, though I'm not too sure about the blue colour. The sound quality is often hard to judge of videos but on the Kraft video, they've recorded it direct and I listened on studio quality headphones. What I heard was impressive, but I'd like to hear and try some individual sounds, ensembles and styles. What really impresses is the amount of bang you get for your buck, plus an operating system that blows Yamaha out of the water. OK, the touch screen is clearly going to suit those who use smart phones and tablets and are used to swiping, but it looks easy enough for even a technophobe to cope with.

The only downside is that it doesn't say Yamaha on the back! That was the problem with the MZ-2000 and may be a factor here. The name Casio means 'toy keyboard' to so many. But with good marketing and reviews (come back Keyboard Player!) it should do well. Then watch Yamaha update to touch screens on the S class and Tyros (they're probably preparing for that anyway).

And it's not just keyboards, their latest digital pianos, designed in co-operation with Bechstein, are really good too.

I've no doubt that Bonners will have them in once they arrive in the UK. I'll look forward to trying one.

Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016 07:27
by Brian007
I think was just as interesting is the fact I have yet to see one on sale here in the UK

Brian007 8) 8)

Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016 08:17
by Rev Tony Newnham
Hi

A few more buttons on that than my vintage CT-101 (which needs repairing)!

I had a basic Casio arranger for a while (can't remember the model) - bought it as last year's stock from a branch of Dixons about 15 years ago - original ticket price was, IIRC correctly, £250 - I paid £50. Not bad sound wise - but the lack of registration memories was a big drawback. My daughter has it now, but I don;t know if she's using it.

Every Blessing

Tony

Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 05 Jun 2016 10:47
by peanut
Yep - I tend to agree with andyg. Casio keyboards have mostly been thought of as "toy" keyboards - and 'not the real thing'. Some of the earlier KBs didn't have a really good sound and many functions were missing or difficult to manage.

Still, they certainly seem to have progressed these last few years - and this last KB is absolutely great (or at least it sounds great in the YT vid). This model's functionality seems to be much more advanced in some areas, than (for example) Yamaha's present selection of KBs. I notice that "you can import sounds from other keyboards", too - though there don't appear to be any details of which actual KBs there can be imported from. If I could import from Yamaha, Korg, Roland or whatever - then I'd certainly consider buying one of these - that is, if they come to a place near here.....

Anyway, I do hope Casio continue to surprise us positively like this in the future - maybe people will start to consider them as no longer being "toy keyboards" but grown up and "professional keyboards".

Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 30 Nov 2016 10:48
by Hammonder
Well i wholeheartedly agree with every point raised by Andy G---and well done Andy!!!---i could,nt have put it better---however a few years ago---i bought the WK7500 when it was new from someone who could,nt live with it---and a couple of months later---neither could i !!!!----so i bought a proper keyboard---a technics KN7000---and never looked back!!!

Looking at the pictures i see what i believe to be the drawbar controls----mine seemed to "jump" in pre-set stages when operated--(not smooth as should be)---and worse than that---the drawbar sounds had no sustain on them---nor could i find any way to add any---the sound editing which could be applied to the other sounds---like release time---could not be applied to the drawbars----perhaps someone out there knows better---in fact---i e-mailed casio to find out if sustain was available for this model and was advised to contact their spares department!!!----Being basicly an organ player---i don,t like a sound that shuts off acutely when the keys are released---so this was a big No No for me

----The display was a small screen which was hard to read---especially as we get older---and with navigation buttons---equally difficult to operate---and almost impossible to do live---another No No from me

Although it did have some very good sounds and good rhythms---it also had a good handfull of "cheap" ones as well---and a lot of rhythms were only suitable for types of music that i would not want to attempt to play (modern crap)

Their customer service is total rubbish---so don,t rely on that for any meaningful help

To anyone interested in buying one---i would say---tread carefully---and test it yourself---don,t let some-slick-quick-know all the answers dealer guide you onto the better points and away from some of the essential poorer ones---as they say---"once bitten twice shy"--so from me---unless this big lump of plastic crap has drasticly improved---i won,t be interested!!!----perhaps just won,t be interested full stop!!!

Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 14 Jan 2017 12:34
by Brian007
Hi Hammonder,

Just wondering if you have actually tried one of those MZ-X300 Keyboards out ?


Brian007 8) 8)

Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 15 Feb 2017 09:23
by Hammonder
Brian007 wrote:Hi Hammonder,

Just wondering if you have actually tried one of those MZ-X300 Keyboards out ?


Brian007 8) 8)


Hi Brian!!!----The answer is no!---never even seen one!----from my experience with the WK7500 i would be scared
of listening to it----let alone buying one!
Still happy with the KN7000---which fullfills all my needs perfectly---so see no need to look or change as yet!!!!
So have they found a way to give an amount of sustain to the drawbar sounds yet???---the tone editor was not available
to this section---so "release" could not be applied---has anybody else found this??---or a workaround????
Over to you on this!!!
Sorry for the late reply---only seen your post today!!
Hammonder

Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 17 Feb 2017 18:04
by andyg
Earlier Casios had four positions for each drawbar, Off, Soft, Medium and Full. That would explain any jumpiness in the sounds. That hadn't changed by the last time I reviewed a Casio, the CTK7000.

As for release on drawbar sounds, strictly speaking, they should cut off abruptly when the key is released. That's how the Hammond tonewheel organ played and it's that 'direct drive' feeling that helps endear it to its legions of fans, and something that Hammond have worked hard to recreate on their digital clones. LSI Hammonds like the Concorde, Elegante etc, did introduce sustain and other drawbar based organs, but this was more for special effects. The organist, playing with a true legato touch, shouldn't need it for organ sounds. And there are times when you might want a crisp, non sustaining organ sound, along with sustained strings and piano - one of my 'trademark' sounds on Kawai, for example. There's no problem in implementing drawbar sustain, it's just a question of whether or not they wanted to.

I still haven't seen one in the flesh - or even an advert for one from a regular UK dealer. Thomann/DV247 seem to be the only dealer, and I'd guess they're shipping orders across from Germany.

Re: Casio: Coming of Age 2016

PostPosted: 22 Feb 2017 21:43
by Hammonder
Thanks Andy!!!---Mine had a few more than 4 drawbar notches---perhaps a later refinement from your reviewing model-----as for the sustain---i accept your points
about that---but to me---not what i would want---it would be nice to to have it----and be able to cancel it as seen fit---as i can do on the kn7000---(which
i rarely do)---which has adjustable sustain time---basicly a matter of personal preference-----No sustain==No Thanks!!!!