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Next for XW line


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I just want to say that there should not be two machines in the new XW models.

The idea should be to combine the capability of both and enhance these abilities as well as make additions to what neither  offers.

It should be vital to have direct recording to DAW, as well as a plenty mastering effect options that are tweakable to users taste. If the PX 5S quality  pianos are not included, then the ability to create a quality piano(and acoustic) should be offered- with string resonance options, individual and global filter options for HexLayer, etc.

It should be what both boards are respectively, a good sound designing tool and live board with great sequencing. Of course sampling specifications and operation ability can be greatly improved  as well as presets. Maybe five  velocity sensitive  pads at max. Certainly  no touch screen should be added and keep the space to the right as it is for devices to hook up. 

Im  sure folks have plenty  ideas somewhere on this site, these are just a few of my ideas for now.

Edited by Carter
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  • 3 months later...

An old thread but it would be a shame to waste such a good title.

 

What's next for the XW line? In light of what we've seen of Casio "tech" on current products including the MZ-X500 I expect:

 

(a) 256 note polyphony

(b) a 5.3-inch touchscreen

(c) touch sensitive pads (hopefully sixteen but could be less)

(d) "full" Hex Layer mode (ala MZ-X500, PX-560, PX-5S)

(e) improved solo synth (low-alias oscillators, a better filter with 12db/octave cutoff slope in addition to 24db and even more filter modes/types) 

(f) articulations for better acoustic instrument emulations (ala MZ-X500)

(g) full 17-track sequencer (with overdub recording ;) ) ala MZ-X500 in ADDITION to a 16-track step sequencer (12 note tracks, four control tracks)

(h) phrase recorder (very useful even with the sequencers) -> can play back independent phrases in each of four zones (ala PX-5S)

(i) multiple programmable arpeggiators -> can run one in each of four zones (ala PX-5S) (phrase or arpeggio per zone)

(j) more knobs

(k) expression pedal input

(l) improved drawbar organ (ala MZ-X500)

(m) ability to play any synth engine (PCM, Hex Layer, Solo Synth, Drawbar Organ) on each of four zones simultaneously

(n) improved effects, both in quality and in quantity (at least four DSP effects in each Performance, split as desired among the zones)

(o) 76-note keyboard with channel aftertouch (61-note model also available)

(p) MZ-X500 class, or better, PCM tones (especially acoustic piano)

(q) ability to load user samples/waveforms and,

(r) sampling capability (from mic and line inputs) (i.e., no more P1/G1 dichotomy)

(s) 32-part multi-timbral to support the two sequencers plus the four zones (but still only 16 parts accessible by external MIDI). 

 

See? I'm not expecting much! :D

 

What I didn't list is some nice-to-haves such as:

 

(1) CZ (phase distortion) emulation mode;

(2) an extra, assignable mod wheel (three wheels total),

(3) more than four zones in a Performance, and

(4) more than four simultaneous DSP effects.   

 

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My two cents:

  • Consistent stages across all envelopes. More stages, maybe like those on the PX-5s. I'd also like an additional parameter called something like “Init Time” which allows you to control the timing of the onset of a wave so you can slightly delay its playback if necessary. A bit like the current delay parameter on some of the LFOs. Preferably out to about half a second.
  • LFOs that can go into audio rates
  • Real time control over sample start, loop and end points
  • Cross fading option of sample loop points
  • Better PWM
  • Wavetables
  • Multifunction keys across the entire keyboard
  • An audition key which allows you to quickly compare changes to a tone with its currently stored sound
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2 hours ago, BrettM said:

My two cents:

  • Better PWM

 

Yes, and better sync too. Both implementations in the XW synths cause artifacts (the PWM is "narly" and the sync produces aliasing) and don't seem to be very sophisticated (to be charitable). 

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You guys actually made my day during my commute to work early this morning. 

Last night I wanted to type a post about the "Preference Of Sound Engine" it would 

be about the easiness from the HPSS and the fidelity of AIR and which where easy 

to program and quick to understand. But it got complicated and I ditch it.

 

I'm also sitting this one out even though I have tons of stuff to do on both my synth 

but just can't get it together. The moments I've wanted to click the order button for 

the purchase of the  MZ-X500 because convincing myself could be done on that one

because it has four hexlayers which is exactly cool because it fits my quirky loop ranges.  

 

All of the above you guys wrote sounds just right. I'm so stoked right now that I've forgotten 

my list of want to's :D.

 

 

 

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I almost forgot - stereo DSP and one that doesn't force separate channels to share the same volume and pan position.

 

It would also be useful to have a couple of freely assignable envelopes, envelopes that can be assigned to any parameter such as LFO rate, pan position, etc.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

That MZ-X500 review is mistaken about the oscillators. In Hex Layer mode you can select from all the waveforms in the table called "Wave List (HexLayer)" that starts on page 31 of the MZ-X500 Appendix document. There are 754 of them incuding sine, triangle, sawtooth, square and pulse waves of various duty cycles. Missing is a PWM-able square wave and of course there is no sync between oscillators in the Hex Layer mode. Those missing things, as well as the lack of a 24 db/octave mode for the filter, mean it's still not as flexible as the XW-P1/G1's solo synth. Perhaps in the next iteration of the XW line or whatever succeeds it, we will see all of these things, and done better than in the XW synths (a hope I expressed in a post above).  

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