Brad Saucier Posted December 23, 2013 Author Share Posted December 23, 2013 Yes...the buttons hold up nice. Even the data wheel has endured an amazing amount of spinning. I wore off the paint on my data wheel. As far as EQ Flat.....I suspected that the EQ Flat setting was supposed to remove the custom EQ that is applied to the sound generator. Years ago I noticed that the MZ's sound is EQ'ed for it's own speaker system and there is no way to flatten the EQ for recording from the line-out jacks. One would think that EQ Flat would do it but NO. I've resorted to reversing the EQ curve myself by ear using the EQ in Cakewalk when I record the MZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikexception Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 On 12/23/2013 at 5:17 PM, Brad MZ PX said: Yes...the buttons hold up nice. Even the data wheel has endured an amazing amount of spinning. I wore off the paint on my data wheel. As far as EQ Flat.....I suspected that the EQ Flat setting was supposed to remove the custom EQ that is applied to the sound generator. Years ago I noticed that the MZ's sound is EQ'ed for it's own speaker system and there is no way to flatten the EQ for recording from the line-out jacks. One would think that EQ Flat would do it but NO. I've resorted to reversing the EQ curve myself by ear using the EQ in Cakewalk when I record the MZ. Hi Brad, Strange about this EQing. I must check it out. Rgds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted December 24, 2013 Author Share Posted December 24, 2013 New Casio models (WK-7500 etc.) have a EQ Flat function for Line-Outs vs. built-in speaker use. The custom EQ of the MZ became apparent when I got my PX-5s for comparison. The midrange of the MZ sounds cut to my ear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorr Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 HI, I looked and found a battery which was my choice one of two - both had the same diameter -this one is CR2450 and for me as I remember was looking promising also. The only problem is that original has attached leads and is pemanently soldered to main board. If that is solved then any 3V lithium battery will do.Rgds.Hi, I tried to replace with similar parameters. Nothing poluchilos.Budu referred to a specialist. For a reminder of battery settings thanks. I wish to resolve the issue in advance to all users MZ2000 batteries Merry Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted December 25, 2013 Author Share Posted December 25, 2013 Try this website. Change it to your country. http://www.digikey.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 ...this response to a post from "How my love of synths came about" thread. Thanks Brad,I looked at PX-5S - Its beautifull. Anyway Also You did best to keep MZ-2000 too. New model doesn't have synth section which is rich in MZ and it is my point of interest.Mike. the PX-5S not only has a synth section but is much much better than the synth in the MZ-2000. Actually, that's putting it lightly. Incredible stacks of animated sounds can be made. Trust me... It's way better. You would be amazed at the sounds it can make. Despite my experience with the MZ-2000, I continue to be amazed at what the PX-5s can do. If you like Vangelis, the PX-5s can do it. So if you mention about speakers in MZ and PX and loosing midrange it flashes lights for me . I couldn't find anything about PX speakers and output power in manual - does it have ?The PX-5s does not have speakers. Casio MZ has strongest speaker system I saw. in keyboards - inside there are properly done bass chambers and that is why it sounds so rich. For tone test all effects and master must be off and no reverb nor Chorus. I also pay high attention to midrange. My impression is that MZ-2000 has no (present on out jacks) 15w + 15w with vented enclosures and acoustic padding inside of them. Very powerful sound. MZ-2000 EQ Flat Demo.mp3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikexception Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Hi Brad, The difference is obvious. . By ear judgement is bloody tricky - sometime the sound sample is just taken from such sounding instrument and only that may be adopted like in mixer of MZ-2000. General EQing for me is too much. . I don't complain because for piano example - there is a lot of instruments and producer selects only those which are acclaimed by customers. Example when I used WK-1800 my friends were amazed with piano tone while I disliked - of course it was my instrument so I didn't argue . Earphones are crazy different too - I had them a lot and no one was transparent, more, no one can be transparent due to human ear shape too near. . I took me many years how to recognize that sound more or less properly presented, even not pleasant one. Basic condition is that all sounds of all instruments and other noises should be clear and natural I could only read manual to PX -5S - no word about synth function, only part E-14 says about modifyng and editing sounds. It's not what I mean. Then I tried tutorials moves from Casio markieting - not a word about Envelope, LFOs, DSP like CTK-900 or MZ in four layers has, how to save user tone. So if there is synth section for user then you have to forgive my opinion based on this. I send my piano file - if You accept quality and need to have like this at MZ-2000 I will pass to You all settings in form of photos of synth screens. Other way is problem because my flopy does not coopearate with floppy in PC. Time between 01,00 and 01,25 min is factory MZ-2000 Grand Piano1.rec1227-192622 piano.mp3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 Hey Mike, I noticed you had a file uploaded in the PX-5s section. The admins of this site deleted that because it was not in the proper location. There's currently no category for files like the MZ-2000 demo MP3. I could only read manual to PX -5S - no word about synth function, only part E-14 says about modifyng and editing sounds. It's not what I mean. Then I tried tutorials moves from Casio markieting - not a word about Envelope, LFOs, DSP like CTK-900 or MZ in four layers has, how to save user tone. So if there is synth section for user then you have to forgive my opinion based on this.The manuals are not written clearly. Go to page E-11 thru page E-18 of the tutorial manual. There's charts of all of the editable parameters for 3 types of user tones. Melody Tones (basic tone) Drum Tones (yes the PX5 can edit drum tones down to each individual note) and Hex Layer Tones (a 6 layer tricked out version of the previous 4 layer tones in the MZ). Mike, so much has changed since the MZ-2000 that it is difficult to explain it all. User tones on the MZ had to be stored in user slots with a max of 40 and there was only 1 type of tone. The PX5 has 220 slots divided among 3 different types of tones. There's another difference. User tones can be saved in a new way. What was called registration on the MZ is now called stage settings. User synth tones on the PX5 will be saved inside of a stage setting where they live. I send my piano file - if You accept quality and need to have like this at MZ-2000 I will pass to You all settings in form of photos of synth screens. Other way is problem because my flopy does not coopearate with floppy in PC. Time between 01,00 and 01,25 min is factory MZ-2000 Grand Piano1.No need for photos of synth screen. That sounds like to much work. Thank you anyway. BTW....Nice Piano tune and sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikexception Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Hey Mike, I noticed you had a file uploaded in the PX-5s section. The admins of this site deleted that because it was not in the proper location. There's currently no category for files like the MZ-2000 demo MP3. The manuals are not written clearly. Go to page E-11 thru page E-18 of the tutorial manual. There's charts of all of the editable parameters for 3 types of user tones. Melody Tones (basic tone) Drum Tones (yes the PX5 can edit drum tones down to each individual note) and Hex Layer Tones (a 6 layer tricked out version of the previous 4 layer tones in the MZ). Mike, so much has changed since the MZ-2000 that it is difficult to explain it all. User tones on the MZ had to be stored in user slots with a max of 40 and there was only 1 type of tone. The PX5 has 220 slots divided among 3 different types of tones. There's another difference. User tones can be saved in a new way. What was called registration on the MZ is now called stage settings. User synth tones on the PX5 will be saved inside of a stage setting where they live. No need for photos of synth screen. That sounds like to much work. Thank you anyway. BTW....Nice Piano tune and sound.I even do not know how long I've been experimenting from time to time with few pianos -started from purchase and ended 6 moths from now -3 years . Thank You for turning my attention to PX - with OMV price it's good deal for such highly packed machine but in Poland may be much more. If CME fails more and I can't repair PX would be my choice for hammer action- keys much better than CME plus all stuff is unparallel...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted December 28, 2013 Author Share Posted December 28, 2013 If you decide to get a PX-5S, this is the place for help in using it. Lot's of owners to help, including me and lot's of free sounds to download including ones I've made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikexception Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. If you decide to get a PX-5S, this is the place for help in using it. Lot's of owners to help, including me and lot's of free sounds to download including ones I've made. BTW. I'd love to share some of the patterns and sounds I've made for the MZ-2000 but it seems no one else with an MZ has a working floppy drive in their computer anymore. I wonder why? As You may expect I have working one in my Dell GX280. I am hardly reformovable he he.But used last time two years ago when I tried to read my floppy discs with MZ data - another problem. During cleaning my MZ floppy I had to move head adjustment and now it is reading only its own later records. For my registration and sound records it.s enough. .I found Mike Martin explanation about making user tones - it looks good . Rgds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted December 28, 2013 Author Share Posted December 28, 2013 Maybe you can swap out the Floppy Drive on the MZ with a USB Floppy Drive Emulator. They make those for keyboards. I've been curious to try one, but my old drives are working so I don't bother. Mike, here's some PX-5s videos in case you haven't seen them. http://sc3900.wix.com/px-5s#!how-to-videos/c9k5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Null Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 As You may expect I have working one in my Dell GX280. I am hardly reformovable he he.But used last time two years ago when I tried to read my floppy discs with MZ data - another problem. During cleaning my MZ floppy I had to move head adjustment and now it is reading only its own later records. For my registration and sound records it.s enough. .I found Mike Martin explanation about making user tones - it looks good . Rgds. If it's a standard 1.44 MB floppy drive why not look around for a standard replacement drive? They cost around $10 and it's pretty much a once size fits all deal. And I still own one of these just for when I come across the occasional legacy file I need to load into my computer. http://www.amazon.com/1-44MB-USB-External-Floppy-Drive/dp/B000M3GODW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1388254761&sr=8-4&keywords=usb+floppy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted December 28, 2013 Author Share Posted December 28, 2013 These are cool. http://www.amazon.com/Generic-1-44MB-Floppy-Emulator-Simple/dp/B00EQ1V6DE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1388261837&sr=8-4&keywords=Floppy+Disk+Drive+emulator I may try one even though my floppy drives are still fine. For 32$....not bad! ....and all my floppies get to live on one thumb drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Display Name Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Oh good find Brad. I may need something like that for my FA-76 and SQ-80 someday. LOL - I even have an old Korg sequencer that uses this mini-quick disk things.. wonder if it will work for that? Are these emulators tough to install? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikexception Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Thank You for this quick response. That all makes good senseRgds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Scott, from what I understand, they install exactly like the floppy drive. After that, the emulator will format a thumb drive and use it as storage for virtual floppy discs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted January 18, 2014 Author Share Posted January 18, 2014 I put this in another thread but it definitely should be here as well. This is the boot-up splash screen on the MZ-2000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted January 18, 2014 Author Share Posted January 18, 2014 Here's Casio's tricked out demo mode slideshow in pics. Each screen accompanies it's own demo song. The image slides are loaded from floppy disc as the demo plays. If the floppy disc is not present, the 11 songs will play through without the slideshow. BTW. There's 23 more built-in demo tunes and 10 more on the factory floppy disc for a total of 44 demos songs. 12345678910 and since 10 is the max in one post...11 is below. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted January 18, 2014 Author Share Posted January 18, 2014 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 There's one on Ebay right now, currently at less than £100 GBP though with the 'reserve not met'. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Casio-MZ-2000-Keyboard-Arranger-61-Keys-Touch-Sensitive-/191045556965?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Keyboard_RL&hash=item2c7b33dae5 The MZ was also Casio's flagship keyboard at the turn on the millennium. It was a serious, professional arranger/ workstation keyboard costing over £1000. Some of the sounds it is still capable of are fantastic, and I am certainly holding on to mine. They CAN be picked up for bargain prices as they are relatively unknown, and the usual 'synth snobbery' stops many people from having one simply because of the Casio name. Well, the joke's on them for sure, as this is one very powerful keyboard. Try layering some of the 'MG' (read 'Moog') sounds in two oscillators, detune one slightly and then play around with the cut off and resonance. Be prepared to be impressed! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Display Name Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 The MZ-200 was Casio's best synth/keyboard since the 1980/early 90s heydays. The specs are very impressive, even by today's standards. http://www.max.grenkowitz.net/?topic=193 Don't ever sell yours guys.. you will regret it to your dying day! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 Don't ever sell yours guys.. you will regret it to your dying day!Mine's being buried with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Display Name Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Mine's being buried with me. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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