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What the next XW should have.


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I prefer the USB MIDI Class Compliant interface that they currently use.  The ASIO driver on my Venom does not work at all with Linux.  right now I have no problems feeding audio into my computer via the line in jack on my soundcard.

 

The only new change I'd really like to see is a rack mount or tabletop module version of the PX-5S or the XW-G1.

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Keeping the audio digital with a audio over USB would  be nice. I can only speculate a couple of reasons why this didn't happen with the PX-5S and XW's...

 

1) Primarily meant as live gigging boards.
2) Keep costs down

 

I see quite a few studio / hobby musicians with these boards though, so maybe it is something they will consider in the next iteration. Keep the ideas coming in! The only way Casio will know what we want is for us to ask for it.  :)

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I still say "Keep it simple stupid."

 

Class Compliant USB MIDI is an industry standard that WORKS WITH EVERYTHING WITHOUT SPECIAL DRIVERS.

 

ASIO is a new "standard" which hasn't really been drawn up with full specifications yet and it's iffy what hardware it will work on.

 

Somehow I don't think Casio wants to alienate the tablet and Linux and other hardware market just yet.

 

I think they're prudent to avoid trying to bring in their own version when there's no existing standard.

 

This is the same reason a lot of their earlier keyboards are useless today because they have no driver updates since Win2K and XP.

 

MIDI is a standard that just works.  USB Class Compliant MIDI is again a standard that simply works.

 

Gary

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Look.  USB Audio is an industry standard.  USB MIDI is an industry standard.  Audio AND MIDI over USB is currently being drafted as the ASIO standard BUT IT AIN'T READY YET.

 

This is why there's a whole bunch of old Yamahas and Casios out there today that simply won't work with a modern OS unless the manfacturers constantly update the drivers.

 

It's also the reason why I don't own any Yamahas or old Casios...

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It'll happen all by itself in another 2-3 years.  In the meantime, you can't rush every feature out to market instantly without doing a half assed job.  I'm OK with waiting another few years if the engineers produce a quality product that will stand the test of time without an ugly kludge of spit, duct tape and baling wire holding it together.  :D :D :D

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I wish the next XW be a "pure synth" (polyphonic!) with no drawbar organ and no PCM tones, and with knobs and sliders for almost every parameter, so there will be no need to buy gadgets worth like the whole synth (or more) just to have adequate control. Creating sounds by constantly jumping from one menu to another on a small screen is not fun. The only focus should be sound synthesis. Step sequencer optional but not vital.

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CASIO has done a great job creating the XW, but... the screen with menus must be fluid to handle the powerful XW-P1. I need more accessibility to menus for my style of music. I need the agility of a goat and the speed of the tiger.

The sliders and control knobs have to be more precise. And when I do a new tone and I press a button by error, the XW ask OK or cancel. Is not deleted yet so easy. I've had a lot of headaches.

 

My dream is the fusion of an XW-P1 with a XW-G1. The step-sequencer is very important to me. CASIO have to strengthen that part.

Edited by David
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I prefer the USB MIDI Class Compliant interface that they currently use.  The ASIO driver on my Venom does not work at all with Linux.  right now I have no problems feeding audio into my computer via the line in jack on my soundcard.

 

The only new change I'd really like to see is a rack mount or tabletop module version of the PX-5S or the XW-G1.

There are class compliant audio devices too though- I have a TC Helicon Voice Live Touch that is plug and play, even works with the iPad.

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Per zone or tone reverb , chorus, eq , bus adjusting would be nice to mostly all tones fall together creating this clog of sound it can give nice effect but mostly at random and disappear again. It takes a few attempts to adjust tones getting same loudness level as other tones most tones sound louder then others a feature at which you can directly adjust a set of sounds would be nice to have.

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What also would be great is with the keyshift switch and multifunction key in performance mode hogs away key's they like enabling an extra set of switches on the keyboard. Ok multi-key is a different story it could have been extra set of programmable buttons or an external by midi to a keypad  but the keyshift button could us have strike notes to as well switching chords.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Endless knobs, let each have a small numeric LCD display showing the knob's actual value, and small LCD dials around just to have some visual representation of the knob's position.

Improved HexLayer, CASIO just did that in the new Privia, but why stop there? And the name is cool. HEX Layer, yeah  B)

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I'd also like to see more compatibility with Android tablets and the Android O/S. I know the XW's work well with ipads, but many of us don't have these or any other apple products. Considering the market share that Android has for the tablet and 'phone market, making that extra special effort to support Android devices may open up a lot more doors and attract more buyers. Saying all this, and I know it would increase the price a lot, but instead of the rubber pad how about building in a touch screen 'tablet' screen to give us a built in data editor?

 

And I know it's not the done thing these days, except in modern real analogue synths (DS MOFO, Moog Voyager, Novation Bass Station 2 etc.), but I would LOVE to see Casio incorporate a real self oscillating Voltage Controlled Filter into the XW, perhaps a 'Ladder Style' filter ala MOOG (one can but dream!). Mainly for the solo-synth section, though even a single, global, VCF filter would work wonders in the HEX Layer/ PCM sections. We could still keep the digital filters, but have the alternative of the VCF to give the XW a real analogue style kick.

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  • 4 months later...

What the next XW needs, or even the next firmware update if possible,  is a bona fide, user accessible,  DIAGNOSTIC MODE.

 

My Kurzweil, with a few simple button presses goes into a diagnostic mode which gives a nice and simple numerical readout of every single button push, keypress and and controller twirl that instantly tells you whether or not they are functioning to spec and the range and center point of the pitch bend wheel.

 

This would be a trivial addition to the next firmware update and would extend the working life of these keyboards by decades. 

 

This is a must have feature for any keyboard that wants to compete in a professional market.

 

Gary

 

 

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