ANOTHER REVIEW OF MY CASIO MZX500

[brownysweet]

I feel compelled to do this additional review because I still stand by what I said before :  this puppy is an underrated super synth and arranger!  To make sure our forum users understand what I really mean, I will start by telling you that I felt the urge to buy a second Mzx500. Now I have two and the purpose was to create my double tier hammond organ. Yes, you heard it right, an affordable yet magnificient recreation of a tonewheel organ! I use the midi cord to have both units work in unison and believe me, what a sound!  I included the Ventilator and voila, I am a happy camper who plays this instrument like there is no tomorrow. I also have the Hammond SKX and of course it has certain advantages but it is not superior to my Casio mzx500 by a big margin. They are just different in some ways. My point is that if someone does not have the means to buy a Hammond SKX another alternative is the Casio mzx500 double tier connection. In addition to this, although a little off topic, I have downloaded several free rhythm packages offered by Casio World from Brazil and the rythms are authentic and more than believable. I am so happy with my Casio mzx500, actually I dare say I am deeply in love with it. Just remember that this monster begs to be tweaked properly to sound  spectacular. I hope you like my comments and pardon my English, it is probably not up to snuff compared to native speakers.

[Brad Saucier]

It's definitely one of Casio's finest instruments.  I don't believe there are any demo videos of the MZ-X500 organ used in conjunction with a Ventilator.  I'd be curious to see that if you ever get the chance. 

[sslyutov]

Just curious(I do not have organ pedals), Is there an option to connect organ pedals to MZ?

[Brad Saucier]

There are MIDI bass pedals out there that would work for controlling the organ tones, or any other tones for that matter. 

[Vorbis]

If you want the Hammond experience,  why not actual Hammond bass pedals?

 

For $635.00 this gives you MIDI or you can select 4 bass tones generated itself and can be plugged to a line in or connected with MIDI cables.

 

https://reverb.com/item/4724030-hammond-suzuki-usa-xpk-100-13-note-midi-pedal-board-for-xk-1-xk-2-and-xk-3-keyboards-black?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4Mmei_L43wIVBrbICh0hQAgAEAQYASABEgJvN_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&pla=1

 

I'm tempted to order a set myself...

 

CTK900

WK7500

 

[Jokeyman123]

I do the same but with the XW and PX560-can even have a triple manual-split Hammond sounds on the 88-key PX560-of course no drawbar control on that one-but then stack the XW on it, it is a fantastic combination. If the MZ is anywhere near the sound of the PX, it must be a real nice piece of kit. I'd like to hear the Ventilator too if you can upload something at some point. 

[brownysweet]

Well, here I am again. As I said before the idea of using two Mzx500 keyboards at the same time plus the Ventilator is the cat's meow. I bought the Hammond SKX double manual bundle that included the Hammond itself plus a stand, bass pedal, expression pedal, cables and all that jazz , the final price being $ 4579. Quality wise the Hammond SKX has the edge of course, but the Casio combo is no slouch, giving you the drawbars,the ability to edit parameters to control basically everything for much less. One advantage the Casio combo has is the rythms you can play on top of the organ. I like the ballad sounds and I have edited several jazz rythms as well.  As to the question of the Casio Mzx500 being anywhere near the sound of the PX560, I can tell you that it has more power than the PX560. For starters, it has the drum, arp and sequence pads that are nonexistent in the PX560. All the sounds  the PX560 has are already on the MZX500 with the exception of the  Air pianos that only the PX560 has with string resonance and all that. The rythms on the Mzx500 are more complex and can be edited to your liking without any limits. The MZX500 has the Bass feature that is also configurable to the extreme. Yes, the Mzx500 does not have the beautiful ivory keys of the PX560, but this can be easily solved by using an 88 key controller. I use the Casio PX5S for this purpose.  I hope Casio brings something new to the table such as a SUPER PX7S , an MZX1000  or whatever to beat all competitors. Just wishful thinking...

[Carter]

If there were a full demonstration of the Sample Manager software(Ralph Maten offered a brief overview) that showcased the exact process and possibilities capable when using the entire functions offered, many more users and folks interested would look at the MZ-X500 as a must have piece of gear. 

I notice a lot of people do not use its full capabilities, folks that don't own are awaiting for price to drop, and some have sold the MZX to fund other boards.

 

It really seems to be good. I've watched its development closely. As a non owner still, I wonder why people (and Casio) have been reluctant to showcase its extensive operation and many possibilities.

[Tony Boy]

I would like to hear the combined MZX 500 hammond sounds you have achieved please

[MFicarelli]

I have two keyboard controllers, one very simple (1 channel, 1 program) and one very powerful with 4 channels and lots of controls. Both work very well withmy MZ-X500 when I connect them to MIDI input. Automatically they connect in Port C (maybe I can choose another). It is just like having two keyboards or two manuals.

[Funnzie]

I agree. I have played keyboards for 50 years (pro for 20 years), have owned many synths, romplers, Dpianos, samplers, organs. I bought it for the powerful pattern sequencer, phrase pads, and sampler. I purchased one, but have not received it yet, still shipping.  I have my doubts the sounds are above average, but we shall see. I own a XWP1 and a WK7600, so programming the MZ-X500 is going to be a dream!! I create and program everything, and so this is an extremely creative  keyboard. To call it an arranger is only the tip of the iceberg...it really is a workstation and synthesizer with  the most powerful and variable sequencer, that can be played live, available in the world. 

[Jokeyman123]

I'll stick with the PX560-I have pads on the Korg microkontrol that midi up to the PX560, very sweet. Velocity controlled, can send any CC message the PX can receive. the arpeggiator on the PX ain't too shabby either. And I've created a huge bunch of custom rhythms (uploaded here already) I can use on the PX560, CTK/Wk and PX350. Casio seems to have the annoying habit of leaving 1-2 critical pieces of the operating systems or physical controls from every instrument they produce. So the MZ-X has a better sequencer, tonebar control of leslie and hammond tones that the PX doesn't have (yet maybe next), but the PX has those amazing pianos and action (for me a piano player critical) missing on the MZ. So why didn't Casio put one board that had both? and the newest CTX's, better sounds but no drawbar control!!!!  So what happened to the CTK7000-7200, WK7500-7600 withh drawbars, did Casio forget they already had this design? I guess trying to diversify so more people will buy a variety of Casios-like I did!  If they made one perfect instrument-(whatever that might be) who would buy any other? I might.  to get all the control I like, for a gig or otherwise, i needed to buy the XW-P1, the PX560 and tie in my microKontrol, plus a Leslie outboard pedal, and a computer for editing and creating new custom rhythms. Works for me. and then again-remember the history of the CZs-1-2 generations of CZ, a VZ keyboard and FZ sampler, RZ drum machine and a sequencer I forget which all in the same timeframe, and further development evaporated, until the last 5 or so Casio years, except for some minor developments in the Privia, CTK and WK food groups.

[Muso7]

Hey guys

 

Am I correct in saying that the MZ's Rotary effect played with the tone wheel organ sounds only has a single rotary speaker?

Could be my hearing, but I cannot hear 2 speakers spinning.

 

Not a major issue as it still sounds OK.

 

Cheers

 

Pete 😊

[Brad Saucier]

It's a single speaker on the MZ-X models.  The MZ-2000 has a dual rotary speaker, but it's not a stereo effect like it is on MZ-X, traded one feature for another.  

[Jokeyman123]

Is this also true with the PX560 leslie effect? I hadn't noticed but am using this effect with registrations, didn't notice.

[Brad Saucier]

It should be.  

[vbdx66]

Hi @Jokeyman123 would the Korg Microcontrol also control the CT-X800? Which parameters would I be able to control that I cannot control from the keyboard itself? Would this work via USB MIDI or would I need a separated interface?

I immensely enjoy the sounds and rhythms of the CT- X but I find it cruelly lacks some physical controls (aside from the pitchbend wheel there’s not much I am afraid). I am a Yamaha transfuge and I am missing those “Live knobs” from my old PSR E433.

[Jokeyman123]

Since the microKontrol cannot act as a midi "host" device-you would either need to connect the microkontrol and the CTX to the computer as an intermediary midi host and possibly need to use a software program to connect the 2-Midiyoke  (same developers as Midiox and on the same website) is one such Windows-based program and this gets a little complicated unfortunately. Or...

 

The microkontrol has both USB and midi din ports and has a full editor librarian in windows format to completely program every setting it is capable of controlling-and it can control any CC or sysex message you know how to use. The Korg website still supports the microKontrol with drivers and software.  It will take a little studying of the microKontrol manual to get your head around it, it's pretty deep. It was designed as an interface for many different software DAWs and it works well-I have used Cakewalk to test it's computer capabilities. But again, you would have to use a computer to interface the CTX with the microkontrol since the CTX has only a USB midi connection.

 

The microKontrol is also designed as a full hardware controller using the legacy midi din ports-it has din in/out ports and can be switched from USB midi to din midi with a tiny slide switch in the back-one of the few that can do this-the Alesis Q25 also can do this but does not have the slide pots and analog controls that the microkontrol does. Once you set up  the slide controls and pots to match your software or hardware-you save this as  a "snapshot" and you can store many snapshots for different software or hardware scenarios-there are several already programmed into it from the factory. This one was a bit ahead of its time I think, why I chose it instead of the dozens of others-and I needed the space, this is very compact for what it can do.

 

Alternately, you could (I haven't tried this yet so can't guarantee it will work) use a hardware midi host box such as the Kenton or Midiplus connected to the CTX and then directly to the microKontrol, that might work. I just obtained a Midiplus host box and am only now testing it on my older PX575 (usb midi only) and my CTK6200-same usb only connection, will post results as soon as I can. I am thinking-use the microkontrol and the Midiplus host to connect the PX575 or the CTK6200-the 575 has virtual drawbar slide and percussion/leslie speed control from the IDES 4.0 Casio editor, very nice but I want to see if i can use the microkontrol's sliders live instead. I find it easier to use hardware controls for certain functions rather than a computer screen which I primarily use for editing/creating midi files and  creating/editing my custom rhythms for the Casios.

 

The microkontrol does work to control my PX560 directly through the midi din ports-I have been able to control panning, volume and delay/chorus/reverb settings to the PX560 mixer with the microKontrol for each PX560 midi channel so I know that works.  Midiox connected to the microkontrol through the computer gives me a clear picture of what cc messages are being sent, although  it uses all the standard cc messages-cc 11 for expression for example, 93 I think controls depth of reverb or chorus. Just a matter of looking at the Casio midi implementation charts for their respective instruments and setting the microkontrol pot or slider to that cc message. This can be done live from the microkontrol, or stored as a setting in one of the "snapshots"-which are accessed through its pad controllers. And since each pot and slider can be set to separate midi channels-should work with the other CTX Casios as long as these have discrete midi channels, which all do. One rather annoying limitation for me at any rate-none of the Casios (and many other keyboard workstations) record external midi messages-messages sent from other devices-to their internal midi /song recorders. so even though I can do that for example using the touchscreen mixer settings live and record those changes-I cannot do that with any external controller. Would be nice-I use midi wind and mallet controllers for live playing but have to record midi data from these into another midi software or hardware recorder/sequencer first. Not a big deal but would be nice to be able to do all the recording "in house"-which i can with the audio recorders in the Casios, a very nice plus. But that's another topic!

[Filip]

Hey Casio, it is 2023 and still Me also, and not only me.

We want refreshed and renewed version of MZX500 fused with good sound quality, and piano resonance and action as in PX560.

Call it MZX1000 or whatever.

But make it!

If the quality if sound would be same as in CT S500 then I would but it.

Edited August 19, 2023 by Filip