Just Alex Posted December 4, 2022 Share Posted December 4, 2022 Hello. Local music store has these on sale, for $600, since they're selling very poorly, and they want to clear their stock. As I checked from youtube videos, the "pros" are the following: 1. Real MIDI ports (no need for me) 2. Color touch screen (not impressed with real life performance, it is slow and sluggish) 3. More built-in storage for user tones/sounds/etc. (nice) 4. Ability to record playback .wav into flash drive (nice) 5. Rotary sliders and sampling pads (don't care for these too) 6. More polyphony (nice) 7. Better visual editor for built-in sounds (nice) What I can't find clear answer, whenever I can load new tones into these keyboards? I don't mean .TON for X5000, which are just settings for existing sounds, I mean loading complete new sounds, with own drumkits and so on. Like yamaha expansion packs for PSR-S series. (No I don't mean or need sampling for PADS). For the same amount of money, I can get used but like new, Yamaha PSR S670, which definitely has sound expansion options.... Is there anything else that I've missed and worth considering when thinking about upgrading? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jokeyman123 Posted December 4, 2022 Share Posted December 4, 2022 Woah! If i didn't already have quite a few arranger/keyboards-this is one of the few PSRs below 1000 dollars US that has a full 16-track sequencer which for me would be a partial ker-chunk with my money, in addition to the other Yamaha features. Looks pretty well made, it even has the same bullet-proof rotary pot control knobs-I noticed-as my old Yamaha RM1X, which have held up for years. I recently acquired a very old Yamaha P50m piano module-and I am stunned with how good the acoustic pianos were on this. That bodes well for the PSR although it looks to be using the same older AWM sound engine, not AWM-2 which might be a bit better. Not sure how that might sound but in my SY-77 AWM-1 sounds pretty clean, almost too clean for orchestral and synth sounds. Someone with an MZ will chime in better than me, the closest i have is the PX560 which shares some of the MZ series features and sounds. There would be one critical deciding factor for me Alex, and i am not disparaging Casio. I would go for the PSR670 simply because it is still available in the marketplace (at least in the US where the other MZ's are no longer available new anywhere I can find at least online, and is probably more well-supported by Yamaha and others. This user group for Casio is about the best there is though for any brand anywhere. something to consider with an MZ-X. One other aspect to this-like you, independent software developers have labored for years on the ins and outs of user-designed software for doing all manner of things with the Yamaha arrangers, from the least expensive PSR's to the multiple thousand dollar Tyros and everything in between. I personally find the Yamaha XG works still one of the best and easiest to use midi software players/recorders/arrangers, easily partnered with any of the Yamaha keyboards. Just my opinion for whatever it is worth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvano Silva Posted December 4, 2022 Share Posted December 4, 2022 I recommend you buy a Yamaha PSR. The Yamaha line is a "ready" canned product. The MZX is an expandable keyboard and each sector of it is a "Universe" of its own. If you like to explore the Casio MZ-X is the keyboard for you. The fact that the keyboard has some feature that you will not use for another user is the differential in purchasing the instrument. I've always hated those DJ functions on the PSR E line but I can't question that because there are other people who use them. There is no such thing as a perfect instrument and I myself stopped thinking about it 15 years ago. Touch screens are unavoidable especially for the endless submenu screens that are covered in the MZ-X. Boring process I think is the PX-5S with its tiny screen and few physical buttons to compensate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotherscott Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 To answer your specific question, the MZ-X300 has 128 mb of expansion memory for additional samples. The PSR-S670 has about 32 mb. But AFAIK, there are no factory "soundpacks" for you to load, rather that space is there for you to load your own content. Either way, that's only one of many possibly relevant differences between the boards... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 https://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/14215-useful-links-to-mzx-series-manuals-mzx-software-and-expansion-files-community-shared-files/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 5, 2022 Author Share Posted December 5, 2022 Thanks, and of course, there is no way to import/use existing yamaha sound packs, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 6, 2022 Author Share Posted December 6, 2022 I've listened to what is available on youtube for MZ-X300 and results are quite disappointing. Strings - these are great, far better than ones at CT-X. Organs - great too. Reeds/woodwinds - These were done by same guy with hearing disabilities, who did them for CT-X, so they can be called barely usable. Synths - even worse than on CT-X ? Guitars - either there is no same "versatile" guitars as on CT-X, or just no one used them in their videos. For sure, this is youtube impression, not real life..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvano Silva Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 3 hours ago, Just Alex said: I've listened to what is available on youtube for MZ-X300 and results are quite disappointing. Strings - these are great, far better than ones at CT-X. Organs - great too. Reeds/woodwinds - These were done by same guy with hearing disabilities, who did them for CT-X, so they can be called barely usable. Synths - even worse than on CT-X ? Guitars - either there is no same "versatile" guitars as on CT-X, or just no one used them in their videos. For sure, this is youtube impression, not real life..... Your impression of the MZ-X is wrong. If you want a ready made instrument the MZ-X is not for you. The MZX is an expandable keyboard and therefore almost everything on it can be modified. The MZ-X's tone editor is far superior to the CT-X's. In MZ-X you can edit the complete ADSR while in CT-X you only have Attack and Release. Hexalayer is another highlight in which 6 timbres are mixed and transformed into one with layer attributes, regions, DSP. And if there isn't a tone you like on the MZ-X, you can even sample that naughty Yamaha Sax. I have the CT-X 3000 and I can say that the MZ-X has a lot more guitars than the CT-X besides having more guitars with articulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 7, 2022 Author Share Posted December 7, 2022 There is no hex layer in MZ-X300. And for sampling, no you can't sample Yamaha sax, because it is multi velocity-sampled, with sounds mixing according to velocity. I have not found that feature in MZ-X300 tone editor PC software. Regarding for the sound quality. MZ-X300, as well as CT-X5000, sounds very "hollow". Just compare any of them with this vintage, 1995 Yamaha with only 4MB sample memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 7, 2022 Author Share Posted December 7, 2022 Even the videos you've posted - while SOME sounds are great (DX1 and some others), they still sound hollow and flat, maybe, due to mono sampling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvano Silva Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 7 hours ago, Just Alex said: There is no hex layer in MZ-X300. And for sampling, no you can't sample Yamaha sax, because it is multi velocity-sampled, with sounds mixing according to velocity. I have not found that feature in MZ-X300 tone editor PC software. Regarding for the sound quality. MZ-X300, as well as CT-X5000, sounds very "hollow". Just compare any of them with this vintage, 1995 Yamaha with only 4MB sample memory. Yes the MZ-X 300 does not have Hexalayer but the internal editing and sample editing features are the same as the MZ-X500. I already had the MZ-X300 and today I have the MZ-X500. Casio's SAMPLE MANAGER is a READY WAVES insertion program only. Advanced editions, samples and other details you don't use Casio's SAMPLE MANAGER. Not everything you will do using Proprietary Software. But the program does accept ready-made multilayer Loops. I have two yamaha Tyros saxes in the MZ-X in addition to Trumpets Brass among others. And another detail, the price difference between the MZ-X500 and MZ-X300 is small. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvano Silva Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 This is a piano using 4 layers made for the MZ-X. If you want an instrument from another keyboard the best option is to sample your samples by layer. But if you don't feel like exploring, I recommend buying a Yamaha PSR. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 8, 2022 Author Share Posted December 8, 2022 Some people find fun in all this stuff, doing everything by hand. But some people just need something that already works For the Yamaha, you can have separate samples for A D S R, and even for each other, it can be different sample, based on velocity. Does casio supports that? I guess - no. So you can't import Yamaha samples. Price difference between X300 and X500 here is about $150. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 8, 2022 Author Share Posted December 8, 2022 Oh and by the way, for the price of MZ-X500, I can buy Korg KROSS2-61, which has far more features. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Martin Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 13 hours ago, Just Alex said: Oh and by the way, for the price of MZ-X500, I can buy Korg KROSS2-61, which has far more features. How are the speakers on the Kross2-61? Oh wait... My point being they're completely different products and aimed at different customers. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 9, 2022 Author Share Posted December 9, 2022 Well, my CT-X5000 most times is playing thru the line out, so presence/absence of built-in speakers is not a deciding point for me at all Next week I'll go to store, physically compare them side to side and write back my impressions... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 10, 2022 Author Share Posted December 10, 2022 I will be considering Korg PA-300 as well, as it fits within my price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvano Silva Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 On 12/8/2022 at 4:22 AM, Just Alex said: Oh and by the way, for the price of MZ-X500, I can buy Korg KROSS2-61, which has far more features. Comrade, from the moment you put an arranger and synthesizer in the same category, it already demonstrates total ignorance. The MZ-X is Casio's high-end arranger-focused keyboard with many features in synthesis and sampling. The MZ-X was never a "ready made" keyboard. It is a keyboard that requires user knowledge. Putting a keyboard from decades ago like the Old PSR 520 to show your dissatisfaction with the Casio CT-X or Casio MZ-X not having the infamous and old AWM sound engine is evil. And another detail regarding the price of the Cross2-61 is on average 40% more expensive than the MZ-X500 here in Brazil. NO SAMPLED KEYBOARD OR SAMPLER PLAYER IN THE WORLD PROVIDES POSSIBLE TOOLS FOR YOU TO MAKE PERFECT SAMPLING BECAUSE IT DEMANDS THE QUESTION OF THE ORIGINAL CIRCUITS INCLUDING THE SOUND ENGINE. NOT EVEN ROLAND RE-RELEASING NEW SYNTHS WITH OLD SIMULATIONS CAN BRING THE SAME SOUND AS THE OLD JVs AND JUPITERs. In the video there is a Brazilian Roland endorser who uses Roland's newest system to "emulate" old sounds. Even with all the new technology he says in the video that the sound is close to the old JUPITER. This keyboardist keeps all the old keyboards he used in his career with the band at home, he doesn't use them on stage to avoid causing damage, as they are relics for him. I have a Roland-E50 and one day I want to sample some timbres from it but I know that I will have around 80 to 90% of the original sound. I won't have the SOUL OF THE INSTRUMENT but for me it will be very useful. As I said and I repeat if you want to know the MZ-X it won't be only in Youtube videos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 10, 2022 Author Share Posted December 10, 2022 Well, here MZ-X500, KROSS2-61 and PA-300 cost exactly the same, only minor difference of couple bucks maybe. All these are quite old and almost retired models, so stores are selling the old stock, no intention to source them again. Regarding for the workstation/arranger/whatever you call them, I don't care. I need a tool to create my music, and to create it in realtime. Like - I "typed in" drum track on pads and it plays and keeps playing. now I play bass line, it loops and plays, now I add next instrument, say strings, they loop and keep playing. Now this is say, part A, now I press "part 2" key, all sounds continue playing, but if I overwrite bass line, it replaces old bass line with the new one, while still playing in loop without stopping. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 13, 2022 Author Share Posted December 13, 2022 I'm listening to KROSS-2/PA-300 sounds these days and come to interesting conclusion - Casio AIX engine, used in CT-X series, is quite well capable. Too bad, casio provided it with shitty samples, and instead of releasing something like CT-X5500, with more ROM and RAM, and better quality samples, they went into singing chipmunks way, in CT-S series.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvano Silva Posted December 13, 2022 Share Posted December 13, 2022 9 hours ago, Just Alex said: I'm listening to KROSS-2/PA-300 sounds these days and come to interesting conclusion - Casio AIX engine, used in CT-X series, is quite well capable. Too bad, casio provided it with shitty samples, and instead of releasing something like CT-X5500, with more ROM and RAM, and better quality samples, they went into singing chipmunks way, in CT-S series.... Comparing CT-X with Kross and Korg PA300 is pretty dishonest. They are very different categories even if your goal is ready-made sounds. CT-X = Entry Level Arranger Pa 300 = Sampled entry level arranger Kross = Synthesizer The CT-X line has some very interesting tones for the price you'll get in much more expensive keyboards. Casio's offering in the Models CT-X and CT-S is low-cost keyboards. Your criticisms will not change anything. For Casio it would be interesting a Synthesizer 76 with heavy keys using Aix 2 with Hexalayer, sample resources and pads. This is what every Casio Fan wants. Detail you putting a demo of the PSR520 to punctuate your dissatisfaction with the CT-X sax is immoral. I've had many OLD PSRs and the sound of them makes me nauseous. Yamaha is always reheating the same AWM engine with the exception of some famous keyboards from the brand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jokeyman123 Posted December 14, 2022 Share Posted December 14, 2022 This is turning into a "flaming" war, and is going nowhere. You can create on whatever you want to, with just about any musical too imaginable now, technology that did not exist even 10-20 years ago. Give it a rest. Don't turn this user group into just another bitching contest, please. I have Covid right now, I am being rather b****chy maybe, but I look here for good technical and musical information, mot silly arguments about what is best. Grow up please. We're lucky we can play-anything period. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvano Silva Posted December 14, 2022 Share Posted December 14, 2022 2 hours ago, Jokeyman123 said: This is turning into a "flaming" war, and is going nowhere. You can create on whatever you want to, with just about any musical too imaginable now, technology that did not exist even 10-20 years ago. Give it a rest. Don't turn this user group into just another bitching contest, please. I have Covid right now, I am being rather b****chy maybe, but I look here for good technical and musical information, mot silly arguments about what is best. Grow up please. We're lucky we can play-anything period. I agree Back in my teens at the beginning of my career, I discussed brands in a childish way. Today I just want to play I have 3 keyboards Casio MZX500 CASIO CT-X and a Roland E-50 If I get sick of the sounds, I look for other alternatives in the MZX itself and also in the Software. Today with access to social networks it is much easier to know equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jokeyman123 Posted December 14, 2022 Share Posted December 14, 2022 I'm sorry I was kind of rude here, but honestly, look at what we've got now as musicians/hobbyists/creators to work with. It is mind-boggling, with even 1-2 or 2 electronic musical instruments what we can create. and there are so many brilliant people tat post on here, I would be very sad to see this user group become anything less than it has become. I respect all the developers that come up with these remarkable ways of creating new sounds, music and interactions between musicians, including those of you who bring those talents right here. "the present day composer refuses to die"....quote from Edgard Varese, and often quoted by Frank Zappa, RIP. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted December 17, 2022 Author Share Posted December 17, 2022 Why flaming war? I'm just exploring what's available and post gathered data back there. Sure, it might sound diminishing for Casio, but these are facts - I'm not inventing anything by myself. For example, here's nice pack of sounds for EDM music, for KROSS 2, and it is completely free. I would gladly listen to same quality set for MZ-X series, even if it was not free. Any links please? Or, speaking about commercial packages, here's a very nice 80s synth collection for KROSS 2. Anything similar available for Casio? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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