Szo Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 (edited) Have you ever heard of this model? It was my first encounter, never seen it before and after, but i bought it because price was decent. Also the google gives not many records as the name is confused with the new model CTX 870 in. It seems like the same family as CTK 630, so the mid 90s. Wikipedia says it's 1995 year. But it sounds for me better than the CTK 630 which had - well i don't know, very bad and noisy DAC? It sounded thin, cold, worse than many earlier Casio Keyboards like CTK 750 (1994), CTK 1000 (1993). Fortunately for my ear CT 870 sounds quite nice and comparable to CTK 750. Highlights: - Joystick for pitch-bend and modulation - portamento button - built in 3 reverbs - oriental presets: Erhu, Zeng, Jiang Qin, Dizi, Sheng <aybe it was made for the Asian markets? Other Casios from the era seems much more popular. Of course it was higher, more pricey model, so it's normal its not as common as the cheaper ones. In therms of effects, its a step back from the CTK 750 which had not only reverbs but also delays, choruses, rotary etc. But you still can use split and layer at the same time, playing 4 voices at once (starting point of polyphony is 24). I think i will made some video of this on my youtube channel Keyboarder Hoarder Edited March 2, 2023 by Szo 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 (edited) Interesting model, I've never seen that one before. I've also never seen a Casio with a combined pitch bend and modulation joystick! Looking at the CT870 aesthetic design, it almost certainly appears to be an early/ mid 90s era Casio. Also, it's UI layout, LED display, 100 Tones and 100 Rhythms plus the Touch Response keyboard is very close to the feature set of the early 90s CTK1000. A number of other models also shared variations of this feature set. Have a look at the picture below and you'll see some very similar features in the CTK1000, just in a different layout (Casio were well known to repackage the same basic design in a different case and with a rearranged control layout). I also found another online link to a CT870 with some better pictures for cross referencing: https://tw.carousell.com/p/casio-ct-870-電子琴-61鍵-二手casio電子琴-casio電子琴（附琴袋-腳架-）-1166563209/ Edited December 30, 2022 by Chas 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianokeyjoe Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 This keyboard came out during a unique time in Casio keyboard development history where they were trying out new technologies and design concepts for "The 90s and Beyond!! echo echo cho ho o". The rare concept HT-X10 I have been searching out from the 1992 catalog, and these later years models that did make it into production, just not all in the USA, were truly a fun time to be had for Casio. Think of it, Realistic sampled sounds, 100 or more of them! Then add TOUCH RESPONSE on the cheap!! Now 5 pin midi in and out with more than 8 part multi timbrel operation! Limited but usable sound editing mode, floppy drives in some keyboards which only the VZ1 and FZ1 could do before in the 80s! This was the dawning of a new era in Casio keyboards that would only get better with time. Again.. the time of 1989 to 2003 was a time of concepts and ideas to move Casio into the new millenium with both style, and musical fun. This model is Asian and indeed only sold in Asia as evidenced by @Chaslink for one for sale in.. err.. Asia. Congrats on the find and purchase! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revenant Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 The CT-870 uses pretty much identical hardware* to the CTK-630, but is about a year newer according to the dates in the service manuals (August 1995 vs. September 1996). You can find both service manuals online pretty easily. It was also re-released as the CT-877 a few years later. (* = NEC uPD912/913, 24-voice chip (and separate DSP chip) also used in the CPS-7, CTK-5x1/6x1 series, CTK-620L, early LK series, and others) Casio seems to have kept using the "CT" prefix for their Chinese localized keyboards until some point in the 2000s. Most of them are based directly on existing models from the CTK series, but as far as I know this one seems to be a China exclusive. You can listen to a recording of the very good demo by Ed Alstrom here: https://lifesea.org/keyboard/casio/ct/ct-877 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianokeyjoe Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 Thankyou @Revenantfor the link! I have listened and oohh yes! My first EVER semi pro multi track composition was on my first ever full sized touch response keyboard I bought in Circuit City the CTK630 and yes, this CT870 sounds just like it! Makes for a very nice Jazz/Orchestral keyboard for sure. Limited, but provided all the basics that we take for granted now. Touch response and multi timbrel midi channel performance with decent sampled sounds and a pitch bend wheel for less than $200 retail! That was back in the mid 90s. Now days, we have so much more tech it has become hard to remember the simpler times when we had to make music with less and still sounded fantastic! Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szo Posted January 4, 2023 Author Share Posted January 4, 2023 Thank you @Revenant yeah i assumed it's from the same family as 530/630 because the design is clearly the same. @Chas i've got also CTK 1000 but this one is different in therms of layout and many sound. Of cours they share some sounds, like with many other Casios. Its funny how the preset sounds changed in Casios - some of them stayed for the long time, some of them were slightly changed or displaced with other ones. @pianokeyjoe but you're talking about CT 870? Because the CTK 630 didn't have pitch bend. I wonder if there was any difference in sound between Casio MT 870 and 877. Different color scheme for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianokeyjoe Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 @SzoI referred to the CT870 for the touch response and pitch bender, but to the CTK630 as the affordable touch response keyboard with sampled sounds, 8 part multitimbrel midi operation. Those era keyboards are what allowed me to finally afford pro features at very low cost! $159 plus tax for the CTK630 back in 1996 when I bought it. I tells ya.. good memories! I still have my recordings too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgy18787 Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 23 hours ago, Revenant said: The CT-870 uses pretty much identical hardware* to the CTK-630, but is about a year newer according to the dates in the service manuals (August 1995 vs. September 1996). You can find both service manuals online pretty easily. It was also re-released as the CT-877 a few years later. (* = NEC uPD912/913, 24-voice chip (and separate DSP chip) also used in the CPS-7, CTK-5x1/6x1 series, CTK-620L, early LK series, and others) Casio seems to have kept using the "CT" prefix for their Chinese localized keyboards until some point in the 2000s. Most of them are based directly on existing models from the CTK series, but as far as I know this one seems to be a China exclusive. You can listen to a recording of the very good demo by Ed Alstrom here: https://lifesea.org/keyboard/casio/ct/ct-877 Hello @Revenant, I'm the co-editor of the demodatabase site you mentioned in your post. Really surprised that the demo song of ct-877 is created by Ed Alstrom, I feel that this demo song sounds like chinese style but might not composited by Chinese, but I never thought it is Alstrom's work. Amazing! Do you have more details on this demo and other Alstrom's demo work? Yes China-specified models continues to use CT prefix until 2005-2007, almost all modesl ended with the number 8 (CTK-738 / CT-588 / 688 / 788 / 888) and are the variant of CTK models of the time. The difference between china version and global version are Chinese ethic instruments, some chinese styles and the panel printed in Chinese, and contains internal Chinese Song as demos. You can also listen to CT-788/88's exclusive demo (Spring Festival Overture) on the demodb site. I'm also trying to collect more demos from CASIO's china localized models like CT-588 and CTK-6320. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szo Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 @pianokeyjoeThe CTK 630 didn't have pitch bend wheel, but it had pitch bend on buttons (similar feature was in the CTK 750). I checked old photos of mine and seems that also the difference between CT 870 and CTK 630 are the 5 oriental presets, and 870 also don't have the touch response purple pads. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szo Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 @dgy18787 if you need a photos of CT 870 (there are no photos) i can make some for the use of your site. Also if you need, i have photos of many other keyboards models, as a hoarder i owned about 100+ models through out the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgy18787 Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 @Szo That's great! Your photos of models would be very helpful for my site. How can I get in touch with you, and have those pics? There's a mail address on authors section of demodb's index. Can I have your mail address too? By the way, I have also create a page on RadioShack product based on your post, at here: https://demodb.org/other/radioshack . I'll translate it into English later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianokeyjoe Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 (edited) @SzoThanks for the update! Yes the CTK630 had the pitch bend buttons. The wheel came to mind for CT870/877. Now Again my point was the CTK630 was a very affordable entry level model that packed ALOT of pro features at the time, for the price which is why I bought it and was able to make some of my first pro level compositions which was not possible with anything I had to date. But does the CT870 have touch response keys? I did not even remember the purple pads being touch sensitive lol! Wow, I need to buy another CTK630. Hey! I think I have subbed to your channel! I think.. Let me see 😛 Edited January 6, 2023 by pianokeyjoe adding more info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szo Posted January 7, 2023 Author Share Posted January 7, 2023 @pianokeyjoeyes, 870 and 877 are touch sensitive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CYBERYOGI =CO=Windler Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 Casio seems to have made strange things for China. So Chinese variants of Casio CT-102 were apparently CH-100 (lacks accompaniment hardware) and CH-102 (schematics seen in Chinese book "Electronic Keyboard Principle & Maintenance"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szo Posted January 17, 2023 Author Share Posted January 17, 2023 @CYBERYOGI =CO=Windler i've seen chinese keyboard which was the exact copy of Casio CT 102 (grey colour), but don't remember the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianokeyjoe Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 Huh? I have seen the grey color version of the CT102. The CT102 WHITE is my favorite color Casios but yep I seen the grey version too. I always thought it was CT102 also, although it could be a different model Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szo Posted February 12, 2023 Author Share Posted February 12, 2023 (edited) color is nice but apart from that, very limited and weak sound for the casio in ct 102 especially lack of vibrato and not many sounds Edited February 12, 2023 by Szo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianokeyjoe Posted February 12, 2023 Share Posted February 12, 2023 56 minutes ago, Szo said: color is nice but apart from that, very limited and weak sound for the casio in ct 102 especially lack of vibrato and not many sounds Yes I know right?! I wish Casio had made a White version of the CT320 and CT310 which both have similar cases as the CT102 but with a far better set of features and tones. Ah well, here is to wishing 😛 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revenant Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 On 1/4/2023 at 11:13 PM, dgy18787 said: Hello @Revenant, I'm the co-editor of the demodatabase site you mentioned in your post. Really surprised that the demo song of ct-877 is created by Ed Alstrom, I feel that this demo song sounds like chinese style but might not composited by Chinese, but I never thought it is Alstrom's work. Amazing! Do you have more details on this demo and other Alstrom's demo work? I got the author and title ("Mei Wenti") from the service manual. He also did several of the demos for other similar keyboards from that time period (usually the titles/credits are on the specifications page in the user and service manuals.) Surprisingly, I found someone posting photos of one with a Russian-language user manual, so I guess it wasn't completely exclusive to China like I thought (which might also explain why the service manual is in English.) https://youla.ru/moskva/hobbi-razvlecheniya/muzykalnye-instrumenti/eliektronnyi-sintiezator-casio-ct870-5c37125fd138b375cc3427c1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgy18787 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 @Revenant It's interesting that the title of this demo sound like exactly like the pronunciation of the word 'no problem' in Chinese. But from the music itself it is more like a soundtrack of some Kung-fu movie. I didn't find the service manual before, and thank you for letting me know this. on DemoDB site there's a special page list all collected demo song composition/created by Alstrom and you can see it here: https://demodb.org/songs/edward_alstrom_collection (it is the same as the lifesea.org/keyboard, I just bought a new domain so people can find it more easily). I guess the CT-870 might have many regional variation with different voices and rhythm inside. Maybe the Russian CT-870 has a different demo song (seems not likely to happen). By the way, there's also CT-877 which looks the same as CT-870, do you know what's the difference between CT-870 and CT-877? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revenant Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 7 hours ago, dgy18787 said: By the way, there's also CT-877 which looks the same as CT-870, do you know what's the difference between CT-870 and CT-877? I assume they're the same aside from slightly different control panel colors, etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szo Posted March 2, 2023 Author Share Posted March 2, 2023 I love that demo from CT 870 so much better than usual demos on the keyboard apart from the kung fu movie it reminds me of a soundtrack from old amiga / pc games from the 90s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.