Winter NAMM 2012

[philip]

Here is Casio's countdown page: http://www.casiomusicgear.com/

A couple of MS20 on stage??? WTF they just trying to say with that?

[StepLogik]

Here is Casio's countdown page: http://www.casiomusicgear.com/

A couple of MS20 on stage??? WTF they just trying to say with that?

The one in the middle could be a Roland EG-101

[tekkentool]

but it seems more like a VA or ROMpler which is less interesting to me.

Like it would be anything else

If casio were to come from not making a true synth in 20+ years to Moog-Destroying analogue polysynth for 800 bucks I would be eating vast quantities of hat.

"Performance synth" is practically code for "ROMpler that you can adjust the cutoff on"

[mute]

Here is Casio's countdown page: http://www.casiomusicgear.com/

A couple of MS20 on stage??? WTF they just trying to say with that?

I think the fact they're launching a whole new website is interesting.. suggests they have more on the way. It would be nice to see Casio get back into the 'real' synth market.

[StepLogik]

but it seems more like a VA or ROMpler which is less interesting to me.

Like it would be anything else

If casio were to come from not making a true synth in 20+ years to Moog-Destroying analogue polysynth for 800 bucks I would be eating vast quantities of hat.

"Performance synth" is practically code for "ROMpler that you can adjust the cutoff on"

I had hopes, for a minute, that they might actually put some analog guts into a new instrument. Casio was the longest holdout for analog technology - the HT-6000 had analog filters and was fully programmable. The only other production hybrid at that time was the JX-10 and it was quickly falling out of favor.

If our suspicions are correct and its just another ROMpler or VA, then their new "entry" into the market is going to be a disappointing one for them. That market is so unbelievably crowded with arrangers and high-end consumer keyboards that their new offering will have to be pretty amazing (and dirt cheap) to even get noticed.

On the other hand, if they had taken their chintzy("vintage") PCM sound engine and their PD sound engine and put programmable analog poly filters (like the MT-400 except poly or the HT series) on it, slapped it into a cheap, colorful casiotone mini-key case, added full MIDI implementation and tweakable chintzy analog drums, and kept the price low, that product would have sold like gangbusters.

[tim gueguen]

Here is Casio's countdown page: http://www.casiomusicgear.com/

A couple of MS20 on stage??? WTF they just trying to say with that?

Most likely nothing. It's probably a generic stock picture. It's funny to see stock pictures turn up in multiple places, like a photo of an Asian couple I've seen used both by a national jewelry chain in Canada and in a Mormon proselytizing pamphlet.

[tallowwaters]

On the other hand, if they had taken their chintzy("vintage") PCM sound engine and their PD sound engine and put programmable analog poly filters (like the MT-400 except poly or the HT series) on it, slapped it into a cheap, colorful casiotone mini-key case, added full MIDI implementation and tweakable chintzy analog drums, and kept the price low, that product would have sold like gangbusters.

Well, would sell like gangbusters to the type of nerds that frequent forums like this one, which is... 9% of the synth buying public?

I'm glad to see more people in the modern synth market, even if I don't care for their particular product. Whether it be VA or ROMpler with synthesizer leanings, I'm happy manufacturers are trying.

[samuraipizzacat29]

+1 to all that. If it were a PD synth, with some decent onboard pcms, half decent filtering, and the multi-timbrality it appears as if it would be capable, and it were sub-400, id be interested enough to give it a go. Heck if it had sampling capabilities for a fair price, i might even GAS for it.

[StepLogik]

On the other hand, if they had taken their chintzy("vintage") PCM sound engine and their PD sound engine and put programmable analog poly filters (like the MT-400 except poly or the HT series) on it, slapped it into a cheap, colorful casiotone mini-key case, added full MIDI implementation and tweakable chintzy analog drums, and kept the price low, that product would have sold like gangbusters.

Well, would sell like gangbusters to the type of nerds that frequent forums like this one, which is... 9% of the synth buying public?

Well, I don't have any numbers so I'm completely talking out of my a*s here, but I'm thinking more about the cross-market appeal. The monotribes and monotrons have done extremely well for Korg because of not just synth nerds, but retro geeks, hipsters, circuit benders, tinkerers, etc. A lot of people who've never stepped foot in Guitar Center bought one. The only way I justify that stance is youtube and blog posts from people who aren't musicians who've bought one to tinker with.

Given that, it seems like the low-end casiotone-type product I described in the original post would have that small cross-market appeal.

Furthermore, Casio has already been down the high-end workstation/arranger road. A year or two ago they released some "high-end" (relative to their product line) workstations ( Thread ). Those instruments gave the high-end offerings from the Big 3 a run for their money at a fraction of the price. I'm not sure how well those sold but it seems silly to duplicate that effort unless their new instrument brings something interesting to the table.

[Instrument Panel]

I've seen the new Casio synth described on another site as a "lead and groove oriented hybrid synth".
And its model number is XW-P1.
Could it be that XW = 'Cross-Wave' ?
If it's a 'cross-wave hybrid' synth then maybe it has something in common with the FZ-1?
(I'm only speculating wildly here.)

[cryabetes]

I've seen the new Casio synth described on another site as a "lead and groove oriented hybrid synth".
And its model number is XW-P1.
Could it be that XW = 'Cross-Wave' ?
If it's a 'cross-wave hybrid' synth then maybe it has something in common with the FZ-1?
(I'm only speculating wildly here.)

but then the P might stand for 'Preset' and there's no actual editing to be had.

[tallowwaters]

I would assume it would stand for "Performance"

[StepLogik]

They should have marketed it like the MT-100

[Instrument Panel]

Anyone seen this:

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2012/ ... k-preview/



Looks interesting.

[Sir Ruff]

Anyone seen this:

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2012/ ... k-preview/



Looks interesting.

ha... so it basically is a casiotone for the groovebox generation. Their tagline should be: "This is not your daddy's Casio "