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This here folks, is a classic! The CZ series synths are really just good, solid, befuddling, dense, articulate,strange,noisy,awesome instruments. At first I tried being all scientific but programming that way took a loooong time! Coming from a background in subtractive
(virtual , actually) synthesis and (hardware, actually ) romplers ,I was unprepared for the actual breadth of possibilities inherent in these crazy 80's style calculator retro-futura style synthesizers.Phase Distortion, or PD synthesis is what they use-taking a digital wave and um...distorting the phase..or something.. I finally figured out that I could even come up with decent patches just by jumping to random menu page and pressing stuff! definitely for my money a lead instrument but I also laid down some nice, spongey sounding pads as well. For all its early digital programming tedium, I still find it alot easier to deal with than the Yamaha DX series, but thats a lot like saying astrophysics is easier than quantum physics! All in all, these are (or should be) cheap as all heck and weigh just about nothing compared to the DX7, etc. and are actually great as toy, lead synths or bass machines/sfx generators. The ring mod is quite decent as is the noise gen and portamento feature.....I really can't come up with anything to knock it for and I've owned 2 cz101s, 2 cz1000s, and a cz230s. Currently I have a cz101 in the retail box witha ll the manuals, etc. and it still stands up quite well to the novations, yamaha, and arturia synths in my collection. Honestly, Its one of those really hard to replicate keyboards- I have heard and played the "CZ Bass" patches on many a rompler/synth/plugin/app and NONE of them can compare, even in a mix, they really just lack something, and this is coming from a guy who will use a sampled 909 with no hesitation so, I'm not really what you'd call a purist when it comes to vintage gear ( not that I can afford to be) but the cz synths are just a perfect combo of hard/software in a box, the pd synthesis just works so well with the kit its built into. Now, don't get me wrong, it is lo-fi, and it sounds AWESOME!
