Casio FZ Samplers: last of the hidden gems?

So I just posted the Casio FZ10m to Mark Bell's Equipboard, and noticed that unit has a hell of an exclusive club. Only 5 artists are attributed to it, but look at the lineup:

1. Aphex Twin
2. MF Doom
3. Mark Bell (LFO)
4. Paul Robb (Information Society)
5. (Someone I've never heard of before)

The keyboard version, FZ1, has a similarly tiny but illustrious list of past users.

... yet nobody here, or anywhere, wants one... other than me, maybe.

Am I crazy to want to poke around on one of these and see what the big deal was?

UPDATE 8/6: It's a 16-bit sampler with digitally-controlled analog filters and amplifiers, a built-in additive synth engine, reported to have an interesting bite and distortion characteristics, and was used extensively by Richard D. James early in his career... AND it still sells for hundreds, rather than thousands... in other words, they're... total crap! forget you read anything here... please don't bid against me!!!

UPDATE 8/13: https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2016/12/13/vintage-casio-fz-1-sampler-has-that-wonky-squonk/

okay, I know a number of nonfamous people who use the FZ1 keyboard... even when new people were drawn to them by the price performance ratio. They enver sell them. For the bucks you can't get anything better. Its way easier to use than a mirage for example and has way more memory etc. It doesn't have an analog filter but it actually has a little additive synth in it. Its a giant value and rather unique. Will it replace your skronky 8, 12 or 13 bit device? not a chance, it sounds way too good. It has artifacts but the kind you get from a high end Akai. But for just samplie playback with looping and envelope gen? Perfect for that.

Roland didn't come out with a comaprable machine for years. Its a real contender. For me the lack of filter is a bummer, but I wouldn't let that stop me from buying one. Hmmm....

I would say in 80s 16 bit samplers that the prophet2000 and FZ1 are the most underrated right now and its a good time to buy at these low low prices.

okay, I know a number of nonfamous people who use the FZ1 keyboard... even when new people were drawn to them by the price performance ratio. They enver sell them. For the bucks you can't get anything better. Its way easier to use than a mirage for example and has way more memory etc. It doesn't have an analog filter but it actually has a little additive synth in it. Its a giant value and rather unique. Will it replace your skronky 8, 12 or 13 bit device? not a chance, it sounds way too good. It has artifacts but the kind you get from a high end Akai. But for just samplie playback with looping and envelope gen? Perfect for that.

Roland didn't come out with a comaprable machine for years. Its a real contender. For me the lack of filter is a bummer, but I wouldn't let that stop me from buying one. Hmmm....

I would say in 80s 16 bit samplers that the prophet2000 and FZ1 are the most underrated right now and its a good time to buy at these low low prices.

Thanks for the rundown Jim! The built-in synth is what has me most intrigued.

Also, I thought filter was a DCF, an analog circuit with digital control, not a pure DSP solution like later samplers. I'd still consider this "analog" but I could be mistaken?

Would you consider the Roland S-50/S-550 (released 86/87) to be the FZ's contemporary? Those were also top-spec machines with the ability to feed built-in waveforms through the voice architecture to make for a mostly-digital subtractive synth... i'm sure they sounded different, cost WAY more at the time, were harder to navigate w/out the crazy fairlight-esq external monitor/mouse, etc.... but curious how you'd compare the two.

I thought it was filterless for some reason. Maybe I have it mixed up with something else..... huh

Those roland machines were really similar to the prophet2000 so they're probably good. I don't know anyone who uses a vintage roland sampler though. The prophet 2000 is fantastic. Its bot sampled synth waveforms and a prophet600 filter/amp architecture. Love it, though it takes forever loading samples but they all do. Like a lot of early digital controlled synths and samplers the envelopes can be a bit sluggish and there's some stepping....

I don't think RDJ would favor a sampler for "80%" of his early tracks if it was filterless. Some have said the saturation/distortion characteristics of that DCF are unique/noteworthy... but, obviously, yet to verify for myself.

I'm sure you're right... a 16 bit sampler with an analog filter, even a digitally controlled one, is a beast.... plus you get the additive synth. I might buy an FZ1 sounds like it would be a prophet2000 killer... and then my buddy has a mirage rack, great sounding 8 bit goodness, curtis filter.... horrible to work on though. Just awful.

Those Prophet 2000s seem awesome, all those VCFs, wow.... I have a Roland S-550 sitting behind me that, despite looking brand new, I picked up for almost nothing a few years ago. The top end Roland S-series units cost as much as a new car back when they came out, so I couldn't pass up the chance to explore an 80s sampler with video output and mouse input (it's wild)... but these units aren't the same type of characterful analog marvels that the Prophet 2000s must be. They are among the most hi-fi sounding of the samplers that are still technically 12-bit... a lot less grungy/muffly than my S950, but still offers it's own processing character... as evidenced on first few Prodigy albums, before they broke stateside.

The prices Prophet 2000/2002s go for now... much more than I'm willing to invest in a sampler. I'm glad you got in early. The $150-$300 that the FZs go for now is pretty much my limit for something that still gonna be kind of a chore to loop into the creative process. Also... I love Dave Smith, but 80s Sequential gear is not known for it's reliability. I hope yours isn't costing you too much in repairs.

Once I add an FZ, and maybe an Akai S1000 or Emu/Ensoniq rack unit... I think I'll be done with my vintage A/D/A processing collection.

I've been eyeing the S550 actually, the monitor is appealing when it has one.... I eman you can hook anthing up but you don't get the fairlight drawing tool unless you have the full roland package...

No monitor for me, i just got a cheap RCA to USB adaptor and view things from a subwindow on my macbook pro. Works like a charm in terms of image quality. I really haven't played with it much since purchased... a friend needed to borrow the adapter, haven't reclaimed yet... I need to figure out a mouse solution too.

but you can't do the draw on it fairlight trick, right?

I could be mistaken, but I thought the S-550 light pen accessory only worked on a digitizer tablet, and not directly on the monitor itself like the Fairlight... and as such, there wouldn't be anything you could do with the pen and tablet that you couldn't also also be able to do with a with a compatible mouse.

I've yet to source a mouse for my S-550... it's sadly been gathering dust for too long.

you may be right, my experience with them is nil, I just know someone who has one that's seldom if ever turned on LOL

you may be right, my experience with them is nil, I just know someone who has one that's seldom if ever turned on LOL

Yes it's a lovely rack-gap filler for me at this point... and sadly not much more till I find that mouse and reclaim my borrowed RCA to USB adaptor. I plan to use it for adding some late-80s smear to a few samples here and there, then decide if it's enough fun to keep for any longer.

As much as I love the proph2k it might go out, it needs a USB drive, floppies are awful.... load time is ridonculous.... with stock waveforms its like a stiff proph600 and I have one.... Its more of a wave memory synth that you customize the waveforms at a whopping 16 bits LOL! I might sell it. I'm seriously debating the prophet X for ahrdware sampling. Go modern. Although I fear I won't be able tog et those amazing timestretch sounds from low sample rates on longer samples. Filter probably sounds the same though.

As much as I love the proph2k it might go out, it needs a USB drive, floppies are awful.... load time is ridonculous.... with stock waveforms its like a stiff proph600 and I have one.... Its more of a wave memory synth that you customize the waveforms at a whopping 16 bits LOL! I might sell it. I'm seriously debating the prophet X for ahrdware sampling. Go modern. Although I fear I won't be able tog et those amazing timestretch sounds from low sample rates on longer samples. Filter probably sounds the same though.

My ultimate keep/evict decision comes down to how much joy I get from using that instrument and whether or not I look forward to playing with it in the future. For example, TAL Bassline sounds 99% as good as my real 101s, but everytime I pull one of them out of a drawer to mess with, I have a good time, and I fall in love with a dumb hunk of plastic all over again... so it stays. My PCM-70, on the other hand... I keep forgetting I have one... the most joy it's brought me has really just been in having it there as a reference point to compare other algo reverbs to... so I'm kinda just procrastinating on putting it on Reverb.

Jim, does the prophet2k bring joy and strength to this relationship, or is it one more dependent to tend to?

So much wisdom there! Can't quote it all...

Jim, does the prophet2k bring joy and strength to this relationship, or is it one more dependent to tend to?

the answer is its a PITA with a mediocre keybed but once I get it going it brings a smile to my face most of the time. For what i could flip it for in good shape I could get plenty of easier things. Its a tough one and as I redo my home studio this month bit by bit space will also play an issue. I'm in a terrible space crunch as my museum grows nonstop.

Its a tough one and as I redo my home studio this month bit by bit space will also play an issue. I'm in a terrible space crunch as my museum grows nonstop.

I remember you mentioning elsewhere that you've put some new $$ into your home studio lately. When/where are we gonna get a rundown of the changes you're making?

okay... here we go:

DELL XPS mac slayer laptop, i9, 64g ram, tb ssd etc etc (need to be portable to communal studio if I want to use it there)

cooling pad for it

MOTO 828es main interface, thudnerbolt of course but with ethernet AVB capabilities for expansion with microseconds latency with other motu products as well as adat/smux inputs up to 8 at 96k, whoa

focusrite clarett octopre (on layaway, haven't paid it yet because I don't need it right away, but I want it for the extra 8 line outs as much as the preamps)

also on the agenda is a motorized fader setup, probably a presonus faderport but I'm still considering it before pulling the trigger. I'm really looking to buy used... but I've also considered the softube console format too.

jbl LSR306p mk ii powered monitors, retiring the events on powered duty, too directional for doing mainly DI synth work... I'm still going to be running my Tannoy PBMs or NS10Ms though as my main mix monitors, love them, used to them. And a set of 3 way nonported passives too. But those aren't new.

I also decided to try a samson servo 120 for the tannoy/yamaha setup as my current poweramps are hifi amps or more PA oriented and people rave about the servo as bang for buck.

When I pull the trigger on the octopre I am considering adding a warm audio bus comp and either a pheonix or dangerous 16 channel summing mixer to try out. I've never done hybrid mixing like that and want to see if I prefer to ITB or if its just psychoacoustic, but its a steep buy in if I'm not impressed. I KNOW I prefer a console not just for workflow but punchy great soundstaging... but there's so much more to a console than the summing. I'm torn and decided to old off. Also seeing whatthe government is up to... I'm home with my gear until january unless my employer suddenly decides to reopen so depending on what I'm making per week my budget may vary as I refuse to spend savings. In fact I'm increasing it despite my spending. It was a rocky start, but in the end turned out very well for me financially.

if I ahd a big enough windfall I would get fancy and buy one of the smaller format no preamp SSL mixers with automation.

Dang.

Your (very good) taste and priorities remind me of a friend/colleague who was a guitarist in bands in the 90s/00s, before moving into MI industry... in other words, these are the priorities of someone that has (unlike me) spent real time being productive in real studios. Seems you've distributed funds evenly across all parts of your chain, commendable... what a feast for the ears this is gonna be. :)

Is all this (minus the octapre) already up and running/integrated?

Also, do you feel like you'll eventually need a sub for the new 6" JBLs (yay, I always really like Harman's JBL offerings), or are they covering enough of the sub bass range as-is?

Glad to hear you're staying financially buoyant in these rough waters.

just got the bulk of the packages today

need to upload pics to imgur but going to the beach with my best friend's wife and kids tomorrow.