Casio RZ-1 Drum Machine/Sampler

[ChrisC]

Is this worth picking up for $100, it has a few scratches but it works fine (apparently). Is this a good machine? It looks like it could be my first piece of hardware.

Cheers

[djneo]

I own one of these. it's ok, the sounds are all pretty good exzcept for the kick... the hihats are heard in lots of popular hard trance tracks, they're pretty distinctive. It has separate outs for all of the sounds whichj is good. on mine the sample quality is SHOCKING, dunno what you'd use them for, they pick up a lot of noise. i paid around that for mine about 3 years ago. Never actually use it, just played around with it when I first got it, it was just before I bought my PC and started playing around with fruity loops.

I don't know whether it's worth your while... maybe...

[driload]

get it


money is no issue in the music game


dont like it, then sell it off for what you paid



what capacity os the sampler? bit rate?

[phunkdust]

yeah if you have a spare $100, go for it... Despite the sample quality being low (its like 12khz 8bit or something?) you can probably get some interesting DnB sounds out of it...

Just experiment. If it sounds a bit thin, get some EQ happening. Theres nothing like a 12-stage parametric EQ to bring dead drums to life. ;)

[driload]

without question, get it. especially since you are into dnb


100 bucks is nothing to pay for your first bit of gear. you couldnt get tutored about drums and samples for that price.



100 bucks is nothing. we got an A frame full of synths and modules that cost around 3 or four grand each, let alone the other crap

you wont want to be making that kind of splash just yet, so 100 bucks isnt much, youde spend that in one night on the town anyway im sure

if you dont want it get it and sell it to me for 130. :P

[kaossproject]

Get it

You'll either progress or regress:?

[driload]

WTF?


that was half zen and half complete insanity Kaoss :P

[Researcher]

Originally posted by driload
get it


money is no issue in the music game


dont like it, then sell it off for what you paid



what capacity os the sampler? bit rate?

unless you are talking about a TR 909, thanks for proving my point finally after all the shit i have had to put up with

[meandarkdirty]

get it. RZ-1s are coolio. There's not stacks you can do with them but they make cool RZ-1 type noises. If you don't like it in a month PM me and I'll probably buy it.

[driload]

i gather from your wording that you were planning on buying it from Ebay?

i used to buy off of ebay but now couldnt be stuffed.




as for TR-909, thats a different story. no offense but thats a waste of money. give me a JoMoX XBase any time :P

heh heh i love stirring people up with that call. its fun because if they DID try the jomox theyd realise just how right i am.... that unit BLOWS any other analog drum machine AWAY.

but anyway, obviously EACH TO THEIR OWN and its not up to me to define what gear must be purchased and why.


ps, i still must admit that the TR-707 is one of the sexiest commercial drum machines ever made. orange and white.... so nice.

[ChrisC]

I got outbid, I wasn't at home on Friday when the bid closed. Yes it was on ebay.

[phunkdust]

the XBase driload?

I had a thorough play of one of these and I concluded it was an overpriced excuse at bringing back the 909. In fact, if I was offered a 909 or an XBase for the same price, I'd be taking the Roland... more versatility in the sounds...

I will agree that a 909 isnt exactly stable, and the XBase would be nice for a live setup, but it's not special at all.

Now the SunSyn, thats another matter... :P

[meandarkdirty]

You're kidding aren't you phunkdust? I've only ever played with them at a store using their headphones but I reckon they have the nicest kick I've ever heard. 909ey, I'll agree, but something about it made it sound super nice.

[driload]

phunkdust....

andy at musiclab was teasing me for a while cause i laughed off the price of the xbase and cause id just looked at few modules (sounds) and thought "what the hell"

a few visits later he actually convinced my arrogant ass to have a play and read its review and OH MY GOODNESS

ready for this?

not only can each instrument vary IMMENSELY with an AMAAAAAAAAAAZING amount of tweakable control, not only can a HAT sound like a snare if you want or something totally crazy, not only can it obliterate grooveboxes and old roland toys with its gutsy analog sound but...


...this is the money maker....






....are you really ready?............




the sequencer can remember a DIFFERENT tweak/sweep/setting for EVERY TICK/NOTE/BAR/WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE!

think about that!

808 kick on the first and 11th beats of a 16-bar, 909 kick ghosting on the 3rd and 15th, the SAME drum strip making bass tones intermittently and thats just ONE strip

909 cant do that.

EVERY measure and every damn note is totally midi controlled and all pots/knobs/controls output midi data so you can track some crazy sweeps or mutating in your DAW or sequencer

the only reason i dont own one is because i tend to sample drum one-shots from an old and massive vinyl collection for use on the MPC and adding an Xbase would be GREAT FUN but would add too great a work load and more bloody midi to the rig right now. i know myself... i get carried away with technology at the expense of, well, everything

anyway, its an extremely impressive tool and i see myself grabbing one when things are less 'nose to the grindstone'. one day....

[phunkdust]

yeah, thanks dri, as I said, I had a *thorough* play with it (about 3 or 4 hours worth, much to the annoyance of allans music staff)

i also read the review and all the specs and shtuff on it when it came out about 18 months ago... (or thereabouts)

I also had a play of the AirBase, something which I think is way better value for money - $250 cheaper, with more features and sounds

it's pretty nice, but I can still think of better ways to spend my money...

two words

elektron machinedrum

8-) my next piece of gear...