Back in the late '80s, Casio took a bold swing at digital synthesis with this beast, blending phase distortion from their CZ series with genuine frequency modulation to crank out harmonics that could rival Yamaha's DX lineup—think crispy bells and brash basses without the usual programming headaches.
At its core, it packs 16-voice polyphony across a 61-key velocity- and aftertouch-sensitive keyboard with light synth action, paired with two assignable wheels and a standout backlit dot-matrix LCD for graphical editing of envelopes and signal paths. Eight oscillators form four modular pairs (A/B/C/D), where you mix, ring modulate, or phase modulate within pairs, then chain outputs to sculpt complex tones—stack up to four patches in combo mode for 32 oscillators per voice. Multitimbral chops shine in eight-channel mode for sequencer setups, with 64 presets, 64 user patches, and RC-100 cartridge expansion; rear panel offers stereo outs, headphones, pedals, and full MIDI In/Out/Thru.
Players have long praised its unique hybrid edge for brittle, glassy sounds and mad-scientist leads, though many gripe about the steep learning curve—modern software editors make it far more approachable today, turning presets into a deep playground for digital weirdness.
