Casio XW-P1

[Synthoid]

Some of us may remember the excitement at last years' NAMM show regarding the Casio XW-P1. Now that a full year has passed, I was wondering if anyone is currently using an XW-P1 on a regular basis? How well is it holding up on gigs?

Share your praises and gripes...

[Synthoid]

Wow, nobody?

[Comrad_Durandal]

Casio really has to beat the 'we make cheap toys' image to get a significant foot-hold amongst musicians, I think. I remember considering a Casio for my first instrument, and the salesperson basically told me it wasn't a worthwhile purchase because you could get so much more from a Yamaha than you ever could from Casio for the price.

That being said, I can't say I've tried a WX-P1 so I can't give any feedback good or bad.

[Joe Gerardi]

I want one, but here in Savannah the music "Superstore" is such a joke, that a Jupiter-80 isn't going to be there, let alone a Casio. Hard to buy without trying first.

That said, I gigged for years with a CZ-1 on top of a Korg M1. (And an Emulator III.) It was far from a "toy."

..Joe

[billbaker]

CZ-1 wasn't trying to be an "at-home" model with speakers and cha-cha drum beats - which, unfortunately was Casio's niche for a long time. They hitched their wagon to Home Piano/GM and, until recently, had given up on competing for a synth market share.

The CZ tho', was the diamond in the dross as far as classic Casios went. It also had some very reputable players using it - most notable was probably Steve Winwood on the "Arc of a Diver" album; the distinctive solo at the beginning of "If You See a Chance" was played on a CZ, I believe.

So, until they can convince some "name" player to publicly use and endorse their stuff, they'll be riding the bench.


BB

[Synthoid]

I want one, but here in Savannah the music "Superstore" is such a joke, that a Jupiter-80 isn't going to be there, let alone a Casio. Hard to buy without trying first.

That's how it was here at our local Guitar Center... until last fall when they actually started stocking the Kronos, and finally the Casio XW-P1. I will admit the Casio doesn't have the greatest build quality, but for $499, it does offer lots of great features and sounds.

Here's a pic for those not familiar with the XW-P1:

[Joe Gerardi]

reputable players using it - most notable was probably Steve Winwood on the "Arc of a Diver" album; the distinctive solo at the beginning of "If You See a Chance" was played on a CZ, I believe.

Nah, couldn't be. That was 6 years before it was even released. That solo was on a Multimoog. (The polysynth sounds were a Yamaha CS-80.)

And don't forget the VZ-1- that was an astounding synth, but a bear to program.

..Joe

[billbaker]

I just recall seeing Steve playing one in photos in Keyboard Magazine, and reading him saying what a cool synth it was, so I've always associated it with him. He's the only player endorsement I can recall from that period.


BB

[Joe Gerardi]

Vince Clarke, Clarence Jey, They Might be Giants, Jean Michel Jarre, Seventh Celestia, the Orb, Moby, Jay Metarri, Cirrus, Jimi Tenor and Jimmy Edgar all played (and I think, endorsed ) it.

You want to see a *really* orphaned but amazing keyboard, Google the Seiko DS-202 with the DS-310 synth and DS-320 sequencer. I had one. Great-sounding, baby Synclavier.

..Joe

[Synthoid]

Google the Seiko DS-202 with the DS-310 synth and DS-320 sequencer. I had one. Great-sounding, baby Synclavier.

It looks quite interesting. Never even heard of it:

[Joe Gerardi]

So I pulled the trigger and bought an open-box XW-P1 on eBay. Arrived yesterday. I must say, it is an amazing-sounding synth. The most interesting thing is how BIG it sounds. It harkens back to the days of Minimoogs and Arp 2600s in how it stands out. I've always felt that's been something missing in all the ROMplers out there- they're so busy getting the resolution up that they completely forget about the Dynamic Range...

The Drawbar Section is usable. That's a compliment. It's not going to make Hammond Suzuki nervous, but for a background organ sound, it will work well. The PCM section pretty much is much of a sameness: everything is okay, nothing is exciting. It's only when these sections are all combined in a Hex Layer that it all comes together.

Is it a be-all and end-all synth? Frankly, no. It suffers from the same problems most synths today (except the really high-end synths) do: terrible keybeds. Now, I wouldn't expect Aftertouch in a $500 keyboard, but they way they CLUNK when they bottom out is distressing. When I can hear the action over the sound, it's a sure sign that they're cutting corners. (I'm sorely tempted to open it up and glue a felt strip along the bottom of the case, warranty be damned. It's really that irritating.)

I have almost no use for the Phrase Sequencer or Step Sequencer, but I can see that I'll be spending an awful lot of time with the Solo Synth and Hex Layer sections of this 'board.

If it's a sales hit, I hope Casio makes a bigger, expanded one. I would like to see one with 128 Polyphony, a stronger/2nd Microprocessor so that some DSP changes don't require a key press to hear the results, some better PCM samples of the bread-and-butter sounds, and finally, a decent keybed with aftertouch in a slightly sturdier case overall. (The knobs do NOT foster confidence in their build strength.) Making it in a 76 key configuration would have me drooling rather heavily and lining up to get one. One thing I hope they DON'T try to do is make it a "workstation" out of it: what they have works, and trying to compete with the Big 3 in the workstation market will kill it faster than cyanide.

..Joe

[ConnMan]

I agree with Joe's comments about the XW-P1 (BTW, what ever happened to the good-old-days when synth manufacturers simply named the friggin thing or just put a number with the name to differentiate between the various models...All these numbers & letters...OY!!) as this is a fantastic synth for the price. One of the Hex programs contains a velocity sensitive orchestra which I find very useful and inspiring. The solo synth can definitely hold it's own when cutting through other instruments.

I have to add however, to me one of the most disappointing thing about this synth is the aliasing in the upper ranges...Drives me crazy!! Having said that and what Joe has already said, if you're thinking about getting one you should definitely try one out first at your local music store or do what Joe did and get a used one off eBay for a few hundred bucks.

As an asides, I just got a used Alesis QS6.1 for under two hundred bucks. I am amazed at the sounds this thing has, especially the "Keith Emerson sounds" this thing's got. Sturdy metal cabinet too...Ruggedly built.

[Joe Gerardi]

And just as a bit of full disclosure here, Conn Man (I won't use his real name) and I were very good friends back in the '70s. Hung out together all the time playing keyboards, arguing about keyboards, (he had the Minimoog, I had the Arp 2600) going to each other's gigs, seeing who would be the first to figure out the new ELP or Yes piece on keyboard, going to see The Lamb tour by Genesis with Peter Gabriel, double-dating with our girlfriends at the time, just things friends back then did.

Life got in the way, we both got married and moved to different places. That is indeed one cool thing about the Internet: 40 years later we meet up again, and pick up like we last talked last week!

..Joe

[ConnMan]

Here's a really good demo of the WX-P1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmBzK4MdBKI