MATRIXSYNTH: Rare 1984 Casio KX-101 boombox keyboard


Monday, May 10, 2010

Rare 1984 Casio KX-101 boombox keyboard


YouTube via Fingermush — May 05, 2010 —

"This is a very short demo, of a rare Casio boombox. My camera doesn't do this thing justice. The drums & some of the tones are really cool."


via this auction

"main features:
* 37 mini keys
* 12 key buttons + 11 select buttons for direct selectable single finger chords
* 2 detachable 2-way loudspeaker boxes (with some bass, tweeter is slightly hissy)
* main voice polyphony 4 notes (only 1 in unison mode)
* 9 preset sounds {piano 1..3, harpsichord, organ, clarinet, flute, horn, mellow}
* 12 preset rhythms {waltz, ballad, swing, enka, 16beat, rock-1..3, disco-1..2, bossa nova, samba}
* preset sounds, rhythms & sequencer note lengths selected through keyboard keys
* cipher buttons {'0'..'9', 'set', 'c'} (only used by tape deck?)
* main volume slider
* treble & stereo balance sliders
* separate volume sliders for poly (keyboard main voice), mono, chord, arpeggio, rhythm, mixing microphone
* stereo/ mono switch
* tempo +/- buttons (57 steps, most are slow)
* transpose +/- buttons (13 semitone steps)
* arpeggio
* detuned chorus mode (called "unison", monophonic)
* 3 rhythm fill-in buttons
* complex sequencer (473 steps, polyphonic with edit features, saves music files on audio cassette)
* 2 "one key play" buttons (to play or edit sequencer contents note by note)
* semi- analogue sound generator similar like Casio VL-1; the digital envelopes (with audible zipper noise) are linear and thus sounds unrealistic because they fade silent too soon. Unlike the latter it is 4 note polyphonic and alternatingly assigns notes to both stereo channels. Chord voice is 4 note polyphonic with fixed timbre like Casio PT-30 but has an optional arpeggio voice. Analogue percussion corresponds to PT-30.
* very complex multi- chip hardware:
o CPU1= "NEC D1868G 006, 8348XK, Japan" (80 pin SMD)
o CPU2= "NEC D1879G 002, 8343XK, Japan" (80 pin SMD)
o 2x SRAM= "HD C, 61914, 4F, 23" (44 pin SMD)
o tape drive CPU?= "Toshiba TC4514BP, 8418H, Japan" (24 pin DIL)
o IC "LB1405, 4A3" (16 pin DIL)
o tuner IC "441, A04" (16(?) pin DIL)
o big hybrid "K4F25S, 46311"
* radio tuner:
o FM stereo, MW, LW
o analogue scale with tuning knob
o telescope & ferrite antenna
o nice sound
* digital controlled cassette deck:
o "computer play" drive control buttons {space search, rec return, repeat, single, program, shuffle, intro, JP}
o direct title select through cipher buttons
o tape sorts switch {normal, CrO2, metal}
o tape counter (mechanical)
o record mute button (records a pause)
o datasette function to save & load sequencer data
o 2 integrated microphones
o has no dolby, sounds bassless
o fails by hardening rubber parts
* level meter (7 LED row with only 5 steps, mono)
* timer switch (to be used with an external mains timer to play or record)
* RAM-Pack slot (for optional Casio RA-10 module that expands sequencer memory to 985 steps)
* tuning trimmer (+/- 30cent)
* auto- power off (in keyboard mode)
* jacks for mains cable, speakers, line out, phones, line in, microphones, mixing microphone"


5 comments:

  1. Oh, man I made it on matrixsynth. Check teh bad Cabaret Voltaire cover!

    ReplyDelete
  2. how much would you pay for an item like this

    ReplyDelete
  3. I bought one today for £2 at the carboot

    ReplyDelete
  4. how much would you pay for an item like this

    $250.00US

    ReplyDelete
  5. Have one for sale,if anyone's interested I'm willing to sell it,just email me for my details at. geoffreypotterpotter@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

To reduce spam, comments for posts older than one week are not displayed until approved, usually same day. Do not insult people. For items for sale, do not ask if it is still available. Check the auction link and search for the item. Auctions are from various sellers and expire over time. Posts remain for the pics and historical purposes. This site is meant to be a daily snapshot of some of what was out there in the world of synths.

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