Casio CZ-5000

Advantages: Sounds different, THAT ring modulator, big hoovers and pads
Disadvantages: lack of real MIDI control, no extra outputs, don't bother with the sequencer

...it's prime all of the casio CZ range use a kind of synthesis called phase distortion which gives far warmer and more analogue sounds than FM although some would accuse it of sounding too wooly. The sounds are built from two oscilators each of which can be a combination of two waveforms. The signals are then passed through an 3 envelopes for pitch, filter cutoff and amplitude each of which can have up to 8 stages. At this point the oscillators can ...
...the finest ring modulators i have ever heard ( Chemical Brothers anyone? ). Although strangely lacking in bottom end this synthesis technique can come up with some massive hoover and pad sounds along with wierd ring mod fx and percussive clunks and has featured on several of my own record releases. There are a few drawbacks, the CZ5000 is 8 voice multitimbral but only a maximum of 8 note polyphonic but with only one stereo out and no panning this ... Read review

Advantages: Very easy to use and get to grips with
Disadvantages: a bit basic for the very advanced musicians

I have has this keyboard for about a year now and I love it. It is great fun to mess about with although I am yet to try it out on my computer programme. If you are looking for your first keyboard this is the one. It has all the basic features and comes at a reasonable price. Works well with a foot pedal and has a good touch response. As I said the MIDI I am yet to try but I wouldn't have thought this was the best machine for linking up to a computer. ... Read review

Advantages: Sounds great. Easy programing menu style system. Seprate buttons for most functions. Built like a tank.
Disadvantages: Sequencer doesn't really work with midi, and I can't make it loop. No midi thru.

I picked up one of these on Ebay. This thing sounds really nice,but it has some limitations. If you know what they are and just work around them, you can get a really great sound for really cheap. Digital bliss. It's really nice to have seperate buttons for most functions. This really helps change settings quickly on the fly, in the dark. I hook up a midi cable and play something with another keyboard that I know is going to keep playing in time, ...
...the sounds I decided to capture some of it in the on board sequencer, but unfortunately the midi just wouldn't seem to work, at the same time as the sequencer. Basically this makes the sequencer useless for me, since either you have to play the piece in perfect time (not gonna happen) or record it in step mode (pain in the rear) For the price though, these can't be beat. If you don't have one of the professional line of older keyboards from casio, ... Read review