Instrument Review - Fisher SC-310 (with SCK-30) a.k.a. Sanyo KBX-7

As a child who grew up in the eighties there were two main electronics that I had in my bedroom - a keyboard and a stereo cassette deck a.k.a. a "boom box."  The keyboard I had in question was a Casio PT-87.  As for the boom box, I couldn't tell you what I had.  It most likely was a hand me down from my brothers as they upgraded their equipment but there is one thing I can tell you - I used those two things almost daily, sometimes in conjunction so it is only logical for electronics companies of that era to combine the two and make the ultimate device in home recording and playing - a stereo deck with a built in musical keyboard.

I have found three different examples online of this amazing yet forgotten piece of synthesizer (and stereo) history - the Casio KX-101, Casio CK-200 & CK-500, Sharp MR-990, and the Fisher SC-310 (with SCK-30 stereo music composer).

Casio KX-101

Casio CK-200

Casio CK-500

Sharp MR-990

Fisher SC-310

All of these keyboards each have some distinctions in sound (although not much being that they are early-to-mid eighties square wave synths) and they have some varying features, although very little information can be found about these suckers.  The Casio KX-101 comes with a keyboard attached to the bottom and provides for 4-note polyphony, some rhythms, arpeggios, and chords.  From my understanding, the Casio keyboards also allow for the playing to be recorded onto the internal cassette deck (although I have read on some websites that this is not true).  I am uncertain about the Sharp mode but will be reviewing the Fisher SCK-30 because that is the only keyboard currently in my possession, however I will not be able to review the cassette deck features because I have only acquired the keyboard.  

Build

Unlike the Casios, the Fisher keyboard is detachable, which is nice.  For a small generic keyboard it feels relatively solid and possesses a decent weight (especially with the 5 AA batteries added).  The mini-keys sit close but feel responsive to the touch, the sliders feel firm, and the buttons on par with any other kind of toy keyboard of that time.

Cosmetics

This thing definitely has the aesthetics from a nineteen eighties stereo company.  The glossy black plastic that covers the top is definitely a change from the drab gray boxes Casio was dropping on the market (whatever happened to those cream-colored or wood-grain Casiotones?)  The features are clearly labeled and the LCD display is nice enough to even display a staff so that you know what note you are playing and where it is located.  My only complaint is that on the far left of the keyboard are nine bullet points describing the features of the keyboard.  I could understand if Fisher decided to eternally emblazon onto the face of their keyboard directions, being that they were not known for making keyboards and the memory play features of these early keyboards can be somewhat confusing, being that they require a sequence of buttons pressed, but bullet points that could be best left for the back of a box or a magazine advertisement?

Sound 

The sounds of the voices are that of an inexpensive analog toy keyboard but are slightly different than some of the other keyboards like this out there and considering some of the features, these sounds can be welcomed into one's synthesizer orchestra.  I wouldn't be surprised if under the hood this thing had some early Casio or Yamaha circuitry.  While they may not be the first chair, they definitely can provide some dynamics or accents to a song.  The rhythms are especially nice - particularly the several rhythms with added arpeggios.  As a fan of vintage rhythm machines, I find these numerous rhythms to be fun and enjoyable and after several minutes of playing around with the features I came up with several ideas for some songs (I had to stop myself being that I have countless unfinished projects already).

Features

This is where this keyboard shines.  While this instrument is monophonic with sounds that sometimes make a Casio VL-1 sound warm, it comes with 8 preset voices, 18 different rhythms, chord function (in a typical organ set up and not integrated into the keyboard like later home keyboards), and when the chord buttons are played along with a rhythm you get kind of a walking bass.  Personally I like the chord section resembling that of an organ versus occupying an octave on the lower end of the keyboard.  For an individual like myself who is not a trained pianist, having these non-conventional setups helps facilitate the creation of music in an easy and recognizable way.  While there is no fill option for the rhythms, it is easy to change rhythms mid-song to provide for some variation.  I also thought it interesting that one of the rhythm options is "enka," which presumably references the Japanese musical style, although I am not sure.  I was just surprised to see this option as I have never seen it appear on any other keyboard in my possession.

There are sliders for master volume, rhythm, and chord, transpose and tempo buttons, and perhaps the most interesting aspect of this keyboard - memory recording which allows for the playing of up to 508 notes into 8 different sections that can be stored on a cassette loaded into the accompanying stereo.  It is also believed that you can record your playing directly onto the cassette.

While not a part of the stereo, the keyboard only has a left and right RCA jack and no plug for external power.  While there is a battery compartment for 5 AA batteries, it appears this is because the keyboard is intended to be used in conjunction with the stereo.  From researching, it appears that when docked into the stereo the keyboard consumes less of the batteries and has a longer life but it I am uncertain if the batteries are required while docked.  While this is unfortunate, having the keyboard detachable is a positive, being that should the stereo component die you do not also lose an instrument and modifying the keyboard for external power or expanded audio out features would not be terribly difficult to perform and would be possible by a novice technician.

Overall

Overall I think this keyboard is a must have for any collector.  Personally I would choose this one over the Casios (although the KX-101 would make an excellent shelf piece since the keyboard is forward facing).  The sounds may not make this as desirable to some but the features packed into this small keyboard are a plus.  It may not be a centerpiece of a band but it can definitely provide for some interesting music or some level of variation should one choose to utilize the rhythms and while the audio output options are limited, having RCA outs does provide for a nice clean sound.  The portability is a positive for this keyboard.  While the battery life could pose a nuisance, as mentioned above it could be easy to modify, and even not, I do not see this keyboard being used to draft a symphonic masterpiece.  Intermittent use may prove the battery issue a non-issue.

Looking at just the SCK-30, I would recommend if you can find this at a low price (somewhere under the $30 range), or with the SC-310, possibly somewhere under $100.  Since this is not a Casio, you may be able to find this relatively cheap (I got my keyboard $20).  Personally, I love the forward facing KX-101 with all of its buttons, dials, and sliders.  A close second in aesthetics would be the Sharp with the retractable keyboard (those buttons and sliders again do it for me).  The problem is that those keyboards, while similar, tend to go for much more.  The Fisher can get you into the ballpark for a fraction of the price.

Gallery

Instrument Review - Bontempi AZ-9000

The Bontempi AZ-9000 is an electronic keyboard dating back to the mid-eighties from Italian organ manufacturer Bontempi.  I could find little information regarding this instrument except a couple circuit bending videos and images of other models in the AZ series, which much like the X series featured similar looking keyboards but with diminishing features the lower the number of the keyboard.  Much like the X-451, I couldn't find much about this keyboard but was drawn to it because it seemed to be the top-of-the-line of that particular series and because of a few intriguing features that I had not really seen or that appeared to be uncommon in a synthesizer from that era.

Because I am not a trained pianist, have limited technical skill regarding the electronics, and am not the greatest reviewer in the world, I will attempt to offer a simple review of this synthesizer and hope that it helps build a better resource for these musical gems from the early days of home keyboarding.

Build

The build of this synthesizer seems to be quiet good.  Considering Bontempis are known for their cheap sounds similar to that of a Casio, I was assuming the worst when I got this thing.  When I received the package I was surprised by the weight of the keyboard and would probably place it upwards of ten to fifteen pounds.  Even the key construction surprised me - it had spring mechanisms much like the fellow Italian synth maker Siel.

The speakers were of good quality and there was foam surrounding the speakers inside which was nice because the keyboard could achieve rather loud sounds clearly and without causing any unnecessary sounds, such as rattling from the plastic like that experienced with the Seiko DS-202.  Even the buttons and sliders seem pretty sturdy.  The various buttons don't wiggle or move except in the direction they were intended to go, which is down.

There were some issues but I would attribute them mostly due to age.  For instance, a couple of the housings for the screws would break off at the base when attempting to unscrew and open the keyboard.  This is an easy enough fix and would probably require a bit of caution proceeding in the future.

Also, not quite sure if this is the norm of synthesizer and home keyboard construction of the early and mid eighties (all keyboards I have taken apart point to "no"), but I had noticed that the various boards run underneath the keyboard so to see the fully requires removal of the keyboard.  All other keyboards I have seen typically had any circuitry above the keyboard.

Cosmetic

The appearance of this keyboard is nothing special.  The casing is a kind of dark gray color.  The color-coded buttons are nicely arranged and easy to identify purpose and use and provide a kind of uniformity but they are not that stylistic, like say a futuristic and sleek Bontempi Prof organ.  

I have also noticed that other versions of this keyboard feature a different font.  While this one has strange (and kind of cheap-looking) block lettering that was undoubtedly chosen to push the digital nature of this keyboard, other versions had equally cheap-looking italics.

Sound

What can I say about the sound?

This is a keyboard from the eighties that promotes its use of PCM sounds.  While this presented the user with more "realistic" sounds and was a departure from analog, to someone who is using the keyboard after thirty years the sounds appear to be dated and when compared with PCM Casios or Yamahas, they kind of still sound more like their analog counterparts, and it might actually still be analog sounds since the only location that identifies as PCM is the rhythm section.  If you are a fan of that kind of sound, then you may not be totally displeased with this synthesizer.  In addition to to the "digital sampled" section that provides various instruments, the keyboard also offers a "digital synth" section that allows some parameters to be altered.

The keyboard also offers a nice assortment of chorus effects, such as "orchestra," "accomp," and "fast," as well as vibrato and sustain giving the limited number of voices some variance.

Along with the main sound there are also "accompaniment" and "bass" sounds that play with the rhythm and when compared to older (presumably) synths like the X-451 they were kind of underwhelming.

As for rhythm, it is your typical PCM fare.  The rhythms are punchy and not too overproduced like many Casio rhythms and I think play nicely with the various tones.  

Features

This is where the keyboard might be worth buying - the oddball features that Bontempi added.

For one, while this allows for a DC 12V input using a generic power supply, this keyboard also uses the same proprietary power supply found on other Bontempis, like the X-451.  There are either direct plug-in versions of this power supply or ones that are battery compartments.  Either way it is an interesting feature, but also somewhat redundant.

This keyboard is also MIDI compatible, with several buttons appearing to have multiple functions, although I am uncertain as to how the MIDI capabilities are activated or operated.  The words "MIDI mode" appear beneath a selector button but it is unclear just how this relates to the MIDI controls other than sharing the same color lettering.

In addition to the things like audio outputs and the ability to plug in foot pedals, the most interesting feature on this keyboard is the "digital synth" capabilities.  While these features are by no means a complex synthesis engine, they offer some versatility to an otherwise generic mid-eighties PCM keyboard.

The "digital synth" options allow for a user to select one of four envelopes, up to two of four different waves (2 square, 1 triangle, 1 sine), 4 different mixes of the waves (20/80, 40/60, 60/40, and 80/20), and the ability to select 2 different sounds to make a "custom program," which can also include the 16 different "digital sampled" orchestra sounds.  This may also provide for some prime circuit-bending opportunities being that these are functions that already exist that alter the sound (along with the various chorus effects).  While you may not get some fat bass sounds or sweeping pads from this basic synthesizer you might be able to get some nice accompaniment sounds or when processed some interesting leads.  I personally like this sound more-so than early Yamaha home keyboards, more particularly synths like the PSS-570, which offered a good amount of variation.  I find these Bontempi tones to be of a more personal nature.

Overall

Overall this is a nice basic keyboard with generic PCM rhythms.  It offers some interesting features that place it slightly above some of its competitors from the same time.  The most surprising aspect of this keyboard is the quality of the construction.  Considering the type of instrument and the reputation of the company as being cheap, I expected lightweight plastic, simple circuit boards, and poor key mechanisms, like the solid bendable plastic of some inexpensive Casio models.