Behringer CZ-1 Mini – A Pocket Full of Phase Distortion
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The CZ-1 Mini pocket synth finally makes it into stores, taking 80’s Phase Distortion and squeezing it into a box the size of a paperback!
Better Late Than Never!
The Behringer CZ-1 Mini has been on the cards for almost two years since Behringer first announced its existence. Then, on January 30th, 2024, they informed us that beta testing units had been sent out, and we didn’t hear anything again until NAMM this year, when it, along with some other long-awaited instruments, appeared in public for the first time!
Now it is finally available in stores and we can hear what it sounds like! Not a lot has changed from when we first saw it, except for a few visual design tweaks, so let’s take a look at the specs. First up, it’s a 3-voice synth that employs the Phase Distortion method employed by Casio in the mid 80’s to great success.
As everyone rushed to catch up with Yamaha, Casio, who had been more associated with calculators and digital watches, upped their game from the likes of the VL-Tone and came up with a synthesis method that rivalled FM.
The CZ-1 Mini
The CZ-1 Mini retains the same eight waveforms and twin DCOs of the original Casio CZ synths. These are capable of creating 33 different waveforms when combined. These are then manipulated by digitally controlled waves (one per DCO) that mess with the magnitude of the phase distortion being applied.
The eight-step envelope generator is here, too, which can be applied to pitch, timbre and amplitude. The three voices can be played monophonically, polyphonically or stacked. Added to all of this is an analog filter and chorus effect that did not exist on the originals.
The vibrato wave section acts like an LFO, and there’s a 16-step sequencer for you to create your own patterns, as well as a three-pattern arpeggiator. The unit is powered by USB-C and features a 5-pin MIDI In port as well as a Sync port and MIDI over USB for easy connectivity with a number of different devices.
On a unit this small, the screen can’t be much more than a small affair, but they’ve shoe-horned in a tiny OLED screen that should be enough for most people. Whilst most people will probably hook up a controller, the touch-sensitive keyboard that’s built in will work for noodlers on the move!
One very cool feature is that the CZ-1 Mini supports the original CZ sysex so I’m sure there’ll be some online repositories of old patch data getting some hits soon!
More Information
You can order the CZ-1 Mini now for just €89.00!
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