CZ V is a phase distortion shapeshifter — a software reimagining of Casio's CZ-1 and CZ-101 synthesizers, designed as a response to the FM instruments of the '80s. Phase distortion synthesis was Casio's alternative to FM: rather than modulating a carrier, it alters the shape of the oscillator's phase progression over time, which produces a distinctly different family of digital timbres — metallic, glassy, and vocal-adjacent, with an interface far simpler than FM's operator matrix. That combination made the CZ series a staple of 80s pop, new wave, and early electronic music.

Arturia's version preserves the synthesis method while adding capabilities the originals lacked. It models the Casio CZ-101 and CZ-1000, two cult synthesizers behind many '80s pop hits and adds a ton of new features. The vibrato section is upgraded — we've upgraded the CZ's stand-alone vibrato section with more waveforms, tempo sync, and adjustable delay — and there is a guilty pleasure generator in the form of an arpeggiator: what would an '80s synth be without a classic arpeggiator? Ours features six patterns (including as-played and random) and up to a 4-octave range. Additional modulations extend the instrument, including "sample and hold" LFOs, MIDI synced and looped envelopes, as well as a wide spectrum of audio effects, and users note that the updated effects for this V-Collection release, such as the Reverb and Phaser, have become so good that I made them a featured part of many of my CZ V's presets. A Preset Browser supports keyword search and browsing by instrument type and musical style, with saveable favourites. It works in Standalone, VST, AAX, Audio Unit, and NKS (64-bit DAWs only). Requirements are Win 10+ (64-bit) or Mac OS 11.0+, 4 GB RAM, 4 cores CPU at 3.4 GHz (4.0 GHz Turbo-boost), 3 GB free hard disk space, and OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU, with ARM processors not supported on Windows. Current version is 1.9.4.6366, at 433.74 MB on Mac and 286.86 MB on Windows. It suits synthwave, pop, new wave, retro electronic, and experimental production.

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