New OBERHEIM OB-X8 Announced!

[BluMunk]

Looks nice, but for my $$ I'll wait for the Uli clone. 😛

(To clarify, kudos to Tom Oberheim and I hope he sells as many as he wants to make . . . and if I had a $10k/year toy budget, I'd be in line for this. But, it's clearly not a product designed/priced for your average middle-class hobby synthesist).

[MathOfInsects]

Cost is always sort of a red herring. The real metric is value.

 

Does a new Rhodes or Obie bring enough value to warrant spending FIFTEEN F-ING THOUSAND to have them be your two-board rig?

 

For me that's a hard no. An EM lower and polyphonic upper--to the extent that most gigging users will employ them--is not hard to come by for way cheaper. 

 

But if it turns out the OB is in the 3's...yeah, there might be some "value" in being part of Tom Oberheim's "last" chapter. It's pretty well guaranteed to be a bad mother-shutyourmouth. I'll be curious to see where it settles out.

 

[Jim Alfredson]

To me the cost is moot. It’s a real Oberheim and will be worth a lot of money in a few decades. Guaranteed. Plus I’m sure it sounds incredible. And when adjusted for inflation, it’s still cheaper than the original line from the 1980s.

[Adam C.]

New Video added…

 

https://youtu.be/xqn2kE0UBFI

[Bucktunes]

On 5/9/2022 at 12:26 PM, Jim Alfredson said:

To me the cost is moot. It’s a real Oberheim and will be worth a lot of money in a few decades. Guaranteed. Plus I’m sure it sounds incredible. And when adjusted for inflation, it’s still cheaper than the original line from the 1980s.

^This^...And based on the YouTube link above I'd say it's confirmed wonderful sounding! I love that Tom not only regained the right to use his own name and logo, but was able to release one more killer synth to culminate his legacy. Yes it's pricey, but I expect it's worth every dollar. And as Jim mentioned, it will appreciate quickly after Tom has passed and the synth is no longer manufactured. Personally I'd love to have one if only for the investment value, let alone the joy of owning a bona fide Oberheim and making music with it. Would I gig with it? Of course not. It would sit under my Minimoog Model D reissue and neither would ever leave my home studio. And I expect that will be the case with most of the ones he sells. I applaud Tom for hitting a home run, and I hope he sells truckloads of these!

[analogika]

"Oh yeah, I'm back — and, er, remember those three iconic synths that everybody loves most out of all the stuff I built? Here, I put them all in one box that looks and feels just like they did back then. Enjoy!"

[Docbop]

 

[ProfD]

Excellent.  Now, I'm curious to hear who will be the first musician to come up with a patch as iconic as "Jump" or "Tom Sawyer".😎

[HammondDave]

VERY NICE....

[KuruPrionz]

On 5/8/2022 at 7:45 PM, ProfD said:

Projected OB-X8 cost and average gig pay. 🤣😎

That is sound, fact based thinkiing right there. 

[MikeT156]

It sounds great! My question is CAN IT SPLIT the KB? The OBX did not have that capability. Later models did. VERY important feature especially when playing String Ensemble parts in your music.

 

Mike T.

[Mark Schmieder]

Very deep and rich sound! On my long list...

[Mark Schmieder]

The official announcement has been made. It appears that the revived Oberheim is part of the expanded Focusrite family, distributed by them, or just partnering with them due to the Dave Smith connection and other people who are involved in the OB-X8 launch and some upcoming products that I guess will be dual-branded as Sequential/Oberheim. I hope I'm not infringing on rights by pasting the announcement below, which was found on GS tonight but appears to be generally available:

 

San Francisco, CA – May 10, 2022 – In a momentous industry development, Oberheim Electronics, one of the most venerated names in synthesizer design, has announced its return to operation to meet the rising global demand for its instruments.

Today, the company is launching its first new product, the OB-X8: an eight-voice polyphonic analog synth that combines all of the key features of the legendary OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8 products from the 1980s – including all the original presets that gave them their signature sounds.

“I wanted to come back strong with a new design that brings together the sounds of the greatest instruments from across the OB range, together with the distinctive sound and styling of those synths,” said Tom Oberheim. “But we took it even further. You can now combine the various OB voice architectures in ways that produce unique and interesting new sounds and capabilities.”

Originally founded by Tom Oberheim in 1969, Oberheim Electronics created ground-breaking products that fueled the electronic music revolution throughout the 1970’s and early 1980’s. After ceasing operations in 1985, these instruments attained near-mythical status, with highly prized vintage models selling for many times their original price on the secondhand market.

Since that time, Tom Oberheim had created a handful of limited-production instruments and co-designs with various partners under other names. But in a recent significant development, he regained control of the Oberheim trademarks and IP, and now, in partnership with Focusrite PLC, has decided to once again introduce new products under the Oberheim brand name for first time in more than 35 years.

“I’ve always had a very optimistic outlook on our industry and the future in general. I felt that one day, when the time was right, Oberheim would return. A big part of this was the fact that so many musicians have contacted me over the years to ask how to get hold of an original Oberheim. So when I finally reacquired the Oberheim name, it was clear that the time was finally here,” said Oberheim.

The catalog of artists associated with the original products is long, and includes innovators like Prince, Van Halen, and Herbie Hancock. For many, it was much more than just an instrument. A handful of A-list artists such as Trent Reznor, creative force behind Nine Inch Nails, and Golden Globe, Academy Award, and Primetime Emmy-winning composer got pre-release previews. “When I was shown the new OB-X8, I was immediately impressed with the forensic level of detail that went into its design and the respect for its lineage,” remarked Trent. I will be making room in my studio for one and I’m excited more people will be able to experience this classic instrument.”

Creating a new company out of thin air was no small feat. “I’m excited to work with my old friend and audio industry innovator Marcus Ryle, along with some other members of the original Oberheim team again,” said Tom. “And thanks to an exclusive partnership with Focusrite group company Sequential LLC, we have the ability to design, manufacture, distribute, and support new instruments on a global scale.”

For Marcus Ryle, one of the inventors behind the ADAT, the QuadraSynth, and Line 6 guitar amps and effects, this represents closure of sorts: “Synths were my first love and the reason I entered this industry. Tom hired me when I was 19, and I feel lucky to have been a part of the Oberheim design team during its glory days. Now, a whole new chapter in the story of analog synthesizer-based music is about to get written.”

Dave Smith, founder of Sequential and himself a legendary figure in synth history, also collaborated with Marcus (an Oberheim team member from the 1980s) and Tom to create the new product. “We’ve already developed other interesting design ideas with Tom for follow-up products that will allow us to take Oberheim into the future as a synth brand,” commented Smith. “It’s a very exciting time to be a musician.”

The OB-X8 eight-voice analog synthesizer will be available at the end of June with a US MAP of $4,999.

About Oberheim
Oberheim is the 21st century return of the legendary company that helped fuel the electronic music revolution. Now, just as then, Oberheim is guided by the vision of engineer and inventor, Tom Oberheim. Tom’s genius for innovation introduced the world to the first commercially available poly synth and other groundbreaking electronic instruments that literally changed the sound of music. Today, Oberheim reawakens this legacy by bringing the famed Oberheim sound to a new generation of instruments and artists. The company’s passion remains unchanged by time or technology — to once again provide the world with the finest-sounding analog synthesizers ever made. Oberheim brings its products to market with the help of the Focusrite organization and renowned synth maker, Sequential.

[Bill H.]

7 hours ago, MikeT156 said:

It sounds great! My question is CAN IT SPLIT the KB? The OBX did not have that capability. Later models did. VERY important feature especially when playing String Ensemble parts in your music.

 

Mike T.

 

In the specifications Mike: Bi-timbral capability allows two presets simultaneously for splits and doubles.

 

https://oberheim.com/

 

 

 

[David Emm]

I was just engaging in some reflective heresy and basking in what $5000 could do elsewhere. It has nothing to do with the awesomeness of an OB-anything and more with the up-to-my-nose stack that cash could buy. There's Oberheim GAS and then there's Basket-Of-Twelve GAS.

 

It may have something to do with the hernia your brain can get trying to compare the towering brass blats from an OB, a Jupiter-8 and a Memorymoog. No problem here; I just add a smidge of it under orchestral brass and watch the listener flinch, waiting for spit to come out of the speakers. 😬 🤓

[sunspot]

Listening to the Inhalt OB-X8 demo video on youtube.  I know that youtube audio compression leaves something to be desired, but man this thing sounds gorgeous...how could I justify buying something so damn $$$????

 

 

[Doerfler]

Easy. It's US $2000.00 less than an 8 voice Moog One. it's a friggin steal. Get it while you can. 

[Analogaddict]

The OBX is a true monster of a synth. The only thing I could have wished for in mine was the addition of a more lush 4-pole filter. And that’s actually in the X8. 🤩

[Al Coda]

9 hours ago, Doerfler said:

Easy. It's US $2000.00 less than an 8 voice Moog One. it's a friggin steal. Get it while you can. 

 

I wonder if Oberheim decides for releasing an additional 8-voice-expansion board in future.

In split and dual-layer mode, I´d appreciate at least 5 voices per part since I use my thumb for playing 2 keys occasionally,- and there are sometimes long(er) ADSR release-times neccessary as also the sustain pedal in addition.

 

☺️

 

A.C.

[Doerfler]

SonicState at SuperBooth 2022 OB-X8

 

https://youtu.be/0KuKq-ECU9E

 

never saw this before. Got a notice that YouTube does not allow the embedding of this video 

[Al Coda]

1 hour ago, Doerfler said:

SonicState at SuperBooth 2022 OB-X8

 

https://youtu.be/0KuKq-ECU9E

 

never saw this before. Got a notice that YouTube does not allow the embedding of this video 

 

Amazing !

The pure OB-X brass patch sounds awesome.

Thx for sharing !

 

☺️

 

A.C.

 

[zeronyne]

I don't really like the "today's dollars" comparison because it only contextualizes currency value at moments in time. It's definitely not what something would cost if made today vs 35 years ago, nor does it equate to what it would actually sell for today. ProfD points out the other factors that are much more important than when it was made.

And I have stopped judging things as expensive or overpriced. Those terms are relative, but everyone seems to use them to gatekeep.

 

That said, in the past 5 years or so, the O.G. celeb inventors in the synth game seem to have created (or recreated) that tier of instruments that are priced into the rarified air of studio and pro-only category. The funny thing is that most studios are deep into software and true vintage, and almost all of the Moog One and high end Prophet owners I know are not professional musicians, and only one of the 8 people actually work in the music industry. These seem to be targeted (if they even targeted a market at all...the VC guys must have done SOME diligence, right?) to the PRS guitar crowd...corporate attorneys and dentists who are weekend warriors and Soundcloud monkeys. Nothing wrong with that at all. I appreciate that their disposable income continues to fund these pioneers. This is their pension.

[MAJUSCULE]

Yeah, I want one.

[AlexSL21]

2 hours ago, zeronyne said:

 

 

 

Quote

don't really like the "today's dollars" comparison because it only contextualizes currency value at moments in time. It's definitely not what something would cost if made today vs 35 years ago, nor does it equate to what it would actually sell for today. ProfD points out the other factors that are much more important than when it was made.

And I have stopped judging things as expensive or overpriced. Those terms are relative, but everyone seems to use them to gatekeep.

 

That said, in the past 5 years or so, the O.G. celeb inventors in the synth game seem to have created (or recreated) that tier of instruments that are priced into the rarified air of studio and pro-only category. The funny thing is that most studios are deep into software and true vintage, and almost all of the Moog One and high end Prophet owners I know are not professional musicians, and only one of the 8 people actually work in the music industry. These seem to be targeted (if they even targeted a market at all...the VC guys must have done SOME diligence, right?) to the PRS guitar crowd...corporate attorneys and dentists who are weekend warriors and Soundcloud monkeys. Nothing wrong with that at all. I appreciate that their disposable income continues to fund these pioneers. This is their pension.

I don't really like the "today's dollars" comparison because it only contextualizes currency value at moments in time. It's definitely not what something would cost if made today vs 35 years ago, nor does it equate to what it would actually sell for today. ProfD points out the other factors that are much more important than when it was made.

And I have stopped judging things as expensive or overpriced. Those terms are relative, but everyone seems to use them to gatekeep.

 

That said, in the past 5 years or so, the O.G. celeb inventors in the synth game seem to have created (or recreated) that tier of instruments that are priced into the rarified air of studio and pro-only category. The funny thing is that most studios are deep into software and true vintage, and almost all of the Moog One and high end Prophet owners I know are not professional musicians, and only one of the 8 people actually work in the music industry. These seem to be targeted (if they even targeted a market at all...the VC guys must have done SOME diligence, right?) to the PRS guitar crowd...corporate attorneys and dentists who are weekend warriors and Soundcloud monkeys. Nothing wrong with that at all. I appreciate that their disposable income continues to fund these pioneers. This is their pension.

 

I don't think I'd entirely agree there. I know quite a successful  sound library composer with both a Prophet 10 and various other new analogs he regularly uses with his software, for instance, and here's a recent example of the Moog One being used in a film soundtrack :

 

 

 

[ProfD]

38 minutes ago, zeronyne said:

at said, in the past 5 years or so, the O.G. celeb inventors in the synth game seem to have created (or recreated) that tier of instruments that are priced into the rarified air of studio and pro-only category. 

 

These seem to be targeted (if they even targeted a market at all...the VC guys must have done SOME diligence, right?) to the PRS guitar crowd...corporate attorneys and dentists who are weekend warriors and Soundcloud monkeys. Nothing wrong with that at all. I appreciate that their disposable income continues to fund these pioneers. This is their pension.

Bingo.  Now is the perfect time for these reissues.  The *right* buyers have come of age financially.

 

15 or more years ago, the market for a new OB-X8, Moog One or Prophet 5/10 or any other analog synth would be slim to none. It did not exist.  Folks were unloading poly synths for peanuts.

 

The OG inventors lived long enough to take a victory lap. 😎

[AlexSL21]

Don't forget also though that a lot of those price rises are also due to the internet, youtube demos, and dwindling supply.  In my experience the most expensive of the new analogs are bought both by older musicians with a bit more disposable income , and some film/tv people. The next tier down in price are  used by a lot more of the youngest.

[Stokely]

I'm just a home hobbyist, but do fairly well in my day job and my gig money adds up.  I could probably swing this or something similar, especially if I sold some other gear.   The biggest factor me not buying more hardware gear quite simply is software.  I feel the software is more than good enough for my needs and it's FAR more convenient.  If I could go back in time like Marty McFly and explain to my younger self that I could have rooms full of midi modules AND fx all on drop down menus....AND that my session would save everything for me without patch changes/sysex/multitimbral modes and any cabling?  My younger self would have called the guys in white coats to come in their van to take away the nutter.

With all that said, it's certainly still appealing to sit in front of a hardware keyboard.  I just can't justify it like I once could, when there really wasn't another option for hardware other than cheaper less-desirable hardware!    

And with all THAT said, I'm kind of afraid of ever sitting in front of this (or a Moog One etc) because I know I'd want it.  

 

[Bill H.]

Five grand ain't what it used to be. What was once the down payment on a house is now merely the entry point price for an upscale couch. 

 

I'd love an OB-X8, and now that I'm retired I can easily buy one too. But will I? See that's the thing... I'm retired. I'm no longer gigging or working on projects - anything meaningful anyway. I know what I'd do - I'd play the hell out of it for a few weeks, then with no upcoming gigs it would gradually get less and less use. 

 

The book isn't closed by any means, but for me this is probably a pass. It's a shame...  when I really needed an Oberheim poly I couldn't afford it, and now that I don't need one I can. 

[ABECK]

1 minute ago, Bill H. said:

when I really needed an Oberheim poly I couldn't afford it, and now that I don't need one I can. 

Dear lord, that's sobering.  

[Doerfler]

Sobering, indeed. Says the guy who doesn't need one and is trying to talk himself our of it. Talking about me, not Bill H.