What is your favorite/the best Oberheim synth

[callengowanco.com]

Just interested in what you guys think about some of these units, and which ones were your favorites!!!!!!

[Peake]

Without question, the SEM-based synths (TVS, FVS, and 8-Voice). Every item from Oberheim lost something in sound quality, seemingly upon each release. Just my opinion.

[sbrock1san.rr.com]

I never owned any of the really good Oberheims but I think the OBXa, the one just before the OB-8, had a great reputation. I played an OB-8 in a store recently and was not impressed. Whoever had programmed it must have been on drugs because it was all out-of-tune sound effects. I wish I would have bought a Matrix-12 because of the programming depth and MIDI interface. I used one in the studio once and I just loved it. There is nothing like Oberheims for synth brass and I think the sawtooth sounds still hold up really well.

 

I still play my Matrix-6 a lot. I remember when I bought it how everyone was telling me that the Ensoniq, Yamaha DX7, and Korg DW8000 were better. I'm glad I listened with my own ears because I think I bought the best low-cost synth at that time. When I layer it with my Roland D-50 something magic happens everytime.

 

I found the receipt to my Oberheim DX drum machine last month. I forget how much it cost but it was a whole lot of money in 1984 for a kid just getting his first real job.

[synthfoolsynthfool.com]

I've owned both an 8 voice SEM based unit with programmer and an OBXa-120. These are the only two I've ever really liked.

The Xpander/Matrix 12 gets my vote too, but it doesn't "feel" like an Oberheim to me.

The OB-8 is functionally wonderful and the lightest "heavyweight", but I never liked having to remember what page 2 encompassed.

 

Of the 8 voice and the OBXa, I can't make a choice.

They're completely different beasts in operation.

The SEM has a unique voice to it that's immediately identifiable whether it's Weather Report, Lyle Mays, Synergy, etc.

The OBXa is still nice and lush, but more tame and completely programmable. I've never liked the 4/8 voice programmers.

Smarter to put two minisequencers in there for my money. ;-)

 

K

[Graham English]

My fave's the OB-8. I'm a huge fan of Prince, The Time, Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis, just that whole Minneapolis scene. That was the synth that gave them their signature synth horn sound. I've had one for a few years now and it always addd some phatness to my tracks http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/s/net4/headshot.gif

[Stephen Fortner]

I too like the OB-8. I owned one for awhile... let it go for far too little money. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/frown.gif I haven't had much firsthand experience of the SEM-based synths, but the OB-8 never lacked anything for me in terms of fatness. The Obie, a Yamaha DX-7, an old Korg CX-3, and a Wurli electric piano served my well as my 80's rig. Ironically, the DX is the only thing I still own, and it's not worth much money. Whodda thought?

[joegerardi]

I really like my Obie DPX-1

[Keyman]

OBXA is my all time fav OB synth. Don't care it does not have MIDI, I am

using it for live anyway.

[musicman1ovation.net]

I've had very little experience playing Oberheims... actually, I think just one studio gig in 1983, and there wasn't time to do much but play what was more or less already set up. However, going from past records where I've known which model was used, this is EASY. On "As Falls Wichita So Falls Wichita Falls" (Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays), Lyle plays a healthy rig of SEMs. I saw them live back then, too, and saw him and the rig in action. I can't think of any CD since on which I hear such lush, yummy strings and other sounds. On that CD, I truly think that having real strings would have been a step down, and I've never thought that before. The flute-like sound is also warm and wonderful. Lyle's use of a volume pedal and great voicing contribute much to this, but it is also obvious that those analog circuits are sizzling though the audio path with a great deal of almost human unpredictability.

 

If I had a clue as to how to create a virtual model of a synth, that sucker would be one of a handful of analog greats I'd concentrate on. Frankly, I'd like to see some virtual/modeled synths concentrate more intensely on recreating very specific past analogs, catching their most subtle nuances. I'm a fan of modeling, and I actually think one thing that is missing is a narrower focus. This might sound like sacrilege, but how else can these marvels be resurrected en masse for the masses?

[Mark Zeger]

The 4-Voice was killer in Lyle Mays' hands. Zawinul's hands, too - wasn't that the synth that he used for the famous horns on "Birdland"? I read that he was after the sound of a horn section as heard from down the street.

 

But I once gott to play an 8-voice w/dual manuals. It came in 2 cases, one for the keyboards & program memory, another for the SEMs. Unbelieveable sound.

 

It seemed like the OBX/OB8 series was just an effort to chase the Prophet 5.