Oberheim OB-6 Dave Smith

[GuyaGuy]

Dat phaser tho

Totes.

I'd totally go for this over the P6.

[loungedumore]

I must have one ! Have zero idea how I can work it into my budget , but for me the OB sound is what started it all . Damn it .

[stikygum]

This having quality effects takes it to a whole other level. Can't wait to hear more. Anything that Tom is involved in gets me going.

[knolan]

Have to say, this looks like the first "cash in product" from DSI to me. It really does not sound anything like an OBX or OBXA.

And - to me - those classics were also about their imposing form. While the P6 looks like a Prophet in this form, this is just wrong for an OB polysynth - miniaturized, cramped looking control surface. To boot, I read that Oberheim distanced himself from their early polyphonic synths because he wasn't involved with their design, and whether or not that's entirely true it is interesting that he sat quietly at his own booth at NAMM and essentially gave no attention to the OB6.

But the bottom line is the sound- this sounds significantly different, and FAR thinner than original oberheim polysynths, from every demo put out so far.

It's a nice instrument - don't get me wrong - but it is NOT an Oberheim.

[gd]

Knolan, interesting points and that is why I am looking fwd to spending a few hours demoing the kybd before I decide whether or not to purchase. I want to hear the essence of the filters with no fx/production added.

[phesago]

Have to say, this looks like the first "cash in product" from DSI to me. It really does not sound anything like an OBX or OBXA.

And - to me - those classics were also about their imposing form. While the P6 looks like a Prophet in this form, this is just wrong for an OB polysynth - miniaturized, cramped looking control surface. To boot, I read that Oberheim distanced himself from their early polyphonic synths because he wasn't involved with their design, and whether or not that's entirely true it is interesting that he sat quietly at his own booth at NAMM and essentially gave no attention to the OB6.

But the bottom line is the sound- this sounds significantly different, and FAR thinner than original oberheim polysynths, from every demo put out so far.

It's a nice instrument - don't get me wrong - but it is NOT an Oberheim.

I disagree. Ive had: SEM, Two Voice, ob8, obxa and xpander .... and as far as I can tell this thing is up my alley with modern features and that sound I like(without the annoying size issue- you cant honestly tell me that some of the old OB's arent unnecessarily big). The sound might be a little off but I like what i hear and without being in front of it, its impossible to say if the sound is close or not. From the few shitty demos Ive seen: I want it.

[knolan]

Nice synth - no denying it. But honestly, and without trolling here - I just don't see it as an Oberheim polysynth. The P6 (despite the 4 octaves) is a Prophet in character - no denying it - but - I just don't see this as an Oberheim, and as said, it just doesn't sound anything like one. Oberheim polysynths are as characterful as they come, and I think it's a legitimate issue I raise.

But as said - no denying it's a very nice synth in it's own right. I suppose the point I'm making is - the P6 is a fine update to the P5, but I don't see or hear the OB6 being a fine update to the OBXA or OB8.

[tomoe97]

I have to respectfully disagree, too. I play an OB-Xa on a regular basis and the OB-6 has that Oberheim vibe in spades minus the back-breaking weight. To my ears, Dave and Tom really nailed the sonic characteristics of the Obie filters and oscillators. Bravo!

[Stab Frenzy]

Yeah it sounds like an Obie to me, I don't know where you guys are getting the idea it doesn't.

[CfNorENa]

Yep, I'm with the "sounds like an Oberheim" crowd. Used to own an OB-8, and currently own an original SEM. I hear a bit of both in the demos. But if anything -- and unsurprisingly -- it sounds to me most like a polyphonic version of the new SEM. In any case, to my ears there is something undeniably Oberheim in those demos.

[knolan]

I'd like to hear an A-B comparison. It genuinely sounds nothing like an oberheim to me. I hope to do one over on sonicstate. the Weight of the originals is irrelevant these days - nobody interested in it will be gigging with it. But the OB6 just looks cramped to me.

[desmond]

And - to me - those classics were also about their imposing form.

Sure, and big synths are wonderful (and you have a fair few *massive* ones so probably all modern synths look tiny to you! but these things are not about bringing old synths to market, they are about bring some of the old sound, into the modern world - and that means these days, a small form factor.

While the P6 looks like a Prophet in this form, this is just wrong for an OB polysynth - miniaturized, cramped looking control surface.

At least it's not mini keys!

To boot, I read that Oberheim distanced himself from their early polyphonic synths because he wasn't involved with their design, and whether or not that's entirely true it is interesting that he sat quietly at his own booth at NAMM and essentially gave no attention to the OB6.

He did lots of Dave+Tom interviews on the DSi stand, the (many) YouTube videos show that.

But basically, this is a DSI product, on their stand, and Tom has his own products on his stand to handle. Basically, Dave approached Tom and said we could put OB cards into this P6 framework and do an Oberheim-sounding instrument quite easily, and Tom would have agreed a licensing deal of some sort - but I don't think Tom did much work on the OB6 at all - just probably provided DSI with some tech, specs and probably did some reviews etc to make sure the end result was something he approved of.

But given this does actually use the OB tech/design, I can't say that the (remote) assessment that this sounds "nothing like an Oberheim" when it is actually using the Oberheim voice and filter designs. I'd say reserve judgement until you can play with it yourself...

[themilford]

I'd like to hear an A-B comparison. It genuinely sounds nothing like an oberheim to me. I hope to do one over on sonicstate. the Weight of the originals is irrelevant these days - nobody interested in it will be gigging with it. But the OB6 just looks cramped to me.

I plan to gig with my OB8... if I had money I would prolly buy the OB6 to use for gigs and maybe keep the OB at home.

[garranimal]

The OB-8/X/Xa synths have LP filters. The OB-6 takes its LP/HP/BP filter from the SEM.

[desmond]

The OB-8/X/Xa synths have LP filters. The OB-6 takes its LP/HP/BP filter from the SEM.

Yeah, was gonna say the OB6 is more of a SEM sound, than the later OB-polys which sounded rather different to the SEM modules.