Oberheim OB-6 Dave Smith

[Solderman]

Snagged these from Gearslutz, comparing the P6 and OB6 voice boards:




Seems most of the chips on the circuitry are for control voltages from the interface. Let the SMT vs. thru-hole debate commence!

I do agree this isn't going to sound like vintage Oberheims. 4 words: "Yeah.And.So.What."

The INHALT demo makes heavy use of effects as well, hiding some of the character, which is why I'm trying not to get too excited. This would be a nice one to have just because both the synth and effects sound great and there's no menu diving. I'll reserve further judgment until such time as I can get one in front of me.

[knolan]

Thanks for posting. And re. your 4 words - good point. It's a really nice synth in its own right and if SEM heads (and Oberheim himself) say it sound SEM, then it's got great pedigree for sure. Golden era for synthesis right now - how long have we been calling for stable modern analogue synths, and now we have them thanks to these great designers.

[Sir Ruff]

It wasn't stated anywhere that this WAS supposed to sound like an OB-8 or OB-Xa, so I'm not sure what the dilemma is? The voices are supposed to be SEM-like, so the only viable comparison would be a 4-voice, or OB-X when only using low-pass filters. OB-8/OB-Xa have literally nothing to do with the OB-6.

[Solderman]

Then let's presume there is no dilemma and give the new breed an opportunity to stand on their own and prove their worth through the test of time, just as vintage already has had ample opportunity to do so.

I just wish I could afford something like this! Really for myself just need to not see polysynths as toys and give them the respect they deserve. I certainly can't wait to try out the OB6. I already enjoyed a short session with the Prophet 6 and will likely play it more in the future. These two are encouraging to me to soon hear in modern music and to play at every opportunity, if I never actually own one.

[knolan]

It wasn't stated anywhere that this WAS supposed to sound like an OB-8 or OB-Xa, so I'm not sure what the dilemma is? The voices are supposed to be SEM-like, so the only viable comparison would be a 4-voice, or OB-X when only using low-pass filters. OB-8/OB-Xa have literally nothing to do with the OB-6.

Well - Dave Smith, at NAMM, himself compared the advent of the P6 and OB6 as a reincarnation of / tip-of-the-hat to the P5 and OBXA era. And - the OB6 name, and distinctive colour coding on the control surface, also strongly suggest it's derived from the OBXA and OB8. To boot, we've all be comparing the P6 to the P5, not the Pro1. As said, a fine synth, but in my opinion in form and sound, not a derivative of the OBXA and OB8.

[Solderman]

I like to think of it like the new version of the DeLorean DMC-12 with similar look but a new engine. Then you somehow end up with a bunch of bozos shouting "Hey, this isn't a time machine?!?", because we live in the age of information, where being ignorant is a choice. Old look, new sound, better quality build hopefully this time, simple as that.

[Stab Frenzy]

It wasn't stated anywhere that this WAS supposed to sound like an OB-8 or OB-Xa, so I'm not sure what the dilemma is? The voices are supposed to be SEM-like, so the only viable comparison would be a 4-voice, or OB-X when only using low-pass filters. OB-8/OB-Xa have literally nothing to do with the OB-6.

Well - Dave Smith, at NAMM, himself compared the advent of the P6 and OB6 as a reincarnation of / tip-of-the-hat to the P5 and OBXA era. And - the OB6 name, and distinctive colour coding on the control surface, also strongly suggest it's derived from the OBXA and OB8. To boot, we've all be comparing the P6 to the P5, not the Pro1. As said, a fine synth, but in my opinion in form and sound, not a derivative of the OBXA and OB8.

I don't know about you, but when I'm thinking about what a synth sounds like I consider things like the filter architecture to have a much bigger impact than the colour scheme or the name. But maybe I'm crazy, who knows? The voice board has an actual drawing of the SEM on it, that could be a bit of a giveaway.

Either way, I think this sounds badass and it's got me really wanting one.

[phesago]

But guys.... Its not a *real* oberheim

[desmond]

I'm not claiming I'm right - I'm just saying I'm convinced

You do make me chuckle from time to time, Kevin!

this is actually a quite poor and unimpressive polysynth. underwhelming in every department

Clearly, the things that you want and expect in an OB this doesn't satisfy for you - the size, weight, and sound character are minuses for you. That's fine - it's clearly not the synth you'd like it to be. That doesn't make it a "poor" instrument, it just means it doesn't tweak your buttons. That's ok.

It's funny because I'm largely "unimpressed" by many (good) synths these days (I'm just a bit jaded really) and the OB6, on hearing a bunch of of demos, was the first recent synth (probably since also the Pro6 and Sub37) that on hearing I immediately found myself surprised by thinking "wow! this sounds *really* great!". It doesn't often happen for me - I guess it means the sound character of what I was hearing *was* tweaking my buttons.

I think the Pro6 *looks* better, and I think the blue stripes are a little bit misleading as they point to a family of synths that the sound doesn't really relate to - but from what I've heard, the OB6 sounds really good to me.

[knolan]

And Desmond - just to annoy you now - I'm reversing my opinion on this synth. I've watched all 30 minutes of the video madtheory pointed to and others I hadn't seen as well, and the more I hear, the more I like.

Still not a OBXA - but - a lovely, lovely instrument !!


I'm a bit like that guy in The Fast Show - remember the guy in the pub who had a firm opinion, and when he'd hear an opposing argument he'd immediately change his mind. That's me on this thread, I fully concede.


There's just no nonsense about the OB6. Now - if they do a module / desktop version of this - i'll buy it in an instant (though the Pro2 is still gorgeous, so the Credit Card is in danger of being overwhelmed this year !!). And then there's the Sub37, and MatrixBute. Decisions, decisions....

[desmond]

just to annoy you now

Heh!

I'm reversing my opinion on this synth. I've watched all 30 minutes of the video madtheory pointed to and others I hadn't seen as well, and the more I hear, the more I like.

Still not a OBXA - but - a lovely, lovely instrument !!

That's fair enough - it's always difficult with quick demos in the flurry of launch activity, because they are varied in quality and people chose to focus on the sounds they choose, which aren't always the ones that you want to hear, often leading to poor impressions of the instrument.

I'm a bit like that guy in The Fast Show - remember the guy in the pub who had a firm opinion, and when he'd hear an opposing argument he'd immediately change his mind. That's me on this thread, I fully concede.

Heh, no problem.

There's just no nonsense about the OB6. Now - if they do a module / desktop version of this - i'll buy it in an instant (though the Pro2 is still gorgeous, so the Credit Card is in danger of being overwhelmed this year !!). And then there's the Sub37, and MatrixBute. Decisions, decisions....

I expect a module will come, yeah. I also like the Pro2 and the Sub37 is fab.

Hmm, Matrixbrute, not so much, all the things I have heard make it sound cheap and nasty - but hey, you're welcome to help me change my opinion...

[meatballfulton]

OK, we now have Korg making ARPs and Dave Smith making Oberheims.

When will Moog start rolling out reissues of vintage Rolands?

[Stab Frenzy]

Malekko is already making the Roland reissues.

[Blue Monster 65]

Sounds demo on Sonic State: http://www.sonicstate.com/news/2016/02/ ... im-sounds/

[maindeglorie]

The OB-6 sounds more like an Oberheim than the OB-12 did so quit your whining.

Seriously this thing sounds great. The oscillators have that ultra hollow electronic sounding square wave, the OB resonance is nicely portrayed, the filter is totally SEM, and who here really has the absurdity to b***h about any modern polyphonic analog synth that can do bandpass sweeps. Buy it. Be happy you're alive in this awesome time period. It sounds quite different from the P6, and you will probably want to own both. That's its biggest downfall.