The New Tom Oberheim SEM Thread

[Dogboy73]

you would be insane to get a telemark... the sem sounds a lot better and people have reported faults with the telemark and semblance build quality

I came to the same conclusion. I liked the look of the Telemrak very much. But I've ended up going for the Oberheim SEM MIDI>CV module. Ordered it last night. I can't afford it but what the h**l!! Gearl lust in a wonderful/terrible thing

[KLAXON]

you would be insane to get a telemark... the sem sounds a lot better and people have reported faults with the telemark and semblance build quality

I came to the same conclusion. I liked the look of the Telemrak very much. But I've ended up going for the Oberheim SEM MIDI>CV module. Ordered it last night. I can't afford it but what the h**l!! Gearl lust in a wonderful/terrible thing

And now that Tom is making SEMs again, who in their right mind would buy a knock off version that costs a few hundred dollars more than the real thing?

Even with the increase in price of Tom's SEM, the AS version is still a few hundred more. To throw political correctness aside...you'd have to be a mental defective to buy the telemark.

[Dogboy73]

And now that Tom is making SEMs again, who in their right mind would buy a knock off version that costs a few hundred dollars more than the real thing? Even with the increase in price of Tom's SEM, the AS version is still a few hundred more. To throw political correctness aside ... you'd have to be a mental defective to buy the telemark.

That was pretty much my exact line of thought. The SEM sounds really nice from I've heard. The Semblance/Telemark sounds fantasic as well. But sound aside, even though it should be the most important aspect, I think the best part about the new SEM is it's built as close to the original as possible by the man behind the original classic. It's like a piece history brought back to life. Why more original synth manufacturers don't do this kind of thing is beyond me.

[Sir Ruff]

And now that Tom is making SEMs again, who in their right mind would buy a knock off version that costs a few hundred dollars more than the real thing? Even with the increase in price of Tom's SEM, the AS version is still a few hundred more. To throw political correctness aside ... you'd have to be a mental defective to buy the telemark.

That was pretty much my exact line of thought. The SEM sounds really nice from I've heard. The Semblance/Telemark sounds fantasic as well. But sound aside, even though it should be the most important aspect, I think the best part about the new SEM is it's built as close to the original as possible by the man behind the original classic. It's like a piece history brought back to life. Why more original synth manufacturers don't do this kind of thing is beyond me.

I think they had a good idea with the Telemark (before TO even did), but I have simply never heard anything good said about AS, so it would take a lot of convincing to want a Telemark these days when the original is right there too. Even if they sounded identical, I think most people would opt for the oberheim model out of purely nostalgia reasoning (and the naive hope that if he'd successful, maybe others will join the bandwagon, as Dogboy and I'm sure others wish)

[projectwoofer]

One question to whom may know! Is it possible to achieve real LFO sync with the new SEM? Is it possible with both versions? Any special external hardware required?

and one more: Will the SEM's 12db multimode filter self-oscillate with high resonance settings?

[SWAN]

Does the SEM do pulse width modulation via LFO and or Env? I love my Source but am thinking this new patch SEM may be as good on bass and more versatile...

[projectwoofer]

...you'd have to be a mental defective to buy the telemark.

Telemark has more functions such as MIDI+its semi-modular (you don't have to choose)+Noise Generator+more modulation routings+more waveforms on the LFO...

Am I mentaly defective when I'm on a dillema here??

[Dogboy73]

I think they had a good idea with the Telemark (before TO even did), but I have simply never heard anything good said about AS, so it would take a lot of convincing to want a Telemark these days when the original is right there too. Even if they sounded identical, I think most people would opt for the ober

ASUK have recently added a new YouTube video of the Semblance. I don't think it's a very good demo though. The sounds are not that great & it doesn't sound much like an SEM to me. I'm sure it's capable of much more than the demo & I have heard some great things coming from the Telemark on other YouTube demos. But in the end it was a no brainer to go for the new Oberheim SEM.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_t ... egories=10

[SWAN]

is there anywhere in europe you can get a new SEM?

[Dogboy73]

is there anywhere in europe you can get a new SEM?

Nope. At present it's exclusive to AudioMIDI. And I don't think that's likely to change any time soon - The units are hand built & AudioMIDI already have a big back log to catch up with. It will be a while before I get mine that's for sure. Apparently people that ordered in October are still waiting! That's one of the reason's that I just thought, 'what the h**l! I'll order it right now', after phoning just to find out what 'Availability : Special order', meant on the item description

[Sir Ruff]

One question to whom may know! Is it possible to achieve real LFO sync with the new SEM? Is it possible with both versions? Any special external hardware required?

and one more: Will the SEM's 12db multimode filter self-oscillate with high resonance settings?

LFO: no, tho there is a LFO retrig patch point; Filter: almost but not quite

Does the SEM do pulse width modulation via LFO and or Env?

Having a quick look at the actual SEM would answer that question pretty quickly


I have no doubt the telemark is more versatile than the SEM, as is the FR XS... Deciding on new SEM it's more a question of aesthetic and sound rather than just pure functionality (i.e. no one ever bought a SEM because of functionality). The additional patch points definitely increase versatility, but only to a fairly rudimentary level... there is no attenuation like on the XS, so patching is kind of "all or nothing" unless you start using an external CV mixer like the Moog CP-251.

If this is going to be your only monosynth with this character set and you want features, I would probably go for the XS ot telemark to be honest. If you just want good sound, I would go for the SEM (and then maybe get a CP251 to maximize the effectiveness of the patch points)

[Sir Ruff]

DP

[nadafarms]

gonna have to disagree with sir ruff, IMO the new sem still stomps on the telemark and xs... because the sound is so much better to me that no amount of added features can make up for the fact that the sem just sounds brilliant! I was playing mine until 4am last night and it's the best synth I've bought in years, just get a kenton midi pro solo which has lfo midi sync output and that is probably the same cost as buying a telemark.

telemark has this buzzy hollow sound that is totally different sounding i think. It's in the ballpark but really it's no SEM

also don't forget about the people who have reported the semblance and telemark having oscillators that can't be calibrated properly, or other weird problems. I was real frustrated when I took a semblance to a tech and he simply said osc 2 can't hold calibration... my choice was to dump it for cheap or send it out of the country for insane money to have it fixed. I dumped it and never looked back, that semblance wasn't very old either.

obviously the XS is totally different, I personally don't like the character of them and think the oscs are too stable and the filter is plain and boring. the sem is way more vintage and fat sounding.

[Z]

Apparently people that ordered in October are still waiting!

I ordered mine Oct. 13 and still waiting. However, my order somehow got cancelled because the phone number I gave them does not match the old phone number I had on file with my credit card (I've since updated). I have never heard of that before. AudioMIDI left out a "s" on my email address, so they coupld not get hold of me that way and I have my phone set up to not accept calls from blocked numbers, so they couldn't call me. Not sure why AudioMIDI would have their caller ID blocked.

I was very patient and cordial when I talked to one of their sales reps this past Friday, so hopefully I will get my place in line back.

[nadafarms]

that sucks Z but at least you have plenty of synths that would make any man jealous while you wait !!!!!!!!!!