LEAK: the Oberheim OB-X8 has just been leaked, a new bi-timbral polyphonic analog Synthesizer that is built on the OB-X, OB-Xa.. legacies
For a few weeks now, Tom Oberheim has been teasing a new Synthesizer in collaboration with Sequential. There have long been rumors about an OB-X reissue or a modern version. The trademark registrations revealed this a year ago.
All the rumors are real. Today there was a leak (Gearspace) of the new OB-X8, a new polyphonic Oberheim developed by the synth pioneer Tom Oberheim.
Oberheim OB-X8 Leak
The Oberheim OB-X8 will be a new 8-voice bi-timbral polyphonic analog Synthesizer based on the legendary OB-X from 1979. According to the leak, it will be not a 1-to-1 clone/replica but a modern take on the OB-X with an upgraded feature set.
The core offers two discrete SEM/OB-X-lineage VCOs per voice delivering the classic punchy Oberheim tone. They offer sine, saw, square, and triangle as selectable waveforms as well as noise. They have the classic OB-X features including variable triangle wave cross-modulations.
Followed by a discrete SEM-lineage VCFs that delivers the authentic OB-X style tone and presence. It has a new SEM filter mode that adds high pass, bandpass, and notch functions to the classic OB-X filter.
Then, it also has Curtis filters to add the bold and lovey character of the OB-Xa and OB-8. What many have wished for: the OB-X and OB-Xa sound in one device. The envelope responses are meticulously modeled after the OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8 says the leaked information.
There will be also a vintage knob allowing to add variable amounts of voice-to-voice variability to emulate the behavior of vintage instruments. Plus, it has a programmable per-voice pan for wider stereo presence.
Playability
Thanks to its bi-timbral capability, you can have two presets simultaneously for splits and doubles. The leak also says that there will be enhanced unison making variable voice stacking from 1-8 voices possible. The OB-X8 will have a 61-key FATAR keybed with velocity (volume/filter) and channel-aftertouch for real-time performance-based modulation. It will also have an arpeggiator with a clock input. But no sequencer.
The developers also also added classic Oberheim pitch and mod levers allow expressive note bending, vibrato, and access to arpeggiator functions
Connectivity
Connection side, you have stereo and mono outputs. Inputs for sustain, volume, and filter as well as MIDI on classic 5 pin sockets. Plus you get a MIDI socket. It will come with an integral, fanless, heating-free power supply and the interface has real walnut end cheeks.
Damn. That’s a lot of cabbage to lay out for an 8 voice analog synth, even if it DOES nail the Oberheim sound and vibe. Think I would consider 2 OB6 modules for less, or consider just splurging for a 16 voice Moog One. But no argument from me the early 80s Oberheim polysynths sounded awesome, and for Oberheim fans I hope this does as well.
Lol. For less than that you can get the Behringer UBX, UBXa, Pro16 and still get their new pedals.
As for the chips, neither Tom nor Dave are worried because they won’t sell much.
People said the same thing about the Moog One…..and yet how many videos of it are online? How many people now own a Prophet REV4?
Not all of us are peasants. Not everyone plays Squires.
Not everyone is dumb enough to overpay either
Or be a behringer shill, like you.
How many of those video makers were loaned the gear by the manufacturer?
LOL! Seriously? OG OB8 sold for over $4k, $5k doesn’t even begin to cover inflation, so tired of hearing how overpriced this is. Clearly you all have no interest in a classic Oberheim. This is a very exciting and reasonable priced synthetic that a lot of us are truly excited about.
Aaron you’re absolutely correct! You are! Synths were 20 thousand dollars in the 60’s. We have done allot to bring prices down. We’re lucky Tom is old and he likes the sound of 5k from back in the day. A younger designer would have it built in China and still sold it to us for 5 grand.
Uli isn’t going to sell it for $5000, that’s for sure.
You mean those synths that have been teased for years and have yet to become available for purchase? Ok pal
I used to work for Behringer. I wouldn’t use any of their equipment unless it was free. And, then perhaps not.
I think it’s great. Obx and obxa together, new, reliable, with midi. Will sit nicely with my main analog polys….pro10, Moog one 16 voice, Andromeda, Modal 008, Code, Deckards Dream, Kijimi, etc. Glad Tom is releasing it and not Behringer. It’s worth the asking price, more even. Why limit yourself gear wise? If you can’t afford, work for it. The reward is worth it.
This reminds me of my pizza delivery days. I was admiring a customer’s Ferrari, and he gave me a $20 and said “For your Ferrari fund.” LOL. If all of us made enough money to own a Ferrari, well none of us would be able to own a Ferrari. Luxury goods only exist because there are working class people who will make those goods.
A studio full of high end synths requires that some of us make more, in most cases much more, than others. I’m not saying we should be communists, I like my Matriarch and Super 6 as much as anyone, but let’s be honest about our financial privileges.
Working your ass off to buy these things is not a “privilege”. I work 50+ hours a week to support my family and still have enough money left over to buy one synth like this every year or two. Not everyone that has the money for these synths inherits the money or is rich enough to buy a Ferrari, and many of us actually make albums and play live shows in our spare time as well.
Matriarch and Super 6 are very nice.
5000 for square, sine, sawtooth today in 2022? These sounds was in 40 tears ago. But today?
When released in 1979, the OB-X sold for $4,595 for the 4-voice.
Factoring inflation that’s about $18,352 today.
It’s now on Reverb for $18K-$20K.
There are plenty of cheap analog synths to choose from that aren’t made by legends like Tom and Dave.
There is a demand in the market for this and plenty will jump on it at $5K.
At least there are synths for every budget lol
UB-Xa save me from these crazy prices. Not burning them I am sure its an amazing instrument but I would have hoped for at least 16 voices as its bi-timbral but I guess then they would charge 10K… arrrghhhh
$5000??? Only for millionaires
It looks boring. Not even considering the price, nothing about this looks spectacular. Maybe everyoneknows something I dont but when people talk about the sound of a device I kind of get it. I loved the sound of the Analog Four which I havent found an alternative, and the Moog One and Matriarch. Those have sounds that make me understand a musician wanting to have a certain sound. BUT, those synths are feature-rich, lots of modulation options, FX, sequencing, modern day additions that make them your goto for synth exploration. Without reading the specs and just looking at the keyboard. 2 oscillators, 1 filter and amp env, 2 lfos and some other stuff. Its like $200 for the analog poly and $3000 for the name. Makes me wonder what the different is between this and one of his other synths.
It’s got every factory patch of the OB-X, OB-XA, and OB-8 in one package. It’s essentially a tribute to those 80’s synths, and honestly we haven’t had true access to those original sounds since those synths were made. Sure, there are soft synth emulations of many analog synths, and they can get close, but there’s definitely something different about true analog instruments. It’s like watching a movie shot on film vs digital video. Obviously, these are not going to be for everyone. It’s a niche, boutique instrument that’s going to appeal to vintage synth enthusiasts.
$200 for the raw cost of creating an OB-X8? Dream on, pal. You conveniently forget: injection molding tooling for knobs, raw steel and metal fab for case, raw/finished lumber cost for end caps, a year or more of R&D and hardware, software and firmware engineers’ salaries, assembly and testing costs, shipping costs, advertising costs…… the list goes on and on. Get real. Don’t talk about things you don’t understand.
I was fortunate enough to own both an OBXA as well as the OB8 I still own. Be waiting for this for awhile and honestly the price is about whats expected. You get what you pay for and it looks awesome. cant wait to get my hands on it.
On looks alone, it should be a winner. Luckily my synth collection has some good stuff already. This would be affordable to me, especially by selling some gear. It would definitely make me travel to London to give it a demo, which would definitely blow me away.
What a boring board….mass produced voice boards and more expensive than the real thing.
Passssssssss
I got an ob8 in 2018 for 3500 eur.
Digital is my reality, acb technology and similar emulations in every sense liberalized the market . There is more VST people then pure analog flamboyants who uses plugins in regular bases thoose sounds which are very close to the original and in the mix with proper mastering in the song with othe sonic elements most of listeners can not 96% differentiate A or B real analog versus digital emulation, but for purist every detail makes difference and sense Why not?why not let them enjoy it…dont be hater just because you are jealous as a pure sinwave Why trolling the others because you can’t afford this product? blessed ones they will buy this synth…..i wishing you so much joy with this synth