Superbooth 22: Oberheim is back in business with the help of Focusrite and starts a new chapter with the OB-X8, a new polyphonic analog Synthesizer.
After the many leaks of the last few days and many high-resolution pictures, it is now official. Tom Oberheim is back with his Oberheim company and starts business again at 85.
For Superbooth 22, Oberheim announces the OB-X8, a new bi-timbral polyphonic analog Synthesizer that is built on the legacies of the OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8. It reunites all the important core features of these legendary instruments in a new poly analog synth.
Welcome Back Oberheim
The new chapter of Oberheim was heralded with the video trailer “Welcome Back back in April. With the OB-X8, the first product from this is ready to move into music production studios. Synth pioneer Tom Oberheim says about the release:
“I wanted to come back with a new design that combines the sounds of the best instruments from across the OB line with the distinctive sound and design of these synthesizers,” says Tom Oberheim. “But we’ve gone one step further. You can now combine the different OB Voice architectures in a way that creates unique and interesting new sounds and possibilities.”
Interestingly is that Tom Oberheim has decided to team up with Focusrite PLC, also the owner of Dave Smith’s ex-company Sequential to launch new products under the Oberheim brand. It’s the first time in more than 35 years. Further Tom says:
“I’ve always had a very optimistic attitude towards our industry and the future in general. I had a feeling that one day, when the time was right, Oberheim would return. A big part of that was the fact that over the course of the “I’ve contacted so many musicians over the years to ask how to get hold of an original Oberheim. When I finally reclaimed the Oberheim name, it was clear that the time was finally right,” says Oberheim.
The Oberheim Team
Besides Focusrite and Sequential, he is working again with Marcus Ryle, and several other members of the original Oberheim Team. And more importantly for the synth community. Thanks to an “exclusive partnership with Sequential, they have the ability to design, manufacture, distribute, and support new instruments on a global basis”.
And he not only got advice from Focusrite and Sequential but also direct feedback from the music industry. Among others, he previews Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails the synth:
When I was shown the new OB-X8, I was immediately struck by the level of detail that went into the design and the respect for its heritage,” said Trent. I will make room for such an instrument in my studio and look forward to more people being able to experience this classic instrument.”
Oberheim OB-X8
You can get a full overview of the features in the leak article or here in a summary.
- 8 voice bi-timbral polyphonic analog Synthesizer
- 2 discrete SEM/OB-X-lineage VCO per voice (sine, saw, square, triangle, noise) with variable triangle wave cross-modulations
- discrete SEM-lineage VCFs with a new SEM filter mode giving you high pass, band pass, and notch to the classic OB-X filter
- Curtis filters for the OB-Xa and OB-8
- two envelopes meticulously modeled after OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8
- vintage knob for adding variable amounts of voice-to-voice variability to emulate the behavior of vintage instruments.
- programmable per-voice pan for a wider stereo presence
- two presets simultaneously with splits and doubles
- enhanced unison with voice stacking up to 8 voices
- 61-key FATAR keybed with velocity (volume/filter) and channel-aftertouch
- built-in arpeggiator
- Oberheim classic pitch and mod levers on the left side for expressive note bending, vibrato, and access to arpeggiator functions
- stereo and mono outputs
- inputs for sustain, volume, and filter
- MIDI on classic 5-pin sockets and USB
- integral, fanless, heating-free power supply
- real walnut end cheeks
- OLED display
First Impression
Wow, that’s a feast for the ears. Or should I say, Ear Candy deluxe. A very fat, analog sound with the typical Oberheim character. You immediately feel like you’re back in the 80s with the OB-Xa, OB-X… Big cinema, congrats to Tom Oberheim and all who are involved in this flagship analog Synthesizer.
Oberheim OB-X8 will be available in late June 2022 with an MSRP of $4995 USD/5699€. It’s ready for pre-order.
More information here: Oberheim
Available for pre-order at our partners
Can’t afford and OB-X8 ? For an almost indistinguishable experience at a tiny fraction of the price, get a DSI Rev-2.
I’m in no rush. I’ll wait for the Behringer range.
It’s better to have a few, high quality instruments than a ton of junk. That being said, not being currently employed this is out of my price range, but would get one of I could….some day for sure.
The one-min trailer sounds good but it is a multi-track recording. This 8-voice synth is for the pro studio market, hobbyists will do just fine with a laptop these days.
I hope they will do somthing more complex based on the matrix series. The core sound is amazing.