GForce Software Oberheim TVS Pro review: It’s an authentic emulation of the Two Voice Synthesizer from 2015, featuring all the original voice modes and other extras.
One of Tom Oberheim’s most iconic synthesizers is the Synthesizer Expander Module, aka. SEM. It was part of various Oberheim synths, including the SEM mono synth, the Two Voice (TVS and TVS Pro), and the Eight Voice.
Two of these, the SEM and Eight Voice, are already available as official, excellent, endorsed emulations. What’s missing to close the chapter? Of course, the Two Voice! To celebrate its 50th anniversary, GForce Software has also recreated the Two Voice for your DAW in the Oberheim TVS Pro plugin.
Thanks go to GForce Software for giving me advanced access to the new Oberheim TVS Pro plugin so that I could test it for you.
GForce Software TVS Pro Review
To be precise, the TVS Pro plugin is not an emulation of the original TVS from 1975, but of the enhanced TVS Pro version from 2015. You’ll quickly notice this when you take a closer look at the feature set.
The core of the GForce Software TVS Pro consists of two modeled Oberheim SEM synthesizers with the same engine and simplicity found in the SEM and Eight Voice plugins.
Each SEM voice features two main VCOs with frequency control, sync, FM, and pulse width modulation. Both oscillators have saw and pulse waveforms that can be mixed in the filter, like in the original.
From here, it goes into the iconic Oberheim state-variable filter with morphable lowpass, notch, and highpass modes. Bandpass is available with a switch.
Its character is buttery smooth and rich, like the original Oberheim SEM. On the modulation side, you have two ADS envelopes, as well as a single LFO.
Up to this point, it’s classic SEM. However, GForce Software has built in extra goodies for each voice, as they did with the SEM and Eight Voice. These are located on a second GUI package, which can be accessed by clicking the small triangle next to each voice.
Extra SEM Sound Options
Starting with a third oscillator that can be used as a classic oscillator or as a low-frequency oscillator (LFO). In addition to the saw, it gives you sine and square waveforms, expanding the sound spectrum of the SEM. Plus, you can find another multi-wave LFO with a retrigger function.
On the same second page, you can easily assign filter tracking, velocity, and aftertouch modulation destinations. I find the limited selection of aftertouch routing a bit weak. Other companies, like Arturia or Cherry Audio, offer more options in their SEM emulations.
The final sound of both SEM modules can then be refined with three high-quality effects: phaser, delay, and reverb. It’s nice to have the option to decide for each effect processor whether you want to route both SEMs or just one into it. This gives you a lot of freedom in sound design.
On the main GUI, you have limited control over the effects. However, if you switch to the dedicated sequencer page, you gain full access, allowing you to delve into every little detail of each effect processor.
These are three quality effects that sound excellent and are a perfect match for the Oberheim TVS Pro sound in terms of character. The delay and reverb algorithms familiar from other GForce Software plugins push the synth into atmospheric soundscapes.
The built-in phaser (Phasor) in the GForce Software Oberheim TVS Pro is also a lot of fun for sound design. Six stages provide more subtle effects and add an organic vibe to the sounds, while the 12-stage configuration adds phaser domination to your sounds. Fans of mouthful phaser sounds choose the latter.
In the dedicated output section on the left side, you can mix and match both SEM modules to your taste. There are individual volume and pan knobs for each SEM module. Strange, it lacks a global volume control for the entire TVS Pro sound. Yes, you can adjust the volume in the DAW, but not in the plugin.
Sequencing
Part of the modern Oberheim TVS Pro from 2015 was a playful digital sequencer with two tracks, ratcheting, and more. This is also available in the emulation.
As with the effects, you get a stripped-down sequencer feature set on the main GUI and then complete control on the second. Handy to make quick adjustments without entering the full sequencer spectrum.
GForce Software Oberheim TVS Pro features two independent step sequencers with real-time recording and step programming. Each track can hold up to 16 notes (steps) and has adjustable controls for the gate, velocity, ratcheting, and pan.
Racheting, a repeating trigger effect popularized by Tangerine Dream, is a lot of fun to work with and brings complexity into the patterns. It also offers the ability to work with scales, add swing, change playback direction, and randomize values.
A handy feature is the option to export each sequence via MIDI to the DAW. Sequencer presets are also onboard, but there is no visualization of their names.
Unfortunately, the macro automation from the Oberheim OB-1 plugin is missing in the TVS Pro sequencer. That would have been an excellent fit for the TVS Pro. Otherwise, it’s a very pleasant, easy-to-use analog-style sequencer with plenty of options.
TVS Pro Playing Modes
One of the Oberheim TVS Pro’s strengths was its various playing modes. They allow you to play the two SEM modules in different creative ways. Playing both SEM voices together with the same key is probably the most boring “classic” mode of the TVS Pro. It’s maybe a bit tough to say, but if you know the other playful modes, they are more fun.
The plugin takes these and, if I’m not mistaken, expands them with others. In total, you can explore 17 different playing modes, categorized in three sections: keyboard, sequencer, and mixed.
Keyboard offers all possible configurations for controlling the SEMs with traditional keyboard playing. Including solo SEM module, split, or unison. More unique is the poly continuous mode, which basically sequences through the voice. Each key gives you a different voice.
If you have programmed two slightly different sounds on SEM 1 and 2, you can create a patch timbre that constantly shifts between them. In priority mode, the selected SEM always takes precedence in the voice management.
In Sequencer mode, the SEMs connect individually or together to the sequencers. This makes mono and dual sequencer setups possible, as well as unison, where one sequencer triggers both SEMs. You can make things even wilder by mixing the keyboard and sequencer modes.
This ranges from splits, standalone sequencer triggering with playing on top, to a key that triggers both solo and sequencer. I like the ability to trigger both at the same time or to put a lead sound on the right side and run the sequencer on the left.
These playing modes alone make the two-voice GForce Software Oberheim TVS Pro very flexible in use.
Presets
The TVS Pro plugin ships with over 635 patches, including 220+ new sounds and 400+ converted SEM sounds. Neat, you can import sounds from OB-E and SEM and also export them. These are embedded in a very intuitive patch browser with tagging and more.
Long-time GForce software users will notice, however, that macro controllers are missing from this plugin, which I find a bit of a shame. They are useful for quickly tweaking sounds
There’s not much to say about the built-in sounds. They are of a very high quality, as usual, and cover a wide range of sounds. From gorgeous vintage to playful modern with sparkling extras, there are sounds for everybody’s taste.
It’s noticeable, however, that the focus is on classic and vintage. This could be due to the modulation and sequencing options that are somewhat more limited.
GForce Software Oberheim TVS Pro Summary
GForce Software has once again proven that they are modeling experts. The passion and skill the team put into development are evident in the TVS Pro. Like the SEM and the OB-E (Eight Voice), this new software incarnation of the Two Voice Pro sounds fat and gorgeous.
Fact: I don’t have a real TVS Pro at home and can’t say exactly how exactly it compares to the original unit. When I play the TVS Pro, I get the same vibe as with other SEM-based plugins, and they immediately remind me of those hardware synths. GForce Software found the perfect formula how an SEM should sound.
As I said in the Arturia V Collection 11 review, the GF SEM grabs me more than the French one. There’s a warm, rich quality that’s even more tingling than with the SEM V. It’s exactly the same here with the TVS Pro
Don’t worry, this is not a GF love story, but still a review. There is also criticism of the release. No question: the different SEM configs look better distributed across three plugins and with distinct GUIs. This gives you three independent instruments that also refer to the history.
However, I guess one voice, two voices, or eight voices of the same SEM engine could have easily been accommodated in the existing flagship plugin Oberheim OB-E. Add the playing modes and an extended sequencer, and you’d have an OB-E v3.
They could have marketed it as an upgrade, and thus we had just one SEM plugin. I guess this has more marketing reasons, as three plugins are easier to sell than one super Oberheim SEM plugin with a higher price tag.
Furthermore, there are some missing features I would have liked to see here: macro controls, more advanced aftertouch mappings, a global level control, and others. All in all, another beautifully Oberheim-endorsed plugin with a top-notch, authentic sound. It’s not perfect, but thanks to the software’s nature, these shortcomings can be corrected at any time.
GForce Software TVS Pro is now available for an introductory price of £33 + VAT, down from £66 + VAT. It runs as a VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (both native Apple Silicon and Intel) and Windows.
More information here: GForce Software
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