Oberheim Returns With The OB-X8

[twonabomber]

8-voice Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer with 2 SEM/OB-X-lineage VCOs Per Voice, SEM-lineage VCFs, Curtis Filters, 61-key FATAR Velocity-/Touch-sensitive Keyboard, OLED Display, and 400+ Presets

All analog signal path. "By combining all the primary features of the OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8 models, the OB-X8 contains a selection of the most unforgettable and iconic synth sounds of the '80s, complete with individual filter types and all the presets that made each a standout instrument."

$5k, shipping in June.

[twonabomber]

At Superbooth

[twonabomber]

Good thing I just paid off my Roland Jupiter X :D damn Sweetwater and their 48 month financing!

[Nitro Express]

It's 1984 again. Play now pay later. You will get a keyboard and some candy.

[Seshmeister]

$5k, shipping in June.

I had no idea synths still cost $5k.

Surely there is an emulator you can put on a laptop and then just attach a MIDI keyboard to for a fraction of that?

[twonabomber]

Sure. That OB-X is a good emulator.

Might be a good investment. Wouldn't be gigged and beat up. Who knows.

I'm still getting into the Jupiter X and a couple other things I picked up. Stupid busy with everything else right now.

[twonabomber]

I had no idea synths still cost $5k.

Jupiter X was half that and they put the fucking four years same as cash on it lol. That was my birthday present to myself last year. I went with a vintage piece after my junkie friend moved out in 2020.

I paid off that X on my Sweetwater card and two weeks later my "sales engineer" sends me a note reminding me that my card is empty and burning a hole in my pocket. I've been good so far. Saw the Juno X but it didn't do much for me.

The Sequential/Oberheim OB-6 is $3500 but only six voices. I guess Sequential and Oberheim are part of Focusrite now. Gibson had bought Oberheim in the late 80's but didn't really do the company any favors.

[twonabomber]

OB-X8 out and shipping and hasn't seen a price decrease yet. Sweetwater has $300 in "bonus bucks" toward a future purchase but $4600 is still a little much. I could buy another Jeep for that much! :D

I upgraded to OP-X Pro II for $80. Only a six voice VST but multiples can be run.

[twonabomber]

Sweetwater is up to $700 in bonus bucks. $4300 is still a lot. Summer hobbies starting soon, I wouldn't play it until fall.

[Seshmeister]

Back when I dabbled in these things they really used up a lot of time playing around with sounds. Would be good if you were giving up booze or smoking and wanted to take you mind off it but I guess video games do that a lot cheaper.

[twonabomber]

I don't do video games. I only turn on the PS4 to watch the Mandalorian :D

I did pick up the Arturia V Collection 9. Registered some Arturia hardware I previously purchased (MiniBrute, Keystep, and RackBrute) and got 50% off. There's an Oberheim on there too. I have been playing with the Casio CZ emulator and the Fairlight one.

[Seshmeister]

I spent 2 years trying to get good sounds out of Casio CZs around 1987/8 because that's all I could afford I don't know why you would go there now.

Running 2 together I could get something acceptable but as I remember they were 4 note Poly which is not good.

Off topic I think Andor has maybe made the latest Mandalorian a lot less good by showing how it should be done.

[twonabomber]

The flagship CZ-1 is eight voices. Found one cheap locally a few years ago. The Arturia stuff lets you go up to 16 voices (I think) but puts more of a load on the processor.

I had a CZ-230S and found the sysex patch files online. They load into the CZ emulator. You're right, they weren't very good but it was nice to revisit them.

[Seshmeister]

At the time I was wanting lush strings, choirs and brass stabs and could only get ok strings at best. Couldn't afford anything better so made me go from keyboards/rhythm guitar to just guitar.

[twonabomber]

I used the 230S for strings until I got my Roland S-50 and then used those strings on everything.

Basses are okay. There was a distorted guitar patch I'd use in a pinch.

There's some creative patches on the Arturia thing. I don't remember if there's a demo. Some other small software developer made an emulator too.