Oberheim • OB-12
Move out of the way everyone because the Big-Boys are back in town! Oberheim is back with their first analog-emulation professional synthesizer. This blue beauty is supposed to recreate and emulate the classic sounds and tone of the original Oberheim analog filters. The OB-12 is a 12 voice synth with 4-part modelling synthesis. Loads of real-time knobs (22), sliders (24), and buttons (33) with a traditional layout give you fast hands-on access and control of most parameters. Extra hands-on goodies include a ribbon controller, pitch bend and modulation wheel.
Aside from great analog sounds, the OB-12 has an amazing set of hi-tech features! The OB-12 features a high quality LCD display that actually draws out all of the parameters you are changing. There are on board 5-band graphic & parametric EQ, ADSR's with delay time and double decay. An addictive Motion Recorder and manual or auto oscillator morphing for animated sounds or effects. Phrase Recorders and Arpeggiators with Independent tempo controls and 5 dedicated buttons are on-board with plenty of features and are MIDI syncable. There is also an extensive effects section that give you reverbs, delays, chorus and lots of overdrive algorithms. You'll also find digital SPDIF outputs, analog outputs, and MIDI in/out and thru.
It requires some effort to master, but no other VA synth that I used is so flexible and can give you such a range of sounds. Also some features, for example the morphing between sounds, are unique.
People who does not like the OB12 probably did not put much effort in programming. Guys, look at the picture, the knobs and sliders over there are supposed to be used: this in not just "select the patch and play" toy.
Anyone interested in the synth should watch out for dead displays. Both the back-lighting and the entire display are likely to be dying by now. Of course they can be replaced, but expensive if you are not doing it oneself.
@JesseJ - The Yahoo group is alive and can be joined. Actually, I think there may be two of these, one of which may largely unused. Just search.
@Rehtaeh - There are stacks of programs a bit like the OB-12, but none quite the same, for the full range of its capabilities, warts and all. If you really want some of the oddities that this can produce, from software, you may have to build something in one of the various excellent modular environments.
This is a monster of a synth, dont belive what all the oberheim synth fanboys say (its thin sounding). Its actually made by oberheim/viscount as a joint venture project. It does not sound like any previous oberheim synth even though thats how they intended it. You can create thin,thick,lush,fat,digital,analog and anywhere inbetween but you have to spend the time to learn what makes it tick.
My favorite sound from this machine is the bleepy twisted fx you can make and the distinctive lfo sound when you modulate it through the osc's ect.
You have to be mindful of your levels when using the OB12 as it can distort quite easily if you push the resonance to high, but you must tame the beast and make her your own!
A programmers dream.