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Oberheim OB-X Series

Series of Oberheim integrated programmable analog polysynths

The Oberheim OB-X series is the line of integrated, programmable analog polyphonic synthesizers that defined the Oberheim sound from 1979 onward. Beginning with the OB-X and continuing through the OB-Xa and OB-8, the series replaced the earlier stacked-SEM voice cards with internal voice boards and patch memory. The modern OB-X8 revives the line, combining the OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8 voice architectures in one instrument.

Sources

Category

  • Technical line drawing of Synthesizers

    Synthesizers

    Hardware synthesizers, synth model families, and related electronic instruments.

Made by

  • Oberheim

    Oberheim is an American synthesizer maker founded by Tom Oberheim in 1969, known for the SEM, the OB-X family of polyphonic synthesizers, and the DMX drum machine.

Models in series

  • Oberheim OB-X

    Synthesizer · United States

    The Oberheim OB-X, released in 1979, was Oberheim's first fully integrated programmable polyphonic synthesizer, available in four-, six-, or eight-voice configurations. It replaced the earlier stacked-SEM approach with internal discrete voice boards and patch memory, with two VCOs per voice and a discrete low-pass filter, and a 61-note keyboard.

  • Oberheim OB-8

    Synthesizer · United States

    The Oberheim OB-8, launched in early 1983, is an eight-voice two-part multitimbral analog synthesizer and the last of the original OB-series polysynths. Each voice has two VCOs and switchable two- and four-pole filters, with a 61-note keyboard, arpeggiator, programmable LFO and envelope modulation, expanded 'Page 2' functions, and MIDI on later units.

  • Oberheim OB-X8

    Synthesizer · United States

    The Oberheim OB-X8, introduced in 2022, is an eight-voice pure-analog polyphonic synthesizer that recreates and combines the three classic Oberheim voice architectures of the OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8 in a single instrument. Each voice has two discrete SEM-lineage VCOs, with both the original SEM discrete filter and Curtis CEM3320 two- and four-pole filters. It ships as a 61-key Fatar keyboard and as a desktop module.

  • Oberheim OB-Xa

    Synthesizer · United States

    The Oberheim OB-Xa, released in 1980, is a polyphonic analog synthesizer with two oscillators per voice and the ability to split and layer sounds. Powerful and aggressive, its sound is famous from records such as Van Halen's 'Jump' and many other 1980s productions.