Oberheim OB-X

Specification

The OB-X was the first Oberheim synthesizer based on a single printed circuit board called a "voice card" (still using mostly discrete components) rather than the earlier SEM (Synthesizer Expander Module) used in Oberheim semi-modular systems, which had required multiple modules to achieve polyphony. The OB-X's memory held 32 user-programmable presets. The synthesizer's built-in Z-80 microprocessor also automated the tuning process. This made the OB-X less laborious to program, more functional for live performance, and more portable than its ancestors.

The "X" in OB-X originally stood for the number of voice-cards (notes of polyphony) installed. It came in four, six, and eight-voice models with polyphonic portamento, and sample and hold. Even the 4-voice model was expensive at US$4,595. The entire range used "paddle" levers for pitch and modulation, Oberheim's answer to the "wheel" controls of the Prophet-5. Though these controls were never as popular as the standard pitch and modulation wheels, the philosophy was to mimic the motion of a guitar player bending the strings on their guitar. On most other synthesizers the pitch bend wheel was on the left, and the modulation wheel to the right of it; on the OB-X Oberheim placed them in the opposite relative positions. In addition to this unique configuration the polarity of the paddles was distinctive; the player would pull back on the pitch lever to bend the pitch sharp, and push forward to bend flat.

Notable OB-X users

• Eurythmics (on "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)")
• Japan
• Queen (on The Game and Flash Gordon*)*
• Tangerine Dream
• Youth
• John Lennon
• Rush
• Nena
• Madonna (in her Debut Album)
• The Stranglers

Hardware re-issues and recreations

In May 2022, the Oberheim OB-X8, a new 8-voice analog synthesizer with the voice architecture and filters of four classic Oberheim models: the OB-X, OB-SX, OB-Xa, and OB-8, along with functionality and features not included on the original models, was announced. The new synthesizer is manufactured by Sequential in partnership with Tom Oberheim.

References

References

1. "GForce Software".
2. (1993). "Vintage Synthesizers". Miller Freeman Books.
3. "Synth Icons: Oberheim OB Series".
4. Lowther, Simon. (September 1998). "Oberheim OBX, OBXa & OB8".
5. (1996). "The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizers Part Two: N-Z". Susurreal.
6. (1996). "Keyfax Omnibus Edition". MixBooks.
7. "Oberheim OB-X".
8. (July 2018). "Classic Tracks: Eurythmics' 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)'".
9. (2015-06-06). "Oberheim OB Series".
10. (8 June 2020). "How Queen Embraced the Synthesizer on "Play the Game"". [[Townsquare Media]].
11. Rogerson, Ben. (2022-05-10). "Superbooth 2022: Oberheim is back with the OB-X8, an analogue love letter to its '80s synths".
12. Willings, Sam. (2022-05-11). "Superbooth 2022: Tom Oberheim's OB-X8 lands, carrying on the OB legacy from 1979 with help from Dave Smith".
13. "Oberheim OB-X8".