OB-X8 The Real Oberheim Sound

The OB-X8 sounds like an original Oberheim because it is an original Oberheim. Its 100% analogue audio circuitry allows it to come out of the mix like no other synth.

A pure analog

The OB-X8's audio signal path is all analogue, imbued with warmth and power. It's the same signature Oberheim sound that made iconic tracks like Prince's 1999, Van Halen's Jump, and Rush's Tom Sawyer unforgettable. And now it's yours to sublimate your own music.

New sounds

The factory sounds of the OB series, which you know from countless recordings, are all here. But that's just the beginning: our network of world-renowned sound designers has created some stunning new sounds just for the OB-X. And because the OB-X8 has a set of clear, easy-to-understand controls, creating your own sounds is as simple as turning a few knobs and saving the ones you like.

Three in One

The OB-X8 combines the three different voice architectures of the OB-X, OB-Xa and OB-8 into one instrument. The specific filter types and other unique features of each model have been faithfully reproduced, giving you the most authentic OB experience possible. You can even mix elements from the different models to create sounds that are impossible to achieve with the originals. There has never been an OB series synthesizer so powerful and versatile.

A Classic - Evolved

The OB-X8 is more than just another Oberheim in the OB series. It has been designed to be the best modern OB ever created.

The sense of detail

To achieve the classic OB sound, it wasn't enough to replicate vintage oscillators, filters and envelopes.
Oberheim's design team exhaustively analyzed and recreated the complex interactions between the various components of each OB Series synth to capture their nuances and character.
The result is the most faithful, authentic revival of an analogue classic possible - with all the warmth, subtlety and presence of the originals.

Page 2022

OB connoisseurs know that the many features of "page 2″ reveal the hidden power of the original OB-X, OB-Xa and OB-8.
We've incorporated all the original Page 2 parameters and added new ones for 2022, giving you direct access to over 40 nuanced controls such as additional SEM filter modes, per-voice panning, LFO keyboard tracking, modulation delay time and envelope inversion, independent pulse width control, and much more.

A palpable success

The unique design of the expression levers has resulted in the performance for which the OB series synths are known.
And for even more expressiveness than the originals, the OB-X8 features a premium velocity and aftertouch sensitive Fatar keyboard. Grab both levers for sensational filter frequency sweeps, intense vibrato and more.

Ob-X8 overview

Master

Adjust master volume, tuning, volume balance for splits and doubles, as well as chord memory and note hold here.

Control

Here you can set the detuning of oscillator 2 and add as much "vintage" character as you like. Vintage mode affects the voice-to-voice variability of the OB-X8's envelopes, oscillators and LFOs to replicate the behaviour of vintage instruments with all their organic instabilities. In addition, you can enable and route aftertouch and velocity sensitivity, adjust the portamento (glide) duration, and enable unison voice stacking.

Modulation

You can route the LFO (low-frequency oscillator) to a variety of destinations to create rhythmic filter frequency sweeps, pulse-width modulation, vibrato, tremolo and other effects. Choose from six waveforms: sine, square, sample & hold (random), sawtooth, inverted sawtooth and triangle.

Oscillators

Select the waveforms that generate the raw sound of the OB-X8. Each of the two discrete oscillators in the SEM line produces sawtooth, square or triangle waves. Combine square and sawtooth waves for added punch. Hard Sync and Xmod (oscillator frequency modulation) functions add additional sonic possibilities.

Keyboard

This is where the OB-X8's bi-timbral capability (two different sounds at once) comes into play. Choose two presets ("upper" and "lower") and assign them to two different regions of the keyboard. You can also overlay them for more complex textures. Adjust the pan and volume independently for each preset.

Filter

This is the soul of the OB-X8's sound. Choose between the three different analogue filters that gave the original OB-X, OB-Xa and OB8 their unique character.
Firstly, the famous discrete SEM filter, a bipolar low-pass filter of the OB-X with its unmistakable character. It performs even better on the OB-X8 because we have included not only the OB-X's low-pass mode, but also all the other modes of the original SEM: low-pass, high-pass, band-pass and notch, which exponentially increases the sonic possibilities.

Envelopes

The 4-stage filter and volume envelopes (attack, decay, sustain, release) shape the timbre and intensity of OB-X8 sounds. Use them to make the OB-X8 whisper, roar or howl by controlling the smoothness or percussion of synthetic textures.

OLED

Scroll through the sound banks and access "Page 2" functions for additional filter modes, panning, LFO speed scaling, portamento modes, bendbox settings, and more.

Programmer

Select and save presets and access global parameters such as aftertouch curves, alternate scales, MIDI parameters, and more.

Levers

If you want to bend notes and add vibrato or other modulations in real time, look no further. This is where you'll find the classic Oberheim pitch and modulation levers. These levers offer an adjustable bend range and modulation rate, as well as the ability to apply their effect to one or both oscillators.
The bendbox also features a second LFO with six different waveforms (triangle, square, sawtooth, inverted sawtooth, sample & hold and noise). This LFO is dedicated to performances using the modulation lever. A full arpeggiator is also present and can be applied independently to splits and doubles.

Arpeggiator

Use the arpeggiator to create rhythmic patterns based on chords. Hold down multiple notes and the arpeggiator will scroll through them at the speed you set and in the pattern you choose: up, down, up and down, or in the order of the notes played. You can transpose the arpeggio up or down an octave and apply it to one or both parts in a split or double.

MIDI Interface

The OB-X8 has standard MIDI input/output/thru connectors as well as a USB port for communicating with other electronic instruments or digital audio workstations (DAW).

Inputs

Connect your pedals here and use them to hold notes, create volume variations, perform filter frequency sweeps and trigger the arpeggiator.

Outputs

The OB-X8 has mono and stereo line level outputs. Connect audio cables to these jacks, plug them into a mixer or amp, and start playing or recording. Use the functions on page 2 to save stereo panning settings (4L4R, Ping Pong, Splayed, or Spread) by program.

Features

Hardware

8 voices of polyphony with sine, sawtooth, square, triangle and noise waveforms.
Two discrete SEM type VCOs per voice for typical Oberheim loud sounds.
Discrete SEM VCFs provide OB-X-like tone and presence.
True Curtis filters provide the strong character of the OB-Xa/OB-8.
Envelope responses have been carefully matched to each OB model: OB-X, Ob-Xa and OB-8.
The 61-key FATAR velocity- and aftertouch-sensitive keyboard provides unparalleled expressiveness and responsiveness.
The bitimbral function allows two presets to be used simultaneously for splits and doubles.
Over 600 factory programs, including all OB-X, Ob-Xa and OB-8 factory sounds.
Passive fanless power supply
Real walnut sides
High-resolution OLED display provides program management and easy access to advanced features.
Typical Oberheim pitch and modulation levers allow you to play pitch, create vibrato and access arpeggiator functions.

Improvements

Additional SEM filter modes that add high-pass, band-pass and notch modes to the popular OB-X filter.
The Vintage knob allows you to dose variations from voice to voice to mimic the behaviour of vintage instruments.
Velocity response adds expressiveness to the volume and filter.
Per-channel aftertouch adds real-time, performance-based modulation.
Enhanced unison allows stacking from 1 to 8 voices.
Oscillator-adjustable pulse width allows for richer, more vivid timbres.
Programmable panning per voice provides greater stereo presence.
Variable oscillator and noise levels
Keyboard tracking for the LFO allows the speed of the LFO to be varied according to the note.

Inputs and outputs

Stereo left and right and mono outputs
Inputs for volume, sustain, filter and arpeggiator pedals.
MIDI In, Out, Thru
USB

Dimensions and weight

Dimensions: 116.84 x 58.42 x 27.94 cm
Weight: 14.74 kg