Stumbled on a deal/ob-12

Well, I've been curious about this synth for quite awhile, but the prices had risen to the point that I'm just not willing to take a chance on one. Lots of good written about them, a great jexus demo, but they've been dissed with some regularity also.

I was watching one on Ebay 3 days ago, shipping from Hawaii. I was hoping that the p08 would sell by then, and I figured I'd wager a reasonable amount on it - but the damn thing sold for $1,025.

Well, the p08 hadn't sold, and I was kind of glad it sold for that much - so I didn't even half to worry about whether I should take a chance and put in a last minute bid.

So, later on that evening, just for the hell of it, I searched my local Craigslist, and typed in 'Oberheim', and what should pop up but an ad for an ob-12, presumably in pristine condition, for $400. It was too late to call then, but I called him the next morning, and aside from being rather a flake (I couldn't get him off of the phone explaining to me his various conspiracy theories, and how he was going to be a millionaire in a year by investing in Venusian Flugmas), he did seem quite legit, and down on his luck. I felt so bad for him that I actually said - "look - I'm going to tell you this because I've been there too and I feel bad - but did you know that you could easily get more than twice as much for this? I mean, I'll take it, but I'm just letting you know in case you want to post it elsewhere, or at a higher price". Well, he said - nah - he wanted the money quickly, he didn't have a computer and didn't want to deal with any of that.

Well, I got the thing home, and damn - not a scratch on it. I've just had 30 minutes with it, but my first opinions are actually VERY favorable. Damn thing is kind of alive, and can start doing the damndest things when you start messing with the knobs, which are all pretty much right there for the tweaking. And I don't think that it sounds thin at all, and the filters are actually rather nice. And did I say that it's a pretty cool looking thing?

Apparently it was Tom's least favourite synth, IIRC.

I think it was a case of '{censored}e preset syndrome' as to why many put it down, also the huge expectation of it being a virtual copy of a vintage OB.

If you treat it for what it is, an interesting VA that doesnt try to assign itself to any particular music style/genre, and get programming, its a damn fine little synthesizer. Ive owned mine for years and have no intention of letting it go.

I also just love watching all those little red leds change position when you scroll through patches.

Congrats on getting it btw

? He had nothing to do with the company at that point, and it was totally a Viscount thing, I think. But I do remember reading that the designers really worked hard at it. I've been talking to someone who says that he knows one of the designers, and that he'll arrange for me to talk to him, which should be interesting.

I think it was a case of '{censored}e preset syndrome' as to why many put it down, also the huge expectation of it being a virtual copy of a vintage OB. If you treat it for what it is, an interesting VA that doesnt try to assign itself to any particular music style/genre, and get programming, its a damn fine little synthesizer. Ive owned mine for years and have no intention of letting it go. I also just love watching all those little red leds change position when you scroll through patches. Congrats on getting it btw

Yeah - I didn't even bother with the presets. Also just noticed that in the system menu there seems to be an 'init' function, so I'll probably start with that all of the time. It's really a damn fun 'little' synth. VERY glad I got it. Just glancing at the manual it looks like it takes nrpn's? I had heard that all of the parameters could be modulated by controllers, so I'll have to look at that with a little more care.

Certainly doesn't sound like an old Oberheim in any way - but that's just fine. Not what I was looking for....

Play with the morph feature... it can end up creating pretty gnarly sounds. I haven't fired mine up in awhile but I have a hard time letting it go because it is kind of unique. Enjoy it! - J.

yeah - lots of features that I haven't explored yet. I'll try that one later on your recommendation.

Oh really? Maybe he was just bitching about it then, sour grapes? From what I read he was dismissing it as too clean, too perfect for him.

sure it was the ob-12? It is totally digital....what I recall is that he didn't like the later oberheim analogs, and that he didn't think that they sounded as good as the earlier ones.

I am sure that I am not sure, curse this chronic short term memory loss. You are probably closer to the truth than I.

I always wished Viscount gave it a stronger DSP. I even asked them for the specs to have it modified. That's how much I liked it. I made the most beautiful synth strings on that thing.

Like the MC-909, it just had a problem that kept nagging at me so I sold it. I hate having things that are really good and some little oversight keeps them from being short of greatness.

I always wished Viscount gave it a stronger DSP. I even asked them for the specs to have it modified. That's how much I liked it. I made the most beautiful synth strings on that thing. Like the MC-909, it just had a problem that kept nagging at me so I sold it. I hate having things that are really good and some little oversight keeps them from being short of greatness.

Well, I'm having so much fun just tweaking the thing and getting some truly monstrous noise from it, that I haven't even thought about its weaknesses much. Sometimes the volumes get really low....and sometimes they get really high, but I think it's kind of because they don't constrain the effects of some of the parameters that much - which leads to these really wild sounds that you can get really easily. I also really like the filters on this. I have to say that if you're into just generating timbral stuff, both rhythmic and not, and wildly contrasting screaches with perverse/mellow, this is one of the best tweaker synths ever. I'm really loving it. A very different experience than the one I had with the p08.

The display is {censored}ing great! Really easy to read and informative. Gotta see about this morphing thing, and the phrase sampler. Tried recording into it, but nothing happened. May have to rtfm.

ok. if you like making NOISE with your synths (I don't mean like random noise, but timbral stuff, outside of the usual synth sounds, weird resonant textures, ambient screams, stuff that changes dramatically with in a few seconds - SOUND) - you gotta get one of these. I am absolutely in love with this thing. The only synths that I can compare it to of synths that I've played are modulars/semi-modulars, and the sunsyn. there is a hellmouth in this synth.

Bread and Butter VA this synth is not. The blue casing and display are nice. Definitely an experimental synth. I found unsuitable to actually make pleasing typical VA sounds. One of those synths I'd try out again (being my knowledge of synthesis with low when I had it).

You gear whore!

Sounds like a fun synth, and one that's beginning to appreciate in value. It's interesting to watch the first wave of VA's start to enter into that quasi-vintage status.

But doesn't everything. Never thought I'd see Fiz or FS1R increase in value like they have, but that's the internet for you. People get geeked out and increase everything on themselves. The OB12 has a dark/metalic sound to it that I don't want out of a VA. No doubt you can make cool stuff with it, but it doesn't fit my personal aesthetic. I'd be impressed if anyone could make a synth sing like Jexus.

Drool is right on about the ambient textures, it actually would be an excellent board for an ambient artist.

is this a future sales pitch?

Isn't everything on these boards.

So, have you had a P08? I've never tried one but I'd love to. I've been flurting with the idea of dumping one of my Wurlis and the OB-12, and getting a P08. But I never really get around to it. I guess I don't know what I'm missing. It seems that nobody around here really likes the P08. It's hard to believe there isn't a single store in the Chicago area that stocks a P08.

I love the string sounds on the OB-12, but not much else. Something cold about it. I'd have probably prefered a straight reissue of the OB8 or something. I'm not a really ambient guy, though. I have the FIZ for textures and weirdness. I'm more into making ELO sounds than coming up with something new, edgy and wild.

Well, I think that if you think of the sounds that are already on the ob12, then there is not much to it, other than some nice pad sounds. But its strength is that (partially because it has one of the best interfaces of any synth that I've tried) it is just great to tweak it and look for unusual sounds. I think that it would be a total mistake to buy one of these looking for bass sounds, good presets, or even to compete as a typical VA.

oh, and yeah - I have a p08. I think that I have a deal on it, but technically it's still up for sale. I much prefer the ob12, actually - its sound, the user interface, and the appearance.

Soundwise, the OB12 is on the stark, cold, metallic side, but there is the potential for some warmer sounding pads, particularly if you turn off the internal reverb and use an outboard unit. The internal verb is a little metally, but useable in a pinch. The OB-12's display and interface really is quite nice considering the era it was built and the uphill battle it faced with competition and not being directly coordinated with Tom Oberheim. I do like the sound overall though. A lot of folks have diss'd this synth, but it's so different and that's what makes it so great.

I think the only complaint I have is just that when tweaking certain parameters or effects at fast rates there are a these digital squeaky noises that are made as if the processor isn't powerful enough to handle the parameter changes... I live with it. Heck, my "powerful" Lexicon PCM80 does the same thing.

As for the P08, it didn't grab me... I wanted to love it, but it didn't take a hold on me. Love to sit down with one at length and explore it, but it certainly didn't make me say "I gotta have this now!" like the Evolver did.

J.

My last attempt to buy an OB-12 resulted in Guitar Center selling it twice out to other customers. I have stopped visiting and buying from Guitar Center. I was mad enought to call for the beginning of a recession. Look at what has happend! Totally bad mojo and karma.

I bought my A6 from Sweetwater a couple of months ago.

Mark

Have you got the latest OS? if not I you can download it and update via midi.