Obxd synthesizer

[Frantz]

How as it on the hardware?

It would be great if we could find someone with the hardware to do some comparisons. We could probably find someone easily on Gearslutz.

The low budget approach would be to compare it to OP-X.

I am also wondering how the envelopes compare to the real thing. At maximum value, the attack and decay stages seem to have a constant slope and then pretty abruptly change at the end of the stage. This could be how the hardware behaves but it sounds a little odd to me.

[aciddose]

Extremely thin pulsewidths always make the sound disappear into DC.

Yes, I know this happens on some synths. However, I can't recall a synth where the range of possible pulse widths is different when PWM is enabled.

Imagine if you had to use an LFO to open a filter completely because the Cutoff knob had a shorter range. The situation with PWM here is similar.

Almost all the Roland synthesizers use a switch:

- manual
- LFO
- envelope

...and a single PW control which acts as depth.

The range is always 50% to 100%.

Unfortunately you'll have even more people complain about that than the people who like to complain that you can set PW to 200%.

[fluffy_little_something]

How as it on the hardware?

It would be great if we could find someone with the hardware to do some comparisons. We could probably find someone easily on Gearslutz.

The low budget approach would be to compare it to OP-X.

I am also wondering how the envelopes compare to the real thing. At maximum value, the attack and decay stages seem to have a constant slope and then pretty abruptly change at the end of the stage. This could be how the hardware behaves but it sounds a little odd to me.

I assume the developer of this synth has one, right?

Yes, the OP-X is probably a good reference. But there was already some heated discussion when someone said months ago that one could simply copy the OP-X patches in order to transfer them to the OPXD

What I also find strange is that the spread knob changes the pitch of the note when the synth is in mono, non-unison mode. Since that is always voice 1, should it not be the real pitch always? The basic pitch so to speak, around which additional voices are spread?

What I like is the mouse-over scrolling for knobs But resetting doesn't seem to work, yet. Seems, though that when scrolling from the max counterclockwise to the middle, it goes exactly to 12 o'clock. Oddly, not so from min. Or maybe it has to do with the scroll wheel resolution...

[Frantz]

I assume the developer of this synth has one, right?

Way back in the thread he said he does not own the hardware.

[Kriminal]

I assume the developer of this synth has one, right?

Way back in the thread he said he does not own the hardware.

really? how is he modelling the sound then

[fluffy_little_something]

I assume the developer of this synth has one, right?

Way back in the thread he said he does not own the hardware.

really? how is he modelling the sound then

Probably by listening to Youtube videos

[Breeze]

How as it on the hardware?

That's a loaded question! I sense 2DaT is of two minds: Obxd is as close to the OBX as anything, but he understands that there's been considerable evolution in synth design since then and to deny Obxd some of this flexibility where possible would create unreasonable handicaps. There are already many things that have been added to the base OBX design, so the question is really: where does it stop? Ultimately it stops with 2DaT.

I have three categories of topics to bring up. The first is things wrong with the current first edition, which amazingly is pretty solid! The only thing here is the way the BP and 24dB button lights aren't mutually exclusive even though they are in function. Unless 2DaT plans on making all the filters deeper(!), then the moment BP is selected, the 24dB light should go out and vice-versa.

The second regards improving the features that are already implemented:

- Knob reset to centered values via modifier key + click (or double-click) is a priority for all knobs who's default position is 12 o'clock.

- Since the main transpose is now a knob, could we have single-note transposition when using a modifier key? And maybe the # of GUI dots can be reduced and moved to correspond to the Octave points.

- It would be so nice to have ModWheel controller assignment memorized per patch. I don't know if an exception can be made for this one controller, but it's a shame that it can't be so as it's a performance controller. I would suggest add same for Channel AT as well.

- I agree with extending bend range flexibility and the replacing the fixed keyboard tracking with a scalable one.

And the third of course is things that aren't there but that could be very useful:

- The original OBX did OSC 2 -> 1 XMOD. A switch that would allow both behaviors would allow the original behavior currently MIA.

- Yes, I'm going to mention YET AGAIN about the negative pitch detune. And again, adding a new parameter and using the first half of the current knob would be functional. Part of the original design... ahem..

- LFO re-trigger

- 24dB available for all filter modes.

- Complete controller map memorized per patch

- Locking LFO to MIDI clock...

After working while with the new GUI, I've come to the conclusion that there's something fundamental that doesn't work with current oscillator layout, though I'm fine with the rest of it. I actually preferred working with 2DaT's mockup. I made a mockup but I don't want to re-open a full fledged GUI discussion so I'm not posting it here. 2DaT and Layzer, let me know if you want to see it...

[Kriminal]

something that makes no sense at all...

in the OSC section, the knobs OSC1/OSC2 are for tuning, but the label doesnt reflect this. Really it should. They should also be set to 12 o'clock so you can detune +/-

aslo, wooden cheeks would look much better than the horrible metallic ears it currently has

[fluffy_little_something]

After working while with the new GUI, I've come to the conclusion that there's something fundamental that doesn't work with current oscillator layout, though I'm fine with the rest of it. I actually preferred working with 2DaT's mockup. I made a mockup but I don't want to re-open a full fledged GUI discussion so I'm not posting it here. 2DaT and Layzer, let me know if you want to see it...

I also don't find the osc section logical, which is why I did a different one yesterday (on the right), grouping controls in lines and columns. There is even space for one more control (such as Detune for osc 1)
https://app.box.com/s/84msten869t4ey1uz5mq

But I guess it is just a matter of getting used to the current one. There are few knobs, so it should not take long...

The amp envelope velocity knob leads to increased clicking with higher values. Maybe that is normal, no idea. Is that knob supposed to increase or decrease volume only depending on velocity, or is it supposed to change attack time as well? Like, shorter with higher velocity?

[Ingonator]

I assume the developer of this synth has one, right?

Way back in the thread he said he does not own the hardware.

really? how is he modelling the sound then

Schematics of the circuits (at least the filter) and analysis of samples from the real thing maybe?

To me it is also a miracle how someone could do an emulation of a synth without owning it himself but so far the result sounds very good to me (while i am not sure how close it is to the real thing).
The only real Oberheim synths i have owned in the past are the Matrix-1000 and the Marion Pro-Synth. Aynway OBXD seems to sound "Oberheimish" (if something like that exists) to me.

something that makes no sense at all...

in the OSC section, the knobs OSC1/OSC2 are for tuning, but the label doesnt reflect this. Really it should. They should also be set to 12 o'clock so you can detune +/-

aslo, wooden cheeks would look much better than the horrible metallic ears it currently has

In the real thing the labels are "Frequency" (with a 1 and a 2 above to show which oscilator this is for) so this could be confusing for some people indeed.


Ingo

[Kriminal]

To me it is also a miracle how someone could do an emulation of a synth without owning it himself but so far the result sounds very good to me (while i am not sure how close it is to the real thing).

you dont own an Obie, but you think Obxd sounds good.....but you're not sure how close to an Obie

interesting

[Ingonator]

To me it is also a miracle how someone could do an emulation of a synth without owning it himself but so far the result sounds very good to me (while i am not sure how close it is to the real thing).

you dont own an Obie, but you think Obxd sounds good.....but you're not sure how close to an Obie

interesting

I have used real Oberheims and some emulations (including OP-X whichh i had sold two years ago but have checked the demo again not too long ago).

The term "good" des not always have to correspond to "accurate" and i have mentioned i am not sure how close this is to the real thing. As someone proposed a simple method could be to conpare to the OP-X demo or the full version (and based on the existing A/B comparisons this seems to be quite close).


Ingo

[fluffy_little_something]

something that makes no sense at all...

in the OSC section, the knobs OSC1/OSC2 are for tuning, but the label doesnt reflect this. Really it should. They should also be set to 12 o'clock so you can detune +/-

aslo, wooden cheeks would look much better than the horrible metallic ears it currently has

Since it has no keyboard, it is a rack version, and those never have wooden side panels afaik.

[Kriminal]

something that makes no sense at all...

in the OSC section, the knobs OSC1/OSC2 are for tuning, but the label doesnt reflect this. Really it should. They should also be set to 12 o'clock so you can detune +/-

aslo, wooden cheeks would look much better than the horrible metallic ears it currently has

Since it has no keyboard, it is a rack version, and those never have wooden side panels afaik.

was there a rack version? it could easily be a (fake) desktop module....

[Kriminal]

To me it is also a miracle how someone could do an emulation of a synth without owning it himself but so far the result sounds very good to me (while i am not sure how close it is to the real thing).

you dont own an Obie, but you think Obxd sounds good.....but you're not sure how close to an Obie

interesting

I have used real Oberheims and some emulations (including OP-X whichh i had sold two years ago but have checked the demo again not too long ago).

The term "good" des not always have to correspond to "accurate" and i have mentioned i am not sure how close this is to the real thing. As someone proposed a simple method could be to conpare to the OP-X demo or the full version (and based on the existing A/B comparisons this seems to be quite close).


Ingo

using an emulation is really no way to gauge its autheticity