Any VST Synth VS Oberheim OB-6

[Robmobius]

There isn't a software synth that exists that can hold a candle to that sound.

It sounds great... And I think it definitely has the edge over software in terms of raw sound.

But the sound gains, to the relative price, of the OB-6 makes it seem a bit ridiculous. Especially when you will be sweetening soft synths with a lot of plugins. So, you'll get a pretty close sound in the end. Not as good, but good enough for me...

That said, if someone has the cash and wants one, then why not? I mean, we all have certain things that we spend far too much cash on anyway.

[kvotchin]

Exactly. If that uniquely analog synth sound is something you “need” (or want), well yeah, do that thing.

It’s true though, of course, that great music can be made with “suboptimal” instruments and other gear. Has been, will be. But eh, OTOH, some musicians are sticklers for a specific timbre, or whatever.

If you’re happy playing what you currently have access to, don’t worry about it one bit. Just keep doing what you’re doing.

[e-crooner]

The pad at 1:20 of the first video is very nice. The bass is also tight.
And the instrument surely looks good and solid.
I wouldn't really know what to do with it, other than just play nice sounds on it and smile, sound therapy so to speak.

It is expensive, but I suppose the build quality is excellent. Probably made in the US rather than Asia.

Have SCI and Oberheim fused?!

[tehlord]

It is expensive, but I suppose the build quality is excellent. Probably made in the US rather than Asia.

I really don't get the assumption that stuff made in the US is somehow inherently better than stuff made in 'Asia' (which isn't a country as far as I know).

Most US made stuff is utter shite, with some exceptions. The last two synths I bought that had fundamental QC issues were expensive, US made synths. Stuff made in Asia is usually pretty spot on, like all Apple products....for example.

However, I do have an OB6 and it is one of the exceptions, and built like a tank.

Howevermk2, my Vermona Perfourmer is German built and nothing comes close to that. It's built like the tank that smashed all the other tanks.

[e-crooner]

My Midi controllers made in China keep dying like flies
They are made in China, despite the Japanese brands.

Sure, some American products are not good, but I doubt Oberheim/SCI would risk their reputation by delivering shoddy quality at that price.

[BlackWinny]

Korg, Roland, Yamaha don't make their production in Asia ?

Hmm ?

I doubt Korg, Roland, Yamaha would risk their reputation by delivering shoddy quality at that same price, too.

[e-crooner]

Obviously they do risk their reputation, at least Roland and Korg. Never had anything from Yamaha, so I don't know where they make their stuff and how reliable it is.

[mrj1nx]

My 2 cents. I think its partially a matter of taste, also a matter of cost obviously. I wish I had an OB6, It has a distinct character that you can probably get close to with plugins, but not all the way. I'm a big fan of both hardware and plugins, but I do think theres a quality difference, even though it might be the last 5-10%, its enough to make a difference if you aim for that type of thing, but it depends on how you use it. Its probably wasted on background bread and butter synth duties in a mix, makes more sense when the synth is a bit more front and center where the character is brought more into focus. Obviously emulating an analog takes lots of cpu so thats one of the benefits of having real hardware, plus i find it very inspiring to work on a nice hardware synth and not always being glued to the computer screen. Then theres the whole thing about live tweaking sounds as you play. I feel like going in to hardware with lots of knobs has opened up a big new dimension I wasnt getting with plugins. The hardware workflow has its pros and cons but its worth it for me. I also think its nicer to put my budget into a few top of the line pieces than having a bigger but more watered down plugin collection, but obviously you gotta do the research thoroughly as these pieces are bigger investments that take up space as well, and make sure it's a sound and featureset you'd be inspired by. Another big factor for me is that I'm heavily focused on keyboard playing and soloing, and that will probably add some bias compared to someone who'd use it more like a rack synth/plugin.

My favorite OB6 demo is the sequence around 8:15 and onwards in this video. Ive tried replicating it in Diva using the Uhbie filter but I'm not getting very close. I'll give it another go though.

[jdoo]

Basing opinion of the OB sound on compressed youtube soundbites? Well done. Even better... start a thread expounding the powerful logic behind those thoughts. Before I bought my OB-6... I used to think I had some 'close' OB timbres out of my JD-XA, and some of the soft synths I have. Afterwards though.. I realized I was in the ballpark.. but was just that.. close but no cigar. Maybe 80% of the way there. ..and that was for only a handful of specific OB timbres. The OB is a synth who's sound is greater than the sum of it's parts. It really is a magical synth... but you have to actually have spent time with one, to understand that. If you're looking for youtube quality OB timbres... you can probably squeeze that out of plenty of soft synths.

JDoo OB-6 BKMs--> https://www.dropbox.com/s/2s063vn2p9j33 ... .docx?dl=0

[jacqueslacouth]

Just one perspective...for me personally (and I don't have an OB6) when I come into the studio and I flick on my hardware synths and other gear, it gets me excited, it makes my heart pump a little bit faster and I feel psyched to play. When I play, if the inspiration hits to alter some aspect of the sound, I reach out and turn the appropriate knob, sculpting the sound in a symbiosis of my ears and touch. There is something extremely satisfying and at times euphoric in this process.

On the other hand, in the middle of playing, reaching for the mouse and positioning the cursor over the appropriate control is like the biggest cock block I can imagine.

Now please, don't get me wrong, I have a lot of soft synths and I don't really buy into the magic sauce aspect of Hardware regarding sound quality, but I do feel that there is at least a valid justification for people to buy the hardware if it doesn't create too much of a financial/emotional stress and the pleasure they get from their gear cannot be matched FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL in the use of software.

[FapFilter]

as zerocrossing already stated it's mostly about character and what inspires YOU.
soft synths nowadays can sound pretty much indistinguishable from the hardware they emulate and at least for the more bread and butter side of things, can sound even better (or worse) than the original, simply based on what kind of nuances one prefers and not, what is factually better.
There's been a blind test on Gearslutz very recently, where Diva (while still being a totally awesome sounding instrument, it's generally not anymore seen as the pinnacle of analog sound emulation on it's technical side) was put up against a Behringer Model D and i think 2/3rd of the people picked it wrong. Many (myself included) even preferred what was later revealed as Diva footage.

i also agree with him that for the most part, as of yet, emulations do not capture the more extreme side of analog - like the ‘effortless/smooth‘ sounding overdrive/distortion that happens naturally on analog hardware, that mostly happens in software only if you tack on a dedicated saturation/distortion algorithm. Digital can also give great results, but it usually doesn't sound like what i'm used from the analogs i have. Same applies to extreme filter FM.
Having said that, i don't use Diva (even though i really like it's concept, i can't get along with it's user interface which doesn't inspire me one bit), Repro, or Moog emulations as i've found other synths that give me more the sounds i'm after.
Which- again is more because their generally characteristics suit me better and not because they have ‘t3h m0st @nAL0g s0undz evor!‘

regarding the viability of an OB-6 vs softsynths. It is - again - a matter of personal preferences, including it's characteristic sounds.
If you don't hear anything that's particularly pleasing you, you simply don't need it.
It also doesn't have to be ‘high end‘ or high price tagged. If the sound of a Microkorg, a Monotribe, Z3TA+, or PG8X inspires you, they can be of more musical value to you, than even the most expensive synths on the planet, which actually might not give you that sound / user experience / satisfaction even if you can afford those.

With expensive hardware, you hopefully also get a quality keybed. The user experience can be more satisfying (a ‘true‘ tactile instrument vs a more visual and mouse click dependent workflow), it will still work (or remain readable ) regardless if you upgrade your computer, has zero latency, will give different results due to a different user experience, can be the pride of your studio (though the latter could of course also apply to any software if you prefer that)

[Tj Shredder]

Just one perspective...for me personally (and I don't have an OB6) when I come into the studio and I flick on my hardware synths and other gear, it gets me excited, it makes my heart pump a little bit faster and I feel psyched to play. When I play, if the inspiration hits to alter some aspect of the sound, I reach out and turn the appropriate knob, sculpting the sound in a symbiosis of my ears and touch. There is something extremely satisfying and at times euphoric in this process.

On the other hand, in the middle of playing, reaching for the mouse and positioning the cursor over the appropriate control is like the biggest cock block I can imagine.

Now please, don't get me wrong, I have a lot of soft synths and I don't really buy into the magic sauce aspect of Hardware regarding sound quality, but I do feel that there is at least a valid justification for people to buy the hardware if it doesn't create too much of a financial/emotional stress and the pleasure they get from their gear cannot be matched FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL in the use of software.

This excitement happens to me since some time if I switch on my Mac Pro and load Bitwigs Grid. The main reason is due to the fact, that I do not want to touch any standard keyboard anymore since I have a LinnStrument. My set up is prepared to play immediately and expressively. Did not have this feeling since I had to sell my Arp 2600 some 20+ years ago (still regret it, but needed the money...)
Its all about inspiration combined with endless potential to directly create what comes up in your mind... Hardware does have that potential very often as you have all these controls to directly shape the sound and alter the flow (if its modular). In software its a bit more complicated, maybe because a mouse turning a knob requires more visual attention. Neither TimeWarp nor Arp 2600 V could give me back the old feeling and I doubt its because of the sound quality, its more likely the haptic and size...
I still have a lot of fun with the freedom Max is giving me, but the Grid is just delivering simple sounds way faster than it would take in Max. The more complex stuff is not (yet) possible in the Grid...
Now that Usine is getting close to version 4, I should look into that as well for projects which need more than just sound...

[Elektronisch]

Basing opinion of the OB sound on compressed youtube soundbites? Well done.

That is also very true. Even for softsynths youtube doesnt always give justice, especialy when alot of them these days sound just as good.

[chk071]

Basing opinion of the OB sound on compressed youtube soundbites? Well done.

TBH, i never understood why someone wouldn't be able to judge a synth's base sound by Youtube videos. A Moog sounds like a Moog, a Oberheim sounds like a Oberheim, and a TB-303 sounds like a 303, regardless of 192 kbit/s MP3. Basically, what you are saying is that nobody would be able to judge whether the music he listens to is any good, because, everything on the net comes MP3 encoded these days.

No comprende, really.

Whether or not it is wise to judge before you got your own hands on with the synth is another topic.

[chk071]

Just one perspective...for me personally (and I don't have an OB6) when I come into the studio and I flick on my hardware synths and other gear, it gets me excited, it makes my heart pump a little bit faster and I feel psyched to play. When I play, if the inspiration hits to alter some aspect of the sound, I reach out and turn the appropriate knob, sculpting the sound in a symbiosis of my ears and touch. There is something extremely satisfying and at times euphoric in this process.

On the other hand, in the middle of playing, reaching for the mouse and positioning the cursor over the appropriate control is like the biggest cock block I can imagine.

Now please, don't get me wrong, I have a lot of soft synths and I don't really buy into the magic sauce aspect of Hardware regarding sound quality, but I do feel that there is at least a valid justification for people to buy the hardware if it doesn't create too much of a financial/emotional stress and the pleasure they get from their gear cannot be matched FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL in the use of software.

I can totally relate to that, but, it would be as much of a cock block (if not more) for me to walk into a room with a gazillion of devices, with all those cables and multi sockets blocking my way, and, the sheer though of how much money i sank into something which might not even flash me enough to justify spending so much money.

TBH, the pure thought of owning so much stuff, just for a hobby, makes me feel a bit dizzy.