Upcoming Synapse OB-Xa: Obsession

[EvilDragon]

Also note that one of pretty important things that JP-8 had was velocity sensitivity, so if you increase that Vel Sens knob next to Env Mod slider for filter cutoff, you will get way more (I would say plenty enough of) snap with higher velocities, without needing to change your filter cutoff. This is how it worked on actual JP-8 too. Velocity sensitivity additionally multiplies the Env Mod, which then modulates filter cutoff.

[digitalboytn]

Where does the OB8 fit in soundwise, I mean relative to the X and Xa? Feature-wise it was superior to both judging from the specs.

The original OB8 was a really special analog synth...

It was a direct result of the development from the earlier models,so it was built on an excellent pedigree and the OB8 was the last in that Oberheim line...

After the OB8 came the Matrix 12 and the Xpander,still with the Curtis VCO chips,but with more digital control and after that came the Matrix 6 and the 1000 with the DCO's etc...

The OB8 was a big synth physically and sonically,but in reality,it was quite a basic offering with a price tag was far from basic

I'm just thankful that all of the toys I had back in the day, along with the freight charges,were 100% tax deductible

These days,there seems to be a certain nostalgia around the classic hardware,with many people claiming that the vintage stuff sounds better than the new soft synths...

Everybody is entitled to their point of view and we know that in many cases,the heart rules the head,but I suggest that they look at the 80/20 principal a little more closely and maybe it might put a new perspective on their view of the world

[digitalboytn]

BTW...the OB8 was fairly large,but it wasn't that heavy....

That all changed when you put it in an ATA approved flight case...

God knows that piccolo players are super smart

[mholloway]

There's no weight at all to the sound of the Roland model. There's no chunk.

Really meaningful descriptions, these. I know you think you're communicating something, but I have no idea what you actually mean. Are you saying the bass gets cut off? Lack of actual low end? Anything that could be, you know, actually measured?

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

There's no weight at all to the sound of the Roland model. There's no chunk.

Really meaningful descriptions, these. I know you think you're communicating something, but I have no idea what you actually mean. Are you saying the bass gets cut off? Lack of actual low end? Anything that could be, you know, actually measured?

Well f*ck...we're describing sound with words right? That's generally how audio forums like this work? Isn't it the purpose of this place? We talk about audio...with subjective words...describing audio...which is highly subjective to begin with...In fact, I'd venture to guess I wouldn't have to look hard through anyone's post history before I found similar examples of the same thing you're critiquing. Otherwise, every post on KVR would be people posting frequency and phase plots. Then someone would say, "what's the point of posting pictures, we can't hear it?"

I can sit down and go through the trouble of posting actual audio examples, but:

1) That's a pain in the ass to do - and why would I? I've already formed my own opinion after years with both. I'm just stating an opinion I have on products I already own.

2) Anyone who didn't like the results would find something to critique in the methodology. "You're not exactly matching this and that!"

3) I don't have the original hardware to compare it to. As ED pointed out, the Roland behavior is very likely more accurate than the U-he one, but I prefer the U-he version.

4) But you'd have to almost have to post examples because my issue isn't with any one static setting, but rather the sum of the whole. How the oscs, interact with and drive the filters, how the filters interacts with the envelope, how all that interacts with the amp.

What would be more useful would be if someone else simply:

1. Loaded up Diva or a demo of it, then loaded the Template Jupiter-8 patch
2. Loaded up the Roland Cloud Jupiter-8 or signed up to demo it or used the System-8 version
3. Put both in an init state (one or two saws, filters wide open, no modulation to start)
4. Then just used both and formed an opinion over time. Want some things to look for to maybe illustrate what I'm trying [apparently poorly] to describe? Here, I'll help...
5. Bottom out the cutoff, and max out the VCF envelope and use a super fast attack and short decay for a plucky sound - compare the two synths - does one sound punchier? Thicker? Deeper? Have better transient response due to the envelope depth, timing and interaction with the amp stage?
6. Now add a decent amount of resonance? Does one still sound better than the other?
7. Now do some deep filter modulation via the LFO. How's that sound?
8. Now maybe do similar bass sounds or use the crossmod. Delicate keys and pad sounds won't be the best source material for a comparison, push things.

Form your own opinions. And once you have, it's completely ok if they disagree with mine. I think, for whatever reason, the Diva Jupiter-8 template sounds much better than the Roland Jupiter-8 plugin. Maybe it's just because the Envelope behavior in the Diva VCF mod is not authentic to the hardware. Very possible! Maybe Roland isn't modeling the amp and drive of their unit especially well. Maybe Urs Heckman is way better at coding emulations of analog filters than Roland. Maybe it's a combination of lots of factors. It's ok. I like what I like. I'd suggest rather than anyone taking issue with what adjective I use to describe a sound I like, that they listen, then try things out and form their own opinions.

[revvy]

Why do you just call people who disagree with you stupid? Aren't there rules about that on this forum or is it accepted here? I know on GS it seems to be but thought kvr not. Just checking.

[Dasheesh]

anything that turns something special and classic into a ten yr olds play toy im a fan of. just an fyi zeeon ios is the shit.

[Dasheesh]

75% of what kvr folks are making money off of is selling you shit. 75% of the time it's super saw presets packs. the rest is in the beta testing and influencing. doesn't mean you can't learn from them or recognize that they have more experience tho. many times they have much more tech knowledge.

[AnX]

currently, I'm not beta testing, I'm pike fishing

frosty start, but havent been for a while, and the river season ends next weekend

brrrrrr

[christian f.]

The thing is, any given player/programmer will get a lot more out of a two osc synth than a one osc synth, assuming they know what they're doing. How do you not see that? You seem to want to try and pretend that you somehow know more than I do but the evidence you've presented suggests the opposite.

You can't be taken serious. Even your "reliable" source of information Vintage Synth Explorer states otherwise. Just for fun, look at the people that used a Juno on countless of hit records and compare that to JX3P users and records made with it. I'm really curious if you're super trolling or really believe what you write

[EvilDragon]

Maybe Urs Heckman is way better at coding emulations of analog filters than Roland.

Actually Urs himself praised the sound of Roland's emulations (trying to find the post, it might take a while)!


And did you try the thing that I said? Velocity sensitivity is crucial in the original JP-8, because it allows you to extend the modulation ranges for envelopes.

[izonin]

Super excited about this synth. U-he, Cytomic, and now Synapse. Analog perfectionists!

[Urs]

Maybe Urs Heckman is way better at coding emulations of analog filters than Roland.

I did not code our J*-inspired ones, but I helped tweak/optimize them.

Anyhow as a developer who doesn't live in a vacuum, I would muchly prefer discussions on a subjective level ("I prefer these over those") than turning comparisons into death matches ("Synth/Dev X is better than Y"). This way all of us can sleep better and we all get more work done

Actually Urs himself praised the sound of Roland's emulations (trying to find the post, it might take a while)!

I was eternally grateful to Roland that they made analogue emulations which used a hell of a lot more CPU than ours. Of course I praised them - But I think I only ever checked out the SH-2 and the System 100. Never tried the ones discussed here.

[EvilDragon]

I was eternally grateful to Roland that they made analogue emulations which used a hell of a lot more CPU than ours. Of course I praised them

Hah! Good one

[miloszz]

Y'all should make more use of the enemy/ignore function. I quickly learned a couple of names to add and it erased a lot of strife on threads.