Upcoming Synapse OB-Xa: Obsession

[Echoes in the Attic]

lol
No EIAC, we loved them for their sound
rsp

Well hopefully my winky guy showed that I was mostly joking. But on the other hand, didn't we all get a little enjoyment once we started to figure out just what in the world was going on with the ARP Oddyssey signal flow?

[zvenx]

lol
No EIAC, we loved them for their sound
rsp

Well hopefully my winky guy showed that I was mostly joking. But on the other hand, didn't we all get a little enjoyment once we started to figure out just what in the world was going on with the ARP Oddyssey signal flow?

That wasn't lost on me hence the lol.

The Oddyssey always intimated me alas........
rsp

[e-crooner]

What about those Split, Double, Lower and Upper controls on the hardware? Was the hardware bitimbral? If so, will the plugin be, too?

I agree with the one who said Voice Adjustment Edit sounds odd, Voice Edit would be enough in my view.
Personally, I would have integrated those 16 voice mini buttons into only 8, so that each shows both activity and the edit window (I suppose there is one) when clicked on.
And in the freed up space I would have added a simple LCD display for parameters and values, similar to the one on Tal synths.

Just saying, I am bored

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

1. Why is Osc2 Detune in the Control section and not the Oscillator section?

This is a question for Oberheim, not Synapse.

Did Tom Oberheim design OBsession or did Synapse? Is OBsession an exacting hardware recreation (a la Behringer UB-Xa) or a software synth I'll be interacting with on a screen? Does OBsession feature a totally skeuomorphic design replicating the OB-Xa like Arturia's? It wasn't Tom's decision to do that here.

You'll notice in the OB-6 that Detune is located with the Oscillator 2 controls. Almost like they said "hey, you know where Osc2 Detune belongs? With Osc 2!" ...and then fixed it.

You'll also notice that the X-Mod section is with the modulation in the OB-6. Sure, this isn't an OB-6 emulation but...

...It's almost like Sequential took all the knowledge they gained over decades of synthesizer design, and applied them to their modern take on an Oberheim, fixing the stupid sh*t along the way. I find it funny when that when it comes to Synapse, Bones is basically taking the side of "staying true to the original design" with these weird layout decisions, where I'm sure I'd have no trouble finding hundreds of instances of Bones posting about how we'd all be idiots to repeat stupid things from the past just because that's the way things used to be.

And Synapse's OBsession really doesn't look much like an OB-Xa at all. Certainly not compared to something like OB-Xa V. So not sure I agree with the sentiment that it makes sense to repeat a decision Tom Oberheim made 40 years ago (probably wanting to put that control near a user's left hand for some reason) just because that makes it look more like an OB-Xa. Because, this hardly looks like an OB-Xa. And even Arturia put Osc2 Detune next to the Osc2 Frequency.

I want to get my hands on this too, but I could literally end up spending hundreds of hours with this product, and I don't think it's absurd to push for improving the layout and design of something I may spend that kind of time with.

I'm sure it'll sound terrific, but the layout of this synth and the controls does not improve the product. I just keep hearing excuses or rationalizations about why it's best keep things as-is, none of which are about what actually makes sense or will actually make for a better product in the long run.

[Ingonator]

I agree with the one who said Voice Adjustment Edit sounds odd, Voice Edit would be enough in my view.
Personally, I would have integrated those 16 voice mini buttons into only 8, so that each shows both activity and the edit window (I suppose there is one) when clicked on.
And in the freed up space I would have added a simple LCD display for parameters and values, similar to the one on Tal synths.

Well you do not really know many details about the voice edit yet.

The "Activate/Mute voice" buttons are not just to show voice activity but also to activate/deactivate voices like the name says.

A parameter display is not really necessary as you see the detailed values in a "tool tip" display that opens for each parameter which is edited or when you click on a certain knob (and hold the mouse button). That is similar to how it works in The Legend.

[AnX]

You'll notice in the OB-6 that Detune is located with the Oscillator 2 controls. Almost like they said "hey, you know where Osc2 Detune belongs? With Osc 2!" ...and then fixed it.

maybe in 40 years, Synapse will "fix" theirs

Sure, this isn't an OB-6 emulation

exactly

[e-crooner]

I agree with the one who said Voice Adjustment Edit sounds odd, Voice Edit would be enough in my view.
Personally, I would have integrated those 16 voice mini buttons into only 8, so that each shows both activity and the edit window (I suppose there is one) when clicked on.
And in the freed up space I would have added a simple LCD display for parameters and values, similar to the one on Tal synths.

Well you do not really know many details about the voice edit yet.

The "Activate/Mute voice" buttons are not just to show voice activity but also to activate/deactivate voices like the name says.

A parameter display is not really necessary as you see the detailed values in a "tool tip" display that opens for each parameter which is edited or when you click on a certain knob (and hold the mouse button). That is similar to how it works in The Legend.

The two 8-voice rows actually remind me of Dune 3. As I said, I would have used only one row: simple click for voice on/off, and double click for opening the edit mode.

I see, well, I don't really like tool tips, they tend to move and be small, i.e. hard to read.

[chk071]

I see, well, I don't really like tool tips, they tend to move and be small, i.e. hard to read.

I don't know if you demo'd the Arturia OB-Xa. They really have a great GUI framework. Among other things, they show "tool tips" for every control in the status bar, which is really cool. Which is also great is that you can scroll the GUI, when you open up the upper panel, or you can choose to either show a part of the GUI, or the whole GUI, when it doesn't fit the screen. The GUI is also feaking fast. I don't know what Arturia did there, but, it's absolute magic. I hoped other plugin devs would incorporate such a nice design.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

exactly

Ok, well then extending that same reasoning to it's logical conclusion then Richard should make it look exactly like an OB-Xa, with the horizontal layout, and not add anything (take out the effects, X-Mod, etc.), or change anything else about the layout either.

That's not what you think though. Nor should it be. The reality is OBsession is a new softsynth heavily inspired by the OB-Xa, just like the OB-6 was a new hardware synth heavily inspired by the OB-Xa. My comparison between OBsession and the OB-6 was just a practical analogy I was using to illustrate my broader point, and I"m sure you understood that. So your "exactly" answer is a nice way to deflect from the rest of the post.

Because OBsession is it's own product, Richard had free reign to make design choices that deviated from the original. Which he did. Multiple times. So the argument that "Osc2 Detune belongs in Control because the original" doesn't fly. Then "take out effects because the original..." "Add paddle graphics because the original..." "Remove crossmod because the original...." I could go on.

No one wants that. It's nice to have some modern amenities and changes that deviate from the original. So yes, having X-Mod and Osc2 Detune in a section that has nothing to do with oscillators or modulation is another place where a deviation from the original would be another warranted improvement.

[AnX]

exactly

Ok, well then extending that same reasoning to it's logical conclusion then Richard should make it look exactly like an OB-Xa

its not an exact replica, and Rich can do what he likes, it's his business, not mine or yours

[AnX]

Which is also great is that you can scroll the GUI, when you open up the upper panel, or you can choose to either show a part of the GUI, or the whole GUI, when it doesn't fit the screen.

scrolling is a big fail on a synth gui

The GUI is also feaking fast.

enlighten me

[wagtunes]

exactly

Ok, well then extending that same reasoning to it's logical conclusion then Richard should make it look exactly like an OB-Xa

its not an exact replica, and Rich can do what he likes, it's his business, not mine or yours

And you can't really argue with that. Yes, Richard can do whatever he wants. It's HIS business. Understanding that every decision he makes for HIS business will result in prospective customers either liking or not liking those decisions and possibly affecting sales, possibly not for the better.

We all make these kind of choices everyday. And when we do, we then have to live with them.

[e-crooner]

I see, well, I don't really like tool tips, they tend to move and be small, i.e. hard to read.

I don't know if you demo'd the Arturia OB-Xa. They really have a great GUI framework. Among other things, they show "tool tips" for every control in the status bar, which is really cool. Which is also great is that you can scroll the GUI, when you open up the upper panel, or you can choose to either show a part of the GUI, or the whole GUI, when it doesn't fit the screen. The GUI is also feaking fast. I don't know what Arturia did there, but, it's absolute magic. I hoped other plugin devs would incorporate such a nice design.

I can't say anything about Arturia, their plugins never really interested me. Well, the Jupiter 8 maybe, but they had to screw up the GUI too much. There is a saying that goes like, the eye does some of the eating.

[AnX]

exactly

Ok, well then extending that same reasoning to it's logical conclusion then Richard should make it look exactly like an OB-Xa

its not an exact replica, and Rich can do what he likes, it's his business, not mine or yours

And you can't really argue with that. Yes, Richard can do whatever he wants. It's HIS business. Understanding that every decision he makes for HIS business will result in prospective customers either liking or not liking those decisions and possibly affecting sales, possibly not for the better.

... and possibly for

i dont tell him how to run his business, i just test the products, end of....

[TheMaestro]

1. Why is Osc2 Detune in the Control section and not the Oscillator section?

This is a question for Oberheim, not Synapse.

Did Tom Oberheim design OBsession or did Synapse? Is OBsession an exacting hardware recreation (a la Behringer UB-Xa)

The UB-Xa is not an exact hardware recreation of the OB-Xa.