KVR Audio

audiojunkie · Post by **audiojunkie** » Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:27 pm

It is worth considering the recently upgraded OP-X Pro III (Note: The videos below are of version 2. Version 3 is improved beyond version 2.)

And the fatness shows through here:

This has always been a well regarded synth.

jlgrimes11 · Post by **jlgrimes11** » Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:43 pm

I start to wonder how different is sounds from the same analog synth, same rev.

I would imagine especially as components age, differences could get drastic especially with 40-50 year old synths. Most times failed components will be noticeable but marginal components might not be.

I wonder if this is some of people's complaints as I would guess a company like Uhe or Arturia is generally using serviced synths in near perfect shape.

Sometimes I will hear posts like vst a sounds nothing like the hardware when someone else claims they barely can tell the difference.

Gam456 · Post by **Gam456** » Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:44 pm

audiojunkie wrote: Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:27 pm It is worth considering the recently upgraded OP-X Pro III (Note: The videos below are of version 2. Version 3 is improved beyond version 2.)

And the fatness shows through here:

This has always been a well regarded synth.

I think they are not using circuit component modeling and zero delay feedback vcf like Geforce, Obession, Softube, Roland U-he does.

drsyncenstein · Post by **drsyncenstein** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 12:27 am

IDK, but does it matter?
You can only model components that are known.
Yet there are no perfect models for stuff like the cem chips, what they are made up was never published.
What exists is reverse engineered.
What exists are approximations.

audiojunkie · Post by **audiojunkie** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 1:15 am

Gam456 wrote: Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:44 pm
audiojunkie wrote: Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:27 pm It is worth considering the recently upgraded OP-X Pro III (Note: The videos below are of version 2. Version 3 is improved beyond version 2.)

And the fatness shows through here:

This has always been a well regarded synth.
I think they are not using circuit component modeling and zero delay feedback vcf like Geforce, Obession, Softube, Roland U-he does.

I don’t know. But use your ears rather than stats as the final decider. What do you hear that is inaccurate in the above examples?

mholloway · Post by **mholloway** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 2:19 am

I was disappointed by the Gforce OB-X immediately, and still don't like it after numerous sessions trying to convince myself otherwise. It sounds absurdly clean and sterile. The envelope knobs are strange and hard to dial in sounds that fit my usual expectation of envelope shapes. It always sound super plucky and fast, until it suddenly doesn't. Everything happens in cold, sharp edges. It has no 'sweet spots' anywhere, afaic.

I have a far easier time programming the Arturia OP-Xa V and getting sounds that match my expectations of a 'classic polyphonic Oberheim emulation' with it, which I'm sure is not a popular or common opinion, but I'm just going by my own personal expectations and tastes here, not a scientific assessment of "accuracy" or anything like that. The stereo width control and the per-voice offsets add instant 'analog mojo' that I'm not getting from the 'vintage' knob on the OB-X. But my main issues are the ones noted above; it's thin and cold and the knobs don't respond the way I expect them to.

As for Prophets... I think Repro-5 and Model-80 are both really excellent sounding. Repro-5 can sound a bit brittle and needs some detuning and tweaks to get it properly 'old and analog' but it's pretty easy to do. It has a much better feature set than Model-80 overall, but Model 80 does sound good right outta the box...

Gam456 · Post by **Gam456** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 2:43 am

mholloway wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2023 2:19 am I have a far easier time programming the Arturia OP-Xa V and getting sounds that match my expectations of a 'classic polyphonic Oberheim emulation' with it, which I'm sure is not a popular or common opinion, but I'm just going by my own personal expectations and tastes here, not a scientific assessment of "accuracy" or anything like that. The stereo width control and the per-voice offsets add instant 'analog mojo' that I'm not getting from the 'vintage' knob on the OB-X. But my main issues are the ones noted above; it's thin and cold and the knobs don't respond the way I expect them to.

The SEM filter doesn't sound like the Curtis from the OB-Xa. Everything is different. OB-X is more thin but more creamy, OB-Xa more fat and agressive and way more control per voice.

May be the Geforce OB-X don't fit with your excpetation. Many owners of an original can barly ear the difference.

For my taste I prefer the Synapse Audio Obsession, an OB-Xa similar to the Arturia.

I agreed, Model 80 is more immediat. Repro 5 need more fine thune to sound more authentic.
It's a shame Softube didn't release a Prophet 10

That's the thing bother me with softube they stick on the original like voices, but they add velocity or after touch. It's a non sense.

mholloway · Post by **mholloway** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 2:49 am

I've wondered for years what 'creamy' means regarding the sound of a filter, and still don't get it. <shrug>. Seems like one of those magical words thrown around. I certainly hear nothing that I'd personally call 'creamy' when I'm using the filter on the OB-X, but given that there is likely little or no agreement on what 'creamy' actually means, it hardly matters.

mholloway · Post by **mholloway** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 2:53 am

Gam456 wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2023 2:43 am
The SEM filter doesn't sound like the Curtis from the OB-Xa. Everything is different. OB-X is more thin but more creamy, OB-Xa more fat and agressive and way more control per voice.

May be the Geforce OB-X don't fit with your excpetation. Many owners of an original can barly ear the difference.

Again, i'm not interested in the literal accuracy. People can debate until death about the SEM vs Curtis and how well they are or aren't replicated in their software emulation counterparts. I couldn't care less.

There are many, many old albums I've listened to for decades that have Oberheim polysynths on them, likely processed through all sorts of chorus and reverb and delays and who knows what else. My assessment of how Oberheims sound in the mix is therefore just a Vibe, not a specific assessment of a specific filter. the Arturia hits that Vibe more easily for me than the OB-X.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 4:05 am

GForce OB-X sounds pretty similar to OB-X8. Both sound better than an OB-Xa to me.

Gam456 · Post by **Gam456** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 4:57 am

Uncle E wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2023 4:05 am GForce OB-X sounds pretty similar to OB-X8. Both sound better than an OB-Xa to me.

Sorry, but it'a a nonsense
OB-X8 is an Oberheim OB serie all of fame, it can sound like an OB-X, OB-Xa and OB-8

mholloway wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2023 2:53 am
Again, i'm not interested in the literal accuracy. People can debate until death about the SEM vs Curtis and how well they are or aren't replicated in their software emulation counterparts. I couldn't care less.

There are many, many old albums I've listened to for decades that have Oberheim polysynths on them, likely processed through all sorts of chorus and reverb and delays and who knows what else. My assessment of how Oberheims sound in the mix is therefore just a Vibe, not a specific assessment of a specific filter. the Arturia hits that Vibe more easily for me than the OB-X.

You don't get my point, it's not about accuracy, it's about taste of synth.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 7:25 am

Gam456 wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2023 4:57 am Sorry, but it'a a nonsense
OB-X8 is an Oberheim OB serie all of fame, it can sound like an OB-X, OB-Xa and OB-8

I said "GForce OB-X sounds pretty similar to OB-X8." When I use the OB-8X to control GForce OB-X, they sound pretty similar when I A/B them back-to-back. Not the same, but the GForce OB-X has the character and holds up surprisingly well.

I then said "Both sound better than an OB-Xa to me." Yes, of course the OB-X8 has an OB-Xa mode, that doesn't change my opinion that both it and the GForce OB-X sound better than a real OB-Xa. I recently had a fully restored OB-Xa in my studio and it sounded just as bad to me as the OB-Xa I owned 30 years ago.

Stokely · Post by **Stokely** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 3:35 pm

Put me down in the "if you like the sound, that's what matters" camp. Never really cared much about emulations...I can see how they give the devs something to shoot for. What's annoying is when they make it so faithful that it has the same limitations it used to when they could easily overcome them with today's tech. But ymmv.

zvenx · Post by **zvenx** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 3:51 pm

Uncle E wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2023 4:05 am GForce OB-X sounds pretty similar to OB-X8. Both sound better than an OB-Xa to me.

Still willing to be a repository of those patches

rsp

Gam456 · Post by **Gam456** » Thu Dec 21, 2023 3:52 pm

Uncle E wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2023 7:25 am I recently had a fully restored OB-Xa in my studio and it sounded just as bad to me as the OB-Xa I owned 30 years ago.

OB-Xa is "famous" for his instability. There is 9 major revison.
You probably have a bad one.

This is from restored one. Perfectly stable.

https://medias.audiofanzine.com/files/flac-484011.zip

Is GForce OB-X a better emulation than Repro?