Oberheim TEO-5 Leaked

[lfm]

Watching Loopop review certainly create urge to own one. Incredible textures it can do.
- just listening to oscillators wowed me

Those extra keys to 40 makes a difference as well as transposable split. Good job.
- format is really nice and fits beside organ, no need for extra tier

Strange things in manual is that nothing is mentioned how you name presets or how compare button work
- can you preview presets before overwriting?
- do you have as on Take 5 and REV2 overwritable factory presets?

[_leras]

Seems too similar to Take5, an odd choice I think...

Just like OB6 to the Prophet 6. I think it's different enough in its sound.

I think it'll be a sick little synth to have in an affordable format.

[vitocorleone123]

I assume the OB-6 has an all analog signal path output? While the TEO-5 and Take-5 go through at least one AD DA converters because of the digital effects. Does it make a difference? Probably not but, it's something to consider.

Yes, unless the effects are engaged - except distortion, which is analog. Those are 48/24 digital fx. And yes, impacts the sound even if they are dialed down to zero percent but engaged. Not always a bad thing, but it is a thing.

[felis]

I just got a TEO-5.
First day with it, but I love it already (maybe a touch of honeymoon going on), but the sound is gorgeous, and exactly what I was hoping for.

[Constructed Identity]

Here's mine

Despite picture it is almost the same width as a Pro 3. Interesting comparison between the two....
Keyboard- slight edge to TEO-5 I think because it's FATAR keybed is quieter
Buttons and wheels are the same on both
Obviously 4 more voices on TEO-5
One more LFO on the Pro 3
Effects are better on TEO-5 with a HP filter on reverb return that is useful
Connections are better on Pro 3 with both audio IN and CV outs/ins
Weight : my Pro 3 weighs 27 lbs. the TEO-5 is only 17 lbs. that is a huge difference

Considering the price, the choice would be obvious to anyone
My TEO-5 might have something wrong with the pedal (expression) connector.

[egbert101]

Just out of interest, is there a bypass on the effects on the Pro 3, allowing an all analog audio path? But yeah, what a great couple of synths, probably the best polysynth and best monosynth for the money, although to be honest I would still prefer the Take 5.

[Constructed Identity]

Well, yea, without the button lit up the effect is bypassed on both synths. Easy to know at a glance.

[cryophonik]

Despite picture it is almost the same width as a Pro 3. Interesting comparison between the two....
Keyboard- slight edge to TEO-5 I think because it's FATAR keybed is quieter
Buttons and wheels are the same on both
Obviously 4 more voices on TEO-5
One more LFO on the Pro 3
Effects are better on TEO-5 with a HP filter on reverb return that is useful
Connections are better on Pro 3 with both audio IN and CV outs/ins
Weight : my Pro 3 weighs 27 lbs. the TEO-5 is only 17 lbs. that is a huge difference

Considering the price, the choice would be obvious to anyone
My TEO-5 might have something wrong with the pedal (expression) connector.

TEO-5 looks awesome, no doubt, but that's a rather lopsided comparison. The Pro 3 has more filter options, an additional digital oscillator with many waveforms that go beyond the standard analog shapes, far more mod sources and destinations (46/170 vs 19/65), a far more superior sequencer that also does parameter sequencing, you can combine the step sequencer and arp, analog distortion, the touch strip, tuned feedback, etc. Regardless, it's an apples/oranges comparison since the TEO-5 is a true polyphonic synth and the Pro 3 is a mono/3-voice paraphonic synth. I'm about to purchase a TEO-5, but if I had to choose between it and my Pro 3, yes the answer would be obvious it would be my Pro 3 without hesitation. Better yet, pair them up as you have done!

[Constructed Identity]

At this point I am just interested to know if anyone else has a problem with their unit's pedal input.
None of the factory patches use midi CC11 so it would not be obvious in a store. Mine came with pedal set to control the low pass filter and the flaw made the filter open up all the way. Without knowing what the factory patches were supposed to sound like, I had no idea until I went into the settings menu and changed it to CC11 like I have on the Pro 3. I quickly found out that my old, reliable expression pedal was useless in controlling parameters in the modulation matrix. So, to anyone who has a TEO-5, connect an expression petal and see if either you have no control of LP filter or, if set to CC11 (expression) no control of parameters set from the mod matrix. It might just have been my unit, but it might be more.

[cryophonik]

Have you reset the global parameters and ran the calibration procedures? I’m not sure how/why the calibration procedures would affect the expression pedal assignments, but Sequential recommends that as a troubleshooting step.

[lfm]

At this point I am just interested to know if anyone else has a problem with their unit's pedal input.

Manual states:
" Pedal—Accepts a standard expression pedal that has a variable resis-
tor on a TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) ¼ inch phone plug."

Technically it's a potentíometer with a wiper, and becomes variable resistor only when wiper is connected to either end.

But seems likely Oberheim and Sequential would use the same principle.
- "standard" probably means same wiring tip-ring Boss EV-5 type

When tip-ring is swapped it often behaves like you describe though.
- everything happends suddenly

I assume it's sent as CC#11 on output if you can see if it works as is, and maybe something over to matrix only that needs firmware update?

Just a few ideas....

[Constructed Identity]

Have you reset the global parameters and ran the calibration procedures? I’m not sure how/why the calibration procedures would affect the expression pedal assignments, but Sequential recommends that as a troubleshooting step.

I calibrated everything like the quick start guide suggested. After a couple days of trying different things I sent it back to Sweetwater.

[cryophonik]

Bummer. Hope the replacement works perfectly.

[felis]

At this point I am just interested to know if anyone else has a problem with their unit's pedal input.......

I've only had it a couple days, but I tried mod and sustain pedals. With the mod pedal (which is really old), some things work and some don't. CC4 works, CC11 expression doesn't. Filter cutoff sort of works, but it seems to have the same range whether half or full.
I usually only use CC4, so it won't be a problem for me.

I think it might be something that could be fixed with an update.
I love the rest of it so much, that returning it would never cross my mind.
Are you planning on trying another one, or have you written if off completely?

[Constructed Identity]

At this point I am just interested to know if anyone else has a problem with their unit's pedal input.......

I've only had it a couple days, but I tried mod and sustain pedals. With the mod pedal (which is really old), some things work and some don't. CC4 works, CC11 expression doesn't. Filter cutoff sort of works, but it seems to have the same range whether half or full.
I usually only use CC4, so it won't be a problem for me.

I think it might be something that could be fixed with an update.
I love the rest of it so much, that returning it would never cross my mind.
Are you planning on trying another one, or have you written if off completely?

I am going to find out if this is a hardware flaw in the first batch of produced units.
Not talking about the sustain pedal, only the input next to that which is typically expression, but can be assigned to other things on this synthesizer, like LP filter.
If your LP filter does not close all the way when you have pedal input set to that in Settings, you have the same problem.