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At Superbooth 2023, being held in Berlin May 11-13, Oberheim is introducing the OB-X8 Desktop synthesizer.

The Oberheim OB-X8 keyboard, introduced at last year’s Superbooth, combines the three different voice architectures of the classic OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8 synths into a single instrument. The individual filter types and other unique characteristics of each model have been faithfully reproduced, along with a 100% analog signal path. Since then, it’s earned a reputation as a worthy successor to Oberheim’s classic synths.

The new OB-X8 desktop version has the same features as the keyboard version, without the 61-note Fatar keybed and pitch/mod levers. The OB-X8 desktop module boasts an identical sound engine to the keyboard version, featuring an all-analog signal path with discrete VCOs, VCAs, and filters.

The desktop version also features the same knob-per-function sound design experience, with immediate access to virtually all the synth’s parameters.

Page 2022

OB users know that the myriad of “Page 2″ functions unlocked the hidden power of the original OB-8.

The OB-X8 includes all of the classic Page 2 parameters, along with new ones, giving you direct access to 40+ controls, including additional SEM filter modes, per-voice panning, LFO keyboard tracking, Mod delay time and envelope inversion, independent pulse width control and more.

Features:

• 8-voice analog polyphony
• Two discrete OB-X/SEM-lineage VCOs per voice deliver classic punchy Oberheim tone
• Discrete SEM-lineage VCFs deliver authentic OB-X-style tone and presence
• Genuine Curtis filters add bold OB-Xa/OB-8 character
• Meticulously modeled envelope responses match each OB model: OB-X, Ob-Xa, and OB-8
• Bi-timbral capability allows two presets simultaneously for splits and doubles
• 400-plus factory programs, including the full set of factory sounds for the OB-X, OB-SX, Ob-Xa, and OB-8
• Integral fan-less, heatsink-free power supply
• Walnut end cheeks
• High-resolution OLED display enables patch management and easy access to advanced features

Enhancements:

• Additional SEM filter modes add high-pass, band-pass, and notch functions to the classic OB-X filter
• Vintage knob allows variable amounts of voice-to-voice variability to emulate the behavior of vintage instruments
• Velocity response adds expressiveness to volume and filter
• Channel Aftertouch response adds real-time performance-based modulation
• Enhanced unison allows variable voice stacking from 1-8 voices
• Programmable per-voice pan allows wider stereo presence
• Variable oscillator and noise levels
• Variable triangle wave cross-modulation
• Over 600 user-programmable preset locations

Details on pricing and availability are to be announced. Find out more on the Oberheim website.

Ahead of Superbooth 2023, being held in Berlin May 11-13, Eurorack pioneer Doepfer Musikelektronik has announced four new modules:

• A-101-8 Photo Phaser;
• A-135-5 Polyphonic Mixer with Suboctave-Option;
• A-147-4 Dual LFO with PW/PWM; and
• A-171-4 Quad VC Slew Limiter.

What they shared about the details for each module:

• Module A-101-8 is a 8-stage phase shifter which uses light-sensitive resistors (LDR) and is a replica of the Compact Phasing A manufactured by the company Schulte in the seventies. The actual phasing circuit is identical to the historic model. Only the illumination control of the LDRs is different: the A-101-8 uses LEDs to illuminate the LDRs, the historic model used incandescent miniature lamps. And the A-101-8 has no built-in LFO but can be controlled by any external control voltage source (e.g. LFO, ADSR, random, Theremin, ribbon controller, sequencer, midi). The phasing offset (i.e. the base value for the phase shifting) and the modulation depth of the external control signal can be adjusted separately. The Compact Phasing A had no offset control but only a depth control for the built-in LFO. Feedback and mixing ratio of the output signal are set by two controls. The audio input is equipped with an attenuator. The module has two audio outputs available (same as the historic model) and a visual display of the phase shifting.
• Module A-135-5 is a combination of a voltage controlled polyphonic mixer and a polyphonic suboctave generator. It is made of 12 voltage controlled amplifiers (VCAs) which are arranged in form of a 4×3 matrix. Herewith up to three four-voice polyphonic signals (e.g. the outputs of three polyphonic VCOs A-111-4) can be mixed. The level of each of the three polyphonic channels (A, B, C) with four voices each can be controlled manually or by means of an external control voltage with associated attenuators.
• Module A-147-4 is a dual voltage controlled LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator). Each LFO has the five waveforms triangle, sine, rising and falling sawtooth, as well as rectangle available. The rectangle output features manually adjustable pulsewidth and pulsewidth modulation by means of an external control voltage. The core waveform is triangle. The other waveforms are derived from triangle by means of waveform converters. The frequency of each LFO can be adjusted manually and modulated by means of an external control voltage with associated attenuator and polarity switch. By means of a jumper the basic frequency range of each LFO can selected: about 0.02 Hz (~ 50 seconds) … 2.5kHz or about 0.0017 Hz(~ 600 seconds) … 220Hz. That way each LFO can be used also as a VCO with a max. frequency of about 2.5kHz. Each LFO features a reset input which can be used to reset the triangle signal.
• Module A-171-4 is a fourfold voltage controlled slew limiter. It’s intended purpose is polyphonic portamento but can be used also for other applications where several slew limiters are required. The common slew time can be adjusted manually and in addition controlled by an external control voltage. The module uses light-sensitive resistors (LDR). Therefore the slew times are not exactly the same for all units due to the tolerances of the LDRs and the LEDs, which are used to illuminate the LDRs. Inputs and outputs of the slew limiters are buffered to avoid voltage drops. This is especially important for polyphonic portamento applications. Each output can drive several VCOs without the need of exernal buffers. In addition the slew limiter inputs and outputs are available at internal pin headers for internal pre-wiring of polyphonic patches. As the switching contacts of the sockets are used for the internal pre-patching the internal patch can be overridden by using the sockets at the front panel.

Find out more on the Doepfer website.

Ahead of Superbooth 2023, being held in Berlin May 11-13, Neuzeit Instruments has introduced Warp, a Eurorack synth voice that they say combines the best of additive and wavetable synthesis.

Warp is a monophonic four-voice synth voice that can also be used as an oscillator. With an expander module, it will also be possible to play Warp four-voice polyphonic via MIDI and CV/Gate in the future.

In the center of Warp’s control panel is a colorful XY LED matrix that represents the sound space from which Warp draws its sounds. This XY sound space consists of 32×16 frequency spectra.

Each of Warp’s four voices can move freely and independently across the XY space. It always uses the surrounding frequency spectra to calculate a wavetable based on 512 sine waves in real time using additive synthesis.

With Warp’s SPEC effects, the frequency spectrum can be filtered and deformed in realtime before a wavetable is calculated. The wavetable can then be modified with WARP effects like wavefolder, PWM bend, overdrive and redux. The resulting wavetable serves as source for two oscillators per voice, which can be detuned and also synchronized to each other. Each voice is followed by a 12/24dB/octave high pass and low pass filter.

Warp offers an integrated editor, with which you can draw and modify your own frequency spectra. The XY-Sound Space is seen as a canvas on which you can draw your own frequency peaks. Several drawing algorithms are available as tools to edit single or a group of harmonics in a musically meaningful way. There is also the possibility to derive frequency spectra from audio samples from the SD card or to put whole wavetable audio files into the XY sound space.

The XY sound space can be exported to the SD card as a wavetable audio file of any length and bit depth, so Warp can also be used as a wavetable generator for other synthesizers.

Other features include two internal ADSR envelopes and two LFOs, which can be routed to a variety of internal destinations using a modulation matrix. All modulations are color-coded and are additionally visualized by pulsating LEDs in the modulation matrix view.

Navigation through the menu is done via a push-encoder and a back button. The display always shows which function the four surrounding aluminum encoders currently have, and colored LEDs next to the encoders provide visual assistance.

Features:

• 4 Voices with 2 oscillators using a hybrid additive-wavetable synth engine
• Big knobs act as macro controls for underlying parameters
• Polyphonic with expander, monophonic as standalone unit
• Usable as a full synth voice or as an oscillator module
• Additive synthesis with 512 sine waves per oscillator = 4096 sine waves in total
• XY sound space as a collection of 32×16 frequency spectra
• Each voice travels independently across the XY space and uses the underlying spectra to synthesize a wavetable in real-time
• Spectral FX are applied on the spectrum before a wavetable is generated
• Wavetable FX are applied once the wavetable is generated, e.g. Wavefolder, PWM-Bend, Redux, Overdrive
• Two Post-Filters per voice: 12/24dB Lowpass and Highpass with resonance control
• Independent oscillator settings per voice, e.g. volume, pitch, stereo pan, detune, sync, X/Y position
• Integrated modulation by 2x ADSR, 2x LFO with many waveforms
• Modulation matrix view to see everything that is going on at once
• Integrated editor for playful drawing of own frequency spectra
• Algorithms for musically meaningful drawing of harmonics
• Generation of frequency spectra from audio grains of audio files on the SD card
• Import and export of wavetables as audio files from or for other synthesizers
• Saving and recalling presets
• Stereo out, 24 bit audio out, 32 bit internally
• V/Oct and VCA inputs operate in audio range for AM/FM modulation

Warp available for Pre-order, release in September 2023. Find out more on the Neuzeit Instruments website.