Comparison #3: how OB-X8 compares to an original OB-8

[@abwdoc]

I am absolutely amazed at how much effort was put into the details of making sure of all the capabilities of the whole OB line were duplicated in exact detail. Marcus…thank you. You are definitely a professional in every sense of the word.

[@synthnerd4539]

Short, sweet, and informative! I'm currently refurbishing a late OB-8 and it's a lot of work. I love vintage synths, but a new one this close and true to its origins is absolutely the way to go for any musician who doesn't want to worry about regular servicing for a while. Very nice.

[@MusicFed]

an OB8 is one of the easiest machines to keep in order... a dream compared to its older siblings

[@F0nkyNinja]

Yeah, there's not much in an OB-8 that can go wrong, and usually it's a capacitor or transistor or other cheap to replace unit ($1) I've had a few vintage synths and it's definately the most easily servicable and reliable that I've had, and I've had synths from both the 70s and 80s.

[@SPAZZOID100]

@@MusicFedOBX8 is the way to go.

[@nik_elektrik]

Another great comparison. I also love the explanations and inspiring sounddesign advice for all the cool original OB-8 features. Most of which I was unaware of. Thanks, Marcus. And what an amazing synth the OBX-8 is. Thanks, Tom, Marcus and Dave❤

[@zvenx]

Even more than proving how the OB-X8 can reproduce the OB series with 99.999999% accuracy, these are master classes in the OB series.. So much thanks for doing this history of my favourite analog synths of yore....rsp

[@ThomasKobrick]

Tremendous video. Not only is it another example of stellar work in creating the OB-X8 with OB-8 DNA, but it is also a lesson in synthesis. I have new appreciation for the dual oscillator options and the portamento features. Great work again and endless appreciation for your dedication!

[@oberday]

I think Prince used the tuned portamento feature in The Beautiful Ones from Purple Rain. Listen at 2:38 in the song, you hear this string sound gliding down from an upper preset interval. The portemento knob controls the rate of the glide, so as he plays along, he could have turned it off by rotating the portamento knob to zero. I've replicated this sound on my OB-8 and it's spot on.

[@novachord1]

Excellent video. I owned an OB-8 years ago (the store where I bought it and then worked at had a picture of the Oberheim system on the front window). The new OB-X8 is gorgeous!

[@josefwashere]

Because of this video, I am now going from thinking about to actual purchasing an OBX8. Thank you Mr. Ryle to you & the team for bringing back these beast into one!!

[@UniQueWerkx]

Thank you for taking the time to explain what's going on and then playing it! Great comparison! I agree with a previous comment from abwdoc about how much detail went into the making OB-X8! Such a beautiful synth!

[@adrianh63]

Thanks 😊 Marcus I will register my OBX8 soon

[@scottmcauleysounds]

Great Comparison video Marcus, OB-X8 has stayed so true to the originals :)

[@realtrance]

Such a relief to hear a Master describe the details of how this all works! Always want to get the OBX8 after hearing Marcus’ presentations, thank you, sir!

[@mrkey-music]

Thanks Marcus for being so helpful to understand how to program OB-8 sounds with all features available on page 2. The manual is not very clear on how to musically use such parameters, but your description is very simple and comprehensive!

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Awesome and a friend let me try out his vintage Oberheim this summer and loved the wall of sound so pulled trigger today on a new Oberheim X8! Looking forward to it.

[@evinlambert736]

The extraordinary similarities between the OB-X8 and all 3 legacy models is not in question... I'm 100% convinced. It's the Page 2 functions. Marcus provided such an amazing tutorial on Page 2, the best of anything I've ever seen in KZbin ever. I own 3 OB-8's (one with Page 2 functions silk screened). NOT gonna part with em, and yes I have an OB-X8

[@MacXpert74]

Very interesting. They sound virtually identical to me. Even more so than with the comparison between the OB-X vs OB-X8 and the OB-Xa vs OB-X8, which do sound pretty close too.

[@AlainHubert]

I still maintain that the most often used Page 2 features on the new OB-X8 should have been accessed directly from the front panel WITH the added silkscreening. Missed opportunity from Marcus and the team at Sequential to maintain a quick access feature from the OB-8.

[@McEnroe911]

You can access them from the panel, do you own one?

[@SPAZZOID100]

????

[@PacificIslandDrive]

Many of the page 2 settings, can be accessed via the front panel controls. I used a vinyl label-maker to print-out each secondary ‘page 2’ feature, and it really expedites the process.

[@AlainHubert]

@@PacificIslandDrive That's my point exactly, on a synth of this price, there should have been silkscreening already on it for the page 2 features under the knobs and buttons. Just like on the OB-8.

[@PacificIslandDrive]

@@AlainHubert Ok. I wasn’t sure if you knew that most of the knobs & switches, have ‘page 2’ functionality. Otherwise, yes, an additional optional overlay, with graphics, would be nice.

[@wedream2]

Portamento Bend (page two) function is also used on St. Genevieve preset. Gorgeous sound! One of my favorites.

[@dankeplace]

An amazing effort for all involved, kudos.

[@retrosound72]

Both synths sounds good. 🙌 But I prefer the old OB-X. We are all different like the synths we love. 😄

[@fjfrancois]

Hey Marko welcome to the Oberheim room.

[@retrosound72]

@@fjfrancois ✌️

[@subs4794]

"Page 2" : The birth of menu diving...

[@SPAZZOID100]

Not at all. Very simple and effective.

[@Gerald_Daniel]

Thank you Mr. Ryle to finally unravel my perhaps fave OB-8 feature of all time, I just labelled SWM. Strange if not a little sad is that any OB8 owner I know, didn't even perceive it. May I ask you whose genius idea it was?

[@DanielHuman1996]

I love the brilliant and subtle programming, especially the saw wave with the Square PWM for the hidden octave!

[@VEsound]

Thanks to Marcus and Oberheim for these 3 OB-X / OB-Xa / OB-8 videos ❤

[@SynthgodXXX]

Very cool comparison video! Awesome sounds from both synths!

[@kenny.maytum]

Perfect! Thank you Marcus.

[@thaJeztah]

Thank you! Very interesting and informative.

[@jaggass]

Tom Obeherim and Dave Smith RIP really pulled it off

[@tragus44]

Thank you so much for this!!!!! 🙏🙏🙏

[@davidryle]

Can't help but scan the studio. Love the old school character, right down to the Alesis HR-16 & MMT-8. Oh and the OB-X8 is nice too.

[@universalvibe72]

Absolutely stunning❤

[@chesthairascot3743]

Can we see the internals? Would love to hear about some of the design intent on things like serviceability. ^_^

[@solomonjenkins9505]

holy crap...this is pretty much an ob 8....I've never heard a comparison sound so similar before

[@dvamateur]

Okay, so these instruments [OB-X8] finally came in to the local music stores, so I had a chance to witness one in person, and even try out some ii, V, I progression on the brass sound. The overall experience was good. The instrument looks good, feels good, and sounds as expected having a handful of analog-type waveforms available on board. I even had some brief thoughts how would the OB-X8 fit into my setup, as a second keyboard on top of a 88-note weighted keyboard. But I haven't pulled the trigger yet. I can't get quite convinced about having analog oscillators when the competition [namely the Jupiter-X] can run circles around it in digital domain. And then there's the price. I can have both the Jupiter-X and Juno-X for the price of one OB-X8, or one Fantom 8 for even less than the Oberheim, and having all these instruments side by side at the music store, is making the OB-X8 quite a hard sell. Don't get me wrong though, my first experience with OB-X8 was generally positive. And after getting jaded with the wealth of sounds and features of the Jupiter-X, the OB-X8 can be an antidote, if not only to see and appreciate how much more the digital synthesizers have to offer. Going back to basics can be very refreshing at times.

[@briann5001]

Flawless Execution 🥋!!

[@StephanS]

This is how you recreate classic synths with modern technology.

[@kiefferz5556]

Even though i can't afford one wish they could have added a prince or dr fink preset

[@AllenMichael]

I tried to input my patches from the ob8 to the obx8 using the “cassette interface” but the patches don’t load.

[@Deluca-Piano]

I am seriously considering selling my soul to get an OB-X8.

[@skarajmusic]

When are the desktop OB-X8s coming out?

[@chandeleerjet5637]

🔥 can we please fet a video on the “Mod” button under “X-mod/env” I can’t find it in manual or online. Anytime I turn mod on it sounds unusable but I’m trying to figure out how to make it musical and what it’s purpose is for. Thank you

[@user-il4br8du1s]

How much would it cost to tune the OB-X8 voice? A friend has one ,but went out of tune and some couldnt tune it for him.

[@sergiogevoghlanian9569]

Hola como están?pueden ustedes habilitar la función de subtítulos en españól?Muchas muchas gracias,saludos.

[@alancalvitti]

how about a 4 voice 49key? for a bay area firm, not counting heat fan, no miniaturization in 40yrs

[@guysmiley7289]

@oberheim official What do you have in the left speaker of your ARP 2600?

[@kiefferz5556]

Prince/ Dr fink /Lisa Coleman played the obx8

[@fjfrancois]

Marcus do you have there in the studio a Matrix 6? Because I’m so poor, that my OB-X8 is a Matrix 6R. 😊

[@dankeplace]

You're not poor, richness comes from the soul. My 5 OBX8s say hello. Joking, I only have 4.

[@fjfrancois]

@@dankeplace Lol nice one dude.

[@SPAZZOID100]

Identical!!!

[@kierenmoore3236]

No way!! lol

[@kierenmoore3236]

You must be tone deaf!

[@SPAZZOID100]

@@kierenmoore3236yes way. The OBX8 goes even further.

[@Pacer416]

Although I have not A/B'd the OBX and the OBX-8 in the same room, you can clearly hear that the older Synths are a tiny bit more open (airy) and bigger sounding in some cases/sounds. Of course, you can do a lot more with the new OBX-8, and you don't have to worry about servicing it. The P2 Features are a Game Changer (ability to adjust volumes of Osc's/Noise, separate PW, addition of Notch and BP Filters, etc). The OBX-8 is a Beautifully Executed Synth. In fact, I think it's the best "reproduction" Sequential has ever done (better than the Prophet 10 IMHO) , but I don't feel it gets there 100% sonically speaking. I do, however, think it's damn close, and it's very musical in its own right. I really commend Marcus for doing the A/B for everyone, and not just waving his hands and telling everyone they're the same. Well Done!

[@kierenmoore3236]

Yes … very good, but lack the same magic, unfortunately. This may be why you’ll never find any real info on the OB-X8’s oscillators … … …

[@SPAZZOID100]

@@kierenmoore3236???

[@SPAZZOID100]

No

[@CussaOnara]

I love the sounds. I hope they don't replicate the cosmetic design of OB-Xa and OB-8 --- because I need the money to feed my kids.

[@Ishnala717]

Uhhh.....ok, could you repeat that whole thing?

[@mariusherrmann5383]

12:36

[@jacquesmertens3369]

Dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't evolve. The same goes for Oberheim. They launched a brilliant machine back in the early 80's, they re-issue it (which I love) but they miss the opportunity to make it a better machine than the OB-8 was. They cloned themselves, they made no progress. This is just a quick money grab knowing there are many nostalgics out there sitting on a pile of cash. Oberheim is a very sad, one trick dinosaur. And I'm not spending 6K of my hard earned money on it.

[@allkeyspro6606]

I couldn’t disagree more….

[@ironinquisitor3656]

So wrong there and not a good analogy there. Dinosaurs became birds. It's why they are part of the clade "Dinosauria." And this OBX8 is much more affordable than the original OBX, OBXA, OB8s which would cost you, tens of thousands to own all of them at once while this new OBX8 includes all 3 in one for only a fraction of what you'd have to pay for those originals. That's engineering innovation right there to recreate and put all three in one chassis. You come off as one of those people who would also say the same thing about and moan about the Behringer UB-XA and how Behringer somehow isn't innovating by just trying to make an affordable clone of the OBXA.

[@teikomat]

Basically every single word in this comment is wrong. Dinosaurs got hit by an astroid, it was not their fault. They issued a better machine which is a modern OB-All-In-One-With-All-Extras which will not cost you thousands of dollards for maintenance. They cloned and made this saught of sound available to many many people again, who never could afford to get it. Just in these 3 videos you can find enough people being so thankful to get this chance. Quick money grab .. well did you ask all the engineers and staff at Sequential how much time went into recreating all these synths in this new machine? Nobody will pay 5000$ easily so there is a reason why people spend so much money. And they are surely not deaf. One trick dinosaur ? My Juno-60 I could call a one trick dinosaur but nothing on earth would bring me to give it away. I hear a very sad dinosaur crying silently that he cannot afford this synthesizer...

[@kierenmoore3236]

Nope … every setting lacks more or less heft … 😔

[@SPAZZOID100]

Incorrect.