Oberheim OB-12

The OB -12 is a digital synthesizer manufacturer Oberheim Viscount.

Oberheim Oberheim Viscount used the name for this device (as well as for the Cosmos -called Stage Piano and various other products). The original founders and owners Tom Oberheim had nothing to do with the concept of this synthesizer. Some fans of the old synthesizer brand consideration this fact critical.

In contrast to the original Oberheim synthesizers, OB -12 works with virtual-analog sound synthesis. That is, it only includes a special processor that digitally simulates the "old" analog circuits. Thus, the OB -12 can perform this simulation it requires a firmware. In the first versions of these was with many faults, which compared to virtual-analog technique resulted in addition to the reluctance of the Oberheim fans to bad reviews in the trade press. The English-language magazine Sound on Sound reported on numerous improvements in a new software version. The last published version of the firmware from the manufacturer bears the number 1:52.

The structure of the sound generation follows the lines of a classic synthesizer. Two oscillators having different waveforms to create the signal, which is then passed through two filters. There are independent envelope generators for the pitch of the oscillators, the cutoff frequency of the filter department and the volume of the sound. Two LFOs can be used at various points to control the amplitude of LFO 2 is fixedly coupled to the modulation wheel. The OB -12 has many other functions of the sound generation and change, such as a ring modulator and a noise generator.

In addition to the variety of parameters in the sound production of the device has an arpeggiator, a phrase sequencer and a motion recorder that records and plays back the sound changes can. A morphing feature allows the automatic fade a sound in the other. The effect department offers distortion, chorus, delay and reverb. Four sounds can be played over the 49 - note keyboard simultaneously. They can be distributed in overlapping layers on the keyboard. The keyboard features velocity and aftertouch.