Next New Sequential Instrument

[Sacred Synthesis]

It's Dave's statement that this instrument is for a 'different type of musician' that's so cryptic.

So it is a drum machine 
I mean, it's either that or a Tuba?

I say it's a digital-analog hybrid tuba with a sequencer.

[Sacred Synthesis]

It might even be something based on a keyboard like the Seaboard ones, or even something like the stylophone I had back in the 1970s 

Did anyone else have one of these back in the early 70s, or am I the only old person here

Edit - I wish I still had that stylophone, it might be collectable these days!

Even better:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1446529-REG/stylophone_stylophone_gen_x_1_gen_x_1_portable_synth.html/?msclkid=9d921b5403391fa314494466c0f523ff

[jg666]

Blimey, I would have driven my parents insane with that version of the stylophone if it were availble all those years ago 

I do remember that I exposed part of the wire half way along to the stylus so that I could press that part down on a lower key and then use the stylus higher up the 'keyboard'. This allowed me to play notes in quick succession without having to slide

[CoffeePockets]

"I believe the only thing I've seen directly from Dave is the mention in his 70th birthday video, if anyone has any other mentions, I'd be interested in it"


There was a short mention in his entry in the Korg Germany recipe book posted to their site, that's the only place I've seen mention of this mystery synth other than the birthday video.

[LPF83]

"I believe the only thing I've seen directly from Dave is the mention in his 70th birthday video, if anyone has any other mentions, I'd be interested in it"


There was a short mention in his entry in the Korg Germany recipe book posted to their site, that's the only place I've seen mention of this mystery synth other than the birthday video.

Snooping around for trademark clues, I found that Tom Oberheim has a March 31, 2020 trademark filing for "OB-Xa":  http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4810:4q40ra.8.35  , which could indicate another collaborative deal (although Pro 3 was registered under Sequential LLC with Dave as owner, so who knows).

I did also find a June 2020 article where Dave alludes to more than one product coming :

"...On the bright side, we’re as busy as ever designing new products, and we’ll be telling you about some of these in the next couple of months. So stay tuned!”

https://www.musictech.net/news/dave-smith-instruments-tempest-retires/

[CoffeePockets]

Well now I'm very excited about the prospect of a new OB-Xa in some form in addition to whatever else may be in development
*unless of course this is just legal maneuvering to block Behringer or related to the Arturia emulation

[LPF83]

Well now I'm very excited about the prospect of a new OB-Xa in some form in addition to whatever else may be in development
*unless of course this is just legal maneuvering to block Behringer or related to the Arturia emulation

The trademark simply to protect the name was what came to mind for me, mostly because the date of registration seemed to coincide with the time frame that both Arturia and Synapse announced their plugins were forthcoming....also because the OB-6 is registered to Sequential LLC.   I would also be surprised if a new synth is ever introduced as reissue of the OB-Xa (or of the Prophet-5 for that matter), simply because it seems unlikely all of the original electronics components are even available in identical form 40 years later, and all the bad press that would result from all the Youtube comparison videos comparing a new analog synth to one that is 40 years old would be the stuff headaches are made of.  But then again nothing stopping a product from being called OB-Xa Rev 2?

As much as I love the sound of the OB-Xa, I feel the OB-6 meets my needs with regard to that Oberheim sound, and any new Obies would need to do something really different (and be much more than an OB-Xa reissue) to get my attention.  I think I'd rather see a successor to the Prophet 12, a Prophet VS, or something else digital with analog filters.

[LoboLives]

To be honest the Prophet REV 2 is actually closer to the OBXa than the OB-6.

"The OB-X was very similar to the OB-Xa except that its voices could not be split or layered and, more significantly, the OB-X had a lowpass-only discrete SEM 12dB/oct state variable filter, which had a great and classic Oberheim sound. The OB-Xa changed that in an attempt to economize manufacturing and increase stability by switching to CEM3320 Curtis chips for its filters. The Xa offered two switchable filter modes: 12 dB/oct (2-pole) or 24 dB/oct (4-pole). This hardware change resulted in a more aggressive sound, not quite as creamy as the OBX original, but what still became a "bread and butter" sound of the Oberheim line."

[Sacred Synthesis]

Well now I'm very excited about the prospect of a new OB-Xa in some form in addition to whatever else may be in development
*unless of course this is just legal maneuvering to block Behringer or related to the Arturia emulation

The trademark simply to protect the name was what came to mind for me, mostly because the date of registration seemed to coincide with the time frame that both Arturia and Synapse announced their plugins were forthcoming....also because the OB-6 is registered to Sequential LLC.   I would also be surprised if a new synth is ever introduced as reissue of the OB-Xa (or of the Prophet-5 for that matter), simply because it seems unlikely all of the original electronics components are even available in identical form 40 years later, and all the bad press that would result from all the Youtube comparison videos comparing a new analog synth to one that is 40 years old would be the stuff headaches are made of.  But then again nothing stopping a product from being called OB-Xa Rev 2?

As much as I love the sound of the OB-Xa, I feel the OB-6 meets my needs with regard to that Oberheim sound, and any new Obies would need to do something really different (and be much more than an OB-Xa reissue) to get my attention.  I think I'd rather see a successor to the Prophet 12, a Prophet VS, or something else digital with analog filters.

I would think the Behringer issue would be front and center in seeking to register the name.

[LPF83]

Well now I'm very excited about the prospect of a new OB-Xa in some form in addition to whatever else may be in development
*unless of course this is just legal maneuvering to block Behringer or related to the Arturia emulation

The trademark simply to protect the name was what came to mind for me, mostly because the date of registration seemed to coincide with the time frame that both Arturia and Synapse announced their plugins were forthcoming....also because the OB-6 is registered to Sequential LLC.   I would also be surprised if a new synth is ever introduced as reissue of the OB-Xa (or of the Prophet-5 for that matter), simply because it seems unlikely all of the original electronics components are even available in identical form 40 years later, and all the bad press that would result from all the Youtube comparison videos comparing a new analog synth to one that is 40 years old would be the stuff headaches are made of.  But then again nothing stopping a product from being called OB-Xa Rev 2?

As much as I love the sound of the OB-Xa, I feel the OB-6 meets my needs with regard to that Oberheim sound, and any new Obies would need to do something really different (and be much more than an OB-Xa reissue) to get my attention.  I think I'd rather see a successor to the Prophet 12, a Prophet VS, or something else digital with analog filters.

I would think the Behringer issue would be front and center in seeking to register the name.

In terms of a competitive product, I agree.  Behringer has said their product will be called UB-Xa though since early 2019 (I believe), so I would think if Tom (or Sequential) wanted to go on the legal defensive there, it would have to be on some other aspect of the patent design rather than trademark name, especially given the timing of Tom's filing (March 2020).

If I were Tom and I saw such a recent resurgence in interest in vintage Oberheim synths (perhaps due to the increasingly popular genres like synthwave and the retro 80's sound), I would probably trademark a trophy name like that myself, especially since that product line was probably his most notable career achievement to date.   It could be just that he doesn't want it to show up on the label of every crappy soft synth that gets tossed out there.  Then again, one of the downsides to owning a trademark is that it is worthless unless you demonstrate that you tried to defend it, so it could be he wants Arturia to rename theirs?

[LoboLives]

I hate to say it but I doubt we will see another synthesizer with the Oberheim name on it. Unless Tom is going to significantly step up his production and keep his supply consistent than I think the name is going to collect dust or it might just start to appear on newly manufactured OB-6s going forward.

I want so badly to believe Tom will start to make new Two Voice Pros or a new Four Voice or finally venture into his promised Eurorack stuff but I think the reality is the track record is sadly not doing this belief any favors.   

[wbajzek]

I'm hoping that, in honor of his birthday, Dave will be delivering a Prophet 70

Also I hope no one else has made this joke, because I don't have time to read through 66 pages of comments

[Makes_Synth_To_Me]

It'd be nice to get at least an update on a timeframe at least. Wink wink...

[Aurora87]

Dave: “New synth shipping in August!”

2020: “Hold my beer”

[LoboLives]

Dave: “New synth shipping in August!”

2020: “Hold my beer”

I don't believe he said shipping in August, I believe he said it will hopefully be announced in August.

[jg666]

Dave: “New synth shipping in August!”

2020: “Hold my beer”

I don't believe he said shipping in August, I believe he said it will hopefully be announced in August.

Yes I think that’s what I remember him saying

[LPF83]

Dave: “New synth shipping in August!”

2020: “Hold my beer”

I don't believe he said shipping in August, I believe he said it will hopefully be announced in August.

Yes I think that’s what I remember him saying

But he did follow up with a tequila shot immediately afterward, I'm not sure if this was his way of telling us "hey, btw take that August ship date with a grain of salt and a shot of blanco!" 

[jg666]

I'm fully expecting lots of new products to be delayed somewhat due to the covid crisis so I wouldn't be over concerned if we didn't hear anything this month or next

[CoffeePockets]

Still over here pulling for my Pro 3 module. After all, the design of the SE would seem to lend itself perfectly to simply divorcing the keys from the hinged control panel, a little bit of internal layout modification to move the power supply and whatever else lives in the lower case and bingo-bango I get my Pro 3 without having to find room for YET ANOTHER set of keys!
These fingers are staying crossed.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Still over here pulling for my Pro 3 module. After all, the design of the SE would seem to lend itself perfectly to simply divorcing the keys from the hinged control panel, a little bit of internal layout modification to move the power supply and whatever else lives in the lower case and bingo-bango I get my Pro 3 without having to find room for YET ANOTHER set of keys!
These fingers are staying crossed.

I totally agree.  A Pro 3 Module would be most desirable.  The musical power of that instrument could be immensely stronger if attached to a five-octave keyboard.  If it had been given one even of four octaves, I would make it my long sought-after monophonic synthesizer.  Three octaves is just too short for my style of music.  But a module could solve this.