Oberheim Xpander

[Jan Schultink]

Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) continues.

I managed to get my hands on one of these. It looks like the Apple iMac in 2001, only unlike Steve Jobs, Oberheim got stuck and failed to convince the world that this is the synth and user interface everyone needed: the 1st synth without a keyboard (hey, MIDI), digital controls that modulate anything to anything, Oberheim VCOs and filters. It is like a modular without patch cables. Fascinating.

[CrossModThis]

Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) continues.

I managed to get my hands on one of these. It looks like the Apple iMac in 2001, only unlike Steve Jobs, Oberheim got stuck and failed to convince the world that this is the synth and user interface everyone needed: the 1st synth without a keyboard (hey, MIDI), digital controls that modulate anything to anything, Oberheim VCOs and filters. It is like a modular without patch cables. Fascinating.

I also think one of the other strengths is the the plethora of filter types. I remember these weren't through the roof expensive back in '97 or so, wish I was old enough with a job to afford it back then ( I was only 15 ) .. now I only get to experience this through the Matrix 12V soft synth.

[NemoSynth]

I used to have one. Indeed an impressive synth, both sound-wise and feature-wise. Launched only a year after MIDI was born. A very forward thinking, Oberheim was.
Inter-modulating the frequency of five LFOs to create complex LFO waveform to modulate the VCF cutoff for example was so inspiring. Also, the when the VCF was set to BPF, you had twin resonance peaks to create high and low frequency bands sounding BIG. All Pass Filter was perhaps a phase shifting comb filter. Twin VCA as mod destination made very interesting drone sounds. I wish if I could have it again.

[dslsynth]

There are definitely space in the market for a new take on the Xpander design or even something more adventurous than the Xpander. Would love to have such a machine!