Anticipation

dslsynth

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Re: Anticipation
« Reply #60 on: January 25, 2016, 08:51:13 AM »
Wow!  The blue is intense and beautiful.

A quite evolved blue, indeed. Gets my vote. No need to see red when enjoying the fruits of two legends creativity.
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Shaw

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Re: Anticipation
« Reply #61 on: January 25, 2016, 09:26:48 AM »
A quite evolved blue, indeed. Gets my vote. No need to see red when enjoying the fruits of two legends creativity.

Maybe DSI will release a conversion kit of blue LEDs....
"Classical musicians go to the conservatories, rock´n roll musicians go to the garages." --- Frank Zappa
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dslsynth

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Re: Anticipation
« Reply #62 on: January 25, 2016, 09:57:10 AM »
Or special order edition with blue LEDS? Much simpler that way!
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Re: Anticipation
« Reply #63 on: January 26, 2016, 04:25:25 PM »
Interesting to compare the P6 voice card with the new OB-6 SEM voice card. . .



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Re: Anticipation
« Reply #64 on: January 26, 2016, 05:06:15 PM »
Interesting. Thanks for sharing!

chysn

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Re: Anticipation
« Reply #65 on: January 26, 2016, 05:23:07 PM »
Huh. It's almost like they were planning the OB-6 at the Prophet-6 at the same time. Both boards use the same pins, and probably use CV in much the same way. I wonder what would happen if you loaded up a P-6 with OB-6 boards. Or vice versa. Or half-and-half. Only cool things could happen.

And what does this have to do with the Synthesizer Expander Module? The SEM voice board is nothing like the same sort of board, as far as I could tell.
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he/him/his

Re: Anticipation
« Reply #66 on: January 26, 2016, 05:42:48 PM »
Huh. It's almost like they were planning the OB-6 at the Prophet-6 at the same time. Both boards use the same pins, and probably use CV in much the same way. I wonder what would happen if you loaded up a P-6 with OB-6 boards. Or vice versa. Or half-and-half. Only cool things could happen.

Nothing would happen. From Tony Karavidas via GS:

Quote
While the main board is exactly the same hardware, the panels boards are not. The mapping of controls on the panels are different and the CV mapping to the voices cards is also different. So, you have to load the correct firmware for the specific instrument. If you have a P6, and borrowed your friend's OB6 voice cards, you would not have a functioning front panel. Trust me, you don't have to try it.

[…]

I don't want to get into a long discussion about this because I have work to do, but there is so much speculation on this thread I thought I'd mention a few things.

The core of the Oberheim VCO is not the same as the core of Prophet 6 VCO. While they are both saw integrators, the topology is quite different and the compensation is also quite different. I actually used tighter regulation on the P6 card, and loosened it up a bit on the OB card. You never know exactly what you'll get until you actually build it and hear it, and we liked what we heard.

The OB VCO did come directly from the SEM, but of course in order to make it programmable, we had to add extra stuff. Also, the triangle never existed in the SEM, so that was a lift from the P6.

The filter is a direct lift from the SEM, as was the one in the Pro 2. Again, we added stuff to make it all programmable.

The digital control of this voice does not 'lock down' the frequency of any of the cards. We calibrate them, like any microprocessor-controlled analog voice, and the slop allows us to push the voice into more unstable territory.

We actually never knew another voice or instrument was coming to this platform when we worked on the architecture of the Prophet 6.

Hope that clears up some of the speculation on this thread.

Source: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/1058699-dave-smith-tom-oberheim-ob6.html

chysn

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Re: Anticipation
« Reply #67 on: January 26, 2016, 06:38:52 PM »
Aw!
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Re: Anticipation
« Reply #68 on: January 27, 2016, 09:00:52 AM »
Since I had gotten my PO8 years ago I've been trying to find a poly synth that just sounds equal or more spectacular.  The A6 and Modulus came to mind.  I've even flirted with the crazy idea of spending lots of money for the later during the last year.  Then, finally, the architecture of what I was hoping for,  and a ridiculously great sounding instrument appeared,  from DSI.  My pre-order has been placed :D.

Really got to hand it to Dave, Bob and the gang on this one. 

If you look at what DSI put out over the last three years:  P12, Pro2, OB6   that is an impressive track record.   I cannot seem to come up with name of another synth manufacture that is consistently putting out the value and capability for the dollar.
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dslsynth

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Re: Anticipation
« Reply #69 on: January 27, 2016, 12:11:12 PM »
Thanks for the voice card p*rn! Its very interesting to see how they look. Oh and looking forward to the OB-12 with full DSI pre-vintage-flashback-style modulation features! ;)
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Shaw

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Re: Anticipation
« Reply #70 on: January 27, 2016, 12:12:50 PM »
Thanks for the voice card p*rn! Its very interesting to see how they look. Oh and looking forward to the OB-12 with full DSI pre-vintage-flashback-style modulation features! ;)

No shit!  That would be a world of awesome...
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Sacred Synthesis

Re: Anticipation
« Reply #71 on: January 27, 2016, 12:16:26 PM »
Oh, and looking forward to the OB-12 with full DSI pre-vintage-flashback-style modulation features! ;)

So that's what I'm waiting for....

Re: Anticipation
« Reply #72 on: January 27, 2016, 01:13:50 PM »
Oh, and looking forward to the OB-12 with full DSI pre-vintage-flashback-style modulation features! ;)

So that's what I'm waiting for....

Me too :-)
Every clip I have heard sounds amazing but I just don't want that four octave keyboard or 6 vpoices. Got to be 61 and 8.
Hope this is not the future of all DSI synths. All the people who said this tiny keyboard did not bother them when the pro6 was announced may have sealed the fate of what we are given from now on. As far as being portable is concerned, my pro8 is no problem to transport anywhere.
Also due to using the same form factor, things like the oberheim paddles have been omitted. Does not bother me but if you were coming from on OBX-a or OB8, you would feel much more at home with them. Using this same form factor for any other synth can only ever be a compromise.
I know I keep going on about the keyboard and not having 8 voices but if you stay silent, nothing will ever change. Who would choose this 4 octave form factor with only 6 voices over 61 keys and 8 voices? I am guessing only DJ/Producer types. It's a shame as what would seem to have the lushest pad sounds out there has a keyboard that allows no freedom. Like Fender or Gibson bringing out a Strat or Les Paul with only 4 or 5 strings instead of 6 and telling us they did it for our convenience :-)
Amazing people are more concerned about the colour of the LED's :-)
It does sound so nice though. Absolutely love the sound. I absolutely want one but not in this format.

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Anticipation
« Reply #73 on: January 27, 2016, 02:04:09 PM »
I agree.  Four octaves results in a handicap and forces you to search for solutions to the bass problem.  DSI hasn't produced a five-octave keyboard since the Prophet 12.  But I wouldn't panic.  The Prophet 6 and OB-6 were obviously a conceptual pair and somewhat out-of-the-ordinary for the company.  I trust we'll see another five-octave synthesizer in the future.

Re: Anticipation
« Reply #74 on: January 27, 2016, 03:37:32 PM »
With the new OB6, why only a 4 octave keyboard? Don't understand. My OB-8 has 5 octaves, Why the reduction in design?

Re: Anticipation
« Reply #75 on: January 27, 2016, 03:52:16 PM »
With the new OB6, why only a 4 octave keyboard? Don't understand. My OB-8 has 5 octaves, Why the reduction in design?

61 keys on an 8-voice synth = 7.625 keys per voice; 49 keys on a 6-voice synth = 8.167 keys per voice. So that means you get even more keys with regard to that ratio.

On a serious note, though: I think 4 octaves are actually okay on a 6-voice monotimbral synth. I'm not saying that less voices make you play less of the whole scale, but in most cases a synth like the Prophet-6 or the OB-6 will be used to add one ingredient to a piece: either a polyphonic sound or a monophonic sound for soloing (just to pick two conventional uses). In the first case you'll only reach limits if you're playing really complex chords or if you simultaneously play the fundamendal note in an octave interval with the left hand. In both cases, it's rather unlikely that you'll stretch out beyond 4 octaves, at least not if you don't want to emphasize the very highs and the very lows at the same time. And for soloing 4 octaves should be absolutely fine - even the Minimoog didn't have more than 3.5 octaves. And then there's still the octave change button.

Re: Anticipation
« Reply #76 on: January 27, 2016, 05:37:43 PM »
With the new OB6, why only a 4 octave keyboard? Don't understand. My OB-8 has 5 octaves, Why the reduction in design?

61 keys on an 8-voice synth = 7.625 keys per voice; 49 keys on a 6-voice synth = 8.167 keys per voice. So that means you get even more keys with regard to that ratio.

On a serious note, though: I think 4 octaves are actually okay on a 6-voice monotimbral synth. I'm not saying that less voices make you play less of the whole scale, but in most cases a synth like the Prophet-6 or the OB-6 will be used to add one ingredient to a piece: either a polyphonic sound or a monophonic sound for soloing (just to pick two conventional uses). In the first case you'll only reach limits if you're playing really complex chords or if you simultaneously play the fundamendal note in an octave interval with the left hand. In both cases, it's rather unlikely that you'll stretch out beyond 4 octaves, at least not if you don't want to emphasize the very highs and the very lows at the same time. And for soloing 4 octaves should be absolutely fine - even the Minimoog didn't have more than 3.5 octaves. And then there's still the octave change button.

You seem to be rationalising this as if it's a great thing. It's not.
There is a reason why all the most popular poly synths had at least 61 keys. The minimoog was a mono synth and has nothing to do with this conversation. My Sub37 has less keys than the mini but that does not bother me. This is about how crippling this is on a poly synth.

Re: Anticipation
« Reply #77 on: January 27, 2016, 05:40:22 PM »
You seem to be rationalising this as if it's a great thing. It's not.

Well my statement about the voice-key-ratio was supposed to be a joke.

There is a reason why all the most popular poly synths had at least 61 keys. The minimoog was a mono synth and has nothing to do with this conversation. My Sub37 has less keys than the mini but that does not bother me. This is about how crippling this is on a poly synth.

What was the reason that most popular poly synths had 61 keys?

Re: Anticipation
« Reply #78 on: January 27, 2016, 06:40:22 PM »
What I was trying to say I guess is that of course 61 keys were a sort of standard for many synths and I'm the last person who would say "no" to an additional octave on the OB-6 or the Prophet-6. The point is, the standard might have as well been different all these years, like the 49 keys you'll find on the Oberheim 4 Voice and 8 Voice. For a pianist, both is a compromise anyway. So you might as well ask why not every manufacturer chooses to add a properly weighted 88 keys keyboard - okay, that would seriously affect the production costs.

It has been mentioned in the context of the Prophet-6 release already that they were looking for a compromise between functionality and portability (Roland did the same with the JD-XA). You rarely see the keyboard towers anymore that have been around in the 1970s and 1980s. When people play live (the Prophet-6 and OB-6 are made to be performance synths in the first place), they prefer a compact setup. Compact can be one controller keyboard plus a laptop, or a few smaller, easy to pack devices for which you also don't necessarily need an army of roadies. Either way, I think that DSI/Sequential found a good compromise in the end. And that's precisely why I referred to the number of voices and the fact that the instument in question is monotimbral. If you had more voices and the option to split or stack patches, the actual keyboard size would be considered to be a much greater limitation than it is with this instrument's architecture.

Apart from all that it could also be speculated whether the 61 keys standard was not also a by-product of larger production parts in general. After all, the early electronic parts couldn't be made as small as they are today (not to mention the space that was sometimes needed to prevent synths from overheating), so the chassis would end up being larger anyway, not just for reasons of spacious interactivity.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2016, 06:52:16 PM by Paul Dither »

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Anticipation
« Reply #79 on: January 27, 2016, 07:39:41 PM »
It's unfortunate, but a four-octave keyboard means in most cases that an instrument cannot be the main instrument in a set up, but only an auxiliary one.  A Prophet 6 or an OB-6 will add wonderful sonic colors to a rig, but for many of us it can play only such a supportive role.  For now, the heart of a set up must be either a Prophet 12 or a Prophet '08.  I do hope DSI applies its recent advances in synthesizer design to a full-sized instrument.  Both the P6 and the OB-6 have many mouths watering for more, for larger - even if this crosses the $3,000 line.