Take 5 (and TEO-5) Oscillators

[brittonashford]

Hello,

I am trying to find more information on the oscillators used on the Take 5/TEO-5. My understanding is that they are the same.

I saw a post recently that said the Take 5 uses the Prophet 5 oscillators (which would make them CEM 3340 VCOs), but I don’t see that mentioned in the manual or any of the copy from Sequential. They just describe them as “analog VCOs”.

Are these new proprietary VCOs that Sequential made specifically for the Take 5?

I am mostly curious because I hear folks saying the TEO-5 won’t sound as good as an OB-X8 because it doesn’t have “the Oberheim oscillators”.

If the TEO is 3340s through an SEM, I’d be fine with that. I’m just curious to hear what y’all think and if you have heard any specifics. I am having trouble finding details about the TEO-5 oscillators.

[kpatz]

The Take 5 uses SSI2130 oscillators, and I think the TEO-5 also uses them but on the latter synth they implemented through-zero FM which they didn’t on the Take 5.

[sdfstudios]

Looks like they might be using a newer version of the SSI2130 if that is the case. Does anyone know for sure? But the real meat here is the VCF, which is considerably different than the Take 5 filter. I only have one other synth that has a 12dB VCF, and that is a Korg Prologue 8.

[hoodoo_ray]

Hello,

I am mostly curious because I hear folks saying the TEO-5 won’t sound as good as an OB-X8 because it doesn’t have “the Oberheim oscillators”.

Will you base your decision on the answer to which oscillators are used?

My advice is trust your ears. Some people are always going to say things like that about the ‘sound’, but it’s sound - that’s what ears are for!

What is “sound as good”? As “good” as what, the OB-X8? And who are the people saying it? I would forget all that, trust your ears, don’t start thinking about synths in terms of hierarchy, that road just leads to always thinking in terms of regret..

 I would look at synths within whatever budget you have and choose the one you think is best for whatever your needs are from there, and don’t worry about comparisons etc, just go and make the music you want.

All of this is just my opinion of course!

[kpatz]

Looks like they might be using a newer version of the SSI2130 if that is the case. Does anyone know for sure? But the real meat here is the VCF, which is considerably different than the Take 5 filter. I only have one other synth that has a 12dB VCF, and that is a Korg Prologue 8.

Was there more than one version of the SSI2130?  I thought all of them supported TZFM but Sequential chose not to implement it in the Take 5, maybe to free up DAC channels for other things.

[sdfstudios]

Looks like they might be using a newer version of the SSI2130 if that is the case. Does anyone know for sure? But the real meat here is the VCF, which is considerably different than the Take 5 filter. I only have one other synth that has a 12dB VCF, and that is a Korg Prologue 8.

Was there more than one version of the SSI2130?  I thought all of them supported TZFM but Sequential chose not to implement it in the Take 5, maybe to free up DAC channels for other things.

I believe it is on the SSI website, two different versions of the VCO chip, one being slightly more expensive.

[kpatz]

I believe it is on the SSI website, two different versions of the VCO chip, one being slightly more expensive.

The SSI website has the 2130 and the 2131 VCOs.  2131 being a more stripped down, cheaper version of the 2130.  I don’t see any indication that the 2130 was ever updated, just its data sheet when the chip was released in 2020.

AFAIK the TEO-5 uses the same VCO chips as the Take 5, but they updated the supporting hardware to utilize the TZFM capability on the chip that they didn’t implement in the Take 5.

The cheaper SSI2131 lacks the on-board waveform mixer VCAs, sine converter and TZFM capability of the SSI2130.  Since the TEO-5 has TZFM it’s certain they are using the SSI2130 (or something else entirely) and not the 2131 in it.

[sdfstudios]

Well, one way or the other, the VCO's for Take 5 and TEO-5 sound very good. Looking forward to this synth!