1975 Oberheim FVS-1

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via this auction

"For your consideration is a beautiful Oberheim Four Voice. The synth has been serviced recently and is in very good shape. The original tolex, on the body of the synth was replaced with white vinyl material sometime in the 1970's. It still looks good, and the lid to the Four Voice still has it's original black tolex.
Only offering local pickup for this big one.

The Oberheim FVS-1 (Four Voice) is a 49 key, polyphonic analog synthesizer, featuring dual oscillators (with sync), resonant multimode (low, band, notch, or high pass with FM) filter, dual ADS envelopes, an LFO, 16 presets, proprietary tape interface, and CV IO.

Oberheim only made about 800 of these between 1974-79. Each voice has its own module each containing all analog synthesis with 2- voltage controlled oscillators per voice module and with some external programming capability. There is a two-pole multimode VCF, VCA, two ASR envelope generators, and one LFO. Memory contains 16 presets, VCO:8 (sawtooth, square or pulse), LFO:4, Portamento, Vibrato,VCF(bandpass, lowpass, notch, highpass)
This model includes the Polyphonic Synthesizer Programmer which stores 16 patches per voice and was recently fully serviced and calibrated (over $800 service). Includes the cover and a well-used but readable original manual."

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Stephen St. Croix

Tim sent me a link to this Bode Vocoder up for auction along with a link to Stephen St. Croix's website. I didn't realize who he was and that he had passed until I got to the bottom of the gear page.

"Stephen St. Croix – aka Steven Marshall – professional rock-and-roll producer and guitarist, and inventor of equipment for the pro audio industry, died earlier this year of melanoma. Almost everyone has been exposed to his work through music or movie soundtracks in the course of his influential career in professional audio.
In the early 1970s, Stephen founded Marshall Electronic, under whose auspices he designed the Marshall Time Modulator, a cutting-edge audio effects device, which became a bestseller in the recording industry and was also used to create Darth Vader’s voice and many other movie special effects. He worked on numerous landmark recordings, including Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life” and “The Secret Life of Plants,” having invented the device used to record the sounds of plants. Stephen also invented the ‘Revectorization’ process that he used to restore the soundtracks for motion pictures including “Gone with The Wind,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Easter Parade,” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Furthermore, he re-mastered recordings of a number of the masters, including Bob Marley, Patsy Cline, and Jerry Lee Lewis, to name a few."

You can find more about his contributions at the bottom of his gear page. It appears they are auctioning off a number of items, and will be selling more.

Bode Vocoder.

Update: Note the huge black synth over his left shoulder is a Black Oberheim Eight Voice.

What is The Vanilla Synthesizer? It's Ready, That's What

via the STG Soundlabs/muSonics Electronic Newsletter:

Is it The Vanilla Synthesizer or the muSonics TVS?

I started working on this project a year and a half ago.

Originally my thought process was to make a new American format synthesiser that could be sold as modules, kits, and bare boards. I was concerned about the future of the format, and I felt a new line of basic modules and infrastructure at a variety of price points was important. I still do.

STG Soundlabs was a failure because I made things that ultimately the eurorack market simply did not want. Yes, I sold some, and will continue to maintain the line as best as I can, but it's very hard to find photos of eurorack installations with STG Soundlabs modules in them, but rare to find a nice big man-sized synthesiser without my modules in it.

Another thing I wanted to do was teach myself how to do my own engineering. It didn't start that way, but it became that way. I'd been a hardware product developer since 2005 but never actually laid out a circuit board. That is no longer true, and I've done things beyond this project that I haven't even talked about.

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Inside an Oberheim OB-SX

Click here for more shots via this auction.

The OB-SX is a preset analog polysynth with limited programmability. I always wondered if it was closer to the OB-X or OB-Xa. According to the owner's manual notes below it has the same circuitry as the OB-X.

Update via the comments: "The OB-SX manual says its the same as the "Xa" not "X"! Looking at it right now..." Note: check out the update towards the end of this post as well.

"From the Owner's Manual:
'The Oberhiem OB-SX brings polyphonic synthesis to the discerning keyboardist at an affordable price. It's as simple to use as the popular "string machines" with the versatility of sounds achievable only with a variable synthesizer. The OB-SX is a real synthesizer utilizing the same circuitry as the celebrated OB-X. User programmability is unnecessary since the 'SX' is programmable with 24 sounds including those sounds most used and requested, such as: strings, brass, clavinet, organ, electric piano, bass, flute, and synthesizer solo. Other great sounds, many unique to the 'X' family, are also included. Each program can be modified to ones' own personal taste by adjusting the front panel controls (since they are constantly in edit mode). The programs (sounds) are permanently stored on a plug-in computer memory chip. Should 24 programs not be enough, an additional 24 are available for a nominal charge*. A switch on the back panel is provided to switch from each group. Custom chips can be used by sending an OB-X cassette tape to Oberheim (first 24 programs can be used). The key ingredient to the OB-SX is: although it's as simple to operate as your typical string machine, you can update your sounds by changing program chips.'"

Update:
"Strangely enough, the original sales flyer for the OB-SX (printed around the summer of 1980 I presume) claims it utilizes the same circuitry as the OB-X.

Read for yourselves here (the white text on black background): link

Maybe the SX was originally meant to utilize the same circuitry as the OB-X but that in the end Oberheim chose to base it on Curtis chips seeing as the OB-Xa was soon to replace the OB-X at the start of 1981.

The first OB-SX's (mk I) started to ship in the late summer/fall of 1980 so it did predate the OB-Xa. I'm not sure when the first mk II's shipped though...possibly in the spring/summer of 1981!?

Btw, does anyone here have the 2nd (or 3rd) edition of the service manual for the OB-SX (mk II)? It should be mentioned in there when the mk II first appeared.

Micke"

Update via PeteM in the comments:
"I'm a little late here, but also have a 56 Preset, Blue striped, genuine 5 Voice OB-SX, despite all references stating that the OB-SX only came in 4 or 6 voice configurations.

IMHO it is probably best to think of the OB-SX as a hybrid between the OB-X and OB-Xa, as it shares features with both. I did wonder if the OB-SX was a proof of concept for changing the production techniques from the discreet circuitry of the OB-X, to the more reliable Curtis Chip based voice card circuitry of the OB-Xa. Personally, I consider the OB-Xa as an advanced continuation of the OB-X model, rather than its replacement.

My Owner's Manual First Edition August 1980 states:

"The 0B-SX has been developed using much of the same circuitry as the Oberheim OB-X in order to get true polyphonic synthesizer sounds. This gives you the sound of an 0B-X along with the ease of operation of a pre-set synthesizer."

Owners with later User Manuals can also verify that their manuals refer to the "OB-Xa" instead of the "OB-X", so both camps are correct. This would suggest that the OB-Xa was the next evolutionary step of OB-X project.

As others have already stated, the OB-SX has the Voice Architecture of the OB-X, but using a manufacturing process relying on Curtis chip based voice cards like the OB-Xa. Some of the sounds in the first 24 presets bear testimony to the Cross Mod of the OB-X, yet it generally sounds more like an OB-Xa in 12dB/Oct mode. The sonic similarities between the OB-SX and OB-Xa are largely due to the CEM3340 Oscillators, CEM3320 Filter and CEM3310 Envelope Generators that were common to both machines.

The main differences in voice architecture between the OB-SX and OB-Xa are that the OB-SX uses Oscillator Cross Modulation like the OB-X, whereas the OB-Xa uses Filter Envelope to modulate the Oscillators instead. The OB-SX voice card only has a single CEM3320 Filter chip in 12dB/Oct mode, whereas the OB-Xa has both a 12dB/Oct and 24dB/Oct filter chip on each voice card.

Kenton can partially MIDI retrofit an OB-SX to recieve only Note On/Off data using an OB-X MIDI kit rather than an OB-Xa kit, which probably creates further debate about which OB family member the OB-SX takes after."

Oberheim FVS SEM Four Voice Vintage Analog Synth

via this auction

"Oberheim FVS Four Voice System SEM, a four voice analog synth. This is the VERY RARE BLACK FACE SEMs, it is also the original vintage SEMs, not the reissue. It's fully functional and in great shape. Tuned up and serviced last October. There is no keyboard, it's racked mounted, but it's nicely modularized with a patching interface and is much more versatile than a regular FVS with keyboard. You have much better control of the voices and voice assignment, and those membrane keyboards stink anyways. Plus it's not huge and more portable. This is a one of a kind synth, you won't ever see another one like this! Vintage SEMs sound amazing! Last and only time I saw black face SEMs for sale they went for $1500 each.

Included in this auction is a Roland MPU-101 with connector cable. It has four individual midi-CV channels, plus several other outputs, so the routing is quite flexible. You can run it as a four SEM stacked mono, as four separate one voice mono, two 2 voices, mix and match, and use the volume, aftertouch and bend for things like LFO, VCA or filter modulation, etc...

Having a four voice SEM with 8 oscillators mono stacked is incredible. It doesn't get much better than this. Running four separate sequencers through each SEM also sounds incredible, especially when you tweak or modulate the voices/filters with additional sequence parameters. The MPU-101 goes anywhere form $300-$500. The MPU-101 is in great shape and fully functional. If for some reason you don't want the MPU-101, I can reduce the final price by $300.

Comes with Oberheim FVS, MPU-101, 4 voice connector cable and the gray power cable."

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How Many Tom Oberheim TVS PROs Were Released?

I was curious how many were released after this Special Edition Two Voice PRO listing, so I reached out to the man himself, Tom Oberheim.

So how many were produced?

According to Tom:

"I looked thru my records and this is the official count on the two versions of the TVS-PRO:

1. Regular production from early 2015 thru April 2018 - 365 units beige & black

2. Special Edition during spring of 2021 - 9 units sold thru a lottery system"

And there you have it.

That means there are only 374 TVS PRO models in existence. Just over 100 of the 365 are the all black model, making the beige count somewhere under 265 units.

The three pics here are from Tom Oberheim's Product History page.

RARE Black Face Oberheim FVS Four Voice System w/ Colored Knobs

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via this auction

"Very rare, all original, black face oberheim four voice system with rare 5 octave oberheim keyboard. Back face modules were only prototypes and never released to the public. Fully functional except the programmer module which has no voice cards so it's not wired into the system. All other modules are fully functional and have just been calibrated in preparation for this sale."

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Black Oberheim Two Voice Pro demo #5

Published on Dec 14, 2017 Boele Gerkes

"Oberheim TVP. Two sequences, 7 steps, two voices, ratcheting, delay."

A Dangerous Minute: RSF Kobol + Analogue Solutions Oberkorn

YouTube Published on Aug 11, 2012 by rezfilter

"Headphones Recommended!

Here's a one minute video of the RSF Kobol and Analogue Solutions Oberkorn in action, recreating a classic bass line from the Sensual Remix of "Dangerous", by Depeche Mode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBogM-vrmCY

The Oberkorn is stepping the bass pattern and controlling the filter of the RSF Kobol Expander. The filter is also being manually opened and closed. The transposition is being done via MIDI to CV into the Oberkorn's transpose section for CVA (pitch).

Enjoy."

Update: Black Oberheim SEMs above the RSF Kobol.

Black Oberheim TVS Pro 49-Key 2-Voice Synthesizer

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction, also on Reverb

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Oberheim TVS Pro

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via this auction

"This black Tom Oberheim TVS-Pro -- or Two Voice Pro-- is in immaculate condition with no issues whatsoever.
Both SEM's tune perfectly and hold well through hours of use. As you can see, the patch panel really expands the capabilities allowing you to route velocity to different places for example.

Tom Oberheim himself said these were made from the exact same schematics and electronic parts values from the originals. While I haven't tried this myself, apparently an original SEM from the 70's can work if you swap them out.
I have used it mostly in "dual mono" mode for the world's best stereo mono synth lines. Duplicating the settings on both SEM's make this a huge stereo sound since each SEM is analog and slightly different. It is in my top 5 synths of all time.

There are less than 100 of these in existence and perhaps the best version of a Two Voice.
This one has been used in my non-smoking studio professionally since 2016, with no issues whatsoever.
It has the final firmware updates: Keyboard v24a and Seq v30 from 2018
It will come with original manual, and power cable."

1970s Black Oberheim SEM & More Synth Literature & Price List

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via this auction

-Polyphonic Synthesizer Programmer Spec Sheet
-Preliminary Spec Sheet on the SEM
-One fold out pamphlet on the 2/4/8 voice synths programmers sequencers etc.
-Price List Nov 1976
-Price List June 1980
-Short list of retailers

See the seller's other items for more.

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Oberheim Sem Feedback Jam'

Oberheim Sem Feedback Jam²

Published on Jun 12, 2016 Ebotronix

"Oberheim Sem and Moog Taurus 2 Filter only
Feedback Loop and Sem VCO ² mix by VCA Matrix to
Taurus 2 Audio in , Taurus 2 out to VCA m to Sem Audio in
Doepfer R 2m² silver Solo and black Feedback Controll
- ~ +
4ms Peg, QCD/Expander, VCA Matrix
Doepfer R 2m², A134, A141A175,A185-2(6 x)
Flame Q Slider²
foh choices Sem / Taurus Filter and TWF controll
Malekko Jag
Moog MP 201
Synthetic Sound Labs Modulation Orgy
Toppobrillo Quantimator (melodic minor),Sportmodulator, TWF²
Logic masterclock to Kenton Pro 2000, Pro Solo mk2
FX : Boss VF-1, Lexicon MX 400
mackie the mixer²
fixed 4 voice 'bond' chord by Taurus 2 ²VCO's & Sem ²VCO's
electro bass sequence by Yamaha KX 25 , Pro Solo mk 2 Sem
drums...
kick Moog Taurus 2
snare Moog Taurus 2 noise to Sem HP Filter
hihat / noise Moog Taurus2 noise to Sem HP Filter, A134 (pan)
vid #1540"

Sound of Science Rack Synths Including Black Oberheim SEMs

via Sound of Science on Facebook

"New tracks coming together nicely. Some studio overhauling was in order. Gotta love the Odyssey slanted studio racks..."

Sound of Science is Tom J Carpenter of Analogue Solutions band.

Oberheim OB-8 with MIDI and Silver Side Panels

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via this auction

via the listing:
" Power Supply Rebuilt – Re-capped entire power supply with rare and awesome-sounding Samwha RD caps. Samwha caps, in general, are difficult to obtain here in the USA. However, many top notch OEM’s know how good they sound, which is why Marshall, Moog & Orange amps use them almost exclusively in their production. This alone, should speak volumes about their “tone”. However, as an OEM audio engineer, I have access to these wonderful caps and they are “sonic-sleepers” in my opinion. They sound awesome in quality analog synths too, of coarse, yielding big, fat, fluffy, smooth tone. Far superior to Illinois, Sprague and other brands. Try them for yourself, (if you can get them) and hear the difference!
Power Supply Rear-mount TO-3 regulators – were all replaced with custom gold electro-plated units. (Not available on open market, as these are custom plated parts).
Power Supply cable harness- rebuilt with thicker, high-quality copper strand wiring. This helps the power supply “breath” better due to reduced resistance.
Power Supply 723 regulator sockets- replaced; gold plated.
Power Supply 7815 (+15VDC)regulator – replaced; gold plated.
OB-8 Main processor board – Every IC, carefully removed, cleaned, tested and/or replaced as needed.
Power Supply trim pots - replaced with Bourns “plastic-conductive” type, The very best sounding trims available, since all pertinent power supplied to the OB-8’s specified pcb’s must pass through these pots. (Plastic conductive material has a superior “open” tone compared to carbon type pots).
OB-8 Voice Boards - were removed and cleaned. All CEM VCO & related chips were removed and cleaned and replaced with socket enhancement fluid. Both OB-8 voice boards also had all major capacitors replaced with Samwah RD caps.
OB-8 Panel Pot Boards - were removed and cleaned and all pots thoroughly cleaned, lubed and tested.
Special audiophile-grade solder -used on all replaced components for maximum sonic tone and transparency.
Midi Output Jacks -all replaced with Nuetrik/Rean brand.
Bend Lever Assembly -fully cleaned and lubed, All IC’s removed, cleaned, tested and/or replaced.
Keyboard assembly -was removed from chassis and disassembled. Rubber boot contact covers were removed and cleaned. Keypad contacts were all replaced with Sound Doctorin NASA type conductors. OB-8’s are notorious for key contact and misfire issues over time and this solution is the best yet.
Side-End Caps - were refinished/painted with special “stainless-steel” particle paint and then clear lacquered with many coats to achieve glass-like finish. Absolutely stunning and totally says; “I’m Special”!
Inner Chassis - was completely cleaned and new black colored end-cap fasteners were employed.
Fresh Data Dump - was re-loaded with Standard patches.
Midi & Arpeggiator Included! – This OB-8 has both midi and a fully functioning arpeggiator, which is not found on other Oberheim models such as Matrix 12, OBX-a etc.
Owners Manual & Technical/Schematics Manual - both included and bound & printed on high-quality gloss paper!

To top it off, the unit went through a full final check-up with Five Star Engineering in Mesa, AZ. (Dean there,is an ex-Oberheim employee/tech and extremely knowledgeable)! Unit is in full working condition."

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Oberheim DMX Electronic Snare Voice Card with original box and manual

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via this auction

"Up for sale is a (1) rare and vintage Oberheim Voice Card for the DMX (Electronic Snare). It comes with its original box and manual. It's working perfectly, the box is in used condition (see photo's). Great item for collectors!.."

ASS'Y 720067.  The colors and design elements Oberheim went with for the box are fascinating.  The DMX period was all about black with blue pinstripes.

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Black Model Oberheim Matrix 1000

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via this auction

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Dada Pogrom - Walk Away

Published on May 7, 2020 beatkamp ®

Wait for it. Synth revealed below...

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Custom Oberheim SEM MS1A Modular

via this auction

"custom Oberheim SEM MS1A Modular. The Modules themselves work fine but this is an AS-IS auction. Either you can either go over the patch wiring or you can toss the box, use the circuitry for your own Oberheim project, OR add a reiusse to the combo and you will have yourself a keyboardless TVS! I designed the front panel in Illustrator, sent the CAD file to a laser cutting facility on 3/16" black anodized aluminum with the added bonus etching the labels. One of the previous owners stripped the paint from the MS1A. The jacks are all 1/8" switchcraft. If you would like the name of a person who agreed to work on this I would be happy to supply that to the new owner, I just don't have the time pr patience for a project... even if I am not the one doing the work.

An excellent tech brought the SEM (also added a blue LED) and MS1A back to life and also recapped the power supply. The power supply is from a four voice unit. No buffering was added to the patch points since I just went by what was in the manual that came from SEM manual itself. The patch points were just brought to the front."

OBERHEIM MATRIX 6 ANALOG POLYPHONIC SYNTHESIZER

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via this auction - learn how to sell on eBay here.

"FROM THE STUDIO OF EARTH EMPIRE (SYNTH-POP / INDUSTRIAL / TECHNO ARTISTS)
reverbnation/earthempire

OBERHEIM MATRIX 6 ANALOG SYNTHESIZER! COMES WITH POWER SUPPLY
AWESOME ANALOG SOUND! PHAT SWEEPS, LEADS & BASS!
GREAT CONDITION FOR IT'S AGE! HAS SOME LIGHT RUST LINING THE TOP FRONT COVERED IN BLACK INK.
(SEE PICS) IT ISN'T AN EYESORE TO ME, I HAVE NEVER KEPT THIS SYNTH IN A BRIGHT ROOM ANYWAY.
SMALL DINGS, SCRATCHES & SMALL STICKER WEAR ON FRONT RIGHT SIDE (CAN BE REMOVED)
SYNTH KEYS, BUTTONS, OUTPUTS, POWER, DISPLAY WORK GREAT! 8.9 OUT OF 10 IN LOOKS!
AWESOME TO HAVE PURE OBERHEIM POWER IN YOUR COLLECTION!
GET THIS ANALOG CLASSIC NOW!!!!"

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