Dave Smith Instruments OB-6

Born from a dream collaboration between Dave Smith and Tom Oberheim, this hybrid powerhouse revives the iconic SEM filter vibe with a fresh, modern twist that captures the wiry, textured aggression of vintage Oberheims while staying rock-solid in tune.

At its core, six discrete analog voices each pack two discrete SEM-based VCOs—Osc 1 morphs continuously from saw to pulse with modulation, while Osc 2 shifts from triangle through saw to pulse—plus PWM on both, white noise, and that signature 2-pole state-variable multimode filter (lowpass, highpass, bandpass, notch) which thickens harmonics without self-oscillating for a fibrous, present tone. Dual envelopes shape amp and filter duties, a versatile LFO hits audio rates and syncs for deep modulation including X-Mod polyphonic tricks, and a mod matrix unlocks wild routing; top it with onboard arpeggiator, 64-step sequencer, and dual effects like reverb, delay, chorus, or distortion. The 49-key velocity-sensitive keyboard with channel aftertouch feels premium, controls are intuitively laid out with dedicated knobs for hands-on tweaking (mod section left like classic Oberheims), and it's built sturdy at 20 lbs in a desktop or 31.8 x 12.7 x 4.6-inch keyboard chassis with stereo outs, MIDI/USB, and pedal ports.

Players love its bright, versatile bread-and-butter poly sound that shines across genres—from lush pads to snarling leads—praising the immediate workflow, stable tuning, and intuitive front-panel fun, though some note its focused SEM character means a narrower palette than broader polysynths, and the four-octave keybed isn't for everyone.