Back in the late '80s, this little rack unit packed the soul of Oberheim's legendary analog filters into a super compact 1U space, delivering 1000 factory-tuned patches that capture the essence of classic Oberheim tones without needing a full keyboard.
At its core, it offers 6 voices, each with 2 DCOs providing sawtooth, square, triangle, and pulse waveforms—complete with sync and detune options—feeding into that iconic 4-pole lowpass filter with its own envelope, plus 2 VCAs, 3 multimode envelopes, 2 LFOs, 2 ramp generators, and a tracking generator. A 10-way modulation matrix lets you route controllers like velocity, aftertouch, breath, or pedals to destinations from oscillator frequency to filter FM, all tweakable via the front-panel numeric keypad, +/- buttons, three-digit LED display, and master volume knob on its sturdy black anodized aluminum panel (later cream versions exist too). MIDI In/Out/Thru handles poly, split, multitimbral layers, unison for fat monos, and even guitar synth mono mode across 6 channels, with full patch dumping and stable digital oscillator control ensuring rock-solid tuning. Stereo output keeps it simple, powered by a switchable AC supply.
Over the years, players have praised its bold, aggressive patches—brassy leads, punchy basses, and lush pads that still hold up in modern mixes—though some note the editor-less interface demands a MIDI librarian for deeper edits. It's a no-fuss expander that slots perfectly into any rig craving authentic Oberheim vibe.
