Back in the mid-80s, this rackmount gem captured the essence of Oberheim's legendary analog warmth in a compact 3U form, blending digital control for rock-solid tuning with pure analog heart—think DCOs driving that classic OB-series vibe without the bulk of a keyboard.
At its core, each of its 6 voices packs two analog digitally-controlled oscillators (saw, triangle, pulse with PWM and sync), feeding into a resonant 24dB/octave CEM3396 lowpass filter, dual VCAs, three DADSR envelopes, two LFOs, and dual ramp generators for dynamic modulation. The star is its matrix modulation system, letting you route sources like velocity, aftertouch, pedals, levers, tracking generator, or LFOs to damn near anything for wild, Xpander-like patches. Duo-timbral operation supports splits or layers, with 100 onboard patches, full MIDI (IN/OUT/THRU), pedal inputs, and stereo outs—all accessed via a membrane button panel, VFD display, and front volume knob on its 19-inch rack chassis weighing around 8kg.
Players love its punchy basses, shimmering pads, and versatile textures that echo the pricier Matrix 12, earning fans from Orbital to Tangerine Dream. That said, the menu-diving edit interface via membrane keys can feel fiddly at first, especially if you're after knob-per-function immediacy. Still, once dialed in, it's a studio staple for vintage analog magic.
