OB-6 vs OB-X8: is the new Oberheim really worth $5000? 

Thank you so much!

Thanks for watching Luis!

Glad it was helpful!

Thanks for watching and great comment! That's definitely the big advantage and it does not disappoint. Hope you get one!

It's so good right! I really miss it on the OB-X8. Waiting for someone to make a stereo distortion pedal I like.

Thanks so much for the high praise! More synth videos coming soon :) OB-6 is still one of my desert island synths.

Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching Ian - which one would you pick?

@@MilesAwayOfficial Don't ask hard questions 😊 I'm waiting for Behringer's version to appear 😄

@@IanWaugh I’m excited for that too! Everyone needs the OB sound

@@MilesAwayOfficial 😊 👍

Thanks Tony! I agree man, we are desperately needing a software update for the X8. Here's hoping its soon.

Nice! How are you enjoying it? That's an amazing combo! If you haven't already, please consider checking out my OB-X8 custom patches.

Hi, after experiencing both, which one do you like more, the OB-6 or the OB-X8? Thanks!

@@Donetur the OBX8 due to its fatter sound and 5 octave keybed. I added the Strymon Nightsky for the lack of effects compared to the OB6. I'm keeping the OB6 due to its filter

@@johnniecristaldi thanks for your answer!

Those are great synths too! You don't need to spend this much to get a great sound. I'm actually doing a sound set and video for Xfer Serum next month showing how Analog it can sound, so hopefully that can inspire you too!

Thank you! I am announcing the song at the beginning of the video really soon, TWO HALVES OF A HEART - stay tuned! Its my best song yet :)

did you agree with my take!?

@@MilesAwayOfficial you nailed it! It's nice to finally see your face after all these years of watching your content. Which is always informative and provides a tremendous teachable moment!🙏🏻🏳️‍🌈👏🏻🙌🏻

@@jupitermarxthanks so much! More videos soon, next up is the SYNTRX 2 😊

Thanks again, appreciate your opinion :)

@@MilesAwayOfficial Absolute Pleasure 🙏🏼 have a fantastic week 😍 🙌

Great tip, I should have mentioned that! I try not to use the OB-6 effects that much, as I feel they make the sound a bit mushy/less hi-fi, but that's a great workaround in a pinch

Thank you so much!

Absolutely agreed! They already brought a huge update so you can now edit both patches simultaneously in duo mode. Here’s to hoping for more updates!

@@MilesAwayOfficial Good to know ! Thanks for answering Miles Away. Cheers !

Good catch! Appreciate the comment

The OB6 is much more Oberheim than you think. The voice cards in it are essentially Oberheim SEM module-on-a-card. Tom Oberheim even said it himself, back when the synth came out. So, to say that "The OB-6 is a Prophet-6 with SEM-based oscillators and filters. It has some Oberheim tone, but not the real, real deal." is misguided. Tom said it himself when the OB6 came out, and I quote: "...the analog section (of the OB6) consists of 6 voice cards that are my SEM synthesizer module on a card". And to address the argument that the OB6 lacks one octave on the keyboard, I chose the Desktop Module version and play it with a MIDI controller. And for the voice-stealing artifacts on long pads, one could always get a second OB6 Module and use it in Chain Mode to get a 12 voices Oberheim polysynth, and all for less money than an OB-X8.

@@AlainHubert Two modules would cost $4800 vs $4999 for the OB-X8. For me, the difference in sound makes the OB-X8 the clear winner. It’s hard to start describing the differences with a bunch of subjective adjectives, but I tried to in the previous comment. I used to have an OB-6 and a Prophet-6, so I’m speaking from experience. Each element of the signal chain has its own calibration, range, etc. Those all add up to the end product. The OB-X8 is an actual OB. The OB-6 is a Prophet-6 aside from the voice cards. Meaning the LFOs, the envelopes, etc. There are some types of sounds where it gets close to the X8, but there are also a lot it can’t do. The SEM/OB-X filter sounds very similar. The other five filter options on the X8 sound very different from anything on the OB-6. There are also sounds the OB-6 can do that the X8 can’t, because of the different architecture. But I wanted the sound of the old OBs, and the X8 has it. All three of them. They weren’t trying to produce an exact replica with the OB-6. With the X8, they did.

That's a great point - I didn't talk about hardware but the Keyboard on the X8 is the nicest one I own by far, and the extra octave is lovely. Its also the best built of all my synths.

your first statement... Is only half true for me as If I get the OBx8 it will be a desktop. Much cheaper mind. When I directly compared them, what jumped out was the notes and harmonics on the OBx8 can clearly he heard as their own thing - individually. With the OB6 they all kind of blurred into one sound. I much preferred the definition - and the openness (or lack of congestion) that definition made. It was quick shocking in the flesh though - far more different than on ANY video Ive watched.

@@paulmapp8306 Yep. The comment about definition is my experience too. The OB-6 seems to have a more compressed gain structure. It seems like it might even have some kind of limiter on it to produce more uniform output. That’s just a guess, but that’s what it sounds like. Also a different frequency response curve. More high frequencies, fewer mids and low mids on the OB-6. Less punchy and powerful, more sizzle on top.

Thanks for watching! I honestly like the 3rd Wave more than all my other synths. Something about it just speaks to me. BUT it does a much better job emulating the Prophet synths than the OB's. Nothing sounds like a real SEM filter, even though the 3rd Wave digital emulation is nice! I like your hydra + ob6 module set up idea, that would be a great set up!

Great tip! I forgot to mention that, I remember Matt's video.

100% OB-6 is still my weapon of choice for many songs!

Thanks for watching! Agree for the most part with your comments. However I would really miss the morphing filter on the OB-6 if I didn't have it

@Miles Away Understood. I suppose each has it's advantage over the other.

Sweeping the cutoff on the X8 in notch mode is pretty damn great sounding. Not quite as nice as sweepable filter mode, but good in its own right and the 6 for whatever reason can’t match it in notch mode.

Such a great comment! We are so spoiled for choice. Before I had this channel, I made all of my Miles Away music with only the Korg Prologue and a few VSTs, and I think it too helped me be really creative.

Totally agree! Thanks for watching :)

Modulation in this case is things like LFOs, etc. The Modulation section on the front panel. The X8 has a lot of extra modulation, when you get into Page 2. Arguably more than the OB-6, but different. Things like Chorus, Flangers, Phasers, etc are also modulation effects, but those are a separate thing that comes at the end of a sound, and can be put on any instrument. They also use LFOs of their own. LFO Pitch modulation on a synth is essentially the same thing as Chorus. If you look at a Chorus pedal, you’ll see rate and depth - the same thing that you see on a synth.

Good catch! Thanks. That definitely does make a difference. But they also sound completely different with it off. The X8 filter does not open nearly as full/bright as the 6 without tracking on. its very odd behaviour on the X8

Good choice! Stoked I helped you decide, it is still just an absolute beast!

@@ghost_mall I agree. the majority of demos are uninspiring. I went to a local music store recently and to me it sounds great.

I'd really love to review and demo one! But unfortunately Sequential doesn't do loaner/review units (at least not to me), so I'd have to buy one - which I can't justify right now. If anyone in the Vancouver unit has a loaner, or a music store rents one I will 100% do it though as I would love to try to put it through its paces and give you guys my honest thoughts!

Thank you for watching, and good choice :)

Amazing to see you back! I truly appreciate you turning me onto the OB-6 chorus, it's the only effect I use on it. Stoked you are getting a second one. OB-6 is still my fave analog synth ever.

@@MilesAwayOfficial Thanks, and agree so much.....a synth tier with 2x OB-6 Desktops and a damn good controller is maximum nostalgia generation...I also have a Yorick Tech Low Frequency Expander that expands the mods of the OB-6(matching aesthetics so sexy next to the OB-6)...LOVE that OB-6 high depth low rate chorus!! Thanks again!

Great comment! You put the ideas from 30 min of my rambling into one paragraph, so thanks - we have the same opinions there haha

When the obx8 came out i pre ordered it immediately and thought it would be my dream synth. I love the oberheim sound and had the ob6. It came and i was so dissappointed in comparison to my expectations. The vco's is what makes the synth mainly i think. But for 5500 dollar it had way to many flaws. Even without the price. The synth has huge charakter and it is always present you cant do nothing about it but that is ok. The features are weak. No mixer and just fm on/off or another fm in the 2nd page. I hated that 2nd page concept very much. 2nd page for stuff like mixer and fm. I liked the filter but i don't need them both to be honest. And the envelopes, even it were two of them i didn't like much. I also don't liked the 3 in one concept. Would you really want to have all of these 3 oberheims which are all very limited and samey in comparison? On the other hand it is huge but light as paper and there is nothing in it. The arp concept i didn't like even as the bender. This give me vibes of a synth that is just a simulation of something. Knobs are huge but i like the space concept of a ob6 more. With the 2nd page and the huge space the obx8 is way less quick to program than p6 or ob6. With its big heavy sound and the control layout it was like playing with an elephant. Now you have these 3 classic and samey synth under the hood but therefor the programming is stiff. Wysiwyg is one important part of these vintage synth. Even if the ob6 has worse vco's everything else is better or even as good and quick as hell. Also the sequencer is so much fun. It sounds fantastic but it isn't a fun synth to me. For this amount of money i would buy a xpander or mks80. With all my love to oberheim i can't get into it. And i really asked myself if people are really like this recreation with just a different filter, 2 envelopes and light changes in mod matrix in comparison to a straight concept with more features and a sequencer with the same sound? I will skip that and wait for another oberheim or something else. For example, the p5 is a better synth for me. The old concept of a p5 works until today and the sound is different but also fantastic. I really hope for the day when we get synth with the sound of these but the features of an polybrute and a control layout of also a polybrute or prophet 6. the best of all worlds. I really think that people are after that vintage sound but not after a exact copy with all there flaws if there are any. At least i hope so. Why.....?

Oh, and i never played any of the original obx's but the sound was more hifi and stiff than i thought. Without the vintage knob it is very stiff and the knob didn't do much when i remember right. I like the sem and four voice sound. Xpander i also like very much. But i was just wondering how clean and well tuned the obx8 sounds. But sad for me i like roland the most. There will never be a new synth with that sound it seems like the obx8 is for oberheim.

Miles I’ve got to ask - Out of the Trigon 6 and the OB6 which do you prefer? They’re both so unique and different

I will say the bass sounds on the OB-X8 are not my fave personally but that's just my taste. The envelopes are solid, and snappy enough - not to the level of Moog or Prophet but they are good. The bass sounds it excels at are big wide 8-voice unison basses, but I still use my Moog Sub 37 for 90% of all my basses on my records. Doing a studio tour soon where I will go over what I use everything for in more detail, stay tuned!

Totally! I am just really picky with reverbs, so I don’t love it but on the right patch it can totally work

​It's crazy because the strymon Big sky you can try to get for 350 but they're super expensive and their VST version is still $200. I know you mentioned Valhalla plugins before but have you tried native instruments like r a u m? I just feel at this point VST effects are a better investment than the hardware since we already are spending so much on the synth itself​@@MilesAwayOfficial

I just pre-ordered the TEO-5! Video coming in August, unless mine arrives sooner. FWIW I don't think the OB-6 will ever be a bad purchase. I adore that synth and its a modern classic. You did good!

A comparison I am dying to make! Sadly getting a P5/10 isn't in the budget right now, but I've played them lots. P5 is the king for warmth and thickness, OB-X8 is more hollow/emotional/beautiful. Both are great, its like apples and oranges

@@MilesAwayOfficial I played the OB-X8 in the store today. It appears loaded with "emulation" type sounds (flute, clarinet, vibes, etc.). It's much easier to stack and see what you are doing. Maybe I need an editor for my P10? I'd buy both if I had the money. I actually think the P10 is more "emotional" but the OB-8X might have more "useful" sounds. Then again, I have no idea what I'm doing!

Oh ya - best set up, you get a full rack of oberheim action!

Thanks for watching and sharing your opinions! I agree as an OB fan as well we live in a great time :)

Thanks for watching!

Great point. I think a used OB-X8 module at that price would be a no brainer!

Is that your only takeaway???

It's the best looking synth I have!

@@SPAZZOID100 Is passive aggression your only mode of communication?

@@MilesAwayOfficial Those blue lines!

Great comment! I think we share the exact same view point :)

Definitely missed that here but I mention it in my big X8 review! I absolutely love the sustain pedal on the X8, you are right, huge plus.

@@MilesAwayOfficial ah gotcha. I’ll need to go back and rewatch that one. I’ve lost track of how many OB-X8 videos I’ve seen 😅

Me too! I can't place it, I love both but I really do use the 6 more.

its a classic!

@@MilesAwayOfficial The OB-X8 has all the fizz, smoothness, majesty, cream, presence, width, and just delectable pure dripping PHAT philter of the original. The OB-6-not so much. At all-no phat, no dimensionality. And I had two of them, as well as an original OB-Xa and several Matrixes. OB-X's for the WIN...

The LFOs are not polyphonic, unfortunately. They are per layer. So you get 2 lfos that are independent if you are in single, and you can make them go at different rates with keyboard tracking, but you don't truly have LFO per voice.

I think I mention that, it definitely does sound the best of all my synths. But for me personally, the OB-6 just has such a good combo of sound + the features and workflow I like. They are both great and I will never sell either.

good comment! Wise words. Thanks for watching :)

Can't wait for you to hear the full song miracle, I think you are gonna love this one :)

Fair points!

Thank you!

Totally agree! I really do use the morphable filter all the time, real shame its not there

Join the club! LOL

Great point!

Yea double mode on the OB is really special! The new update let’s you edit both parts too. It sounds just incredible, but for studio use you could just double track an OB-6 and get similar results.

Fair! OB-6 will never leave my studio as well. It's on every single Miles Away release of the last 2 years, and will be on every one going forward :)

I bought my OB-6 for 1500 eur two years ago. Looking at current prices the X8 would set me back 5200 eur. It is a no-brainer to keep the ob-6.

Definitely don't agree with the Fiat analogy for the OB-6, respectfully. The OB-6 definitely sounds more modern but it has such a unique and amazing character with the morphing filter and Dave Smith influence. Comparing it to a basic economy car is doing it a disservice :) OBX8 is definitely a Ferrari though, there we agree 👍

Ob-6 might be an Alfa Romeo ;)@@MilesAwayOfficial

wow now that's a hard choice - only you can decide in the end but hope my video helps you choose!

LOL accurate

That's what sold me ages ago!

If they are the same price I’m going OB-X8 just for sound quality. But the OB-6 is the better deal and more versatile

I really want to review the Polybrute someday, looks amazing!

Summit rocks! I reviewed it last year! Thanks for watching :)

That's a great set up too! Depends what you want out of a synth, I personally love the Oberheim sound so its worth it for me.

It’s impossible to get that same sound out of the synths you mentioned. They don’t have the same oscillators or filters. You can get something similar, but you’ll NEVER get “THAT” sound out of it. Sorry, I’m just speaking facts.

@@2ammusik Allow me to clarify, what I should have said is I can produce 95% replication with those synths. Obviously no 2 synths are exactly the same so the exact same thing cannot be achieved. My point is you do not need to spend crazy money to get sounds that are easily close enough. If you are an ardent purist with money, then be my guest and get the originals if you have the budget and space.

Fair! I am dead honest in this video, I truly think for most people the OB-6 is the synth I'd recommend. But when you are playing classic warm analog pads and brass, there's just nothing like the X8

OB-X8 is by far the best built instrument I own. Only thing close is the 3rd Wave. The OB-6 build quality is definitely not cheap, and still very good, but its like Lexus vs Toyota- you just feel the premium hardware with the X8. If that's important definitely get the X8!

Agree with your thoughts! Thanks Markus!

They are both analog so tuning differences can subtly be there, but the way the mixers/filters handle the oscillators does make them sound very different in similar sounds like that one!

@@MilesAwayOfficial Indeed. Hey, thank you for the excellent presentation, I really enjoyed it.

fair opinion! I really like the sound of the OB6 personally too

@MilesAwayOfficial ob6 has cool filter but if you have obx8 then ob6 is redundant maybe?

Yep! He’s a big inspiration of mine!

I definitely prefer the OB-6, but there are some sounds that the X8 just wins at. Anytime you do big lush 80s strings and pads, nothing sounds like the X8. But I completely will fight for the OB6 as the best modern analog forever!

Check out the GS Music E7, I did a video on it, it's a bit cheaper!

@@MilesAwayOfficial here on italy the price is that.

ouch! sorry to hear that. hope you get one back :)

@@MilesAwayOfficial : in the meantime I have a Pro-800 here, which I am pleasantly pleased with. They did a great job and for the money it was a no brainer.

@@DanglyLingham I gotta try one! I’d love to do a video

Interesting opinion - what is your reasoning?

@@MilesAwayOfficial maybe he means better looking because of the pinstripes? :P

I don't think it would be possible to cram that much analog circuitry, let alone lumber and metal into something like the X8 and sell it for 1k

@Miles Away , I agree with you, but what today's modern music instruments can offer is just not worth to pay for just simple analog structure.

@@XPJV if you care more about quantity than quality

@acidhourse , In musical perspective, quantity (variety) is quality...

It depends. For wide stereo pads, yes. But the basic modulations are so limited in many ways: limited crossmod, no Filter FM, shared env amount for OSC and Filter. But I have to say the OB8 LFO is cool. Also the UI of the OB6 is just perfect. Soundwise it’s taste. The Obx8 is more dreamy and wide, the OB6 is more lucid and snappy, but you can get amazing pads too.

Could not have said it better myself! OB-6 is my desert island synth.

But for these lush stereo pads i think the obx8 blows everything out of the water,, except maybee an old Elka Synthex. I think that the OB6 and the OB-X8 complement each other well.

Definitely don’t agree

@ghost mall I don't think the X8 was a partnership, it's 100% Oberheim and is also American made. That said, all the capacitors and circuit components were probably made in China because all that stuff is, not because it's cheaper, but because that's where it's made. The OB-6 was a Dave Smith collab, though.

Built in the USA.

DSI/Oberheim are obviously made in California. And LOTS of important artists used Oberheim synths. You might want to do some research.

Are you serious? 😂

@@gadjox oh! That's changes everything. American build always worth it. Thanks for the correction

lmao

I love plugins, but you can't really compare value of hardware and plugins. Different things entirely.

Eh, I’m a relatively young dude who made a music career off of using Massive and Serum 😆 and I still love my OB-X8

Clueless!

Or artists really interested in a good sounding instrument.

That's fair, I look at synths as in buying inspiration though. I've made way more songs on my OB-6 than I have on a stuff like bunch of different small Behringer and Elektron etc grooveboxes and desktop synths in a dawless jam, so it is worth it for me, but that's just my personal workflow :)