Comments on: Tom Oberheim Introduces New Oberheim SEM Synthesizer

By: Steven Clements

Steven Clements — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:43:37 +0000

LOL… my first sentence makes no sense.

I meant to say… those who cannot tell the difference between hardware and software can be happy with software. Those of us who can tell the difference will prefer the hardware.

Peace… and just make music
have fun

By: Steven Clements

Steven Clements — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:41:26 +0000

those who say they cannot tell the difference can be happy with hardware, as an doctor of audiology and a synthesizer enthusiast I can both explain… but why bother, and personally tell the difference.

If you are happy with software then be happy. If you're more satisfied with hardware, then be happy. This is Tom's hardware synth… and it's a beautiful synth.

So leave it at that.

I'll get one… you can buy a new VST and we can both be happy.

Steve

By: Torley

Torley — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:28:57 +0000

^ There's been more than a few occasions this was due to the playback and amplification hardware, or format limitations. I'd like to see more rigorous tests to substantiate this, because like high-bitrate MP3s vs. lossless WAVs or even sampled pianos vs. acoustic pianos, I suspect less people can tell the difference than they actually claim to. All-too-often, what's missing is "Who does this benefit? Make a difference for?"

And over time, given the proliferation of new technology, the newer stuff becomes what's broadly preferred. That's not due to its sonic quality being inherently better, but what listeners are familiar and comfortable with. (Not unlike how Western ears find microtonal scales strangely dissonant, and polyrhythms are considered "exotic".)

That being said, most arguments about analogue vs. virtual analogue are useless, because they fail to mutually consider the intentions and desires of the conflicting musicians involved. I prefer an AND approach: I'll use soft synths for their convenience, but if I find I'm not getting the sound I want "within the computer", I'll seek out an antique, sample it, then perhaps hybridize it further. That's what I want to do, and each of us has our own goals of self-expression.

By: BlueBrat

BlueBrat — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:11:18 +0000

It's already been debated enough; there's still a difference in sound quality, tone, richness, fatness, etc. to a real hardware synth to soft-synths, so stop with the craptalk about how hardware is dead already in favor of softsynths, you don't know what your listening to.

By: SynthLover

SynthLover — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:35:25 +0000

All of you except for the last guy (dean) can go f**k yourselves. Oberheim is just doing what Rob Moog is doing with the MiniMoog Voyager, trying to take the brand name and technology and make it ready for the 21st century. I like the idea of having a module that can be used with MIDI, and will allow you to implement those cool sounds from the synths in the past, naturally without the aid of software or plugins. Just for once I would not mind having the sounds of an OB-Xa or Xpander running on my Roland workstation. That is only if this thing is under $999 dollars. Oberheim does not need a company, just partner up with some other existing company (ie: Clavia, Korg, etc.). Digital is cool but analogue is better!!

By: dean

dean — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:49:24 +0000

You guys are nuts. The SEM is one of the greatest sounding synths of all tiime, EVER ! Anyone who cares about the sound of analog synths should have one of these.

By: aL:

aL: — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:41:28 +0000

As more info emerges… seems he'll only be making these himself, no other employees, no company. Which makes them extremely boutique grade works of personal art as much as synthesizers… I wonder if he'll sign the cases…

By: Doktorfuture

Doktorfuture — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:20:07 +0000

Would like to have CV for it too. maybe a Telemark is in my future. I just think the Telemark's knobs and panel layout is very unaesthetic.

By: Pushakey

Pushakey — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:06:41 +0000

for the small gadget crowd this looks cool…in todays world space is an issue, but he nailed it when he was talking about computers…we are in the golden age of computer music…im not buying any hardware anytime soon (or ever again really), this included….

By: aL:

aL: — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:02:08 +0000

I agree, there's not really enough in terms of new features for this to impact like the MiniMoog Voyager, or even the Prophet 08. But it will still be fairly big. I'm not sure how it will compete with Analogue Solutions' Telemark… given that the Telemark has MIDI and full access to the CV patching already (wouldn't need to be modded to access the CV). The main draw will be the Oberheim name and the as-close-to-original-circuit claim.

By: adsr

adsr — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:52:18 +0000

Specs? Sound demos?

By: arjun

arjun — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:29:48 +0000

This looks so much like the old SEM!

I can't see this being big like the new Minimoogs, though. Too esoteric!