Dave Smith + Tom Oberheim OB-6 Synthesizer Sound Demo

This video, via RetroSound, is an audio demo of the new Dave Smith Instruments OB-6, a collaboration with Tom Oberheim.

The OB-6 is a new 6-voice synthesizer, with all-analog signal path and discrete VCOs and filters.

Pricing and Availability

The Dave Smith Instruments OB-6 is available now, priced at US $2,999. See DSI’s site for details.

12 thoughts on “Dave Smith + Tom Oberheim OB-6 Synthesizer Sound Demo

  1. Is Prophet 6 synth on a chip per voice like older DSI DCO synths? And is OB6 individual chips for VCO, VCF,and VCA?

    1. As I understand it, both the Prophet 6 and OB-6 use their own, new versions of discrete component oscillators and filters, rather than integrated circuits.

      That being said, I don’t think that voice chips automatically make synths sound bad.

  2. I like the OB-6 and have heard great sounds out of it, but in this demo it just sounds harsher than I would like it to sound.

    1. Sadly, I am not the only person thinking several of the new synth crop sound harsh (not just OB’s). My concern is the harshness is in the electronics and not the patches.

    2. You have to hear it in person. I’ve only heard the prophet 6 so far, but it is incredible. Better than everything dave’s done since prophet 5. I found all his mophos etc very harsh, but these are in a different league entirely.

  3. Every time I hear the OB-6 it sounds like the sounds I’ve always wanted, but I really liked the prophet 6 layout. And it sounds incredible too, just in a different sound set that doesn’t strike me as me.

    So I’m completely confused…. Perhaps by the time I’ve saved the money I will know which one I want.

  4. Both of these instruments have full real time microtonal support and I endorse them with my highest recommendations.

  5. Don’t shoot me al you Oberheim purists but I was surprised at how similar it sounded to my Oberheim OB12. There was that certain harshness which others mentioned – not necessarily a bad thing.

  6. I use to have a synth studio in the 80s and these is the kind of sound I love… It’s time to recover the classic sound i lost.

  7. sat down in front of one the other day and it does sound incredible. I dont want to sound shallow but it looks just toooo similar to my new SC Prophet 6. I do wish Dave made the front panel look just a little more sloped like the Oberheims near the keys and was an extra octave of keyboard…ie just a bit more of a different form factor than the P6. Its holding me back from the purchase. Which makes no sense in one half of my brain.

    If i didnt have the P6, then i would have jumped on this already for sure!

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