GForce OB-E Brings Sound Of Oberheim 8 Voice To MacOS

GForce has introduced OB-E, a new macOS software synthesizer, based on the classic Oberheim 8 Voice.

OB-E builds on the original’s architecture with features like a step sequencer, effects, new modulation options and MPE support.

Here’s what they have to say about it:

    “OB-E is our take on the legendary 8-Voice. More than just an emulation, OB-E offers a unique musical experience. Sounding HUGE, it takes the iconic Synthesiser Expander Module based 8-Voice (a.k.a the EVS) into new sonic territory via a raft of enhancements and additions.
    The concept of the 8-Voice is actually very simple; based around a single Module containing two VCOs with Pulse and Sawtooth waveforms, two ADS Envelope Generators, one LFO, and a magical Multi-Mode Filter. In isolation, each Module is monophonic, but in the 8-Voice, because there are eight Modules triggered by a polyphonic keyboard, you have a superb eight note polyphonic synthesizer.
    While simple at heart, OB-E is, to our knowledge, the first virtual instrument with complete per-voice control. This unique Octaphonic architecture offers fresh and exciting creative possibilities to music producers, composers and sound designers for the first time in the digital realm.”

Features:

  • Unique 8-Voice Octaphonic architecture
  • An authentic sounding emulation of the Oberheim® 8-Voice
  • Zero delay feedback filters
  • 600 factory Patches designed to fit in a mix, all tagged and categorised
  • Librarian for easy access to the Patches (Arrow Keys Navigation)
  • Continuous, round-robin mode where each note uses a new voice
  • ZOOM enlarges an individual SEM filling the UI with front and rear panels side by side
  • Group mode to edit all Modules at once
  • Individual SEM Copy, Paste and Save
  • LFO, 3rd VCO doubling as a second LFO
  • Multiple triggering modes; Polyphonic, Monophonic, Mono Legato, & Unison
  • Fully featured analogues style MIDI Sequencer & Stereo Delay
  • Upper/Lower sections can be Split across the keyboard
  • Extensive Velocity & Aftertouch modulation
  • Polyphonic aftertouch and MPE ready

OB-E Quick Start Videos:

Pricing and Availability

OB-E is available now for £129.99 (normally £149.99).

34 thoughts on “GForce OB-E Brings Sound Of Oberheim 8 Voice To MacOS

      1. Take a look at all those half broken plugins out there that suppose to work on both platforms but in fact only works good on one platform and the other one being as buggy as shit.

        Gforce is upfront and goes for Mac only as they want the best plugin with the least amount of bugs. Once that’s done they can prepare a Win version etc. If other companies did the same thing both platforms wouldn’t be as shitty as they are today.

    1. do you know how small it sound when you trying to dismiss a hard worked somthing?
      i’m shore that if you knew (or if it was your friend work) you wouldn’t try that.

          1. It’s usual and recommended to provide useful criticism. In fact, i provide and receive (and act upon the received) on a daily basis. People getting whiney about whyyy would you criticize my wooork have no place there.

            In fact, Champ above despite ranting without proof about plugins being broken if provided for multiple platforms at least has one point that is possible: A potential lack of QA resources as a reason for doing this sequentially.

            1. i’m not trying to be “person c” in trevor’s axiom but the guy was clearly trolling.
              maybe you don’t know the history of this wording on synthtopia.

  1. If you have an OCD, do I have the synth for you! :O GForce doesn’t have a big range of instruments, but everything they offer is super-solid, from M-Tron to the rare OSCar. With all of the interest in the OB-X line lately, this was an interesting left turn in the Oberheim field. Eurorack isn’t my thing, but I can tackle this type of modular.

    Tom just trademarked the title OB-Xa, so a new hardware version seems imminent from the creator. Watch him and Dave Smith release one as a team. Hope its a bit jacked up, with Prophet-6-type effects.

    Anyway, I’m buying one, partly because COVID lockdownism gives me the time to milk it. Surreal.

  2. Dang this thing is juicy! It’s more than just an Oberheim sound emulation that this offers, there are also some pretty unique features and it looks like they added all the stuff I thought the original design lacked.

        1. lol, compared to what? was x-dfo’s comment any better researched than mine?
          how many non-hobbyist ‘audio users’ do you know on PC?
          i know a few, but they’re mostly doing concrète stuff with linux.

      1. Almost Everyone.

        In the area of desktop and laptop computers, Microsoft Windows is the most commonly installed OS, at approximately between 77% and 87.8% globally. Apple’s macOS accounts for approximately 9.6–13%

    1. By introducing new entry-level Macs that blow away high-end PCs?

      Windows and Android are both dead for music making. Anything innovative is happening on MacOS or iOS first.

  3. Well, as a previous owner of the original Oberheim Modular 8 Voice, I had to take the plunge. GForce has done an incredible job and I’ve already spent hours getting lost in the unique greatness of this instrument that I had 35+ years ago…

    TRS
    Using: RD-2000, Logic Pro X, Omnisphere, Keyscape, Komplete 12, CFX Lite, Arturia V, Pigments, ME80, VPS Avenger, u-he Diva, Hive2, Roland Cloud, OP-X, 27” Retina iMac

    Sold: Korg: Kronos 88, T3, MS20, Yamaha: Motif XS8, Motif ES8, Motif 8, KX88, TX802, Oberheim: Modular 8 Voice, OBXa, OB8, Prophet 5, Roland D50, Dyno-My-Rhodes, Crumar T2

  4. This a beast. My demo version had its serial in about 15 minutes of testing it and I’ve been playing it since then. It is one of the best sounding plugins I own and I recommend it highly. <3

    1. I get what you mean, got a 2018 MacBook Pro with 6 cores. Maxed out. Now my girlfriends new 13″ M1 sits all quite in her lap while mine sounds like a f*ckin’ train from 200 years ago just opening my daw… Hahahahaha!

  5. Great for copping the Gary Numan tone during his golden years. The demo is cool, but when minimized, it has to be restarted due to know sounds or midi being transmitted. Weird.

  6. I left the OB-E demo opened overnight in my DAW and the next day it said the trial had expired. Can’t remember if they said how long it lasts. Dang.

  7. The latest Sonic Talk podcast featured Dave Spiers and a segment on the OB-E. He specifically mentions surveying GForce’s own users group, with the vast majority self-reporting as mac users. You can complain about it being limited to one platform, but they seem comfortable in the number of sales they can generate on the mac side alone. Not every company has an army of devs ready to port software to Windows/Linux/iOS/Android.

    1. Brainworx bx_oberhausen sounds just as good- you can normally pick it up for $29 in one of PA sales. If you have a rack based DAW like Bigwig you can run 8 of them ‘octophonicaly’ (or more) in an instrument layer with a round robin trigger so its identical to this,

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