The Oberheim Matrix-1000 is a 1987 rackmount analog synthesizer. It contains 1,000 Matrix 6 patches. Each voice has two DCOs, one low-pass filter, two VCAs, three envelope generators, two LFOs and two ramp generators. Editing requires external MIDI tools. It is optimised for pads, textures and ambient sound design.
The Oberheim Matrix-12 is a 12-voice, 61-key, fully analog synthesizer introduced in 1985. It uses Matrix Modulation for virtual patching. Every control can affect another parameter. It provides 15 LFO types and VCAs per voice. It is more programmable and sonically fatter than the Matrix-6 and Xpander. It is not intended for beginners. It is renowned for thick analog pads, sweeps, buzzes, basses and textures—and was called the 'king of analog sounds' in the mid-eighties.
The Oberheim Matrix-6 is a discontinued analog synthesizer made by Oberheim. No technical details, availability or usage context are given in the source. It exists only as a named category and manufacturer claim.
The OB-8 gave players twice the programming depth of earlier OB synths—via Page 2—while anchoring Oberheim’s ‘The System’ with the DSX and DMX. It runs on a Z80 CPU, stores 120 patches, and plays eight voices across a 61-note keyboard. It does not hide its age: cassette storage, no effects, and bi-timbral mode cuts voice count in half.
The Oberheim OB-1 is a monophonic analog synthesizer introduced in late 1977. It was the world's first completely programmable synthesizer, offering eight preset memories. It features two VCOs with selectable and continuously-variable waveforms, a switchable 2- or 4-pole VCF, and two ADSR envelopes—one for the filter and one for the VCA. Its design built upon technology from the Polyphonic Synthesizer Programmer.
A keyboardless, six-voice analog synthesizer launched in 1984 and discontinued in 1988. Rack-mounted. Uses Matrix Modulation to route digital control to analog VCOs, multi-mode VCF, and two sequential VCAs. Each voice is independently configurable — including FM via VCO-to-VCO modulation — via multi-patch mode.
The Oberheim DMX is a programmable digital drum machine introduced in 1980. It was the second commercially sold digital drum machine after the Linn LM-1. It used sampled sounds of real drums stored in EPROM chips on removable voice cards. It offered 24 drum sounds derived from 11 original samples and supported up to 8-voice polyphony. It included humanizing features like rolls, flams, and timing variations. It was designed to interface with the OB-Xa synthesizer via the Oberheim Serial Buss and marketed as part of 'The System' alongside the DSX sequencer and OB-Xa or OB-8. It was widely used in 1980s new wave, synth-pop, and hip hop recordings.
The OB-X was Oberheim’s first OB-series polyphonic analog subtractive synthesizer. Introduced in June 1979 to compete with the Prophet-5, it replaced modular SEM-based systems with a unified design built around interchangeable voice cards. It offered 4-, 6-, or 8-voice configurations, 32 user-programmable presets, and automated tuning via a Z-80 microprocessor. Its architecture prioritised stability and integration over flexibility or expressivity.
The OB-Xa is a pragmatic evolution: layering and splitting built in, filter envelope replacing cross modulation, Curtis ICs for stability, and Serial Buss for closed-system integration. It delivers thick, reliable polyphony — but sacrifices the OB-X’s discrete-circuit idiosyncrasy and FM flexibility.
The Oberheim Polyphonic Synthesizer is a series of analog music synthesizers produced from 1975 to 1979. It was the first production synthesizer capable of playing chords. It works by combining multiple SEM modules — each generating one voice — under shared keyboard control and a two-channel sequencer. Its sonic thickness and depth arise partly from random variance between SEM modules. It has no patch memory, suffers tuning drift, and demands high maintenance. Musicians used it for unstable, breathing chordal textures. It suits players who prioritise tactile, variable analog polyphony over stability or recall.