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OB*12 by Viscount Oberheim
Synthesis type:		Physical Modelling
Polyphony:		12
Oscillators:		2+Noise & Ring Modulator
Multitimbral:		4
LFO:		Sawtooth, Triangle, Square, S&H noise
Keyboard:		49-key Aftertouch, Velocity
Left hand control:		2x Wheel, Ribbon
Velocity sensitive:		{{{velocity}}}
Aftertouch:		{{{aftertouch}}}
External control:		MIDI
Memory:		256+256 locations, 32000-event phrase recorder
Onboard effects:		Overdrive, Chorus, Delay, Reverb, EQ
Produced:		2002
Original price:		£500 new, ~£300 used

The Oberheim OB-12 is not a true Oberheim synthesizer. It was manufactured by the Italian electronic organ maker, Viscount using technology licensed from Oberheim (Possible a model of the OB-8 or OBXa)

The original cost was around the €2000 mark, but they failed to sell well, and the retail dropped sharply. It was possible to buy one new for €777 in 2004.

The OB-12 is a "Virtual Analogue" - a model of a analogue synthesizer.

2 VCOs.
- Each VCO has sawtooth, triangle and square waves, mixable in variable proportions.
- VCO1 - each waveform can be modified - this gives a super-saw or super-triangle, or a variable pulse wave that can be modulated to give PWM
- VCO2 - Waveforms cannot be modified/modulated; oscillator can be frequency-modulated (FM) from VCO1; fine detune; coarse detune +-24 steps
- VCO2 can be synced to VCO1, and key-follow can be turned off.

Multimode dual filter
- 2 VCFs
- Each VCF is a 12db, and has a high-pass, low pass, band-pass or off mode.
- The routing can be split, parallel, or combined to give a single 24db filter.
- The cutoff, resonance, modulators and key-follow affect both VCFs.

Envelopes
- 2 standard 4-stage ADSRs are available - 1 for VCA, 1 for VCF.
- Both can be edited to make more complex envelopes via the control panel.

LFOs
- 2 LFOs, offering sawtooth, triangle, square and random waveforms.
- Can be routed to VCO1, VCO2, VCF, VCA

Performance features
- Almost all sound parameters have a dedicated knob or slider (non-continuous) and can be changed in real-time.
- Pitch wheel; Modulation wheel; Ribbon modulation controller; Keyboard velocity; Aftertouch.
- You can 'morph' between 2 sounds using the modulation wheel, so gradually change from one sound to another during a performance.
- Multimode arpeggiator with extensive features

Voice modes:
- The OB-12 has 12-voice polyphony, and is 4 part multi-timbral.

Rear panel:
- MIDI in, out, through
- 4 1/4in Jack outputs.
- Digital out

Internal organisation
- 256 sounds (called 'timbres') - Unison, mono, arpeggiator settings are timbre parameters
- 256 programs
- A program can consist of up to 4 timbres, layered or split

Effects
- Delay with modulation
- Distortion
- Chorus / flanger
- Reverb
- EQ with graphic and parametric modes
- Effects are stored as part of a program

• OB12.com
• SOS Review
• Sequencer.de