GForce OB-X Softsynth Brings 1979 to 2023

The original cost $4595 – for the 4-voice version, and this one has 16

Look up the OB-X on Wikipedia and you’ll see a ridiculously impressive list of albums and songs it was used on. GForce is very good at this, as you know if you read, say, our review of their SEM last year.

Here’s the company release:

London, 12.10.23 – GForce Software are delighted to present Oberheim OB-X, the world’s first officially endorsed emulation of this famous 80s synth that was adopted by some of the biggest names in the business: Queen, Rush, Paul McCartney, Prince, Depeche Mode, Simple Minds, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Tangerine Dream, Jean-Michel Jarre, Susan Ciani, Japan, Eurythmics and many, many more.

GForce’s OB-X preserves the much loved classic hardware tones while, through the addition of a huge array of additional features, sounds fresh and modern lending itself superbly to Electronica, EDM, Drum and Bass, Ambient, Rock, Prog Rock, Hip Hop and more.

Using decades of experience, GForce’s engineers painstakingly modeled their original OB-X in all its glory. Like the original, per voice, there are two oscillators, a 2-pole resonant lowpass filter, amplifier and two envelope generators. There’s also the classic modulation section with sources and destinations. But as you’d expect from GForce Software, they’ve taken the opportunity to enhance this classic with a set of potent new features.

An authentic OB-X with vast sound design possibilities 

GForce’s OB-X has up to 16 voices with mono, legato, poly and unison modes with unison detune. It features a vintage control for adding subtle analogue imperfections, four programmable Macros, new intro, retrigger, phase and smoothing features for the LFO, new level destination for the LFO, separate PWM1 and 2, discrete levels, discreet tracking, an arpeggiator, a chord mode with scaler, individual pan of 8 pairs of voices, Chorus, Stereo Delay and Reverb effects, and more. Finally, GForce’s OB-X has been augmented with X-Modifiers, dedicated LFOs and ADSRs for almost all parameters that takes OB-X to the next level of sound design.

Inspiration At The Speed Of Sound

Oberheim OB-X features their new, highly flexible preset browser, providing the power to organise sounds in a way that suits individual workflows. With extensive tagging, sorting and search possibilities, it’s quick and easy to find the presets you want. The Oberheim OB-X includes more than 400+ brand new production-ready presets from an array of diverse sound designers and artists including; Lightbath, GEOsynths, Christian Laffitte, Richard Veenstra and Ramon Kerstens (K/V), Tontario, Stuart Thomas, Zardonic, Drew Schlesinger, Drew Neumann, Noyzelab, Sonic Space lab, Dave Spiers, Tom Wolfe, Graeme Rawson and more. The presets range from resolutely modern to passionately classic with a lot of recreations that you may have heard on more than one timeless hit.

The new Oberheim OB-X plug-in from GForce is a wonderful tribute to a classic vintage synth. GForce has vastly expanded its capabilities with the XLFO, XADSR, Macros, Velocity and Aftertouch, Arpeggiator, FX and more. It is also much lighter and requires less maintenance than the originals!” Drew Neumann – Composer (Aeon Flux, The Wild Thornberrys) 

Oberheim OB-X – key features

An authentic sounding emulation of the Oberheim® OB-X

Fully-scalable UI

Powerful Preset Browser

Over 400 presets

Vintage knob for authentic analog imperfections

Augmented with vast modulation options via X-Modifiers

Chord mode with scale

Arpeggiator

Chorus, Delay and Reverb effect

Four programmable Macros for easy manipulation of sounds

Monophonic, polyphonic, legato and unison trigger modes

Per-voice-pan for wide stereo sounds

Programmable Aftertouch and expanded Velocity controls for extra playability

Current price: £59.99EX. VA

Click here for more info: gforcesoftware.com/products/ob-x/