G-force have been the main competitor to U-he previous, but the last two years they really stepped upp their game and for now is the best softsynth developer today. The organic quality of the sound really is something else.
True that 10 years ago it was pretty much a game between those two devs. Now there are other players at the very top, including Softube, their synths from the last decade are in that echelon.
I have an original OB1 in my arsenal, and while Ive never been too much into soft synths, I have yo say that this sounds remakably close to the real deal. I was driving around while listening to the audio of this recording, truly magical when capturing the unique sound of this often overlooked synth. Cheers to GForce and thank you Starsky for making this awesome demo!
This is the post I was referring to. You said it sounded like the original, and since the original is an analogue synth, that must mean the vst is pretty analogue sounding.
@mattsmith1440 I just busted out my old OB1 and gave it a spin last night. I might add to the original had a "crazy digital" like quality when making adjustments to volume, pitch, filter, and ADSR. The reason for that is that this was one of the first sulynths with memory. The memory (which has long lost its functionality on my unit) would take readings of steps along the rotation. For example, if I tune an oscillator by using the large tuning knob, the tonal adjustment has a stepped quality as I turn the knob up and down (opposed to a smooth slope on other monosynths). Each step I hear is a value that would have been fed to the memory. From the video, it sounds like this effect has been modeled into the software. Just writing this makes me want to do a video about this. Regarding the software, its very close to my ears. It may not be 100%, Id say more like 98.9% as it is digital after all. This is appearance in the video when utilizing the extra features in the software, apps, sequences, ...and digital effects. All in all, I think it's a cool piece of software and (to my ears) it captures the unique sound of the original. Cheers!
I wasn't about to buy this soft synth, as I thought it was very limited. Boy was I wrong! After seeing half of this overview, I paused playback and went to the GForce site to buy this one. 🤭 Thanks for enlightening me and for an excellent overview (as always).
I was holding off getting the OB-1 because I have all the other GForce Oberheim synths. But I took the plunge and I must say I am really impressed. This sounds amazing indeed and very unique in its own way and different to the other GForce Oberheim's as well. Its well worth the expense. especially while its on sale.
I started studying classical piano and playing keyboards in the 70’s, by the 80’s it was my profession, by 2000 I was completely burnt out on the whole scene and quit. I’ve had all the popular setups at one time or another .. 70’s it was Hammond B-3, Rhodes 73 Stage and Minimoog Model D, First half of the 80’s Yamaha CP-70B and Oberheim OB-Xa, second half of the 80’s it was Yamaha DX7 and Roland Jupiter 8, 90’s it was Korg T1, Roland D70, JD-800, and S-770 sampler. In the 2000’s when for me it was now mostly a hobby VST’s came along and replaced it all, today in the 2020’s VST’s are obviously even better now and still replace all my old stuff. I have absolutely no reason whatsoever to lament selling gear like my old Minimoogs, Jupiter 8, etc., VST’s like the Oberheim in this video are incredible, we would have sold internal organs back in the day to acquire the sounds we all take for granted now on our computers, we are kids in candy stores 😬👍
Agreed- I wish the Gforce OB-X similarly had the capability to switch to a mode without the X-LFO’s and all the extras. As someone fairly new to synthesis, and comfortable with stuff in the minimoog/ pro-1 realm, I found G-Force’s panel and options to be overwhelming when trying to tweak a preset. It was hard to know exactly where which sound modifier was coming from! And all the presets have tons of built-in effects- which sound great, but again are difficult to understand when there are so many things happening at once. I look forward to spending time with DiscoDSP’s fantastic OB-XD and its more spartan interface, and using a handful of external effects. I think it will be much more useful from a learning perspective. Plus, it has a really fat sound!
It does sound great, especially considering how the real McCoy is so out of reach, modded or not. And, your demo standard definitely gives people a in-depth and complete taste of what both physical synths and plug-ins can do, Starsky, this being no exception. My issue with plug-ins might be a prejudice. That they’re in the computer and that you need an external keyboard controller to access them has always felt more like a barrier even than using a keyboard controller with slaved modules. It would be different if one manufacturer that I might already have mentioned below one of your uploads, Open Labs, had not folded after the one attempt they made at building NeKo instruments. It’s the most incredible design concept, a project studio containing a computer terminal, both an alpha numeric keyboard and a keyboard controller, as well as all the inputs a single user could need, all built into one chassis. I’ve long wondered if that is what Korg incorporated into Kronos (and its successors) or what Akai built into the MPC Key. Having an all in one studio that could host plug-ins like this would make it a whole lot easier to connect with them on a human level than just putting them on the computer and depending on the remote controller.
Great content Starsky! I'll say this, in agreement with ye: The best plugins are like the original hardware on steroids! If ur gonna make a plugin, ye might as well take advantage of what ye can do on that platform.
The oscillators sound... cute. I stopped using softsynths a while ago, since I wanted to try how the "real thing" feels, but this one tickles my curiosity quite a bit. And I guess we won't see a reissue if the original until Behringer needs to pay their rent. So I think I'm going to buy this and have a go. Thanks for the review!
And it's all about the modulation options, isn't it. You don't necessarily need a thousand oscillators as long as you have a smart modulation setup. I mean, look at Arturia's brutes. The oscillators are fine - nothing spectacular - but the modulation options make the synths almost godlike. And I see a bit of that in this little gadget as well.
I agree that it would be nice to be able to put it in 'original HW' mode, so we can experience what it's like and then chose the 'full on new mode' if we chose. Great synth nevertheless!
Sounds phenomenal! Wider tuning and a "original mode" are definitely good suggestions as well. I'm sure GForce would be able to implement those features. Also - have you mucked around with the xmod any more since? did you manage to dial in any harmonically pleasing/musical oscillator/tuning combos?
I already have 3 VST synths from GForce (Axxess, MiniMonsta2, OB-X) and they're all great, so I was excited about the OB-1. The problem I've been having is CPU usage, which is higher on the OB-1. Some patches produce clicks and other noise associated with CPU usage, while the other 3 are totally fine. I have it on the most performance-friendly settings. I'm hoping they'll be able to figure out some optimizations so it runs better.
Not too much! I opened it and the very first preset, after just a bit of tweaking of the filter... just took me away. I honestly can't believe this thing costs as little as it does. One more knocked out of the park for GForce! I am becoming a fan-boy. This is my seventh license (not counting the previous version of impOscar). Edit: The simplicity of this synth (minus the X-mods) is its strength. Same for the SEM.
New to this whole thing. Can someone play with this just on their laptop or would they need a peripheral like a midi keyboard? Also, which is more desirable... this or the OB-X? Thanks.
Yes, you can play using your QWERTY keyboard. Google "ableton live computer keyboard as a MIDI controller". If you don't have Ableton Live, the standalone version also allows this (perhaps with a slightly different mapping). The limitations are obvious. On the other hand, simple MIDI controllers such as the Nektar SE25, Korg Nanokey or Arturia Minilab are quite cheap and you get a free limited version of Ableton Live with them...
imho this is nothing like a sem it is so far beyond a sem and as seen in this video has really fantastic mod routing that will take the sounds into complex timbres and evolving modulations that would be hard with an obx
Starsky, according to the review on Synth Anatomy: "There is also a second selectable UI that gives you vintage OB-1 vibes. It removes most of the new features and only leaves the original ones. Okay, yes, not all but most."
There's an original OB-1 with Kenton MIDI on the SoundGas website, asking £5,750. Or this software version can get close and do more. I guess it comes down to how badly you want the original, with all the problems of servicing, rare and often obsolete parts if the working components fail, and a massive layout for what is a nice synth; but £5,750, really?
It’s hard to justify those prices… I struggled with it for ages before buying my Minimoog - the 2016 reissue so I persuaded myself it would be in better condition. But 3k for monophonic was insane. I fekin love it though and happy I got it. But yeah different story for vintage bits.
this sounds so incredible but be forewarned it is a resource hog. many of the patches max out my dsp in daw with a single key press lol. polyphony is sorta impossible with the vast majority of the patches for me and that is with only 2x oversampling and lowest rendering quality in the settings. admittedly i don't have the latest pc but this ob-1 and maybe 2 or 3 u-he diva patches at full rendering quality are the only things that shut my system down like this
Virtual synths are the most boring things in existence, but Starsky manages to make them look awesome. Good stuff fren. Edit: Alright, that thing is pretty cool.
Yeah, okay... Any synth with loads of modulation and a great interface can sound epic. I think there's no point in demonstrating that aspect so much. It's a software instrument; of course, it can be modulated in multiple interesting ways.
Somebody did a demo of the real thing recently on UA-cam, and it sounded so rich, and the oscillators had this great separation and heft. Go look for it. This sounds absolutely nothing like it; super thin, nothing special at all and not worth the effort especially given the CPU hit even if it does have a handful of pretty presets. Most importantly, it sounds nothing remotely like the real synth, which is mono. G-Force make other stuff that's really good though. But it feels like they bodged this together with code from their other Oberheim soft synths, which are actually good.
Thin like how? Do you use EQ to increase lows or mids if that’s your problem? Nobody knows in a mix if you used soft synth or hardware. The snobism in the community is tiring. be
Someone else in this comment section owns the original synth, apparently, and says this sounds remarkably similar. To me, this sounds as good as the best soft synths I've tried. Not sure it does anything particularly different, but I'm interested in the vast modulation possibilities anyway.
@@mattsmith1440 I agree with you. I feel that some people like to exaggerate too much. A sign wave is a sign wave wether it's coming from a digital gear or analog gear. We are still very biased in our opinions.
I own one of these and I thought it sounded pretty close. Still somewhat digital for sure as it is a soft synth afterall. Do you have any recommendations on a truly analog sounding softsynth? I was thinking about dipping into softsynths, and while this plug in sounds good to me, I already have the original and want expand my sonic pallet instead of adding more of the same. Cheers!
@@SpaceCapsuleOne For 100% accuracy, try tge Softube synths. Nobody else needs to bother making a Minimoog, Juno 106, SH-101, or Prophet 5 because Softube have absolutely nailed their sound.
@@SpaceCapsuleOne Moks Miniraze is a very interesting one I picked up recently. It's also virtual analogue but it has this 'wave slicing' thing that I've not seen before. Gets you some quite unique tones. I also like Softube synths, and theirs and u-He ones sound pretty analogue to me. However, this does too to be honest, and your other comment seems to confirm what my ears are telling me.
@@SpaceCapsuleOne Knifonium is good, I really dont expect soft synths to sound analogue at the moment, I dont know if they'll ever be able to make it sound analogue but who knows. I think the Solaris still doesnt sound particularly analogue but It sounds almost as impressive to me. With digital synths I think its might be best to try and be the best at what they do and not replace analogue but who knows what will come out in the future.
G-force have been the main competitor to U-he previous, but the last two years they really stepped upp their game and for now is the best softsynth developer today. The organic quality of the sound really is something else.
True that 10 years ago it was pretty much a game between those two devs. Now there are other players at the very top, including Softube, their synths from the last decade are in that echelon.
I have an original OB1 in my arsenal, and while Ive never been too much into soft synths, I have yo say that this sounds remakably close to the real deal.
I was driving around while listening to the audio of this recording, truly magical when capturing the unique sound of this often overlooked synth. Cheers to GForce and thank you Starsky for making this awesome demo!
Really, it sounds so great and digital
@rachelar Well, it is a soft synth (i.e. digital) afterall.
This is the post I was referring to. You said it sounded like the original, and since the original is an analogue synth, that must mean the vst is pretty analogue sounding.
@mattsmith1440 I just busted out my old OB1 and gave it a spin last night. I might add to the original had a "crazy digital" like quality when making adjustments to volume, pitch, filter, and ADSR. The reason for that is that this was one of the first sulynths with memory. The memory (which has long lost its functionality on my unit) would take readings of steps along the rotation. For example, if I tune an oscillator by using the large tuning knob, the tonal adjustment has a stepped quality as I turn the knob up and down (opposed to a smooth slope on other monosynths). Each step I hear is a value that would have been fed to the memory. From the video, it sounds like this effect has been modeled into the software.
Just writing this makes me want to do a video about this.
Regarding the software, its very close to my ears. It may not be 100%, Id say more like 98.9% as it is digital after all. This is appearance in the video when utilizing the extra features in the software, apps, sequences, ...and digital effects. All in all, I think it's a cool piece of software and (to my ears) it captures the unique sound of the original.
Cheers!
As someone who generally doesn’t go down the VST route, but is lacking anything with the Oberheim sound … this is bloody tempting.
I wasn't about to buy this soft synth, as I thought it was very limited. Boy was I wrong!
After seeing half of this overview, I paused playback and went to the GForce site to buy this one. 🤭
Thanks for enlightening me and for an excellent overview (as always).
I just bought the entire Oberheim bundle from GForce, what a thrill! They all sound gorgeous!
Sounds pretty awesome! Nice presets too 😇 Nice overview and review Starsky!!!
I was holding off getting the OB-1 because I have all the other GForce Oberheim synths. But I took the plunge and I must say I am really impressed. This sounds amazing indeed and very unique in its own way and different to the other GForce Oberheim's as well. Its well worth the expense. especially while its on sale.
I started studying classical piano and playing keyboards in the 70’s, by the 80’s it was my profession, by 2000 I was completely burnt out on the whole scene and quit. I’ve had all the popular setups at one time or another .. 70’s it was Hammond B-3, Rhodes 73 Stage and Minimoog Model D, First half of the 80’s Yamaha CP-70B and Oberheim OB-Xa, second half of the 80’s it was Yamaha DX7 and Roland Jupiter 8, 90’s it was Korg T1, Roland D70, JD-800, and S-770 sampler. In the 2000’s when for me it was now mostly a hobby VST’s came along and replaced it all, today in the 2020’s VST’s are obviously even better now and still replace all my old stuff. I have absolutely no reason whatsoever to lament selling gear like my old Minimoogs, Jupiter 8, etc., VST’s like the Oberheim in this video are incredible, we would have sold internal organs back in the day to acquire the sounds we all take for granted now on our computers, we are kids in candy stores 😬👍
I bought this and I totally love it I think its GForce's best synth yet.
Agreed- I wish the Gforce OB-X similarly had the capability to switch to a mode without the X-LFO’s and all the extras. As someone fairly new to synthesis, and comfortable with stuff in the minimoog/ pro-1 realm, I found G-Force’s panel and options to be overwhelming when trying to tweak a preset. It was hard to know exactly where which sound modifier was coming from! And all the presets have tons of built-in effects- which sound great, but again are difficult to understand when there are so many things happening at once.
I look forward to spending time with DiscoDSP’s fantastic OB-XD and its more spartan interface, and using a handful of external effects. I think it will be much more useful from a learning perspective. Plus, it has a really fat sound!
It does sound great, especially considering how the real McCoy is so out of reach, modded or not. And, your demo standard definitely gives people a in-depth and complete taste of what both physical synths and plug-ins can do, Starsky, this being no exception.
My issue with plug-ins might be a prejudice. That they’re in the computer and that you need an external keyboard controller to access them has always felt more like a barrier even than using a keyboard controller with slaved modules. It would be different if one manufacturer that I might already have mentioned below one of your uploads, Open Labs, had not folded after the one attempt they made at building NeKo instruments. It’s the most incredible design concept, a project studio containing a computer terminal, both an alpha numeric keyboard and a keyboard controller, as well as all the inputs a single user could need, all built into one chassis. I’ve long wondered if that is what Korg incorporated into Kronos (and its successors) or what Akai built into the MPC Key. Having an all in one studio that could host plug-ins like this would make it a whole lot easier to connect with them on a human level than just putting them on the computer and depending on the remote controller.
This is the only VST I use and I am using it more and more and more every day. It is just fantastic.
Fantastic review/overview. Thank you!
Love these guys! ❤ And this as a poly is super sweet. 🔥
Great content Starsky! I'll say this, in agreement with ye: The best plugins are like the original hardware on steroids! If ur gonna make a plugin, ye might as well take advantage of what ye can do on that platform.
Software is like the original hardware on estrogen.
@@sibbyeskie TF? U tryna be intelligent? Pfft.
@@sibbyeskie what does it mean ?
Hello there. Well, it is called Obi-Wan, right? 🤣
😂😂 I hadn’t noticed that brilliant … this isn’t the synth you’re looking for… you can go about your business
😂😂
As things would have it, I was literally wearing my "Hello there" t-shirt 🤣
Hmm, it came out in '78, I believe, within a year of Star Wars. Coincidence?
The oscillators sound... cute. I stopped using softsynths a while ago, since I wanted to try how the "real thing" feels, but this one tickles my curiosity quite a bit. And I guess we won't see a reissue if the original until Behringer needs to pay their rent. So I think I'm going to buy this and have a go. Thanks for the review!
And it's all about the modulation options, isn't it. You don't necessarily need a thousand oscillators as long as you have a smart modulation setup. I mean, look at Arturia's brutes. The oscillators are fine - nothing spectacular - but the modulation options make the synths almost godlike. And I see a bit of that in this little gadget as well.
The chorus is like if Roland Juno and the Solina string machine had a love child.
I do like a synth with nice presets
I agree that it would be nice to be able to put it in 'original HW' mode, so we can experience what it's like and then chose the 'full on new mode' if we chose. Great synth nevertheless!
Sounds phenomenal! Wider tuning and a "original mode" are definitely good suggestions as well. I'm sure GForce would be able to implement those features.
Also - have you mucked around with the xmod any more since? did you manage to dial in any harmonically pleasing/musical oscillator/tuning combos?
I already have 3 VST synths from GForce (Axxess, MiniMonsta2, OB-X) and they're all great, so I was excited about the OB-1. The problem I've been having is CPU usage, which is higher on the OB-1. Some patches produce clicks and other noise associated with CPU usage, while the other 3 are totally fine. I have it on the most performance-friendly settings. I'm hoping they'll be able to figure out some optimizations so it runs better.
Not too much! I opened it and the very first preset, after just a bit of tweaking of the filter... just took me away. I honestly can't believe this thing costs as little as it does. One more knocked out of the park for GForce! I am becoming a fan-boy. This is my seventh license (not counting the previous version of impOscar).
Edit: The simplicity of this synth (minus the X-mods) is its strength. Same for the SEM.
New to this whole thing. Can someone play with this just on their laptop or would they need a peripheral like a midi keyboard? Also, which is more desirable... this or the OB-X?
Thanks.
Yes, you can play using your QWERTY keyboard. Google "ableton live computer keyboard as a MIDI controller". If you don't have Ableton Live, the standalone version also allows this (perhaps with a slightly different mapping). The limitations are obvious. On the other hand, simple MIDI controllers such as the Nektar SE25, Korg Nanokey or Arturia Minilab are quite cheap and you get a free limited version of Ableton Live with them...
That sounds really good! Are you using a midi controller synth type keyboard with which to play this beast?
yes, the Arturia keystep
- Hello there!
- General (OB-1) Kenobi!
Which Gforce OB clone should you buy? Is it more like a SEM or like an OBX-a / OBX8?
imho this is nothing like a sem it is so far beyond a sem and as seen in this video has really fantastic mod routing that will take the sounds into complex timbres and evolving modulations that would be hard with an obx
pretty damned ferocious synth...gonna be awhile before i get it's behavior(s).
Starsky, according to the review on Synth Anatomy:
"There is also a second selectable UI that gives you vintage OB-1 vibes. It removes most of the new features and only leaves the original ones. Okay, yes, not all but most."
I think that’s the one I show where you lose the top line of fx.
@@StarskyCarr
Ah I see, I think I thought that was due to resizing or something, or maybe I wasn’t paying enough attention!
13:54 15:00 16:11 16:34 16:47 18:36 19:08
There's an original OB-1 with Kenton MIDI on the SoundGas website, asking £5,750. Or this software version can get close and do more. I guess it comes down to how badly you want the original, with all the problems of servicing, rare and often obsolete parts if the working components fail, and a massive layout for what is a nice synth; but £5,750, really?
It’s hard to justify those prices… I struggled with it for ages before buying my Minimoog - the 2016 reissue so I persuaded myself it would be in better condition. But 3k for monophonic was insane. I fekin love it though and happy I got it. But yeah different story for vintage bits.
this sounds so incredible but be forewarned it is a resource hog. many of the patches max out my dsp in daw with a single key press lol. polyphony is sorta impossible with the vast majority of the patches for me and that is with only 2x oversampling and lowest rendering quality in the settings. admittedly i don't have the latest pc but this ob-1 and maybe 2 or 3 u-he diva patches at full rendering quality are the only things that shut my system down like this
It’s just TOO good. 7/10
Is it able to VOX HUMANA? 😁♥
Haha… yeah it should.. what was it? 2 oscillators and 3 LFOs… easy!!
@@StarskyCarr HUAHUAHUA Thank You !
Virtual synths are the most boring things in existence, but Starsky manages to make them look awesome. Good stuff fren.
Edit: Alright, that thing is pretty cool.
I know even more boring things, like stupid commenters on youtube and so on. 🤷🏻♂️
Growls
Yeah, okay... Any synth with loads of modulation and a great interface can sound epic. I think there's no point in demonstrating that aspect so much. It's a software instrument; of course, it can be modulated in multiple interesting ways.
Modulation has the jump over analogue - of course its important
you seem fun
Somebody did a demo of the real thing recently on UA-cam, and it sounded so rich, and the oscillators had this great separation and heft. Go look for it. This sounds absolutely nothing like it; super thin, nothing special at all and not worth the effort especially given the CPU hit even if it does have a handful of pretty presets. Most importantly, it sounds nothing remotely like the real synth, which is mono. G-Force make other stuff that's really good though. But it feels like they bodged this together with code from their other Oberheim soft synths, which are actually good.
Thin like how? Do you use EQ to increase lows or mids if that’s your problem? Nobody knows in a mix if you used soft synth or hardware. The snobism in the community is tiring. be
Someone else in this comment section owns the original synth, apparently, and says this sounds remarkably similar.
To me, this sounds as good as the best soft synths I've tried. Not sure it does anything particularly different, but I'm interested in the vast modulation possibilities anyway.
@@mattsmith1440 I agree with you. I feel that some people like to exaggerate too much. A sign wave is a sign wave wether it's coming from a digital gear or analog gear. We are still very biased in our opinions.
Nothing special to me, another plug-in synth doesn’t even sound particularly analogue like a creamware synth does or anything
I own one of these and I thought it sounded pretty close. Still somewhat digital for sure as it is a soft synth afterall. Do you have any recommendations on a truly analog sounding softsynth? I was thinking about dipping into softsynths, and while this plug in sounds good to me, I already have the original and want expand my sonic pallet instead of adding more of the same. Cheers!
@@SpaceCapsuleOne For 100% accuracy, try tge Softube synths. Nobody else needs to bother making a Minimoog, Juno 106, SH-101, or Prophet 5 because Softube have absolutely nailed their sound.
@@harrymartin684 Thank you! I'm headed that way to check them out!
@@SpaceCapsuleOne
Moks Miniraze is a very interesting one I picked up recently. It's also virtual analogue but it has this 'wave slicing' thing that I've not seen before. Gets you some quite unique tones.
I also like Softube synths, and theirs and u-He ones sound pretty analogue to me. However, this does too to be honest, and your other comment seems to confirm what my ears are telling me.
@@SpaceCapsuleOne Knifonium is good, I really dont expect soft synths to sound analogue at the moment, I dont know if they'll ever be able to make it sound analogue but who knows. I think the Solaris still doesnt sound particularly analogue but It sounds almost as impressive to me. With digital synths I think its might be best to try and be the best at what they do and not replace analogue but who knows what will come out in the future.
There’s something about digital synths that reminds me of a digital girlfriend - beautiful but but soulless.
i never got a digital girfriend so i cannot compare ;p
Waffle
@@Nenko_Music It's just a pervert running around assaulting people with a fleshlight. Kind of an asshole thing to do to someone.
A digital girlfriend may be, in some instances, better than the real thing.
@@Andronicus2007im gonna think about it now thx :D