New SEMS Module From Tom Oberheim

Video via Stretta

We heard the there might be something brewing from Tom Oberhiem, the luminary synth designer responsible for the original SEMS and some of the most desirable polysynths of last Century.

Since Gibson took over the Oberheim brand - one of the best synth logos in history -we tried to license it for T-Shirts once, but ran into the Gibson legal department and decidied to give it a miss, there's not been much Oberheim action apart from an organ based instrument.

Now Tom has revealed there is to be a new SEM Module with the same circuits as the original SEM with the addition of an integrated MIDI/CV. Price less than $1k. Available in a few months.

Details are sketchy at present, but Matrixsynth and the AH mailing list are good places to keep track of it,

We will post more as and when we get more details.

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I WANT FOUR ! NOW ! !

04-Jun-09 03:03 PM

the question is where will we be looking when it is release to get one! how long?

06-Jun-09 03:02 AM

brilliant, even if its not cheap. one question arises though...what about the telemark and semblance from analog solutions?

06-Jun-09 11:01 AM

As for distribution, my first guess is Audio MIDI since he and the others he name drops in this clip had a symposium that they videoed and sold. As for other SEM based modules, good question. Are there design patents in question? I noticed a lack of logo on the prototype new SEM. Hmmm.

07-Jun-09 01:21 AM

Sounds great. I'm with Beermaster... I want at least four of them.. Hey, I wonder if they can be daisy chained to form a polyphonic system? I should find out first before ordering, lol.

07-Jun-09 02:22 AM

Re semblance and telemark - I have tried the former and while it sounds good it lacks much of the SEM peculiarity. I own an original SEM and am very familiar with its character. The lowpassfilter for example is one of the smoothest sounding to be found anywhere. There are also a few sweetspots when fading the lp/hp filters. You also get a strange (and cool) digital-ish vibe when you tune the oscillators close. Similar to what stacking two analog waveforms in a s+s synth gives. All these sounds *like* an SEM on the Semblance, but more as a consequence of design than actually capturing the sem sound.

07-Jun-09 04:12 PM

there's no logo on the new one Ken, because gibson still own the logo and oberheim brand. Otherwise it's pretty faithfull to the original, which i have used in TVS and four voice form.

09-Jun-09 12:38 PM

Any chance of a reissue of an OB-Xa? Hope he has considered?

11-Jun-09 10:29 PM

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