I have played it now for um 4 hours and find new aspects of it all the time (not just the presets). Much deeper machine than it seems.

Though there are knobs knobs and sliders there is also a manual worth reading and many parameters that dont change through knobs.

It sounds really good, and the ability to tweak almost every parameter in real time is great.

I think they still got some left at musicstorekoeln.de .. ;)

My fair comparisons will be pinned against the Roland JP-8000/JP-8080 (I don’t own it, but have use it exclusively as my DJ friend has one.), Korg MS2000 (again I do not own, but my friend also has a MS2000, but I haven’t the opportunity to learn it fully), Korg EA-1 (I do own, and I can show some contrast), Korg ER-1 (I also own, as I might be able to illustrate programmability) and a MINIMOOG, (witch my friend also has, as I have had the pleasure to play with it A LOT).

I also use Roland JX305, MC505, boss SP505, lots of effects processors, along side my DJ stuff (For live PA's) and also lots of studio recording hardware, but that will be irrelevant. I’ve messed around with Waldorf Micro Q and Novation bass station 1 keyboard but I haven’t ban able to learn how to use them yet (My friend has those too) Oh enough of this bullshit....

Let's look at the oscillators. When you turn off the filter and effects, and mess with the oscillators alone you are able to go from a dull square wave to more exotic waveforms. Both oscillators offer you the basic cooking material, Triangle, Square/Pulse, and Sawtooth. Psudo oscillators also include white noise and the sum and difference of osc 1/2 (Ring Mod Level) and that’s about it... Limiting your naked waveforms to 5.

Yes other synths offer you more waveforms liek the JP8000 (7 waves), MS2000 (3basic+50 Digitized waves), or Micro Q (Hundreds of waveform tables/templates. But what you don’t know is this.... Every single waveform on the other synths or variants of the standard waveforms!

For instance, the Supersaw Waveform on the JP is '7' stacked detuned saw tooth waveforms at different levels. The OB-12 can create the super saw by three or more ways. 1) Osc 1 Saw allows you to "Spread" the sawtooth waveform; meaning detuned Saws are mixed with the original. I found that the OB-12 saw spread is more 'natural' to the ear, as compared to the JP, in that the OB-12 sounds warmer *i.e. not as digitized as the JP. The Saw Spread is very excellent for both Pad's and Strong and Powerful and convincing string sounds. I say convincing because as I played with and listened to some Stings on Korg Triton rack (My professor has one...), the OB contends very very well! (Well after tweaking filter amp lfo's and all the good stuff.

I have read reviews on synths that have the same or similar feature, but I'd imagine that they would have a hard time getting the very very pleasing sound! As I was saying, another way to fake stacked saws is to detune osc 2 Saw about -3 to -9 fine-tune and then applying a slow triangle LFO onto osc 2 pitch. But this way is more applicable for Lead Sounds... (And an awesome lead it is!) As a last resort, you can engage that unison button... and set unison to -5 0 +5 fine-tune or so, then you'd stack six detuned sawtooths together. Come to think of it, you may engage Sawtooth Spread to about 75%, detune osc 2, and then engage unison and you might come up with uhh... I’m trying it right now... WOW! Playin the bass note range... lets do the math (3Saw in spread osc1 + 1 detune (osc2)) X (3 unison) = 12 Sawtooth waveforms per voice! I haven’t even engaged the Chorus Switch Yet... Lets see... Well Chorus creates another multiple of the sum of the waveforms... so, you can create a MAXIMUM of 24+ Detuned Sawtooth Waveforms Per Voice! Yes its possible folks 24+ sawtooth waveforms, most pleasing sound, and the filter is OFF, THINK of the possibilities. Another possibility is to add a touch of Ring level witch is a new waveform in itself... Well - That would raise the total to 30+ sawtooth waveforms, Nice Nice Nice. The JP 8000 has a similar unison feature as well as a chorus, however I haven’t tried stacking on it, but surely it cant reach 30 detuned sawtooth waveforms per voice... The cost of Using Unison has cut the polyphony for the patch to 4. I would recommend MONO- Legato keyboard/oscillator settings if you use Unison, so that you can still use 8 voices for other 3 parts. I'm very very glad I’m writing this review, cuss I’m definitely going to use that sound in my next song! Very Very NICE! SHIT it’s so nice I was playing that sound for more than 30 minutes in the middle of writing review! I haven’t even turned on the filter yet....

OH SORRY... Lets go back on track where were we? Oh ya, were still on the oscillators, well the OB 12 has Triangle Modulation witch just multiplies the triangle waveform into itself creating what they call 'WRAP' very similar sounding to JP Triangle Mod. You can also get the Wrap Modulation by having two Triangle Waveforms on Osc 1 and 2 and send FM amount about 50% to osc 1.

Yes The OB-12 sports FM synthesis. Same concept conceived by Yamaha, cept you only have a 1 OP process, but who cares. At this time I don’t know that much about creating sounds VIA FM, but keep playing with it... You get some very interesting results at the most unexpected times... Just remember the Pitch Of Oscillator 2 should be and even integer ratio over osc1 liek 1:1 1:2 1:3 1:4 1:5, also 5:1, 4:1, 3:1, 2:1, They each ratio of frequencies create a very distinct (sometimes erotic) waveforms that I recon would be very very difficult of achieving with any synth, even FM synths. If you us the FM knob, just make sure you set Osc 2 Frequency at one of those ratios relative to osc 1, or else you’ll get a very very ugly sound... Has to be exact ratio for awesome timbres for FM.

Ok, this a feature I really like on the OB12... You can Activate 3 Waveforms Per Oscillator, Simultaneously, Meaning you can have a Saw Spread, Triangle Wrap, and PWM going on at the same time in Osc1 alone. On top of that, you can Add Noise to the Resultant waveform, and also Activate w More Waveforms simultaneously on Osc 2 (Saw, Tri, Plc/Sqr), ring mod level is also implemented so the max number of Oscillators or psudo-oscillators total 8 In the oscillator section without Voice Reduction... You can Assign Velocity/Aftertouch/Mod Wheel/Magic Ribbon/Foot Controllers (2x)/ Envelope Generator/Keyboard Range/Osc1 FM/Osc2 FM - to Osc 1 Pitch/ Osc 2 Pitch Osc 1 PWM OSC 2 PWM. Imagine the Modulation possibilities! I strongly feel the oscillator section on the OB-12 is what separates it from the rest of the crew. Here are some nice oscillator tricks that all synth programmers must utilize. One of my favorites is what I call SAW WIDTH MODULATION. One example I’m about to give gives some creative possibilities using SYNC Waveform. You should Select DRY TRIANGLE Wave for OSC1, and Saw for OSC 2. Turn on the Sync OSC1 --> OSC2 Switch and apply LFO Depth to change OSC2 Pitch by about +2 Octaves. You want the triangle wave for a super strong fundamental while sawtooth slowly morphs from BUZZZZZ to ZZZZPPPPPPP to TCCHHHHH to WAHZZZZ... back to BUZZZ - Effect is best when filter if off or close to open, because your creating strong super harmonics that sounds almost like a HPF but has a lot more attitude. Try it, your synth will love you for it. If you use a Pulse wave, it will have exact same effect as PWM but on SAW its almost like SWM - if you ever wondered what Saw Width Modulation would sound like this is your Chance.... (Works best in the Mid Bass Range)

This is another oscillator trick that I like, as you create a Thumping Kick and also a Reverse Kick, and Toms and Bass Drops. Solo oscillator 1 with TRIANGLE WAVE. Set your oscillator Attack to 0 and Decay anywhere Between -8-25 (Lower # is faster thump Higher # will create longer Drop) and increase EG DEPTH to from +10 to +50, play with only the EG DEPTH and ED Decay knobs. You’ll eventually find the Drop/Thump your looking for. You can try alternate Waveforms for all sorts of kicks and thumps. The possibilities are endless. Customize your thump and put it in your Sampler... Chances are your Kick will sound better than preset kicks on your drum machine/ sampler. I have adapted this from the Korg ER1 witch uses FM to create Drum/weird sounds... You can also try using the LFO Triangle/Sawtooth or Soft Square to make a altered thump, instead of the EG. I have attempted making thumps n drops using the JP8000 and MS2000, and they can do it, however due to a much limited range via e.g. depth/ I wasn’t able to get the variety on the OB12. However, The OB-12 Oscillator EG is not that 'SNAPPY' as the JP or MS2000 EG. The MS-2000 and Korg ER-1 gave me the best Kick Thumps and Bass Drop results, but the OB-12 has its own unique thump. - The OB-12 has a more customizable thump however... as you can make a Square wave at the -ATTCK phase of the DECAY (not attack phase of EG) then it will morph to a TRIANGLE or SAW if you wish it too.

You can also achieve a kick by setting Resonance to near or to max, and setting up imalar EG settings.

To get the Reverse Kick or Thump to whawP Just add to the ATTCK to the same value as your decay, or with the LFO, Reverse your LFO Depth the same range in the opposite direction.

The filter section if crafted rather well. You can have your choice of any 2 LFP BPF HPF APF modes that can be set in serial, parallel, and split modes. I am aware that the micro Q has a most elaborate filter scheme, but I haven’t explored that that much. This is what I like about the OB-12 filter setup... You can assign OSC1 and OSC 2 to separate filters, or better yet, you can assign noise and ring modulated signal to either or both filters! This means that you can BPF Noise with KB tracking (To create pitched noise) while filtering out OSC1/2 with a LPF. Unfortunately there is only one Cut-off knob for both filters. You may disconnect Filter2 from CUTOFF setting and keep Filter 2 at fixed value, or you can Track Filter Two relative to a ratio to Filter 1. I'm not aware of any synths (cept Waldorf) that are capable of this. You can combine LPF1 to LPF2 to create a Steep Cutoff 24Db/o or more even (It sounds like it) While Single LPF sounds like 12Db/O it is not specified in the manual.

I like splitting the filters and making a very slow LFO modulate CUTOFF with LPF and HPF at Parallel, you end up having the most exotic movement in your sounds! (Try with Auto Pan) I must admit, the MS2000 filter has a stronger punch to it, sounds fuller than the OB-12 (Maybe its me)... the EG filter is Faster and Snappier. Whilst the OB-12 attack setting from 0 to 1 is from TIK TIK TIK turns to WhAW WhAW WhAW. *Not as snappy. However kudos to Viscount for the OS-12 has the least noticeable STEP filter sound while slowly turning the knob!

The amp section is like any amp section, if you don’t know what this does, don’t buy this keyboard, it will be too hard for you to use, then you'll be like the other guys before on the list "THIS SYNTH SUCKS ASS CUZ PRESETS SUCK, EVERYONE ELCE SEZ IT SUCKS, AND I ONLY PLAYED WITH IT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO" fucking closed minded fuck. Oh sorry uhh...

Well everything else is self explanatory, I am getting lil bit tired now, so now its time for my closing argument. I’m sorry, I was about to go into the MINIMOOG comparison, witch the OB-12 Can contend very well too, just ask your MINIMOOG:), But I cant tell you right now, perhaps later.

OH, and don’t waste your money buying preset patches from companies liek NID NEPRO and stuff, sure he makes badass patches for the TRITON (I listened and played them) but you don’t learn anything about making sounds.

Don’t sit on your ass all day and try to make music with someone elces patch/preset. That’s very evil and sacrilegious... Damn all to hell that do that! Ok me go Beddie time BIEBIE - Dont worry, The Arp is really standard and uhh, there a nifty RPS feature simatlar to JP8000 RSP, but more Customizable.

-- Miek miek@hotmail.com Mp3.com/miek

Don’t listen to my MUSIC on my mp3.com page till OCTOBER, my CD and Demos will be finished then. You'll Hear lots of OB-12 Stuff...

You are a joker 'bp'...