Oberheim Matrix synthesizers

Oberheim Matrix-12 (1985–1988)

Oberheim Matrix synthesizers were a product line of subtractive analog synthesizers from Oberheim featuring a system of modulation which Oberheim called "Matrix Modulation" as a method of selecting and routing elements that dynamically shape various aspects of the sounds it produces. Matrix synthesizers continue to be popular due to their characteristic late-1980s analog sound and leading patching and filter capabilities.

These five products fall into two groups. The Xpander is a six-voice rack-mount synthesizer with voltage-controlled oscillators and very flexible voltage-controlled filters. The Matrix-12 is in effect two Xpanders plus a keyboard. The second group consists of the Matrix-6 synthesizer, with DCOs, and much more standard filter capability. It had two rack-mount variants, the Matrix-6R (Matrix-6 without keyboard) and the Matrix-1000 (low cost preset version with extended memory).

Models

Xpander[1]Matrix-12[2]Matrix-6[3]Matrix-6R[4]Matrix-1000[5][6][7]
Image(s)Oberheim Matrix-12 synthesizer top view with background erased.
Polyphony6 voices12 voices6 voices
Oscillators12 VCOs (2 per voice) featuring CEM337424 VCOs (2 per voice) featuring CEM337412 DCOs (2 per voice) featuring CEM3396
FilterMultimode, 15 variations of
low / high / band / notch / phase shift resonant filter
based on CEM 3372 w/ external switch circuitry		low-pass filter using CEM3396's LPFsame as 6R but different capacitors
LFO5 (per voice)
(plus 1 global for vibrato effect)		2 (per voice)
(plus 1 global for vibrato effect)
Envelopes5 (per voice)3 (per voice)
Layers6-part multitimbral
with up to 6 zones		12-part multitimbral
with up to 6 zones		2-part multitimbral
with up to 2 zones		monotimbral
Memory100 patches, 100 multi100 patches, 50 multi1000 patches (800 preset, 200 user)
Form FactorDesktop61-key (velocity & channel aftertouch)Rackmount
Production1984–19881985–19881985–19881986–19881988–1994
PriceUS$3995US$6399US$1695US$999US$599

References

  1. ^ Oberheim Xpander page at Vintage Synth Explorer
  2. ^ Oberheim Matrix 12 page at Vintage Synth Explorer
  3. ^ Oberheim Matrix 6 page at Vintage Synth Explorer
  4. ^ Oberheim Matrix 6 page at Vintage Synth Explorer
  5. ^ Oberheim Matrix 1000 page at Vintage Synth Explorer
  6. ^ Oberheim Matrix 1000 manual Archived 2016-04-29 at the Wayback Machine at Vintage Synth Explorer
  7. ^ "Oberheim Matrix 1000". Sound On Sound. June 1994. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015.

Further reading

  • "Oberheim Matrix 1000". Sound On Sound. September 1988. pp. 54–56. ISSN 0951-6816. OCLC 925234032.
  • "Oberheim Matrix-12". Future Music. No. 61. ISSN 0967-0378. OCLC 1032779031.
  • VintageSynth.com has specifications and photos
  • OB6000.de The Editor for the Matrix 1000
  • Xplorer A free, realtime editor for the Oberheim Matrix-12 and Xpander synthesizers
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