OB-8 or P-5?

[yetipur]

What do you guys think of the Oberheim OB-8?
Better than the Sequential circuits Prophet-5? Yeah or Neah?

 

[altitude909]

Depends,

Van Halen or Talking Heads?

 

[dementedchord]

i used to have a prophet.... and have used oberheims... the obie is a little fatter IMO... though i do wish i still had that pro-5... mine was an early production model and had tuming issues....

 

[Somnium7]

Internally, both of these instruments are more or less the same because they both use Curtis chips in their sound engine.

The OB does give you the option to use either 2 or 4 pole filter responses though unlike the Prophet so it can do a wider variety of sounds.

 

[yetipur]

Hey Somnium 7

Hey Somnium 7,
This is the person for whom you repaired the Solina. How are you? I posted this because I recently got an OB-8, and I was just wondering what the difference in sound and feature was to the P-5. Hope all is well! Thanks & Take care.

 

[Somnium7]

Hey Somnium 7,
This is the person for whom you repaired the Solina. How are you? I posted this because I recently got an OB-8, and I was just wondering what the difference in sound and feature was to the P-5. Hope all is well! Thanks & Take care.

Oh hey dude! Nice to see you around again
Alls well on my end, I am getting some interesting repair work lately and have been keeping busy on overhauling my mixer (look for RX-7 Update in Analog Only area).

Ok so here we go - Things the P5 has the OB-8 doesn't...
Poly-Mod section: Allows you to modulate the VCF and VCO1 with the waveforms from VCO2. Think early Cars (It's All I Can Do). That's about all it's good for. The Poly-Mod sound was really overused in many 80s pop classics - you may like or it may make you puke

Things the OB-8 has that the P5 doesn't...
Switchable 2 or 4 pole VCf response. Many early Oberheims only had 2 pole VCFs which sounded similar to early Korg and Arp VCFs. Then you had the big strong dark sounding 4 pole VCFs like Moog used. Having both responses gives you many options including the ability to mimic sounds from a wider variety of synths.

Now despite the fact that both instruments used the same Curtis chips for VCOs I would have to say the P5 is definitely thinner sounding. Oberheim had a few tricks up their sleeve to make the Curtis chips sound a little different just like Arp did in my Polaris.
Both instruments have unique personalities but not different enough to warrant buying both. Unless you are becoming a true synth maniac

I've played both of these synths and they are both really sweet machines. If I had to pick between the two I would go with the OB.

Anyway, take care of yourself and don't be a stranger. Give your Solina a hug for me

 

[Somnium7]

Oh yeah forgot something. If you want the P5 sound without going broke buying one look for the Prophet 600. I owned one for years. Does 90% of the sounds the P5 does for about half the money - and they all had Midi.

 

[yetipur]

Ob-8

Hey Somnium,
Thanks for the P-5 info. The Oberheim is pretty sweet. It has alot of controls to it......so many that I find myself getting lost in turning knobs and trying diff. things!! I love it though. I was actually kinda concerned with the whole curtis chip deal though. Do they still manufacture these chips? I founf the complete breakdown of all the curtis chips used in the ob-8, and some websites that sell original chips(salvaged) and the are as high as $50 for one.
The ob-8 uses a #$@*-load of them!!! I opened it up and looked. they were actually installed with IC sockets, for easy changing I guess. I was initially afraid to try and calibrate the ob-8, but finally took a shot at it, and it went pretty smoothly considering(8 voices!!) It is a great synth though. Oh yeah, I've been meaning to send you our Ep. I lost your address, so I'll e-mail you and get it from you. I will also give Solina a hug from you! I was playing it the other day, and using it to record onto our bands digital recorder for "Solina sounds at our live shows". I don't want to take it to a show, you know...... Well I'll email you for your address and talk to you soon!

 

[Somnium7]

Hey Somnium,
Thanks for the P-5 info. The Oberheim is pretty sweet. It has alot of controls to it......so many that I find myself getting lost in turning knobs and trying diff. things!!

That right there is half the fun of it.

I love it though. I was actually kinda concerned with the whole curtis chip deal though. Do they still manufacture these chips?

No. Every so often somebody finds a huge bunch of them sitting in the corner of a warehouse though.

I founf the complete breakdown of all the curtis chips used in the ob-8, and some websites that sell original chips(salvaged) and the are as high as $50 for one.
The ob-8 uses a #$@*-load of them!!! I opened it up and looked. they were actually installed with IC sockets, for easy changing I guess.

Believe it or not but $50 is a normal price these days
Good thing about the sockets!

I was initially afraid to try and calibrate the ob-8, but finally took a shot at it, and it went pretty smoothly considering(8 voices!!) It is a great synth though. Oh yeah, I've been meaning to send you our Ep. I lost your address, so I'll e-mail you and get it from you. I will also give Solina a hug from you! I was playing it the other day, and using it to record onto our bands digital recorder for "Solina sounds at our live shows". I don't want to take it to a show, you know...... Well I'll email you for your address and talk to you soon!

sweet I can't wait to hear it.