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) |  | |  |  | .jpg){kind=small} |
| Polyphony | 6 voices | 12 voices | 6 voices | ||
| Oscillators | 12 VCOs (2 per voice) featuring CEM3374 | 24 VCOs (2 per voice) featuring CEM3374 | 12 DCOs (2 per voice) featuring CEM3396 | ||
| Filter | Multimode, 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 LPF | same as 6R but different capacitors | ||
| LFO | 5 (per voice) (plus 1 global for vibrato effect) | 2 (per voice) (plus 1 global for vibrato effect) | |||
| Envelopes | 5 (per voice) | 3 (per voice) | |||
| Layers | 6-part multitimbral with up to 6 zones | 12-part multitimbral with up to 6 zones | 2-part multitimbral with up to 2 zones | monotimbral | |
| Memory | 100 patches, 100 multi | 100 patches, 50 multi | 1000 patches (800 preset, 200 user) | ||
| Form Factor | Desktop | 61-key (velocity & channel aftertouch) | Rackmount | ||
| Production | 1984–1988 | 1985–1988 | 1985–1988 | 1986–1988 | 1988–1994 |
| Price | US$3995 | US$6399 | US$1695 | US$999 | US$599 |
References
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.
External links
- 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