Oberheim is an American synthesizer manufacturer founded in 1969 by Tom Oberheim .
21-536: Tom Oberheim founded the company in 1969, originally as a designer and contract manufacturer of electronic effects devices for Maestro, including the PS-1A Phase Shifter and RM-1 Ring Modulator, and briefly a retail dealer for ARP Instruments . The company's first product released under its own name was the Oberheim DS-2, one of the first digital music sequencers . In 1975, Oberheim introduced
42-403: A $ 14 billion business segment around 2022. In the semiconductor industry, this practice is called the foundry model . Contract manufacturing is specially prevalent in the electronics industry . There are many benefits as well as risks to contract manufacturing. Companies are finding many reasons why they should outsource their production to other companies. However, production outside of
63-419: A good business strategy . For large companies that are trying to extend into new markets, contract manufacturing may be a good choice. In an international context, establishing a foreign subsidiary as a contract manufacturer can have favorable tax benefits for the parent company, allowing them to reduce overall tax liabilities and increase profits, depending upon the activities of the contract manufacturer. This
84-492: A group of lawyers who changed the name to Oberheim ECC. Following the acquisition, Tom Oberheim was creatively still at the helm of the company for a couple of years, before leaving to found Marion Systems. After a second bankruptcy in early 1988, Gibson Guitar Corporation acquired Oberheim. Gibson, under the direction of Keith McMillen, produced the Oberheim OB-Mx in collaboration with D.N. "Lynx" Crowe and Don Buchla ;
105-477: A hiring firm will request quotes from multiple CMs. After the bidding process is complete, the hiring firm will select a source, and then, for the agreed-upon price, the CM acts as the hiring firm's factory, producing and shipping units of the design on behalf of the hiring firm. Job production is, in essence, manufacturing on a contract basis, and thus it forms a subset of the larger field of contract manufacturing. But
126-430: A significant part of the design and customization process if needed. Some turnkey suppliers specialize in one base component (e.g. memory chips ) or a base process (e.g. plastic molding). In a contract manufacturing business model, the hiring firm approaches the contract manufacturer with a design or formula. The contract manufacturer will quote the parts based on processes, labor, tooling, and material costs. Typically
147-541: Is a form of true protectionism . The iPad and iPhone , which are products of Apple Inc. , are manufactured in China by Foxconn . Some devices may also be manufactured by Pegatron . Apple may move some fraction of iPhone assembly into the United States in the near future. Oberheim Two-Voice Pro The Oberheim Two-Voice Pro is an analog music synthesizer that was produced from 2015-2018 under
168-518: Is a manufacturer that contracts with a firm for components or products (in which case it is a turnkey supplier ). It is a form of outsourcing . A contract manufacturer performing packaging operations is called copacker or a contract packager . Brand name companies focus on product innovation , design and sales, while the manufacturing takes place in independent factories (the turnkey suppliers). Most turnkey suppliers specialize in simply manufacturing physical products, but some are also able to handle
189-640: The Matrix-6 and the Matrix-12 . The rack-mounted Matrix-1000 , though bearing the Matrix name, was marketed after Oberheim was acquired by Gibson. Oberheim's DMX drum machine , a staple of early hip-hop music , lent its name to the Producer Davy DMX , electro musician DMX Krew , and is still used in dancehall reggae music. Oberheim Electronics declared bankruptcy in 1985 and was acquired by
210-775: The NAMM Show in January 2016, Tom Oberheim announced the Dave Smith Instruments OB-6, a collaboration with Dave Smith resulting in Tom Oberheim's first voltage-controlled multi-voiced polyphonic synth since the mid-1980s; Tom Oberheim designed the VCO/VCF part replicating his SEM module, while control features, arpeggiator/step sequencer and effects processing were designed by Smith using his Prophet platform. In July 2019, Gibson CEO JC Curleigh returned
231-459: The semi-modular Synthesizer Expander Module (SEM) to complement the DS-2 sequencer and enable a user to play one synthesizer while the DS-2 played a sequence on another, or to be controlled by and layer with a keyboard synthesizer. The SEM featured a two-pole voltage-controlled filter that could operate as a low-pass , high-pass , band-pass , or band-reject filter, giving it a different sound than
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#1732771982852252-701: The MC series of master keyboards, and the OB3 , a virtual tonewheel organ . In 2009, Tom Oberheim announced that he was manufacturing a new version of the SEM. In 2011–2012, Tom Oberheim announced a successor to the 4-Voice called the "Son Of 4 Voice" (SO4V), as well as an updated version of the classic Two-Voice known as the Two-Voice Pro . The "Son Of 4 Voice" and the Two Voice Pro started shipping in 2014. At
273-464: The Moog and ARP four-pole low-pass ladder filters popular at the time. The company later combined multiple SEM modules with a digitally-scanned keyboard and a two-channel sequencer to create a series of polyphonic synthesizers , beginning with the 2-Voice , followed by the 4-Voice and 8-Voice. An optional programmer module, capable of storing and recalling 16 instances of some of the sound settings,
294-568: The OB-8 available solely as an 8-voice unit), whereas the OB-SX contained fewer programming options. The OB-series synthesizers replaced the relatively bulky SEMs with internal voice expansion cards which supported digital control of synthesis parameters and also utilized common cabinetry and power supplies. Oberheim introduced the Xpander digitally-controlled polyphonic synthesizer in 1984, followed by
315-656: The OB-Xa and the OB-8-in a single unit. Both Marcus Ryle and Michel Doidic worked for Oberheim as instrument designers before helping develop the ADAT multitrack digital tape recorder for Alesis , (a 'prosumer' grade digital recording multitrack deck designed to compete with the Tascam DA series of digital multitracks) and then moving on to found Line 6 together. Contract manufacturer A contract manufacturer ( CM )
336-678: The Oberheim Echoplex Digital Pro digital delay and looper in collaboration with Aurisis Research (Matthias Grob, Kim Flint, Eric Obermühlner); and re-released the Oberheim Strummer and Matrix 1000. The Oberheim trademark was later licensed to Viscount International , an Italian organ company. Viscount developed the Oberheim OB*12 analog modeling synthesizer , the GM-1000 guitar multi-effects unit,
357-622: The Oberheim trademark and IP to Tom Oberheim as "a gesture of goodwill to the musical instrument industry." In May of 2022, the new Oberheim released the OB-X8, the company's first synthesizer in decades. As with the Sequential -made OB6, the OB-X8 was designed and built in collaboration with longtime friend Dave Smith, and it combines the original Oberheim's three signature OB polysynths-the OB-X,
378-477: The Tom Oberheim brand. It is an updated version of the original Oberheim Two-Voice , which was produced from 1975-1979. This instrument was designed around coupling two SEM (Synthesizer Expander Module) modules. Each voice is individually programmed and has its own multi-mode filter. The modern Pro version contains a digital sequencer, MIDI, and a comprehensive patch panel to allow the instrument to interface with modular setups. In March 2021, Tom Oberheim released
399-461: The company has many risks attached. Companies must first identify their core competencies before deciding about contract manufacturers. A company's competencies are what make them competitive in the marketplace . If a company allows another company to take control of them, it loses that advantage. When deciding about contract manufacture, the company should weigh the benefits and associated risks. For small companies, contract manufacturing may not be
420-677: The latter field also includes, in addition to jobbing, a higher level of outsourcing in which a product-line-owning company entrusts its entire production to a contractor, rather than just outsourcing parts of it. Many industries use this process, especially the aerospace , defense , computer , semiconductor , energy , medical , food manufacturing , personal care , packaging , and automotive fields. Some types of contract manufacturing include CNC machining, complex assembly, aluminum die casting, grinding, broaching, gears, and forging. The pharmaceutical industry uses this process with CMs called contract manufacturing organizations , constituting
441-453: Was available for the 4-Voice and 8-Voice. These were among the first commercially-available polyphonic synthesizers. In 1977, Oberheim introduced the monophonic OB-1 , the world's first completely programmable synthesizer. In 1978-1981 it was followed by the polyphonic OB-X , OB-Xa , and OB-SX. The final model of the series, OB-8 , was released in 1983. The OB-X and OB-Xa were flagship models available in 4, 6 and 8-voice configurations (with
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