Oberheim Matrix synthesizers

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.

Oberheim Matrix-12 (1985–1988)

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 Xpander's 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 and Matrix-1000.

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.
Polyphony 6 voices12 voices6 voices
Oscillators 12 VCOs (2 per voice) featuring CEM3374 24 VCOs (2 per voice) featuring CEM337412 DCOs (2 per voice) featuring CEM3396
Filter 15 variations of
low / high / band / notch based on CEM 3372 w/ external switch circuitry		1 low-pass resonant filter using CEM3396 built-in LPF
LFO 52 (plus 1 for vibrato effect)
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 multi100 patches, 50 multi1000 patches (800 preset, 200 user)
Form Factor Desktop61-key (velocity & channel aftertouch)Rackmount
Production 1984–19881985–19881985–19881986–19881988–1994
Price US$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 at Vintage Synth Explorer
  7. "Oberheim Matrix 1000". Sound On Sound. June 1994. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015.

Further reading
  • VintageSynth.com has specifications and photos
  • OB6000.de The Editor for the Matrix 1000
  • Xplorer A realtime editor for the Oberheim Matrix-12 and Xpander synthesizers
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