The Oberheim OB-3 is a drawbar organ expander designed to add the classic drawbar organ sound to any MIDI keyboard or MIDI setup. It's engineered to faithfully reproduce the characteristic sound of vintage drawbar organs.
Virtual OBERHEIM OB-3
OBERHEIM OB-3
Overview
The Oberheim OB-3 is a drawbar organ expander designed to add the classic drawbar organ sound to any MIDI keyboard or MIDI setup. It’s engineered to faithfully reproduce the characteristic sound of vintage drawbar organs.
Key Features
- Drawbars: 9 harmonic drawbars (16′, 5 1/3′, 8′, 4′, 2 2/3′, 2′, 1 3/5′, 1′)
- Presets: 6 factory presets reproducing the most popular drawbar combinations
- Effects:
- 3 types of vibrato
- 2 different percussion effects
- Rotary speaker simulation
- Key Click function
- Overdrive
Controls and Connectivity
- Buttons: Percussion, vibrato, rotary sound, MIDI channel, and presets
- Knobs: Volume and overdrive level
- Outputs: Mono output, headphone output
- MIDI: MIDI In/Thru
- Other: 3 pedal inputs
Sound Quality
The OB-3 is highly regarded for its authentic organ sound, with many users considering it superior to other organ modules like those from Voce. Its real-time control via drawbars is particularly appreciated for its authenticity.
Applications
- Primary Use: Organ sounds
- Secondary Use: Can be creatively employed for bass sounds
Legacy
The Oberheim OB-3 stands out as a compact yet powerful module, designed to faithfully reproduce the sound and control of classic drawbar organs while offering modern features like MIDI compatibility. It’s considered an excellent choice for musicians seeking authentic drawbar organ sounds in a convenient, integrable format.