Oberheim Matrix 1000

For what this synth was designed for the user interface couldn't be simpler. But to really get the most of this things killer synthesis potential you need an external hardware or software editor (I use Matrix 2001 and enjoy it so far). This makes sound design a cumbersome process if you like to make patches on the fly while you are making music. But as a stand-alone system it's passable..especially considering the price of this thing and the sound quality you get with it.

The CEM chips sound really nice. It's cool that they can sound different in the different synthesizers that utilize them (akai ax-60, sci six-trak, etc) based on how the manufacturers build the circuit boards around them. There are two DCOs with triange/saw mix and a Pulse wave each. You can have both waves running at once for each oscillator. There are many sync modes and FM control for the 2-pole LowPass VCF. The tuning is very stable which might bother some people but it's very easy to get it unstable with the huge amount of modulation possibilities. The synthesis architecture is kinda like a 6 voice version of the Sequential Circuits Pro-One. Multiple trigger modes and portamento modes! It's all pretty fantastic for a 19" rack.

I'm deducting 0.9 points for it not having more continuous controller options (like the Six Trak does). and 0.1 points for not having a highpass filter or something like that.

The sound is totally there. It's a very rich analog sound. I've used some fancy old synths (Memorymoog, Oberheim OB-Xa, Jupiter-6, JX-10) and I can say that I REALLY ENJOY the sound that comes out of this black 19" rack with midi control. I've been using softsynths since 1995. I was so into them that I programmed my own. I don't think anyone can program something that sounds as good or as analog as this cheap matrix 1000. There is a bit of a dark quality quality to the output but most sounds need very little eqing to sound good and fit in the mix. Especially for the style of music I'm making. I would say a quarter of the 800 locked-in factory presets are useful (not accounting for duplication) but I don't use them in my music as I'm too much of a control freak. You can make very expressive sounds thanks to the modulation options (I use aftertouch control of things a lot in my music.)

The oscillators sound amazing...despite the Pulse being a bit sharp (not hollow like a "true" square) and the Saw being a bit round (although i think this adds to the phatness of this thing). The pulse-width can be controlled from either a positive or negative direction and both yield different sounding oscillators. The VCF sounds very much like a CEM filter (maybe because it is one-duh). It resonates easily and does reach self-oscillation. I was most surprised about just how warm the unison function sounds. I had expected it to be just as terrible as the Korg DW-8000 is especially considering there was so much effort goes into the tuning of the oscillators but it wasn't at all...thusly, I am so pleasantly surprised. =O)

The only thing the Matrix has against it for sound are the software controlled envelopes and lfos. The lfos can step sometimes. But I don't really notice it too much.

This broke during shipping but it was an easy fix. It seems pretty solid. Possibly one of the most solid pieces of analog kit around.

I hear that Tony Oberheim is going to be starting a synthesizer manufacturer again in the same way that Dave Smith has...which is an exciting prospect.

I love this thing. It's the one of the best values in vintage gear today. I'm buying another one as soon as I can to double the polyphony. I'm curious about other synths that use this chip. I would love to own a Cheetah ms-6 for it's multi-timbral features. Or an Akai AX-60 for it's easy to you faders and pulse-width modulation on other waveforms. Or a sequential circuits MAX for it's ability to modify parameters with midi CC#s. But I'm still extremely happy with this Matrix 1000 (and even happier when I get my second one).

My Obie is the black-faced panel, manufactured around 1989. For a start, It's got 1000 instantly ready sounds, what makes it a very straightforward unit. It is very difficult not to find a preset that will satisfy your needs, or that will at least come close to it.
It is possible to survive by using presets alone. Very few times I have turned to editing, partly because I use this unit combined to other types of synthesizers. It's not possible to edit any sounds in the box at all, unless you have a software editor, so that makes all the difference. I use the OB-6000 editor by Thomas Bolke and recommend it.
I'll give it an 8, only because it requires the software to dig out the full potential of the unit.

Again this is a straight-forward machine. It offers 6 voices, which is enough for me. As any other 6-voice synth architecture, do not expect it to respond to a full-fingered string pad just like a Nord would usually do. HOWEVER, I luckily found out that the Matrix series have one very special feature, that is the ability to link themselves, thus increasing polyphony. After my Matrix 1000, I had the chance to acquire the Matrix 6 (keyboard version), so that I managed to link themselves and get a whooping 12-voice Oberheim dessert. Also, the two Matrix are able to send each other's patches trhough MIDI, without requiring the software editor. That made possible to me to edit timbres in my Matrix 6 and them sending it into the Matrix 1000. It's is totally worth it.
For that reason, I'll give it a 10.

Now, the best part.
I respect the higher end Oberheim synths like the Xpander and the Obie 8, but the lower-end Matrix 6 and 1000 still hold their places in my heart. The sound is full of character, very different from Roland and Korg similar models. Rich analog strings, full-bodied basses, unique analog effects, and you don't even have to turn unison ON to hear such results. If you do, this machine is almost unstoppable, and the chances that it will overtake other synths in the mix is pretty high. The fact that this machine is MONO and has no FX is a very welcome thing for me, since it allows me to listen to a raw and sincere tone. Usually, the Matrix sound a bit "dark" when compared to other synths, nothing that a good EQ won't solve. When properly mixed and processed, the Matrix sound will be suitable for nearly every style.
Given the number of times I have relied on it's sounds instead of my other (much more expensive) synths, I'll have to give it a 10.

This is a studio-oriented gear. Despite that, it's much more reliable than my stubborn Matrix 6. It's been functioning for nearly 20 years, on all sorts of situations. Sometimes it requires inside cleaning and auto-calibration, but so far no problems with it.
Maybe it's luck, maybe is just plain reliability.
For my experience, I'll give it a 9.

Never had to contact them. And it wouldn't help, anyway, Oberheim is defunct.

If I lost it, I would replace it immediately. It is, by far, one of the cheapest investments in my studio that has delivered most. The Matrix 1000 is infinitely better than any analog-emulation soft synth investment. Even the Oberheim soft synth clone can't come close to the Matrix 1000 sound. I HIGHLY recommend it.

My tunes have plenty of Matrix sound. Please visit:
www.myspace.com/guillermotin

This is for a 1988 blackface version. Even if you've read all the other reviews for this unit here read mine may make a difference in your purchase. There are 1000 presets so right there that's a pretty big job just going through them and trying them all even with the patchlist which is downloadable. It's general opinion on this unit and I agree that out of that 1000 there are about 100 great ones the rest are a little less than great. Having played through the thousand presets-all of them at least twice I think maybe that number maybe more generous. I would say maybe around 70-80. The best ones far and away are the strings and the horns. The bases are nothing I would record or use in performance. The keyboards are below average I feel. Some of the sweeps are magical but not sure if I would ever use for anything but they sound pretty awesome. ("in the news" a particular favorite, and the 1984 one named after the van halen number I assume) They have a preset named after "99 luft balloons" play it and you will immediately recognize it from the song. Warning: So many of the patches of those 1000 presets are repeated, or near repeats that sound very similar. Alot of the presets are very ear fatiguing and even though this is an analog unit are not pleasant or musical. I didn't do any editing of patches with this unit. But, I did download the free XP version of the patch editor and it worked great. I would not see not having a physical controller as a problem for this unit. Manual is downloadable too. It seems well written. What I recommend as soon as you get a oberheim matrix 1000 is to use that manual to first re-initialize it to restore factory settings, then run the diagnostic test built into it to make sure all the voice chips are working. Do this before you commit to buying it if you can.

I believe this is a 6 voice, mono out. No built in effects. You can link several together I believe. Does have MIDI and will work with modern computers. For the time when this was built this was pretty good

Okay, here's the poop. Seriously, read this. I am not a novice-I am a long time collector of vintage gear and collect/play vintage synths. Again, strings and horns outstanding and does have the "oberheim" sound to me and I am very picky about compliments. Awesome sweeps-aside from impressing you're friends I don't know if you will find much use for them. Basses are useless. Keyboards terrible. So far as "analog" warmth I would say it equal to any Roland MKS unit, Roland jx, juno 106, Korg polys. I believe this unit has software generated envelopes. The oberheim matrix 1000 kind of reminds me of an old korg in that it's a 1000 and 1 sounds that I will never use. I prefer old Roland analogs even though they have less presets all of the presets are gold and you have heard them on many recordings. They help you create music. You sort of just play with, or fool around with the Oberheim matrix 1000. It's like a buffett with lots of items but most aren't very good which makes the few that are okay seem great. That's a pretty good analogy.

okay, here is the fine print. Don't buy this for more than $200 because it can go out on you anytime. Comparing these with some other analog synths of that time period like MKS 50, Korg poly 800 I would place the Oberheim matrix 1000 third on this list. Oberheims of this period do not have the build quality of a Roland analog synth or a Korg. Get the Made in Japan one. I gave my Oberheim a close inspection because I had too. Even though it was "made in the USA" the chips were made in the phillipines. I think because it was the last days of oberhiem they cut a lot of cost and qaulity building these. They remind me of Scholz rockman module-ahead of it's time in design absolutely terrible parts and construction. Same deal here. The oberheim matrix 1000 is built cheap in so many areas that are obvious and some not so obvious. Rolands and Korgs of the same time period are so overbuilt and reliable. Not oberheims. Mine had a voice chip out. First thing you need to do before you agree to buy one of these is run the diagnostic test built into the unit to check if a chip is out. It's possible to find CEM 3396 chips pretty easy but who wants to go through all that? Also too, it can be something else. I would not buy an oberheim again unless I could play every preset and run that test first. Rolands are indestructible. Korgs-though mostly plastic and built cheap-are really really tough suckers. You could use a korg poly 800 for an ironing board. They are really rugged. Oberheim matrix 1000 if you just sneeze around it, it may conk out. Scarry thing is that they said that it's more reliable than a matrix 6r. Food for thought there.

out of business a long time ago. There is a lot of info you can find on them though. CEM 3396 are out of production but can still find for sale

If you really want an oberheim matrix 1000 I suggest you go out and buy a alesis micron. I modled 64 of the best patches from my Oberheim matrix 1000 effortlessly. The micron duplicated them perfectly as the oberheim filter emulation is right on the money. I really feel that alesis used the matrix 1000 as the basis as it's own software program for ion/micron. The patches are divided up the same. Many of the presets sound the same, and some even have the same preset names. It's child's play to make duplicate patches for this unit using a micron and they sound EXACTLY the same. Difference being that the micron won't have a voice chip go out on you. To answer the original question, "no" I would not buy a oberheim matrix 1000 again. I think it's a cheaply built unit with a lot of corners cut and can have sudden voice chip failure. If your going to buy a 20 year old analog synth buy one made in japan like Roland, Korg or Yamaha. God, they sure did a good job on those units. If you do buy a oberheim matrix 1000 don't pay more than $200, see if you can get a real gaurantee/warranty with it some how. Do the diagnostic test before you buy it. Also, buy with the knowledge it may quit on you at anytime. I also own/use Roland Juno 60, two Juno 106 modules, jx-8p and MKS 50. I also have a Alesis micron and Roland SH 32 va (great TR 808/909.) I have owned moog and korg polys as well. I've also owned a lot of digitals but won't list though. I love analog synths and that is what I am basically into. I really wished the Oberheim worked better or the build quality was a little more of what I was expecting. I was expecting build quality the same as Roland MKS 50. Not even close though. If you want a rack mount analog I would suggest a mks 50 over this. It will do everything the oberheim will and a lot more reliable and better quality parts/construction. If you want this unit think about buying a Alesis micron first. If you are thinking about buying this unit and want an analog unit instead of a VA get a mks 50. If you don't have the bucks for the mks 50 but want an reliable analog that sounds a lot like an oberheim matrix get a Korg poly 800. I loved the strings, the horns and the sweeps on the oberheim matrix 1000. I sure wished the one I bought worked better

This is a tricky one to judge really - on the surface it is a "10" as all you can do from the front panel is select patches, change midi channel, select unison on or off and a couple of other very minor points. Doing that is very simple and easy.

Against that, any editing requires a computer and suitable editing software and this is a reasonably sophisticated synth, so learning its in and outs will take some time. This could be very rewarding, but a bit frustrating if all you wanted to do was open the filter a little or sharpen an envelope.

However, I work on the assumption that you should know research what you are buying and this limitation should be no surprise. If you want front panel editing look for a Matrix 6 or 6R.

The Matrix 1000 has 1000 memory slots - 200 user programmable and 800 factory fixed. Due to the limitations of its physical memory - and remember 20 years ago saving a byte was a big deal - the layout and navigation of the presets in memory is not perhaps as easy as it could be.

So I have to score the Matrix 1000 quite highly as it does what it says on the tin!

It is a 20 year old 6 voice analog synth module. NO effects, No sequencer, No memory expansions, etc. It responds to velocity and release velocity (Big Plus+++). If you need more polyhony you can buy another Matrix 1000, 6 or 6R. They can be linked to form a 12 voice. But hey, the Prophet 5 was a 5 voice, the Memorymoog 6 voice. Live with it!
Single mono audio out, Midi in out and thru.

This is what you buy it for!!! On its own it is quite fat, saying it sounds like an Oberheim seems a bit of a cop out, but it does - warm brass, nice strings, etc. These days we have become so used to hearing synths with built in effects units that judging one without, it can be difficult to remain objective. Put it thru an effects unit - mine has a dedicated Lex MPX 100 and it leaps into life. Synth Brass and warm fat pads that a modern synth - Triton, Motif, etc., can never hope to get. Bass sounds so fat and wide hey could block a motorway. A little reverb, sound 434 "CS-80" and instant Vangelis.

This little module always makes me smile - You know it will always sound great.

It is not a miniMoog, don't expect it to be, though it does get close. There is sufficient here to keep most people happy and for the curent price of a mini, I could have bought at least 10 Matrix 1000s

It will never be gigged and so this is not an issue

Do know about Oberheim (Viscount) but there is good support on the 'net.

If it were lost or stolen it would be replaced immediately.
It is a real pleasure to play and I would be very lost without it now.

For the price you pay for one these days it represents excellent value for money. Mine is in great condition.

Presets cover a wide range of sounds and tastes, but there are nearly 1000 to choose from. (The first 200 presets, 000-199, are mostly copies of presets from other banks.) Anyone looking for analog sounds will be happy with the Matrix-1000; even if you only use the preset banks, you can't go wrong.

If you don't have an editor/librarian, or a Matrix-6, there's no editing as such. With a patch editor, editing is deep, and that's being kind about it. I use SoundDiver, and it works for me, but that doesn't make programming easy, just possible. The modulation matrix is a work of art, but you can get lost in there. Unless you have a serious background in analog synthesis, you'll want to start with a preset that's close to the sound you need, and tweak it from there.

The manual covers everything you need to operate the Matrix-1000, as it comes, right out of the box. It doesn't cover programming, because you can't program the sounds from the front panel; you can move your favorite sounds into the first 200 presets. There's also a Patch Sheet (actually two sheets), with a list of all the patch names, and how they're grouped. In case it's of help to anyone, the sounds are in banks of 100, starting with Patch 000. The Groups/Banks are Top100, Volume 2, Synth#1, Synth#2, Woodwinds&Horns, Horns&Leads, Strings, Basses, FX&Percussion, Keyboards. I don't know of a site where you can download the Patch Sheets.

I don't know what version my Matrix-1000 is running. It's a blackface model; there was a run of cream or ivory-colored faceplates, as well, like the color of the SEMs on an old 4-Voice.

I give the Matrix-1000 a 10 for Ease of Use because it really does give you instant access to hundreds of analog synth sounds, and the manual is clearly written.

There are no effects, no sequencer, no card slots, no keyboard; it does respond to aftertouch. You get six-voice polyphony, or you can stack the voices in Unison mode, for huge mono synth sounds; there's also a Transpose function, which is useful for generating monster bass tones. Be careful you don't blow your monitors, or your eardrums, if you're monitoring through headphones. For Midi guitarists (like me) there are a group of Mono Mode Channel settings that work very well with Midi guitar.

If you compare it to a modern synth workstation, it seems to have puny feature set, but if you think of it as one of the last analog synths (or one of the first digital/analog hybrids), it's not bad. Keyboard players will probably get more use out of it for mono leads, or layered wth other synths for dense pads. I'm a Midi guitarist, so the six-voice limit doesn't bother me, and I love the access to analog synth tones. Still, I give the Matrix-1000 a 7 for features because most people will use it as a preset box, and most keyboard players will want more polyphony.

I don't use the Matrix with a keyboard controller, so I can't say how it responds. With a Midi guitar set-up, it responds the way most Midi modules respond; I have to play carefully.

I use a Roland GK-2a pickup, going to either a GR-1 or a GR-30 guitar synth; I run a Midi cable from the GR's Midi out. The Rolands have proved to be pretty reliable as Midi interfaces, althrough tracking is still an issue. (The internal tracking of the Roland guitar synths is excellent, but they aren't tracking Midi. Some users claim that the newer GR-33 has even better tracking, but I'm not sure if that applies to the Midi Out.)

Depending on the Matrix patch I'm using, I may have to set the GR to send in Chromatic mode, which means no string-bending; it also means my Matrix tones don't sputter and warble trying to figure out which pitch to track. Anyone who uses a guitar-to-synth rig will know what I mean. Once I've gotten the system to behave, the sounds are great to work with. When you see one of the recent analog-modeling synths, this is the sound they're trying to reproduce. Layered with the GR synths, I've got a wall of sound. I can also use Midi Program Change to switch patches on the Matrix from the footswitches on the GR.

Once again, if you compare the Matrix-1000 to a modern keyboard workstation, it doesn't sound very "realistic". Compared to one of the current analog-modeling synths, this is the real deal, or as close as you can get without investing in a new Moog. Of course, the modeling synths will have expanded feature sets, as well, including sequencers, sampling, onboard effcts. They also have nice, expanded price tags. A used Matrix-1000 in good shape should cost you under $300.

The sounds are 80's vintage sounds, so they're mostly good for dance or rock sounds, although you might find some nice Weather Report tones to work with. Unless you're into modern-day composers like Phillip Glass, or Karl Stockhausen, these sounds aren't in your Classical library. Thomas Dolby & Gary Numan fans, step right up, Rick Wakeman clones, Eno freaks, Devo devotees, it's all here, prog, synth-pop, ambient, whatever you like.

I use a variety of pedals to "stereoize" the Matrix. My current favorites are the Roger Linn AdrenaLinn, and the Line 6 Filter Modeler.

If you're willing to tackle editing your own sounds, you'll find a lot of firepower in the Matrix synth engine. All of the "effects" you hear came from careful programming, there are no onboard effects. I give the Matrix-1000 a 10 for sound quality because it's an original, a synth that other synths try to emulate. "Pristine" has nothing to do with it.

It seems trustworthy; plenty of synth pioneers, and studio geeks have these in their racks. If I saw another one for sale, I might just get it for a backup, but right now, I use the one I have.

Tom Oberheim lives! Oberheim, the brand name, however, belongs to Gibson. Forget about support for any of the Oberheim synths.

I would probably buy another one of these; for the money, there's nothing quite like it. I have considered the Korg MicroSynth and the Alesis Micron, but the Matrix slips right into my effects rack, and I'm not really a keyboard player.

I've been playing a long damned time, before BBD's. I own a small collection of sound-mangling devices, which I use to make my guitar sound like something else. I love the programming potential of the Matrix-1000; I hate programming it, until I finally get to the sound I was reaching for.

I've played an Alesis Andromeda, a Moog Voyager, an E-MU Vintage Keys, and a couple of other analog, or analog-modeling synths; I could afford the Matrix, it fit in my rack, and six voices was enough for me. I wish it had an LCD, to display the names of the patches; I'd bet a lot of users would like that.

The Matrix-1000 gives me quick access to a huge bank of great anlog synth tones. If I want more out of it, I can go in and design my own sounds. Programming the Matrix is harsh, but it's worth the effort. When I run it through something crazy, like the AdrenaLinn, or the Filter Modeler, I have even more options for twisting and tweaking all those sounds. When I layer it with my GR-series guitar synths, I can produce layers of sound as dense as any keyboard rig. It's as much fun as you can have with your brain on! I give the Matrix-1000 a 10 for Overall rating, because it's a powerhouse synth.

Factory settings: The factory settings sound pretty darn good, the control panal has the classic key panal. Just to pick from 1000 presets.

There are six voices in a single rack space. Controls are on the front--pretty easy to use. There are no effects. It has 100 sounds with 800 presets. I am using a Korg DSS-1 as a controller. The after-touch is quite nice. Output is a single mono channel, which sounds pretty ok going to a stereo mixer.

This is an analog synth with digitally-controlled ocsillators. Sound modelling must be done with software and can be kinda hella-complex. However, with 100 to pick from, I could find many I liked. It is a clear, powerfull and analog sounding. I have this MIDIed to a Matrix 6 and from a Korg DSS-1 as a controller. The output is the stereo M6 and the mono 1000 going to a mixer and sending stereo output. After sending the dump from the 1000 to the M6, It sounds pretty fantastic and can produce some thick and powerful textures. While the 100 sounds great alone, the magic seemed to come from the combination of the two MIDIed together. Also I was able to produce some of the classic Oberheim brass and string sounds and layer voicings between the two. The pitch stability is also great. This is analog bliss! Last week I got to play and audition a Matrix 12 and I must say, this sounds like a more aggressive and powerful set up which can produce most of the classic patches.

Yes. Built solid. Company out of business.

Never called. They are no longer in business (I think)

If lost I would DEFINitely buy again. I am a fan of the Oberheim sound, and this is definately kick-ass. The bass (12 oscillator w the M6) is a monster- clear, clean and powerful. Leads are fantastic, brass and pads can be OB-like when going to a mixer and flat response studio monitors with a little eq. Its a bad mudder fudder. My other boards are a Motif 8, D-50, Wavestation, ARP PRO DGX, Arp Omni, Kurzweil PC2R, Crumar Performer and Dyno my Piano Rhodes. For recording, it has the best brass and effects and best analog bass of all my gear. It can easily produce those now 20 year-old classic OB sounds.

I don't believe it gets much easier than this - select a patch and off you go. If you don't like the patch you have, there are 1000 of them, hence the name, "Matrix 1000". The patches range from average to MINDBLOWING! I am very confident in saying that among all the synths I have or had, this one is definitely in the "Top 3" category. If you wanted to get into the patch editing - the software is freely available online or you can program it via Sounddiver. There's actually a hardware controller that was made by... ACCESS VIRUS! Yes, the company behind another monster of a synth got its start from making programmers for Matrix synths. In one word the sounds of Oberheim are amazing. Patch editor would make a difference if you wanted to tweak the sounds but the ones that mine came with (which I don't believe are factory) is nothing short of spectacular. Don't have a manual and don't have the need to have it!

The poly is 6 voices but this is where the limitation adds to the character (more on this later). The keyboard action is as good as the keys you use to controll this thing, as it has no keys =). Built in effects are part of the sound character and are perfectly fit to the sound. They are fantastic! Expansion capabilities are non-existent but considering this is a vintage analog synth, you can't get any better than 1000 patches that you can modify (if you are so inclined). MIDI is the lifeblood of this synth, however, the implementation on mine is somewhat weird. Sometimes it doesn't respond to arpegiated patterns being sent from the main controller. I am controlling this synth from Virus Indigo and the arp patterns somehow don't register on certain patches or act in a really unpredictable way. Which can be described as unwanted but pleasant sonic chaos that again, adds to the character of this little giant.
The main thing is the aftertouch response. It actually responds to the aftertouch!!! Especially on the arp'd patterns - this is really cool, since you can get some really interesting sounds by simply messing around with note lenghths and swing setting.
No on board sequencer - duh.
For what it does - it is very versatile and it does it well. However, if you want to do some real-time tweaking, better bring your laptop along with Patch Editing software and be prepared for the unexpected. Due to the limited MIDI implementation (described above) this synth can sometimes lock up on notes and require a reboot. Actually, I'm beginning to suspect the Virus but consider yourself warned - don't expect it to behave like a modern VA - it has its own character and sometimes, it just wants to act up and show it (not the best side of it either). For what it was intended to do - I'd give this category a solid 9... even 9.5.

However, it would be nice if this synth was stereo and had input that you could use to run the signal through its filters. Everyone knows that OB filters are stellar and it is a crying shame this was not an option...

Realism is not its suit - but would you want that in your analog? Hehehe.. I'm actually in love with the lack of realism this synth provides. To trully understand why so many new VAs try to immitate OB, set transpose to -24 (two octaves down) and hear the primitive analog gurgle or lush baritone that will shred your speakers and rattle your walls. It is a monster! The sounds are purely amazing. I sat down with one of the Access Virus gurus in the attempt to recreate some of the patches. With all our knowledge of the Virus and attempts to recreate the sound - we failed miserably. The closest thing we got was some harpsi-like sounds or some of the static sine basses.

Here's the fun part about limited poly - you got 6 voices in OB. When you play some of the patches with reverbrated/echoed tail, as you hit the next note, the tail gets cut off, because the synth runs out of polyphony. But the cool part about it is that you can let the sound resonate for as long as the tail lasts or cut it short by playing the next note/chord. This really creates a very pleasant "dampening" effect and is not abrupt and rude as in some instruments. The reason is - when you release the key, it continues to play so, there's no abrupt sound cut off. Of course, you cannot do that with most of the new synths. The only way to do it is to reduce the number of voices in your patch, to force your VA to produce this effect but not many synths could do that. So, these patches forever remain relegated to the realm of the OB. The other fun part is actually playing the same note repeatedly - you get a random S&H effect - each time the note sounds different. This can be emulated by analogs but not like this.

OB reacts to playing like a living organism. It can produce the craziest chaos or the lushest pads. It is just beyond words. You have to hear it to appreciate the beauty and originality of its sounds. Believe me - this gushing is not comming from someone who has played with a number of analogs and VA synths. OB is nothing like any of the above. It is very analog but it has the character. I keep on mentioning it only because it is very rare to find in synths. I can only compare it to owning a classical instrument, such as guitar, and as no two guitars are alike - I think the same can be said about analogs. I currently own a number of analogs - Jupiter 6, Jupiter 8, Andromeda - but this is by far the most prized analog synth in my rig. I Love it to death!

I did notice a bit of noise escaping on the line and there's a bit of unpredictability to the sounds, which is probably not the best thing to have in "live" environment. However, for home studio musician like myself, this poses no immediate problem.


This synth is perfect for any style of music. I do mostly EDM, trance/ambient/space music and this is the best palette of musical colors in my arsenal. My jazz/rock/funk/prog playing friend nearly had a seizure when he heard this beast. He begged and pleaded to leave it for few days to experience all the joys of this little gem and he just fell in love with it. So, don't listen to the people who say it only works for one style. It really is an all-around versatile synth that could work miracles on just about any track. Use it for leads, basses, pads, weird FX or just plain' ol "ear candy" - you will be pleased.

Dependability is a big unknown. So far, it has worked but I understand these synths are quirky. If I can safely say that most of the new gear will last trouble free for number of years, I can't confidently say that about OB. I personally intend to buy another one - just to make sure if this one dies, I'll have a replacement. I cannot imagine how I made music without it before and I can't imagine being without it.

Using it on a gig would probably be a risky proposition, as it does have an element of unpredictability to it. It's one thing when your note sounds out of tune - it is totally another if your synth just goes bezerk and locks up in the middle of a song. So, reliability gets low mark, even though mine hasn't exhibited a sign of real problem - I have a feeling it might any minute, based on some of the hickups I witnessed.

Not applicable...

If it were lost or stolen, I'd buy another one in a heart beat. AS a matter of fact, I intend to buy 2 more, as long as I get the same good deal. Did you know that you can link several of them up together to act as one???? Yeah... it really becomes waaaay cool. It's worth twice what I paid, as I got the synth for a steal! I can't believe I passed by it so many times in Guitar Center used rig and didn't buy it. It took a convincing of a good friend of mine to try it out - and after I did, there's no looking back. This will be one of the last things I'll sell if I ever run out of cash (I hope I won't).

I've been playing for a number of years on a countless number of synths that came and went. This one will be a permantent fixture in my setup for as long as I should have it. This definitely falls into "desert island packing list" category.

I love the sounds of this monster. I don't like some of the unpredictability and constant fear that something might happen to it. but overall it is my top 3 favorite synth.

For me, the OB opened up the musical avenues and possibilities I never knew existed. It really did take my sounds to the new dimension. Imagine hitting one note and hearing it oscilate through 4 octaves, then oscilate down 3 octaves and sustain indefinitely? RIGHT... try doing that with your virus or another VA.

If you can get one in good shape for under $300 - grab it. It is not going to depreciate much further and for the price of soft synth - you can own an analog that will blow you (and your monitors) away!

The presets sound fine, specially the strings, pads and the Oberhein trade mark sounds, like the ones used by Pat Methweny and Lyle Mays. They're very very FAT!!!
I bought this unit from a friend but saddly, he lost the manual! I will be the happiest guy of this world if someone could provide me a copy of the patches list...

I use as a part of my guitar sinth rig, along with KurzweilI and Roland modules. The whole system works very fine and tracks very well commanded by a Stratocaster with GK2 driver and a Godin MULTIAC guitar.
I read about a sofware editor somewhere in the internet but I don't remember where...

Along years, I tried to contact Oberhein, asking for the manuals and patch list, but they weren't cooperative.
Anyway, the only maintenance did in the module in five years of use was an ordinary internal battery change!!

In despite of the absence of Oberhein contacts about my inquires along the years and the lack of authorized maintenance here in Brazil, the Matrix 1000 is still an excellent choice for the working musician and the guitar synth users.It provides a pallete of useful classic analog synth sounds that could impress the most exigent ears.

Not much to do, actually. Just select the patches, midi channel, unison/poly mode, that's it. I edit it via computer, which is not so easy because the sound architecture is very complex, but the way it is intended to be, it's a breeze to use.

I give it a 9 because when you've got the possibility to edit the patches, it's extremely versatile for an analogue synth, probably only topped by a Matrix-12 or Xpander in its field. A Juno, which its (basically identical in terms of architecture) predecessor Matrix-6 competed with, is completely blown away by it in that respect. As for non-sound engine features however, it has nothing to offer. No FX, no expansions, no multitimbrality. At least the midi implementation is good - it supports all modes and receives velocity and aftertouch.

No realism in an analogue synth of course. Don't try to use it for rave and techno, either. Listen to Mike Oldfield's "Crises" to know what Oberheim synths are meant for. I would describe its overall sound quality as 'silky'. Really mighty pads and gorgeous synth strings, and the basses are ballsy when in unison mode. However, be warned it will not do those typical 303 bass lines properly. The filter (a CEM 3396 24dB VCF btw, not 12dB as some people seem to think) just doesn't react to cutoff frequency changes in that way. But then, a 303 is a much overpriced piece of crap anyway imho. The unit works great when used for subtle pads in the background, even when low in the mix, or the great variety of effect sounds it offers due to its flexible modulation routings.

Sadly, I must have got a 'monday synth'. A couple of weeks after I bought it, one of the DCOs blew which prompted expensive service. Then it worked fine for a couple of years until it went completely mad, with the filter resonance suddenly way too high on numerous patches, and the DCOs wiping out again. I'd already written it off, until one day I decided to try it again, and magically all the bugs were gone. I have it up running since then, hoping...

No chance. I had it repaired at a local store which had nothing to do with the company.

If it were lost or stolen, I'd probably buy one again, and if it was just for the pads and strings. After all, even Tom Oberheim himself said he thought the Matrix 6/1000 series sounded better than the Matrix 12! I've been playing keyboards for 17 years, and I have an Ensoniq SD-1/32 (great machine, sod those Fantoms and Karmas ;-), ESI Gigastation with Gigastudio 96, Arturia CS-80V, and Digitech S100, Dynacord DDL-12, Boss CE-5 and HM-3 for FX. I also had a Korg Polysix (warmer albeit dirtier sounding than the Matrix and not remotely as flexible), Novation BassStation and Roland Alpha-Juno 1 (sucked in comparison to the Matrix) in the past. All in all, I wouldn't want to miss the M1k, it's my bread and butter box for any type of standard analogue sounds, and a couple more weird ones also.

This synth is very easy to use, as there is no front panel editing (presets only). Moving patches around in the user RAM area is a snap, as is adjusting the midi channel, program, and bank information.

6 note polyphonic, no built in effects, no sequencer. The Matrix 1000 is touch sensitive, and the midi implementation allows for active sensing and all notes off messages. (great for those of us crazy enough to use wireless midi systems!) This unit can be 'expanded' by plugging it into another Matrix 1000, 6, or 6R (up to 6 units may be daisy chained this way). For a single rackspace analog synth, the features on this thing are great. 1000 patches! woohoo!

The sounds on this unit are great! While it has digitally controlled oscillators (DCO's) the filtering is analog, which gives great sounds. I play in an 80s band and before purchasing my Matrix I was using an Emu Vintage Keys (the old one) to do many of the same style sounds. When I plug both the Vintage Keys and the Matrix into my mixer and demo the sounds side by side, the Matrix blows away the Vintage Keys. Romplers can't get the same kind of depth, warmth, and balls offered by the Matrix. I have also used virtual analog synths, and they don't have the raw intensity offered by the matrix.

I especially love the OBX type sounds--those rich pads used on songs like 'Jump' and 'Subdivisions'. Contrary to other reviews, I have also found useful bass sounds as well (but keep in mind that I'm playing 80s music, not rave, techno, or trance) This unit is NOT a spot on replacent for an OBX, OBXA or OB8, but if you are looking for real polyphonic analog sounds out of a 1u rack space, you'll be hard pressed to find something better.

The response of this unit beautiful. The sounds feel more 'alive' than my purely digital synths. The other night, I turned off all the lights and played the theme from TRON on this thing--it gave me goosebumps! My digital synthesizers don't do that for me..

So far so good.. I gig with this unit without a backup.

This unit is worth every penny I paid and then some!

I would definitely buy this again if it were lost or stolen. It's great for 80s music.. along with my Yamaha TX-7, this unit is an essential piece of my 'budget' 80s rig!

The presets are kinda good, but the best have already been used by all kinds of artists. Expect some heavy dudy synth sounds when using the midi-editor. It works fine,

THe oberheim doesnt have a lot of features, but as i said before, dont sleep on the midieditor.

Ohhhhh these sounds are so sweet, warm but yet fat. THe string pad sounds are realy that Oberheim sound you would expect from the more expensive OB's(Xpander OBXa OB8 etc). Dont expect solid basslines from this synth, this synth is especialy suitable for midrange sounds.
But it always fits in the mix, ive never used a lot of equing to fit the matrix sounds in my productions.

Never had any problems, it feels solid and it is solid

I would absolutely buy it again when i lost it, the Matrix turned out to be one of my favourite synths next to my prophet vs and Jupiter 8.
THe Matrix is a very nice decent synth, and for the money its the best synth by far in that price range. But keep in mind that it is not realy capable of good bass sounds

Plug and play; it's an old, early-MIDI period rackmount synth. If you want to edit your old sounds, you'll need to do it via a PC/MAC and some software. You also can't edit on the fly unless you assign a MIDI controller to what you want to do, but again, this is a simple synth.

Only 6 voices and 6-note polyphony, but hey, it's an older synth. If you're reading this, you know that you're not buying a new 64-voice polyphonic wundersynth. The MIDI implementation is sparse, and you can only use 1 patch at a time. This was designed before bank select was implemented in MIDI, so doing things like switching patches isn't as easy as modern synths - but again, who cares? It still works in a MIDI rig; you just have to know its limitations.

If you like that Oberheim sound, this is one of the most affordable ways to get "those" sounds. In terms of bang for the buck, this synth definitely has it. 200 user programmable patches (filled with system defaults to start with) and 800 pre-programmed sounds, some of which are good, others which are not as good. A few years ago, I owned a MIDIfied OB-XA, and while this isn't 100% that (let's face it, the OB-X and OB-XA are what they are), this is pretty darn close. I am using it in a Rush tribute band, and programmed that "Tom Sawyer" sweep sound/growl and it has the "Subdivisions"/Van Halen "Jump" sound as a Preset (220) ... and the Styx "Too Much Time on My Hands" bass sound among others. I love this thing.

I got it used, it's from the late 80s, and still is great. I put it in my rack and it just works. I don't anticipate any problems.

N/A

If you're looking for an affordable Obie, this is it. Better than the Matrix 6s if you ask me (although the M6 series is programmable without needing software; you can do it via the synth) in both form factor and such, you can't go wrong with this one. I also use a Roland JV-1010 with the Vintage Synth expansion board, and as good as that sounds for some things (i.e. patch 16 for the "Subdivisions" sound or the custom "TS" sweep sound I made), this thing blows it away for those Obie-based sounds. Even sampled, nothing sounds like an Oberheim other than an Oberheim. You can't beat the cost to value ratio of the Matrix 1000 ... for $300 you can get a real MIDI analog synth that sounds as good as it should. It's a shame Gibson (who now owns the Oberheim name) didn't take the M1000 when they re-released it, up the MIDI spec, and then maybe add in a few other features to make an affordable rackmount analog synth. OH well. Buy this if you are even considering it. You won't be sorry.

Its extremly easy to use - just plug and play one of 1000 presets

Just 6 DCO, but enough for most tasks. Theres a mode called Midi-overflow, so u can use a bunch of them and have a 32 voices mega Matrix!!

Its warm, its analogue. And two oscillators on every voice.

It works like a clock. But I had to glue the plastic cover on the display once. The transformator is a little bit to noicy

Oberheim is no longer

If I'll see one for sale (they use to be quit cheap)I will buy that one and use for Midi-overflow mode.

If you just want to plugg in and play, there's 1000 redy-made presets to choose from. However if you want to edit the sounds, you will have to get a editor program. There are several but most of them don't cover all of the functions. I use x-or that which does.
Maybe not really for the very beginner, but if you have patiens with this rather complex synth, you will bee greatly rewarded.

A sigle rack unit module. 6 note polyphony, two MX 1000 can be linked and form a 12 voice stereo instrument. 1000 sounds to begin with.

This is by any mean the strongest side of this synth. Incredible frequenzy range!!!! It's able to go up to 20 000 hz and beyond, what other synth can? Great and complex modulating abillities. extraordenary sound quality. Wery well for any kind of analouge sound.
warm and bright at the same time. I realy rekomend you to get this one, instead of some pathetic physical modeling-crap. Compared to each other this one cuts the balls of any, however expensive physical modeling-machine.

I had mine for ten years and i have never experienced any kind of problem. Nor in the studio or live.

None, but don't panic. You will propably never need it any way.

Deffenitly value for money. One of my favourites. ther's always somthing new to explore in this little baby.

There are some excellent reviews down below, so I'll be brief. As far as the 1000 presets go, it couldn't be easier. Sounds are not organized in banks with any particular logic, so be prepared to write down which patches fit you best.

Great OB sounds at the touch of a button. If you want to expand it, 2 units can be linked to expand 6-voice polyphony to 12-voice. If you have the time and techno-philia to design sounds, patches can be edited via computer.

True OB sounds like these are unique (you either love them or don't) and I've never found any really good emulations. Great for pads, leads, and bass. Not many folks have the cash for a Matrix or Expander, which are hella-complex to program anyways. The best buy for true analog synth sounds.

Solid. Rock solid. Great analog sounds without the repair bills. I wish I could say the same about some of my other gear.

Not a chance, but you won't need it.

One of my favorite units. Buy one if you want true OB sounds. Nothing else compares at this price. By the way, 1000 patches is no joke. It can easily take 8 hours just to listen to all the presets. Incredible value for the money.

This synth has a very complex structure, but only editable via an extrenal editor. That makes programming the synth a tough job to do, but there are some pretty good programs out there (ob6000) wich make the job somewhat easier. As for the front pannel, it's only possible to do some fine tune, unison on/off and bank locks etc. No actual waveform/filter etc. editting. That's too bad.

Well it totally lacks on sufficient polyphony. 6 voices is (in my case) way not enough. You can make some tiny chords with it though, but it's preferrable to hook up another matrix for 12 voice polyphony. The oberheim has no inbuild fx at all, no sequencer nor expesion capabillity (as far as I know).
But the internal matrix is a great feature. You have allmost unlimited routing capabillities of the internal mod-sources and destinations. You will need an external editor for this too though.

This synth is really awesome for ambient music. The bass, pads and leads are just beautifull, the filter is a bit weird though, the resonance has a pretty strange character as it starts to make sort of FM-flanges when fully opened. But overall, it's a very flexible and complex synth with lot's of capabillities

Hard as a rock, solid metall, indistructable. In other words: In the 15 years It's been used, it never broke down on me...

This is bad, they don't even have a site. No support at all, but then again. Who needs any? It just won't break down.

I would definetly buy it again if it where lost or stolen. It's a very important add to my style and studio setup. Some sounds on this synth are irreplacable by other synths, it's a unique piece of gear..

Presets are useful and very clean. Editing patches is a nightmare. I am yet to find an editor that works. Email me if you kind one. The power is there to make KILLER patches, but you need software to do it, or an absolute passion for sysex editing.

Hey, all it is is a box of presets. The modulation matrix rocks. You can make it do what you want if you can program it.

This box isn't for "real" sounds. It is suited for electronic music. It can be set up to use velocity and aftertouch, pedals, levers, etc.

Solid as a rock. Would gig with no backup.

Gibson owns Oberheim and they don't care about the Oberheim customer. DO NOT count on getting ANY support from the company.

If it were lost or stolen, I would replace it. I have had it for 2 years or so. It's programming capabilities, like I said, are there, but diffcult to work with. I wish it had editing capabilities on the front panel. If you want that, get a Matrix 6R. This box absolutely rocks!

Well, you can't really get into the guts of the M1k w/out some external help, so it is quite simple to use as is. I have made my own Editor in Cubase, if anyone is interested in it email me... It's for the mac. The only thing i couldn't figure out how to get to was the matrix modulations, which, unfortunatley is the sweet part of this beast.. but the editor i set up controls everything else. The manual is very easy to understand, as has already been said.

Midi capacity is pretty good, but i notice when you change sysex parameters, it sort of freazes for a second or two, kind of bothersome when editing a sound, but i have a homemade editor, so, could be my fault. The filters are great and oberheim-ish. I like the ability to set pulse-width, adds flavor. It's a real analog, and for what it is, it has good features.

Very nice to my ears, i am using it almost exclusively as a bass machine lately, but the strings and pads are pure heaven.. It does a decent sync, and can do some wild fx, leads, brass, heck it all sounds good.. if you can program it, there is not a patch that you could complain about.. 200 user patches, thats plenty for me. (plus the 800 rom patches.. phew!)

Not had it that long, but it is built like a tank.. all metal..

Don't think it exists.. does it?

I use a matrix editor for PC. Although I don't have a manual for it, so it is still guessing how it works
-There is a 1000 presets (wow!). Indeed, a lot of them suck big time, but there is plenty of good ones. Very good are: strings, synth brass types, bass, and some cool analog filter sweeps. Also, there is one very good electronic piano (surprisingly). In unison ('nuclear mode' according to the manual, the presets sound really fat.
It is a true analog sound, some presets sound like the juno 106, others are more typical oberheim (like the OB-X sounds).
The manual is easy and clear. Funny comment in the manual: "if something doesn't sound good, you are probably not playing it right".
Patches cannot be edited from the module. That's why I use the PC software editor.

It has polyphony (6), just barely enough
it's a rack mounted module. My Roland masterkeyboard triggers it almost perfectly.
No inboard effects. You need to add some external delay,etc.
No expansion capabilities, however, you can hook up up to 6 MAtrixes to work as one Mega-synth.
Midi: it can be triggered by pressure sensitivity (not on all sounds) and sustain (not on all sounds) and probably aftertouch too.
No sequencer on board

Only the strings are somewhat realistic. There rest is analogue fun. No imitation of real instruments.
It works perfect for 80-ies rock & Pop: Van Halen, Rush-like sounds. Or Depeche mode, talk talk, etc. Also, it works for dance, there are a few real techno sounds and fat basses/
It reacts to playing fine, but not on all presets.
Velocity is only active on certain presets

Never had any problems. A lot more reliable than the old analogs

dont know

yes I would buy it again. It is a very good analog synth, easy to use, responds fine to midi, and for a reasonable price.
I have been playing it for a year now. I also own a Akai S950 sampler, a korg X5DR FM-module, A Yamaha PSR16Q workstation, A Roland A33 Mastercontroller.

I love the sound of the Oberheim. I hate some presets that don't respond to sustain/velocity. I hate the fact thereis no patch editing

This is an addendum to my review (since I can't edit the review).
One of the limitations I mentioned with the Matrix 1000 was that I could not get it to respond to sustain pedal messages.
I went home, cracked open the manual and fired up the editor and finally discovered how to do it.
See Blackstone Hamilton's review of the Matrix 6, he is very right in reminding you that the Matrix series are really MODULAR synths.
My problem was that I was looking for a "sustain pedal" switch or similar parameter, which I could not find.
What you have to do is to scroll down to the Matrix Modulation assignments and route controller 64 to the Oscillator release for both oscillators (note doing this requires using two modulation routings), and then turn up the value for the modulation.
This worked like a charm - instant sustain pedal compability.
Having done that, I messed around a little and discovered why most of the patches don't have a routing for this - with only 6 voices it's real easy to run out when holding the pedal down. Notes cut off and it doesn't sound very pretty.
Another thing that I discovered is that unlike the sustain pedal, there is a portamento switch. Just engaging this does not work though, you have to go down to the matrix mod section, and route portamento to the oscillator pitch (again requires two separate routings).
If you are doing editing with this synth, I highly recommend finding a sound you like, loading it in the editor, and looking at the Matrix modulation routings to see how the sound is modified.
It is really informative, rather than just trying to do it from scratch.
Sorry for the addendum, I really should have figured this out before I made the posting.

Don't know that software Rev (why do I always forget to look this up before I post? Maybe Harmony Central should let you edit your reviews)
The presets sound great. The big thing with this module was that it had 1000 sounds in 1988-89, back when having 128 sounds was considered a luxury. There are a few caveats about accessing them though (other than manually from the front panel).
The Matrix 1000 was a preset only box, unless you edit the sounds with a computer. This is of course a standard thing (computer editing only) for many things now (e.g The Korg Trinity TR-1 module) but a fairly radical concept in 1989 (I didn't even get a computer until 1993!)
What Oberheim did was to make a preset box version of the Matrix 6R, and stuff it into a 1 rack space cabinet by leaving off the user interface.
The sounds are great, they are (I guess) some factory banks, along with user sounds from around the globe.
They are conveniently arranged in banks of 100, the first two banks, in which you can actually store computer edited versions are a "best of" mixed bag, whereas the other 8 banks are grouped in categories like basses, leads, pads, etc.
Don't think just because it says bass or lead, you are limited to that though. Many of the sounds use unison mode, which is extremely fat and powerful (or PHAT for you 90's people).
In unison mode (all 6 oscillators stacked) there are lead and bass sounds that WILL PEEL PAINT OFF WALLS AT 50 METERS - I mean like wow,
THEY ARE PUNCHY.
A lot of the regular (6 voice) sounds are pretty punchy too. The Matrix 1000 has a lot of output, I usually find myself turning it down.
You wouldn't think an analog module would be that great for wild, swirly pads, but some of the presets have LFO cycles combined with modulation matrices that go on for 2 minutes or so. They are really cool, the sound just keeps evolving, unlike a sample playback unit where after 5 seconds you go, "oh I heard this swell in there before)
You can't edit patches, other than set the pitch bend range, and tuning and then after you shut the unit off, you lose that.
You have to have a computer to edit sounds. Because there are so many sounds this isn't the limitation that it appears to be. Normal people can usually find something close to what they need in the presets.
A patch editor of course makes a difference. I use MidiQuest 4.0, which is a great product. I have to confess that I have done very little programming of the Matrix 1000, compared to my other synths.
A large part of this is that the Matrix series has it's own sort of architecture, if I had ever owned the Matrix 6 or an Expander or Matrix 12, I probably would have understood it better.
Everything can modulate everything else, so for an analog, 6 voice synth, it gets very complicated. It's not a simple oscillator feeds a filter feeds an amp with three envelope generator setup.
I've found myself changing things in the editor program that have no effect. Envelopes are easy to change however, and of course make a big difference.
The other side of this is that I've found about 100 presets that I just love, and since I use the Matrix 1000 as part of a large midi rig, I haven't felt the need to program a lot of custom sounds.
One thing that really sucks is the bank change implementation. Maybe the bank change in the midi spec wasn't finalized back then, but Oberheim developed a real strange way of accessing Banks 2 through 10 via midi.
First you send it a modulation message great than 64 (50%), then you do a program change. These two actions select the bank.
Then you roll the modulation back to 0, and select a program 0 - 100.
This accesses the program within the bank. It's not too hard to do this in a sequencer, but if Oberheim thought you could do this live (using at least two, preferably three hands) they were crazy.
The best approach is to copy your 100 favorite sounds to the first bank and then use program changes 001 - 100 to call up the patch you want.
The manual is pretty good,

6 Voice polyphony in regular mode, nuclear mode (unison) is only one voice (the oscillators are stacked), BUT WHAT A SINGLE VOICE SOUND!
One really cool feature of the Matrix series is that you can get linked polyphony, with true alternating rotate and assign.
What this fancy bit of terminology means is that you can hook additional units up (they can even be Matrix 6's or 6R's, NOT JUST the Matrix 1000) via midi, and they act like ONE BIG SYNTH. One unit will play the first voice, the second unit will play the second, the first will play the third voice, etc.
You can hook together up to 6 units for 36 voice polyphony!!!
On a more practical note, I'm always on the lookout for another Matrix 1000 cheap, because I've heard if you link just two units, and pan the mono outputs slightly (or fully) that you get an incredible 12 voice, stereo sound.
No built in effects at all, no delay, no chorus, no reverb, NADA
I use an external unit (either an Alesis Quadraverb, or a Digitech DSP-256), having reverb and/or delay/chorus really helps a lot, as some of the patches that are dry with short envelopes sound a lot more spacious.
Hey think about it, back in 1988/89, very few synths had effects, and those that did generally sucked.
No expansion capabilities, other than the ability to link multiple units.
Responds to aftertouch (very nicely in fact), modulation, and midi controller # 7 (volume). Curiously, I've never been able to get it to respond to sustain pedal though. There's apparently no paramter in the computer editor to do so either.
I guess with a 6 voice synth, Oberheim figured there was no sense in having sustain capabilities, you would short out the polyphony right away.
I'm not 100% sure about this (lack of sustain pedal support), but I've never gotten it to work.
One major bummer is only one output, it's mono. I can see that with no effects that stereo might not be needed, but at least they could have put on L/R outs, maybe with some inserts (ala the Proteus series) for patching in an F/X unit. Also they could have implemented midi-Pan (which I know existing in the late 80's) along with L/R outs. That way you could pan between the two outputs via midi for a stereo effect.
Also - the display is very cryptic, it's an LED readout, that just shows patch numbers. There are a bunch of dedicated buttons for programming various functions (e.g. pitch bend range), but until you get it down, you have to have the manual to figure out what things like \_/ /_/ shown in the display mean.
No on board sequencer, arpeggiator, even demo.
It's analog, it kicks butt, what else do you need Mr. Whipple?
I'm giving it a low rating because you don't buy one of these for the features (which are fairly limited, you buy it for the sound quality)

Within the limitations of it's architecture (analog, 6 voices) this thing sounds fantastic. Show me another synth from 1988/89 that still makes your hair stand on end.
Not good for realistic instruments, that's not what it's about. Some of the string patches could fool some people, but forget about pianos and brasses, or woodwinds.
If you want realistic, get a sampler or sample playback unit.
Kicks serious butt for rock, not good for classical (unless you are talking about music concrete' or something like that), could rule for dance, but the filters are Oberheim (2 pole) instead of Moog (4 pole) so they are not as drastic.
Also no knobs, so I doubt many dance maniacs use these, unless they sample em.
Really great sound for old style prog rock, or stadium rock (some of the synth brass sounds will make you think you are Jonathan Cain of Journey).
NO EFFECTS - As I said.
If you audition one at a store, try and route it through an effect unit, it will sound much more contemporary. Given the cheap price of used effect units, you could throw one in the rack with it and have a pretty good combo.
It is VERY Expressive and sensitive - most of the presets have modulation routings to the filter and amp envelopes, or pitch.
If you listen to one, be sure to work the mod wheel, aftertouch, etc. You often get unexpected results.
I think the sound of this thing is a 10, but only for what it's good for. Since it's not a do it all product, and a lot of good analog emulations have come on the market, I'm knocking it back some because I don't want to mislead anyone.

Pretty much solid as rock, build quality wise.
I've had it wig out with thick midi data streams sometimes, but I think that was because it was trying to respond to controller data that didn't exist in 1989.
I would use it on a gig without backup, I've never had any kind of failure with it.
The front panel does get very hot though.

Pretty poor it seems.
Oberheim has been bought and sold so many times since I bought my Matrix 1000 that I lost track of who owns them now until I found out that Gibson does.
Frankly it's criminal that a company with such a rep and such great products could be so mismanaged. Analog stuff is popping out everywhere so what does Gibson do?
They import cheesy EuroTrash stuff (Viscount organ modules, etc.) and badge them as Oberheims!
If they (the parent company) had their act together, they would have re-released some of the Oberheim classics (SEM, OB-8) or at least come up with a modern version. The MX- Rack is very cool, but was released before it was ready, and has more or less been abandoned.
They still sell the Matrix 1000, but hardly ever advertise it, and have not updated it.
I've always loved Oberheims, and the Matrix 1000 was the only one I could ever afford. It's sad to say, but at this point Gibson has probably missed the boat, and by the time they get a new analog product out (if they are even planning one) the techno/dance analog synth craze will be gone.
The reps on the phone were very cool and friendly, but not much help.
I was trying to get a "Mark II" off/white front panel for my Matrix, as it makes them look like the old style classic 70's oberheims.
The guy I talked to said, yeh we can sell you one, we've got to wait til they make another batch of modules. I called again in a few months and it was like, oh yeah we can do that, I'll call you when they do.
They never did call back.
Never needed upgrades or repairs, I would be suspicous though, I think Gibson is just milking the name as long as they can and then they'll drop it like yesterday's news.
I'm giving a very low rating, not because the fine people at Oberheim are so lame, but because of the corporate mismanagment by their various owners over the years.
Another good example of a good thing screwed up by corporate america..

If it were lost or stolen, I would get another pretty soon, it's an indispensable part of my setup. Like I said, I'm usually on the lookout for another one, as I would really like to have a stereo, 12 voice unit.
I've been dabbling in keyboards for a while, over 10 years (I'm really a bass player), and bought and sold a lot of stuff over the years.
I bought the Oberhiem Matrix 1000 back in 1989 because I WANTED an analog synth module. People were foaming over M-1's and D-50's back then and thought I was a nut for buying it (why in the hell would anyone want an ANALOG SYNTH?) - I guess I'm getting the last laugh now that analog has come back with a vengeance.
I would say the Oberheim is the one old piece of gear I have that I REALLY like, most of my other stuff is just old (see my review here on Harmony Central of the DW-8000, and Kawai K-1), but the Matrix 1000 is OLD AND COOL.
Besides the Matrix 1000, other current stuff in my menagerie is:
ROLAND JV-90 synth (with a VE-JV1 expansion board, and a SR-JV-80 piano expansion board), a KAWAI K-1 synth, a KORG DW-8000 (with an Angel City Turbo mod expansion board), a YAMAHA CS-1x synth (a nice piece for the money, but it can't touch the Obie for balls and bite), an ALESIS D-4 drum module, and finally an EMU PROTEUS F/X module.
I think it's a pretty good endorsement of the Matrix 1000 to say that I bought the Proteus F/X in 1995, and I'm thinking about selling it, and that I bought the Matrix 1000 in 1989 and I'm keeping it.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE MATRIX 1000
It's fat, huge, with real analog balls, it sounds "different", it's very compact, it's well built, although you can't program it from the front panel, it's pretty easy to work the other stuff (e.g. pitch bend, tuning, etc.), it's got a real strong output, it's reliable.
WHAT I HATE ABOUT THE MATRIX 1000
It apparently doesn't respond to sustain messages, the bank change via midi is very klugey, the display is primitive (even by late 80's standards), there is only a mono out, some of the presets have very widely different output levels, there are no built in effects.
I didn't really compare it to anything else, because at the time there was nothing analog out there. In 1989 people looked at you like some Cro-Magnon throwback when you told them you wanted an ANALOG synth. It was like telling the phone company you wanted a ROTARY phone damn it!
I wish it had a better display (the display is more 1980 than 1989) and at least a built in delay effect. That way you could use it for leads without having to run it through an outboard effect.
It's helped me make a lot of music, I use it still all the time. People are especially impressed by the weird, swirly pads it can do.
The thing I would close with is that although I love this thing, it is a very special box, and probably not for everyone.
If you already have the major synth food groups covered with several other keyboards or modules, then the Matrix 1000 is a great unit.
As an only module with a one keyboard setup though, you might want something more flexible, with more voices.
although it can do kick ass dance grooves, you have to program it by computer to to do this, and most dance people want instant gratification.
It has a distinct sound and signature though, and if you love the 70's/80's Oberheim sound (think of old Rush, Van Halen's "Jump', etc.) then this is the box for you.

Rack unit, 1000 Presets, 200 of them remote- editable (but not editable on the unit)

digital osc., all the rest analog (filters, ...) 6 voices, great MIDI implementation - everything can modulate anything - but only remote- editable, can be combined with a second unit as slave no onboard effects

ALL the classic analog pad sounds in superiour quality great brass sounds, no real instrument emulations, no lead sounds all the sounds preprogrammed for flexible MIDI- control (aftertouch, breath- controller, ...) you need an computer editor for full flexibility.

Never had any trouble (had it for 3 years)

A MUST for your analog pads sounds. Buy it for that and for nothing else, but for that purpose: I LOVE IT