The Oberheim Xpander is a beautiful analog synthesizer with some amazing features for its time. |
The Oberheim Xpander has three large screens to help in navigating the powerful synthesizer |
Above : Right Side of the Oberheim XpanderBelow : Close up views of the navigation menus |
The Oberheim Xpander has a lot of connections available |
Oberheim Xpander MIDI connections |
TIPS for the Oberheim Xpander |
OS Versions and Tuning |
Above : The most Current OS versions are Main Processor Software 1.2, Voice 1.4, and cassette 1.0 |
Above tune screen . Press the ALL switch on the right to tune everythingTo get to this screen Press the Tune Page Button near the Master Volumethen Press ALL. It will take a little over a minute and if all goes well the screen below appears |
Above after running tune ALL responds with PASS for each section tested |
Back it UpTo back up over MIDI with sysex.1. Enable sysex on Xpander. Press MASTER then MIDI then ENABLESSet SYSTEMX and CONTROL to have an underline under them, turning them ON2. Set SYSEx recorder to record. Press MASTER then MIDI then SEND3. Under Destination Patch turn the knob to the left pass 0 to ALL and hit STARTIt takes about a minute and I ended up with a 51.0 KB fileTo transfer in , just play the SYSEX file back with the above Enables ON (Step 1 above) |
DOCS for the Oberheim Xpander Here |
Above Open wide showing the insides of the Oberheim Xpander |
Above : top right is the main processor and bottom right is the power supply |
Above the Oberheim Xpander pot board that holds all the front panel controls |
Above : Main processor board U5 thru U8 are the Version 1.2 processor ROM |
A little closer look at the maim processor in the Oberheim Xpander |
HITACHI HD68B09P Microprocessor
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Above the power supply |
U912 and U914 are the voice Processor ROM where the OS resides for the Voice BoardBelow is a close up of the microprocessor |
HITACHI HD68B09P Microprocessor this is the voice Controller |
----------------|----Voice 1--------|--- Voice 2 --------|----- Voice 3------|------ Voice 4 -----|---- Voice 5-------|------ Voice 6----|Above : The voice board all 6 voices left to right |
Above : This is one voice, starting below at the left edge is the filter section |
CEM 3372 and U317, U316,U314, U313 form all the possible filter typesFilter pin out and basic diagram |
Oscillator Section |
other synthesizers-E-mu Systems, Sequential Circuits
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