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Videos

Preset Demos

Listen to some of the 2'500 presets that come with OP-X PRO-II. Except for drums in the song examples all sounds are coming from OP-X PRO-II. No external effects have been involved. Each sound can be auditioned with the demo version.

Click on the speakers

Famous Bank:

  Live is for Living

  Victims of Circumstance

  99 Luftballons Strings

  99 Luftballons

  Save a Prayer

  Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie

  Break Free Intro

  I Want You Break Free

  Radio Ga Ga

  Holiday

  New Song

  I Want To Know

  Money Piano

  Toto Africa Brass

  Halen Jump

  Lucky Man Solo

  Camera Eye

  Separate Ways Intro

Solo Bank:

  Mays Prophet Lead

  Shine On Solo

  OB Tuned Unisaw

  OB Sync Solo

  OB Sawtooth Solo

Pads Bank:

  OB Amazona Pad II

  Matrix-12 Reso Pad

  Saulino Soundtracks

  Jupiter Super Pad

  Jupiter Glacial Pad

  Matrix Monster Pad

Strings Bank:

  Matrix Mod Strings

  OB Lush Superstrings

  OB Simple Strings

  OB Drifting Strings

  OB Supersoft Strings

  HP Slowmod Strings

  Matrix Softstrings II

  Matrix Power Strings

  OB Lush Strings

  Prophet Warm Strings

  Matrix Monster Strings

Clavinet Organ:

  Warm Clavinet

  Amped Clavinet

  Electro Reso Clavinet

  DW8000 Organ

  Dark Warm Organ

Mixed Banks:

  Drums Presets

  Matrix FM Bells

  Sampled Vibrato

  Filter Morphing

  Mystic Spaces Cluster

Sweeps Bank:

  Matrix Sweeps

  Matrix Lush Sweeps

  OB-X Sweep

  OB-X PWM Sweep

  OB-Xa Upsweeps

  Reso Notch Sweep

Brass Bank:

  OB-8 Brass Ensemble

  OB Monobrass

  Prophet Brass Stab

  Prophet Hi Brass

  Prophet Soft Brass

  Prophet Mellow Brass

  Jupiter Mono Brass

  OB-8 Full Brass

  OB-Xa Brass Ensemble

  Chroma Brass

  Matrix Brass Strings

Arpeggio Bank:

  Supersoft Pulsearp

  Jupiter Arpeggio

  Reverse Pulsearp

  Moving Multimode

  Pulse Multimode ARP

OB-X Bank:

  OB-X Porta Brass

  OB-X Upsweeps

  OB-X Sweepchords

  OB-X Porta Chords

  OB-X PWM Velosweep

Bass Bank:

  Fretless Bass

  Holiday Bass

  Floyd Signs Bass

  Electro Bass

  Taurus Bass

  Minimoog Bass

Matrix Bank:

  Bandpass Chords

  BP Stereomod Pad

  Sync Notch Sweeps

  Long Wave Receiver

  Rising MM Chords

  Matrix FMod Bumps

  Human Voice Percpad

  Hires FM Portasweep

  Magic Mistery Brass

  Strange FM Arpeggio

  XPander Landing Jet

Jupiter Bank:

  Jupiter Neg Pluck

  Jupiter NP Jam

  Jupiter Lo Strings

  Jupiter Neg Sync

  Jupiter Narrow Perc

  Jupiter Classic Harp

  Jupiter Arpeggio

  Jupiter Super Pad

  Jupiter Neg Perc

  Jupiter Rubust Strings

  Jupiter Clear Unisync

  Jupiter Dark Strings

Polymoog Bank:

  Numan Cars Lead

  Abba Polymoog Brass

  Eagle Polymoog

Synthex Bank:

  Jarre Laser Harp

  Synthex LFO Multmod

  Synthex Lush Percpad

  Synthex MM Sweep

  Synthex Mod Strings

  Synthex Dirty Cembal

  Synthex Piano

  Synthex Speed Arp

Prophet Bank:

  Prophet Full Brass

  Prophet Cosy Brass

  Floyd Turns Prophet

  Prophet Sawsync

  Prophet Perc Solo

  Prophet Echoing Sync

  Prophet Unisync II

  Prophet Toy Piano

  Prophet Factory Clav

  Prophet Clavichord

  Prophet Upsweeps

Minimoog Bank:

  MM Classic Bass

  Duke Minimoog

  Circle Minimoog

  MM Dark Sawsolo

  Fatback Minimoog

 

Built-in Banks

The synth includes 66 banks containing more than 2'500 sounds in total. Explore the banks on the Banks Info site. Even more banks can be downloaded for free on the Sound Reloads site:

Sound Reloads   |   Banks Guide   |   Mastertone Bank   |    Famous 80s List

Interfaces

The synth offers two interface types each in three sizes to make editing comfortable on any screen from small ultrabooks up to 4k studio screens and to fit anyone's preferences. Learn more about the interfaces here.

     

The new Rack Edition interface version offers dedicated buttons for the hidden calibration features and text labels for mapped parameters which makes editing a lot easier.

Our plugins are or have been used in the studio or on stage with the following artists:

Prince, Rooney, Foreigner, Ruff and Jam, Cher, Whitney Houston, Styx, Joss Stone, Night Ranger, Elegant Machinery, I Satellite, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Gigamesh, Lovebugs, Ted Perlman, Paul Mirkovich, Robert Karasek, Shuko, Gary Corbett, Howard Jones, Rednote Audio, Apsaroke Music, Tributosaurus, Oslo Recordings, State Cows, Seymour Bits, Mistheria, Mike Posner, Neil Palmer, Xavier Naidoo, McFly, David Guetta, American Idol, Chromeo, Weird Al Yankovic, Louis La Roche, Dash Berlin, Cassius, Ariel Pink, Roger Waters, Dennis Ferrer and many more

Music using OP-X PRO-II

How does OP-X PRO-II sound in a mix? Here are some selected examples from which we know from the producers themselves that all sounds were done with OP-X:

Gigamesh - Producer of Mike Posner "Cooler Than Me":

"OP-X PRO is by far my favourite soft synth. I use it constantly. Of all the software and
hardware synths I own, I use this one the most."  

Built-in Signature Soundpacks

Listen to some of the built-in signature soundpacks. Click on the icons to listen how they sound:

Famous Songs Recreation

Here's some video examples of often searched sounds and whole soundsets for famous 80s songs the synth includes ready-to-play in the included library. Click the speakers to watch. Info where to find the sounds in the popup-text:

Van Halen 1984

Van Halen Jump

Van Halen Why Can't This Be Love

Billy Idol Rebel Yell

Pink Floyd One Of My Turns

Pink Floyd On The Run

Pink Floyd Comfortably Numb

Is There Anybody Out There

BJH Life Is For Living

BJH Life Is For Living Berlin

Alan Parsons - Sirius

In Memory Of The Martyrs

Duran Duran Save A Prayer

Queen I Want To Break Free

Disco Funk D Train

Nena 99 Luftballons

Floyd Goodbye Blue Sky

Pink Floyd Mother

Pink Floyd In The Flesh

Wearing The Inside Out

BJH Waiting Borderline

BJH Victims Of Circumstance

Madonna Holiday

George Duke Love Reborn

Prince 1999

Rush The Camera Eye

Madonna Borderline

Pink Floyd Shine On

Pink Floyd Thin Ice

Any Color you Like

Pink Floyd Dogs

Pink Floyd Keep Talking

A-ha - Take On Me

BJH Back To The Wall

Manfred Mann Pluto

Marillion Incommunicado

Alphaville Forever Young

Steve Winwood Valerie

Simple Minds Don't You

Styx Come Sail Away

Floyd Shine On Leads

Run Like Hell Lead

Pink Floyd Hey You

Pink Floyd Empty Spaces

Toto Africa

BJH I'm Like A Train

Radio Ga Ga

Prince Lets Go Crazy

Full list of 80s sounds: Famos 80s patches list

For a collection of ALL so far avaiable famous 80s patches download the "Famous Complete Collection"
from the sound reloads site.

Neil Palmer

Keyboard player and producer of Xavier Naidoo. He uses OP-X PRO-II live and in the studio with a Muse Research Receptor.

www.xavier.de

„I'm a cynical purist - I own a lot of original analog gear, but the OP-X PRO II made me think about putting my originals under dust sheets! Fat, punchy, with faster envelopes than my Oberheim Xpander - and I'm not scared to take it on tour with me!!!"

Neil Palmer has provided some presets in the user area

Palmer Mod Clav: listen

Shuko

Multi platinum music producer. Credits: Lil Wayne, Sido, Birdman, Omarion, Young Money, Snoop Dogg, Gimma, Bligg, Bandit, Keith Murray a.m.m.

www.shukobeats.com

„Hands down this vst synth is one of the best emulations I ever worked with! OP-X PRO-II sounds real huge, I was suprised how realistic the basses and leads sounded. I had the chance to work with an original OB-Xa and this emulation is coming real close. It's actually a lot fun, fast loading of the presets and a big libary make it easy to get stuff done quickly."

Morris Hayes

Keyboardist and music director of Prince. Has worked with Maceo Parker, Elton John, Herbie Hancock, Lenny Kravitz and many more.

www.openlabs.com/morris-hayes.html

„The OP-X PRO-II is hands down the closest thing to our OB-8 to date! It is fat, flexible and runs like a dream on my Openlabs units. I use it heavily in the shows. I also get to run multiple instances of the instrument which is very cool! This plug kills!"

More testimonials are available here

Testimonials

Claude Fox

„This is the best synth plug I EVER bought. It blows everything out of the water."

TheSoundTestRoom:

„This bad boy can emulate pretty much any of the classic analogue synths from way back in the day."

read more testimonials

READ MORE TESTIMONIALS AND REVIEWS ON THE TESTIMONIALS SITE

OP-X PRO-II - the ultimate dream machine!

OP-X PRO-II is a 12-voice virtual analog synth originally based on the famous Oberheim OB-X. During its evolution the engine however was extended with features borrowed from various other iconic synths of this era, which makes the synth incredibly versatile and allows it to clone the sounds of almost any analog synth including Minimoog, Prophet-5, Jupiter-8 and Matrix-12.

OP-X PRO-II offers world unique features and a sound that will make your brain release endorphines. It will deliver the fattest and warmest strings, pads, brasses and leads you've ever heard from a virtual synth. An included library of more than 2500 of the finest presets inluding many of the most famous 80ies hits sounds and countless well known presets from various classic vintage synths which are said to be the most authentic available on the market builds the base for your work. Read more

OP-X PRO-II is a 12-voice virtual analog synth originally based on the famous Oberheim OB-X. During its evolution the engine however was extended with features borrowed from various other iconic synths of this era, which makes the synth incredibly versatile and allows it to clone the sounds of almost any analog synth including Minimoog, Prophet-5, Jupiter-8 and Matrix-12.

OP-X PRO-II offers world unique features and a sound that will make your brain release endorphines. It will deliver the fattest and warmest strings, pads, brasses and leads you've ever heard from a virtual synth. An included library of more than 2500 of the finest presets inluding many of the most famous 80ies hits sounds and countless well known presets from various classic vintage synths which are said to be the most authentic available on the market builds the base for your work. Read more

OP-X PRO-II is a 12-voice virtual analog synth originally based on the famous Oberheim OB-X. During its evolution the engine however was extended with features borrowed from various other iconic synths of this era, which makes the synth incredibly versatile and allows it to clone the sounds of almost any analog synth including Minimoog, Prophet-5, Jupiter-8 and Matrix-12.

OP-X PRO-II offers world unique features and a sound that will make your brain release endorphines. It will deliver the fattest and warmest strings, pads, brasses and leads you've ever heard from a virtual synth. An included library of more than 2500 of the finest presets inluding many of the most famous 80ies hits sounds and countless well known presets from various classic vintage synths which are said to be the most authentic available on the market builds the base for your work.

Features like relative or fetched midi cc response, morphable filter modes, syncable panning modulation, arpeggiatable preset chords, note doubling, LFO triggering with phase control, delay allowing for dotted and triple sync, filter brightness control, sampled vibrato, dual engine effects processing and switchable filter self oscillation are hard to find in any other synth and allow OP-X PRO-II to do sounds you've never heard before both in hardware and software.

OP-X PRO-II doesn't simply clone voices to achieve polyphony. Its unique Separate Voice Design (SVD) emulates the exact audio signal flow and voices structure of real voltage controlled polyphonic analogue synths using a separate independent monosynth for each voice including all the slight variations and detunings between the single voices which gave these synths that lively and organic sound. These detunings can be controlled globally and also can be edited in every tiny detail for each voice on demand.

The synth is supercharged with features inspred by a wide variety of classic analog synths and so it isn't limited to emulating only one specific synth. Check the audioclips above to get an impression of its huge variety. Dependent on the settings it can sound close to an Oberheim, a Jupiter-8, a Prophet-5 or even a Minimoog. It's flexible voice engine featuring a separate pannable mono synth for each voice allows to include or exclude any voice of choice which can make it a Matrix-12 like polyphonic monster synth, a classic four voice synth or even a simple innocent mono synth. Its morphable state variable multimode filter offering switchable 12/24db slope and switchable self oscillation allows to achieve almost any color since everything including the modes is seamlessly blendable.

But where others stop this synth only begins. Once all classic parameters are set you can start refining the character of the whole system by using all the many voice-based detuning features which can make the synth sound completely pissed off with a lot of detunings going on up to clean and precise to capture the sound of later more behaved analog synths. This can be done intuitively and quickly on the fly using just four global buttons which now also allow for seamless adjustment by clicking the label and dragging the mouse vertically - or, if you really want to go into the tiny details, using the voice-based tuning trimpots to refine it. Not enough with this you also can fine-tune the remaining beats between equally tuned oscillators 1 and 2 in order to emulate VCO or DCO behaviour. All of this allows you to achieve any thinkable character and you even can clone a dedicated real analog synth in every detail voice by voice.

Last but not least the synth offers a bunch of unique features dedicated to live application which can help to make a live performance completely glitch free, intuitive and smooth. These include a switchable relative or fetched response to incoming controller data which eliminates the well known parameter jumps caused by deviating settings. In fact both these methods were used in real programmable hardware-synths for editing saved patches.

A built-in patch-change smoother makes patch switches over midi and increment or decrement buttons completely artefact free by quickly fading out audio, releasing all notes and fading in again, all within the fraction of a second. This can be complemented with a switchable parallel processing mode of the effects engine which lets the effects of the old preset finish uncut while the new preset is directed to the other "free" engine. The effect engine itself offers a bunch of handy quick presets. Last but not least arpeggios and sequences can be hold/started or released/stopped hands-free with the damper pedal by quickly depressing and releasing it again time-filtered within less than half a second.

As you can see OP-PRO-II offers a lot. To be able to enjoy all of its sound possibilities off the shelf the synth comes bundled with a huge library of 2'500 built in sounds plus even more downloadable in the regularly extended sound reloads area which gives you a library offering tons of highly elaborated banks including many famous sounds as base for your work.  

Let's have a look at its features:

General Features:

- 2 oscillators (saw, pulse, sine)

- fm, hard sync, ring mod, pw modulation

- morphable multimode filter (lp12/24, hp, bp, no)

- 2 LFOs (main, lever)

- LFO 1 waveforms: sine, square, saw, triangle, sample&hold, sampled vibrato

- LFO 1 features: delay, note trigger, free phase adjustment

- 2 ADSRs (Filter, Amp)

- ADSR 1: invertable, routable to pitch and pulse width

- ADSR 2: switchable attack (lin/log), routable to ring mod

- stacked unisono with variable amount of voices and spread control

- switchable legato or retrigger (uni/poly)

- polyphonic portamento with switchable spread and detuning

- arpeggiator offering 32 modes

- chord hold, sequencer, double mode

- built in effects processor (reverb/delay) offering presets

- switchable dual engine effects processing

- LFO, effects and arpeggiator syncable to song tempo

- 32 wheel modes, mod to cutoff, asymetric bending

- MIDI learn & relative or fetched CC processing

- CC remote patch switching

- Separate Voice Design (SVD)

- switchable master polyphony (6/8/12)

- deactivatable voices

- individual pan control per voice channel

- panning modulation

- global tuning options (OSC/FILT/ENV/POR)

- tuning trimpots per voice for custom tunings

- built in patch browser with patch change smoother

- 2500 built in presets

Live Features:

- Relative or fetched MIDI CC response  info

- CC remote patch switching

- damper pedal arpeggio hold   info

- patch change smoother   info

- dual engine effects processing   info

Engine Features:

- 12-Voice Separate Voice Design

- Independent unique voices

- Global tuning features

- Voice based tuning features

- Beating offset control

Arpeggiator Features:

- Input order and pitch order

- Randomized modes

- Chord hold and preset chords

- 8-step recorder

- Note doubling mode

LFO Features:

- Sine, square, sawtooth

- Sample & hold

- Sampled vibrato

- Note triggering, phase adjust

- Delayed starting option

The multimode filter

Demo clips:

Load the PROII_TESTPATCHES bank presets 15 - 32 in the demo version to reenact.

The morphable multimode filter of OP-X PRO-II offers an incredible dual filter design with one filter working as 12/24 db lowpass and the other one working as multimode filter that can blend its modes seamlessly from hipass over bandpass to notch. The two filters can be blended and mixed seamlessly. This filter mix even can be automated by LFO or filter envelope. Self oscillation for the lopass mode which is indicated by a small lamp can be activated with a triple click on the 24db button.

 

Listen:

  12dB SEM

  24dB Self Reso

  Self Reso as Partial

  24dB Sweeps

  Highpass

  Bandpass

  Notch

  Mixed Notch w/ Reso

  Env to Filtermix HP to LP

  Env to Filtermix NO to LP

  LFO to Filtermix LP / Highpass

  LFO to Filtermix LP / Notch

  Key Tracking 0%

  Key Tracking 50%

  Key Tracking 100%

For more details have a look at the comprehensive pdf manual:

Separate Voice Design

As its smaller brothers OP-X PRO-II uses no common voice cloning to achieve polyphony. Instead each voice is a separate mono synth with individual signal path and slightly different sound by default, exactly the same as in a real voltage controlled analog synth where each voice has its own electronics including individual device tolerances, slightly deviating calibrating, aging influences and warm up drifts. As example this is a single voice of a 1979 OB-X:

OP-X PRO-II emulates these separate voices including all the slightly individual drifts and deviating calibrations, and this now for full 12 voices, similar to e.g. a Matrix-12. But unlike in the old originals OP-X PRO-II offers the ability to take full control over these detunings, both with global tuning buttons and too a lot of trimpots that allow to calibrate individual voices for custom detunings, and this all individually for four sections: oscillator pitch, filter cutoff, filter envelope times and portamento times. Each voice too has its own pan-control. This all spends OP-X PRO-II an incredible sound, which captures the livelyness and fatness of a real polyphonic analog synth.

Watch this video featuring the smaller brother OP-X PRO which shows how the Separate Voice Design works:

SVD extensions in OP-X PRO-II: Doubled number of voices (12), switchable master polyphony (6/8/12), deactivateable voices (also in polyphonic mode), optional seamless detuning control and one-click calibration option for the tuning trimpots. To keep things handlable and compatible to former sounds the tuning trimpots, pan controls and voice mutes always control the two corresponding voices of the upper and the lower voice bank at the same time, which makes it easy to play with polyphony without the need of calibrating the voices of the lower bank individually. This video shows how the master polyhony and the voice deactivation works:

The tuning system:

The tuning system is divided into four parameter groups: oscillator pitch (OSC), filter cutoff (FILT), filter envelope attack and decay times (ENV) and portamento times (Porta DET). Each section has its own global tuning button that either can switch on and off the voice-based detunings or can blend seamlessly between the detuned and tuned mode with the new seamless control function by clicking on the text label and dragging the mouse vertically (see below). In the detuned mode the detunings of the individual voices are determined by the trimpot settings. The twelve-o'clock setting does not mean tuned, it represents the standard detuning which is comparable to an average not freshly calibrated polyphonic analog synth. The trimpots can be freely adjusted for custom detunings or calibrated with the new one-click calibration feature (see below). The pitch section has no individual trimpots, its detuned mode has chaotic settings which are comparable to a voltage controlled analogsynth right after switching on before applying auto tune. The detunings of the pitch section however also can be independently and seamlessly controlled with the spread knob which too works in polyphonoc mode. In tuned mode (led on) spread is great to add just a tad bit of unpureness.

Block diagram of the voice engine of OP-X PRO-II which is similar to Matrix-12 with two 6-voice Xpander boards

Effects Unit

The top bar includes an effects unit offering reverb and delay. The unit can be quickly switched on and off with just one button. The edit button opens the hidden panel for detailed parameters. By clicking on the small down arrow a choice of handy quick presets can be accessed that can be checked through on the fly. The delay can be synchronized to the host and to the arpeggiator in normal, triple and dotted mode. If the arpeggiator is on the sync source is the arpeggiator automatically, which can be synchronized itself to the host. PP activates parallel processing using two separate effect units which makes it possible to let finish the effects of the previous preset uncut while the new preset can be used immediatly with its own effect settings.

Patch Browser

The top bar includes a very handy new patch browser which allows for easy navigation within patches, load and save banks and patches from and to a standardized central location. The patch browser also allows for easy renaming and quick one-click saving of own custom patches which can be used then to create own custom banks. There are two patch list launch down arrows, one for a temporary list that again disappears after having chosen a patch, and the other one for a locked list that allows to browse around in what's available in the currently loaded bank. Other than the standard windows lists you might know from your host these lists remain in the last chosen scroll position, which makes anoying back scrolling to patches in deep positions unnecessary. When using the increment decrement buttons or MIDI program changes to switch patches, then patch changes are smoothed with an intelligent algorithm that very quickly fades out the last patch and again in the new one for completely smooth and artefact free patch changes.

New Arpeggiator

A completely new arpeggiator/MIDI processor offers an incredible variety of features, more than you would guess from its simple appearance. The mode knob lets you morph in realtime through 32 different modes. Dependent on the chosen mode the neighboured knobs become controls for various sub-functions. The offered modes include:

- normal arpeggios: 1-4 octaves, up/down/up&down, pitch order/input order/random

- 3 step sequencer modes

- 8 step note recorder

- chord hold

- preset chords

- double mode

For hands free operation arpeggio hold and start/stop in the record mode can be applied by the standard damper foot pedal, which works with a time gate then. To access it you have to depress and release it again within less than half a second.

CC Processor

The synth offers an included MIDI learn engine which allows to map almost any of the synth's controls to an external hardware controller via MIDI continuous controllers in a very fast and easy way for parameter editing like in a hardware synth.

To avoid the well known parameter value jumps resulting in hard sound changes OP-X PRO-II furthermore offers a feature which is quite unique amongst VSTis: relative or fetched CC response, switchable on demand with the left button below "PROCC". In relative (REL) mode the GUI knobs only respond relatively to incoming CCs, so they don't jump to the actual value. In fetched (FET) mode the current value has to be fetched until the knob starts moving.

Furthermore the synth lets you remotely switch patches within a loaded bank via MIDI continuous controllers in a very comfortable way. The synth even offers different methods for this: By mapping the increment/decrement buttons, by direct patch access via rotary control and by traget patch preparation and switch trigger. Note: Mac and windows 64bit version only. The windows 32bit version in return offers direct MIDI program change and MIDI feedback.

Bending modes

While still offering the two most common bend intervals (2/12) directly switchable with the blue square button, there are now 32 additional modes that can be accessed by clicking into the small number display and dragging the mouse vertically. A dedicated cluster of coloured points indicate then the active mode. Have a look at the pdf manual for a complete table showing all modes.

The modes include all intervals from 1 to 12 joined by 3 ultrawide modes (2,3 and 4 octaves) for extreme bendings, as well as several asymetric modes (different interval for up and down) and modes where the modulation wheel is routed to filter cutoff. There are also modes that map the modulation wheel to bending to have up to three independent different bending intervals for special situations.

Continuous control

OP-X PRO-II now allows to adjust the values of a bunch of button parameters (previously only two state) seamlessly on demand by clicking on the text label just above the button and dragging the mouse vertically. A small number display will show the current value then. The state of the button's LED will change when the 50% mark is overriden, and the values are reset to 0 or 127 by clicking the button in the normal way. The seamles control feature is available for the following buttons:

Oscillators: OSC1, OSC2 FULL, NOISE FULL

Tuner: OSC, FILT, ENV, Porta DET

So as you can see this new feature allows to adjust oscillator and noise levels seamlessly and it too allows to adjust the amount of detunings per section seamlessly, so there's free blending available now between the tuned mode and the custom tuning as defined by the tuning trimpots. Of course the simple on/off functionality still works and can be used as well furthermore if no detailed adjustment is necessary.

Quick calibration

To make life easier OP-X PRO-II now offers a bunch of one-click calibration options for all tuning trimpots, the filter trimpots and some chosen knobs like master tune and OM PM. Clicking into a pre-defined area calibrates these controls into an often used setting, which can be difficult or time-consuming to do manually. E.g. the tuning trimpots can be calibrated to equal tuning and back to standard detuning, the filter multimode trimpots can be zeroed all at once for pure lopass operation, or the master tune knob can be re-set to its exact center position. To gain an overview on all these hidden areas have a look at the "activeareas" page.

Visit activeareas page

Voice panning

One of the positive side effects of the separate voice design is that each voice has its own pan control (in PRO-II each voice channel) and so the voices can be freely distributed in the stereo field which results in a terrific broad sound. Not enough with this, OP-X PRO-II even allows to modulate the individual pans by LFO (Pan-Md knob) which makes pads sound as warm and rich as you have never heard it before.

For even more easy handling OP-X PRO-II now offers a bunch of quick calibration options for the pan knobs which you won't miss anymore once you have discovered them. These can be accessed by clicking on pre-defined arreas:

- Click on "Voice": all pans are re-set to exact center position

- Click on "Pans" and drag the mouse vertically: spreads the pans seamlessly (lrlrlr)

- Click on the numbers: Switches the pans to 6 usable preset settings

Bright modes

Formerly known for a sound more on the warm than the bright side OP-X PRO-II now offers four different modes. The NOR and DMP ones already are known from OP-X PRO, CLR and BRI are the two new bright modes, that can be convenient for some type of sounds. Here are the modes:

- NOR (normal): warm sound, the filter always tames the signal a bit, even when fully opened

- DMP (daped): the filter is damped down, which can be convenient in combination with key tracking

- CLR (lear): the filter can be opened into the ultra sound area for for a clear sound

- BRL (brillant): same as CLR, but with some added edge at the very top

These modes can be helpful to emulate different historic analog synths. The early obies e.g. had a very bright sound (BRI), Jupiter still bright but more neutral (CLR) while later ones like Matrix 6 or Junos had a less bright warmer sound (NOR). The best setting for most sounds still is NOR since it has a warm and pleasing sound. Only use CLR or BRI when you really need the added brightness.

New LFO features

The new main LFO features include three new waveforms (sawtooth, triangle, sampled vibrato) as well as switchable LFO delay and manual trigger options. Most of these features are hidden and have no reference on the GUI, so you have to know about them.

- sawtooth: activate sine & s/h together; invertable to falling with the "Lfo Phase" buttons

- triangle: activate all three wave buttons together

- sampled vibrato: in s/h mode set the "AMP" button to blue mode; feeding lfo = lever lfo

- LFO delay: set the "Lfo Phase:OSC" button to blue; delay: Velo/Mode, rise time: Stp/Speed

- LFO note trigger: set the "Lfo Phase:PW Filt" button to blue; adjust phase with trimpot below Osc2

Have a look at the manual for details. The sampled vibrato wave works the same as sample & hold, but instead of noise it samples the sine wave of the lever LFO, which results in a repeated stepped wave. So the result depends too on the lever LFO rate.

New envelope features

The new envelope features include switchable inversion of the filter envelope (switch "\" to blue) which can be useful to emulate some Jupiter-8 type sounds, and the option to switch the response of the amp envelope attack to linear (switch ENV to "LIN") which can be convenient for very slow attack strings and pads. For the smoothest results too activate legato (Lega ON, no too works in polyphonoc mode). Especially for strings this can deliver incredible results.

Comparison 

Due to its extremely flexible architecture OP-X PRO-II is able to emulate the character and the sounds of various classic analog synths including OB-X, Jupiter-8, Prophet-5 and Matrix-12. Here's a direct comparison to an OB-X:

  Sweep 1 OB-X

  Sweep 1 OP-X PRO-II

  Sweep 2 OB-X

  Sweep 2 OP-X PRO-II

  Pmpad 1 OB-X

  Pmpad 1 OP-X PRO-II

  Pmpad 2 OB-X

  Pmpad 2 OP-X PRO-II

  Strings 1 OB-X

  Strings 1 OP-X PRO-II

  Strings 2 OB-X

  Strings 2 OP-X PRO-II

  Strings 3 OB-X

  Strings 3 OP-X PRO-II

  Syncsolo OB-X

  Syncsolo OP-X PRO-II

  Brass OB-X

  Brass OP-X PRO-II

Used filter setting: BRL

Scroll up to the "Bright Modes" box to learn more.

The used settings can be downloaded as a bank here.

Mac/Win64: The bank is already included in Downloaded / PROII_COMPARISON

Comparison to a Jupiter-8 

Here's a demo how close OP-X PRO-II can come to a Jupiter-8 with the right settings. The upper always is OP-X PRO-II, the lower the real Jupiter-8. The examples are original factory presets from this synth:

  34 Mellow Strings

  34 Mellow Strings

  84 Cello

  84 Cello

  75 Horn Fifths

  75 Horn Fifths

  82 Flute

  82 Flute

  76 Horn Tritone

  76 Horn Tritone

  33 Hi Strings

  33 Hi Strings

  21 Clav

  21 Clav

  38 Synth Brass

  38 Synth Brass

  22 Harpsichord

  22 Harpsichord

  35 Lo Brass

  35 Lo Brass

The used settings can be downloaded as a bank here.   The original synth clips are licensed from www.synthmania.com

Mac/Win64: The bank is already included in Downloaded / PROII_JUPITER8FACTORIES

Comparison Riddle

Here's a blind comparison to one of the most sought after early polyphonic synths, an Oberheim OB-X Rev.2 which still has descrete filters and oscillators. Always one of the two files is OB-X, the other OP-X PRO-II. The order through the groups may change or not. Which one is OB-X and which one OP-X PRO-II? Does one of the two sound much worse than the other?

  File 1
  File 1
  File 1
  File 1
  File 1
  File 2
  File 2
  File 2
  File 2
  File 2

Solution: Goto "activeareas" in the top menu and click on the "Pan Presets" headline.

System requirements
OP-X PRO-II is available for both the Windows and Mac platform in 32bit and 64bit format. The plugin formats cover VST2 and VST3 in Windows and AU and VST3 in Mac. More info on the demo version page.

- Windows XP SP2 or higher

- OS-X 10.8 or higher

- CPU: Core2duo or higher

- A 32bit or 64bit host supporting VST2, VST3 or AU

Free demo: here     | more info | demo | videos | audio | shop | reloads |

Soundcard in Windows
OP-X PRO-II is relatively easy on CPU for today's standards. It even runs fine in cheap laptops. For best performance however use:

- a dedicated ASIO soundcard or

- onboard sound with asio4all drivers

Normal standard windows system drivers produce an audible delay which isn't suitable for real-time playing. So ASIO drivers are a must.

More infos available here