OB12

Oberheim OB-12

Community Archive

Everything known to exist online for the Viscount-made virtual analog (2000), gathered here in one place, free.

EN FR

Oberheim OB-12 (2000) — top view of the full instrument
Oberheim OB-12 (Viscount, 2000) — Z-Domain Synthesis, 12-voice virtual analog
OB-12 panel close-up in studio lighting

About this archive

A bilingual offline preservation

The Oberheim OB-12 is a 12-voice virtual analog synthesizer released in 2000 by the Italian manufacturer Viscount International, who licensed the Oberheim trademark from Gibson. It was produced from 2000 to 2005, then quietly discontinued. The original distributor sites — viscount.it/oberheim/, oberheim.com circa 2000, vaisonradio.free.fr/ob12/ — are all defunct. The OB-12 community has been fragmented for 20+ years, with materials scattered across now-broken links, private email exchanges, and a few stubborn enthusiasts.

This archive consolidates everything I could find: firmware (4 versions including older ones never re-uploaded), manuals (EN+IT bilingual, full French translation), the original 2001 Viscount Windows editor long thought lost, service docs, official sound banks (Factory, VA2, JR Sounds), the Jexus patches, ~250 individual patches, all the press reviews offline-mirrored, and 14 curated YouTube demos. All files free for personal archival use.

How to use these files

1 — Firmware / OS

The OB-12 has two firmware components, separately versioned: a CPU firmware (covers UI, sequencer, MIDI, system) and a DSP firmware (covers the sound engine). All releases are distributed as SysEx data wrapped in Standard MIDI Files. v1.52 CPU + v1.11 DSP are the final, terminal versions — Viscount stopped development around 2002.

The three older CPU versions (v1.42, v1.46, v1.50) were widely rumored to circulate only by private email; they surfaced via the community Dropbox documented at the end of this page.

FileSizeDateDescription
12cpu152 — CPU v1.52515 KB2002-05-27
FINAL		Last released CPU firmware. Three independent sources confirm there is no newer version.
12dsp111 — DSP v1.11225 KB2000-12-11
FINAL		Last released DSP firmware. No newer DSP version is known.
12cpu150 — CPU v1.50515 KB2001-06-06
RARE		Intermediate CPU release. Recovered from the community Dropbox.
12cpu146 — CPU v1.46514 KB2001-04-10
RARE		Earlier CPU release. Recovered from the community Dropbox.
12cpu142 — CPU v1.42 "very old"513 KB~2001
RARE		Oldest CPU firmware in circulation. Labelled "very old" by the Dropbox curator. Earlier versions (v1.00 — v1.41) may exist but have not surfaced publicly.
boot_152 — Emergency boot file25 KB2002
NEW		Standalone emergency boot file. Used to recover an OB-12 that has had its firmware corrupted (see the boot doc below).
system parameters771 B—SysEx dump containing default system parameters. Useful for resetting global settings without losing user patches.
how-to-use-the-boot-file.txt462 B—Plain-text instructions on how to enter boot mode and apply firmware updates.
ob12sys.rar (original archive)337 KB2007The original community-distributed archive, byte-identical to the koltsov.biz mirror. Contains CPU v1.52 + DSP v1.11 + system params + ob12.ins (Cakewalk).

2 — User Manuals & Documentation

The OB-12 was sold with a single bilingual English/Italian Operating Manual (127 pages). Viscount and a French distributor (probably Audiofanzine community) produced a separate French translation, in two parts. No official German, Spanish, or Japanese manuals were ever produced as far as anyone can tell. The MIDI Implementation Chart is on p.125 of the bilingual manual.

The "Hidden Functions" document is a piece of internal Viscount documentation — three service-mode functions accessible via System → Bulk Dump → F2/F3/F4 for calibrating the pitch wheel, modulation wheel, and testing buttons/LEDs/pots. Signed F. Luzi (probably Fabio Luzi, a Viscount engineer).

FileSizeLang.Description
OB-12 Operating Manual (bilingual)5.5 MBEN + IT
127 pp		The official Viscount Operating Manual. Single PDF covering both languages, side-by-side. Mirrored from archive.org/manualzilla-id-5822891.
OB-12 Guide Book — Part 12.0 MBEN
Part 1/2		Alternative split layout of the same manual content, first half. (English only.)
OB-12 Guide Book — Part 22.2 MBEN
Part 2/2		Same manual, second half.
OB-12 Manuel — Partie 12.0 MBFR
Partie 1/2		French translation, first half. Community-translated.
OB-12 Manuel — Partie 22.0 MBFR
Partie 2/2		French translation, second half.
OB-12 — Hidden Functions2.1 KBEN
RARE		Internal Viscount service document. Signed F. Luzi (likely Fabio Luzi, Viscount engineer). Documents three hidden service functions for calibration and hardware testing via the System / Bulk Dump menu.
Patch / Timbre Settings Form V148 KBEN
RARE		Official paper form for hand-noting OB-12 patch parameter settings. Useful for back-up before complex sound design.
Patch / Timbre Settings Form V253 KBEN
RARE		Revised layout of the same form ("cosmetic and layout changes").

3 — Service / Schematics / Repair

Viscount never publicly released a service manual or schematics for the OB-12 — confirmed by users on the Facebook OB12Synth group, where the moderators have themselves issued public calls for the documents. The most common repair scenario is replacing the LCD (the original Varitronix MGLS24064-67C panel fails after ~15 years from electrolyte leakage). The LCD Replacement Guide by Oliver Fairhall (2009) is the canonical DIY reference; the original LCD datasheet (also included here) lets you source compatible replacements.

FileSizeDate / AuthorDescription
LCD Replacement Guide3.2 MB2009
Oliver Fairhall		The community standard for replacing the OB-12 LCD. Step-by-step DIY photo guide, 7 pages. Author contact: o.fairhall [at] iinet.net.au.
LCD Datasheet — MGLS24064-67C994 KBVaritronix
RARE		Original OEM datasheet for the LCD panel used in the OB-12. Indispensable when sourcing a compatible replacement (Varitronix 240×64 STN).
LCD Replacement Cost Spreadsheet26 KBcommunityCost calculation spreadsheet for parts and labor. (Excel format.)
Gesslr blog — "An OB-12 and The Hero's Journey"1.1 MB HTMLgesslr.comPersonal multi-part repair narrative documenting a complete OB-12 restoration. Offline mirror with all assets.
OB-12 Z-Domain Synthesis section and equalizer

4 — Software Editors

The OB-12 is one of the most editor-orphaned commercial synths of its era. There is no Ctrlr panel, no Emagic SoundDiver adaptation, no Sound Quest MIDI Quest module, and no Patch Base support yet (though it's been requested at coffeeshopped.com). What does exist:

FileSizeDate / AuthorDescription
OB12Editor for Windows 98 / ME2.4 MBJune 2001
Viscount
RARE		The official Viscount Windows editor, never publicly distributed (only via private channels). Visual Basic 5/6 installer with 12 custom OCX controls (knobs, LEDs, faders). Requires CPU firmware v1.50+. The CONTROLLERS section was never finalized.
OB12Editor Readme1.5 KBViscountSystem requirements and required OB-12 MIDI settings for the editor. Read this first.
Ninsopolis OB-12 Editor v0.01 (Max for Live)2.1 MB2010-02-09
ninsopolis		Max for Live device for Ableton Live. Cross-platform. CC-BY-NC-SA license. Original source: maxforlive.com/library/device/211.
Cakewalk instrument definition7.0 KBViscount (?)Cakewalk/Sonar instrument definition file. Names OB-12 patches and CC parameters for vintage Cakewalk products.
OB-12 Logic Pro Environment~3 MBcommunityA community-built Logic Pro environment with an OB-12 control surface pre-wired. Includes 2 versions + 1 backup. Open in Logic Pro to control the synth.

5 — Factory Presets

The OB-12's stock factory bank — 256 programs + 256 timbres designed by Viscount and shipped with every unit. Distributed as two paired SysEx files (one for programs, one for timbres). Uploading these overwrites your current user bank; back up first.

FileSizeDateDescription
Factory Presets bundle (ZIP)49 KB2001-04-27Zipped pair (programs + timbres + Read-Me). The recommended download. Open the ZIP and use the two .mid files separately in your sequencer.
12prgFS — Factory Programs59 KB2001-04-27SysEx dump of the 256 factory programs.
12tmbFS — Factory Timbres63 KB2001-04-27SysEx dump of the 256 factory timbres.
Factory Read-Me521 BViscountOriginal Viscount instructions. Read before uploading: the upload WIPES all your user sounds.

6 — User & Community Presets

The OB-12 user-preset scene is small but well-defined. Below are all the known free banks plus several individual patches recovered from various community archives.

Free banks

FileSizeAuthor / OriginDescription
WCOG OB-12 patches (Jexus)462 KBJexus / WC Olo Garb
2007-2013		Five SysEx files: wc_olo_garb_ob12_all.syx, plus separate programs1/2 and timbres1/2 banks. Designed by Łukasz Hennig (Jexus), a well-known synth demo producer. Originally hosted at sounds-for-synths.com. Demo videos on YouTube.
Virtual Analog 2 — official Viscount expansion54 KBViscount
RARE		An official Viscount sound expansion bank that loads into bank B. Includes 256 programs + 256 timbres. Bundle contains 12prgVA2 + 12tmbVA2 + Read-Me.
JR Sounds — Joseph Rivers51 KBJoseph Rivers
Audio Playground, Orlando FL
RARE		Partner-distributed bank by sound designer Joseph Rivers (Audio Playground, Orlando, FL). 256 programs + 256 timbres, loads into bank B. Bundle includes 12prgJR + 12tmbJR + Read-Me.
syntpelle35 — 39 timbres + programs7.2 KBuser syntpelle35User-shared selection of 39 timbres + programs in SysEx format, slots B00–B38. Shared by user "syntpelle35" on a synth forum.
030120PR — programs (2003-01-20)8.9 KBunknown user
2003-01-20		User-shared programs bank dated 2003-01-20.
030120TM — timbres (2003-01-20)9.4 KBunknown user
2003-01-20		Companion timbres dump for 030120PR.

Individual patches (.pob / .tob)

FileSizeDescription
17 individual patches (ZIP)~3 KB17 small .pob (program) and .tob (timbre) files in the OB12Editor format. Includes Elka SYNTHEX ×2, Long SYNTHEX ×2, Prey series ×4, Bass ×4, Classic ×2, Stab Bass, Old Gear Huh ×2, STAB Me. Load in the OB12Editor.

Reference

FileSizeDescription
koltsov.biz — patches index (Wayback)33 KBWayback Machine snapshot of the koltsov.biz patches index page. Documents what was originally hosted there. The hosted files themselves (ob12.zip, ob12sys.rar) are byte-identical to the original community archive and are included in the firmware section.

7 — Press Reviews (offline mirrors)

Most online press coverage of the OB-12 dates from 2000-2002, with two retrospective pieces in 2022 (Synth and Software, MatrixSynth). All pages are mirrored offline below with their CSS, JS, and images, so you can read them even if the original sites go down. Print-only reviews (Keyboard Magazine December 2000, Future Music, Computer Music, Keys DE, etc.) are not in this archive — see the "Still Wanted" section.

MirrorDateDescription
Sound on Sound — Oberheim/Viscount OB12 (launch review)Sep 2000
Gordon Reid		The definitive launch review by Gordon Reid. Comparisons to MS-2000, Waldorf Q, Virus, Supernova II. 100 KB HTML + assets.
Sound on Sound — OB-12 v1.5 follow-upMar 2002
Gordon Reid		Reassessment after the v1.5 firmware update and the price drop to £499.
GreatSynthesizers — "A wolf in sheep's clothing"Theo Bloderer
retrospective		Long-form retrospective on the OB-12's filters, waveforms, and divisive reputation. 126 KB HTML.
Synth and Software — "Oberheim's Lost Classic"Feb 2022
Mark Jenkins		The 2022 retrospective that triggered the renewed community interest. Companion YouTube video below.
Vintage Synth Explorer — OB-12 entryundated
VSE		The canonical encyclopedia entry with spec sheet.
Sonicstate — user reviews (91 reviews, 4.3/5)2000-present
Sonicstate		The most populated aggregated user reviews. 91 ratings averaging 4.3/5.
Wikipedia (EN)ongoingEnglish-language Wikipedia entry.
Wikipedia (DE)ongoingGerman-language Wikipedia entry.
Wikipedia (NL)ongoingDutch-language Wikipedia entry.
MEMI.de — Hardware-Test (DE, Wayback)~2001
memi.de		German hardware test article ("Z-Domain Synthesis"). Recovered from Wayback because memi.de currently 404s.

8 — Community Resources

Forum threads, blog posts, and now-defunct community sites, mirrored offline for posterity.

MirrorDate / OriginDescription
MatrixSynth — Display Fix (2008)May 2008
matrixsynth.com		Early DIY tape-the-connector display fix.
MatrixSynth — Display Replacement (2009)Oct 2009
matrixsynth.com		Companion post documenting full LCD replacement.
MatrixSynth — Lost Classic aggregator (2022)Feb 2022
matrixsynth.com		Aggregator post linking the Synth and Software piece and related materials.
SynthZone — Oberheim hub (Wayback)early 2000sOld-school links portal page from synthzone.com.
OB-12 keyboard and front panel close-up

9 — Audio / Video Demos

10 — Marketing & Historical Pages

External references to the manufacturer and brand-holder sites. These are live links to Wayback Machine snapshots (open in a new tab) rather than local mirrors — the Wayback pages require an Internet connection to render and don't work meaningfully offline.

LinkDateDescription
oberheim.com — current homepage (Wayback)2026-03-05Tom Oberheim's current Oberheim site, since he regained the brand from Gibson in 2019. The OB-12 is not in the current product line, but the site is the official brand home.
oberheim.com — browse all snapshots2000 — 2026Full Wayback history of oberheim.com. The pre-2019 Gibson-era snapshots may contain OB-12-related material that the current site no longer carries.
viscount.it — browse all snapshots2001 — 2026Wayback history of Viscount International, the original OB-12 manufacturer. The current site is Cloudflare-protected and recent snapshots only show the challenge page — try the early-2000s snapshots for OB-12-era content.

11 — Still Wanted

Some items are still missing — listed below by descending priority. If you have any of these, please share them so they can be added to this archive. The most likely places to find them are: the Facebook OB12Synth group (3 365+ members, active), the Vintage Synth Explorer OB-12 megathread, and the Audiofanzine FR master thread.

  1. Service manual / circuit schematics — Viscount never publicly released them. The most surprising find would be a leaked workshop copy.
  2. CPU firmware versions earlier than v1.42 (and DSP firmware earlier than v1.11). The "1.42 very old" tag in our archive suggests several earlier versions existed in development.
  3. The byte-level SysEx implementation specification. Would let someone finish the unfinished CONTROLLERS section of the OB12Editor, or write a modern cross-platform Ctrlr / Patch Base panel.
  4. Original Viscount/Oberheim demo audio (MP3 or WAV) that was hosted on viscount.it/oberheim/ circa 2000-2005. Wayback never crawled them.
  5. 2000 launch press release and original Viscount marketing brochure PDF.
  6. NAMM 2000 photos / videos of the OB-12 booth (Viscount or Oberheim).
  7. Print magazine reviews: Keyboard Magazine December 2000 (cover: James Newton Howard), Future Music, Computer Music, Keys (DE), Sound & Recording (DE), Electronic Musician (US). Print-only, never digitized.
  8. The MEMI.de "Z-Domain Synthesis" article (DE) — full text. The Wayback snapshot may be partial.
  9. The YouTube video mbqo96BrDG8 ("Brief showcase") that became private during this archive operation.
  10. The source / project files of the Logic Pro environment (currently we only have the final .logic project).
  11. Identity of the Japanese distributor for the OB-12 (it was not Korg — Korg only entered the Oberheim ecosystem in 2022 for the OB-X8, long after OB-12 production ended). Possibilities: Kanda Shokai, Yamano Music, direct import. Confirmation appreciated.
  12. Contact info for "F. Luzi" (the signer of the Hidden Functions document — likely Fabio Luzi, Viscount engineer). LinkedIn / forum profile / email.

Found something? Post in the FB OB12Synth group, on the VSE thread, or on the Audiofanzine FR thread. If you want the maintainer of this archive to be notified directly, please open an issue or send a pull request wherever this site is hosted.