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From: rwn@iham1.UUCP (Bob Neumann)
Newsgroups: net.music.synth
Subject: Oberheim Synth answers
Message-ID: <507@iham1.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 31-Jan-86 14:59:42 EST
Article-I.D.: iham1.507
Posted: Fri Jan 31 14:59:42 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Feb-86 20:54:01 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 26

I own an Oberheim Xpander.  The Matrix 6 is NOT an Xpander 
with keys.  Some of the features of the Xpander were eliminated
to produce the matrix 6.  A rack-mount version of the matrix6
is also available from oberheim (see their ad in Keyboard mag).

The Xpander has six voices, all of which can respond independantly
on different respective MIDI channels (1-16).  You can also 
assign groups of voices to one MIDI channel, and other voices to
Control voltages, etc. The unit is the most open-ended synth
I have seen, and is the perfect addition to any MIDI synth/computer/
sequencer setup.  You can also give your non-split synth (DX-7, etc)
split capability by dividing the keyboard range into up to
three zones, by specifying the range of notes that the Xpander
will respond to per zone.

I drive my Xpander with control voltages and MIDI simultaneously,
and am able to listen to a piece that I have composed,
and change each instrument independantly according to
the patch (wind sounds vs horns vs bass), transposition, and
stereo pan, all in real time.

I am not sure how well the multi-timbral capability of the matrix 6
is implemented.  Anyone care to comment?

			Bob Neumann