They’re built on the same platform, the development of which was overseen by the late Dave Smith. They cost roughly the same price and take up the same amount of space. But TEO-5 is not Take 5. Look to the Oberheim desktop instrument for the SEM multimode filter, linear through-zero FM, and its own unique effects. Here’s the synth Tom and team built.
For all the challenges facing the industry, the reality is that now, in summer 2025, you can buy affordable, massively capable instruments with the names Sequential, Oberheim, and Moog, among others. See my interview with Erik Norlander, now at Moog, about the Messenger. That’s sitting on my desk and I’m back to finishing the review literally after I wrap up these news pieces.
You could pull the name of one of these synths out of a hat and be reasonably happy. Technically, they were on the record, so I can say to Erik, Tom, and Taiho, each of you said really nice things about one another. These makers also have great teams behind them.
But all of that back-patting out of the way, it’s also worth saying that even though these synths give you basically the same thing, they each have their own personality, which is what we like about synthesizers in the first place. Tom’s approach with all that you can do with that SEM filter, that dedicated x-mod – honestly, this stuff speaks my language. See the specs. (And it’s also interesting to see Moog add some of those kinds of features, just in a more, uh, Moog-ish way.)
And if TEO-5 isn’t for you, Take 5:
I quote Dave about why hardware is beloved in the other story. But if you can’t afford or fit the hardware, it’s also great that Tom is collaborating with software developer GForce. Tom is still brilliant and articulate, so much so that I’m still editing an interview I did with him a few weeks back, but that’s coming soon. Keyboard magazine and many friends are gone, but plenty of us are still here, and the synth story continues.
Desktop units aren’t quite in resellers yet, but I know they’re coming.
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Oberheim TEO-5 at Perfect Circuit
Sounds:
Specs:
OSCILLATORS
- 5-Voice VCO/VCF-based polysynth
- 2x VCOs and sub oscillator per voice
- Simultaneously selectable waveshapes for each oscillator: triangle, saw, variable pulse
- Oscillator 1 syncs to Oscillator 2
- Dedicated front-panel X-Mod control for through-zero FM
- Switchable key tracking per oscillator
- White noise generator accessible in pre-filter mixer
STATE VARIABLE FILTER
- Classic SEM filter with selectable Band-Pass mode
- State knob continuously morphs from Low-Pass through Notch to High-Pass
- Bi-polar filter envelope amount
- Velocity modulation of envelope amount
- Keyboard tracking
FILTER ENVELOPE
- Five-stage (DADSR) envelope generator
- Velocity modulation of envelope amount
- Freely assignable modulation destinations
AMPLIFIER ENVELOPE
- Five-stage (DADSR) envelope generator
- Velocity modulation of envelope amount
2 LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATORS
- Five wave shapes: triangle, sawtooth, reverse sawtooth, square, and random (sample and hold)
- LFO tempo sync
- Initial amount setting
- Freely assignable modulation destinations
VINTAGE KNOB
- Recreates vintage synth characteristics by adding voice-to voice variations in component behavior
AFTERTOUCH
- Responds to channel (mono) aftertouch with bi-polar amount
- Freely assignable modulation destinations
CLOCK
- Master clock with tap tempo
- BPM control and display
- MIDI clock sync
ARPEGGIATOR
- Selectable note value: 16th note, 8th note triplet, 8th note, dotted 8th note, quarter note
- One, two, or three octave range
- Up, down, up/down, random, and assign modes
SEQUENCER
- Polyphonic step sequencer with up to 64 steps, including ties and rests
EFFECTS
- One dedicated reverb with damping, pre-delay, decay and tone
- One multi-effect with stereo delay, BBD delay, tape delay, chorus, flanger, Oberheim phase shifter and ring modulator emulations, vintage rotating speaker, distortion, high-pass filter and Lo-Fi
- Dedicated Overdrive effect
PERFORMANCE CONTROLS
- Hold switch latches held notes on
- Polyphonic portamento (glide)
- Unison (monophonic) mode with configurable voice count, from one to all five voices, and key modes to control voice triggering priority
- Manual switch: when on, the front panel is live; what you see is what you hear
PATCH MEMORY
- 256 user and 256 factory programs in 32 banks of 16 programs each
- Direct program access, including single-button access to the current set of 16 programs
IN/OUT
- Left and right audio outputs (2 x 1/4” jack)
- Headphone output (stereo, 1/4” phone jack)
- MIDI in, out, and thru ports
- USB for bidirectional MIDI communication
- Volume expression pedal input
- Sustain footswitch input
POWER
- IEC AC power inlet for internal power supply
- Operates worldwide on voltages between 100 and 240 volts at 50 to 60 Hz; 22 Watts maximum power consumption
PHYSICAL SPECS
- 21″ L x 7″ W x 3.5″ H (53.3 cm x 17.8 cm x 8.9 cm)
- Weight: 6.8 lbs. (3.08 kg)
