Oberheim DXa (1982–1984, with conflicting sources citing 1983)
The DXa sits in the shadow of its more famous siblings, and the record on it is murky. What's clear: it was an enhanced variant of Oberheim's DX digital drum machine, the company's first foray into drum machines. The DX itself was a six-voice unit with 15 preset analog drum sounds, individual outputs per voice, and external trigger inputs. The DXa added memory and interface options, though the exact scope of those upgrades is thin in the documentation. Even the name is inconsistent across sources - DXa, DX-a, DX/a - and no source confirms which one Oberheim itself used.
The sources that do exist agree on a few things. The DX/DXa used analog sound generation under digital control. You programmed it from front-panel buttons or remote triggers, and patterns were stored on cassette tape. It was pre-MIDI, so it used trigger inputs and DIN-sync style clock. The original price for the DX was $1,295. No separate price for the DXa variant is documented.
The DX family has its defenders. Period and contemporary commentary describes the kick and toms as massive and the tone as punchy and raw, a sleeper compared to the LinnDrum or the Oberheim DMX that followed. One user review in the archive calls the kick drum "a monster." The sequencer is described as cumbersome by modern standards. Period studio equipment surveys from the mid-1980s show Oberheim's digital drum machines appearing alongside other major brands in professional recording facilities Mix Magazine (May 1986, p.176).
DX and DXa units are rare today. Common failure points include memory battery/CMOS RAM corruption and cassette interface ports needing cleaning or recapping. Custom ICs are discontinued, which makes service difficult. Typical used prices range from $1,000 to $2,500 depending on condition. Units with original box and cassette interface command a premium.
Known specs:
- Six voices / six-channel programmable digital drum machine
- 15 preset analog drum sounds
- Individual outputs per voice
- External trigger inputs per voice
- 16 programs memory (DX base); DXa added expanded memory
- Cassette interface for pattern/song storage
- No MIDI (pre-MIDI era)
- Original price (DX): $1,295
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Related Models
- Linn LinnDrum (1982-1985)
- Linn LM-2 (1982-1985)