Oberheim Echoplex Digital Pro (1994–2003)
The Echoplex Digital Pro is an odd entry in the Oberheim catalog. It isn't a synthesizer. It's a 19-inch rack-mount digital delay and looper built for performing artists. Gibson's Oberheim division introduced it in October 1994, in the post-1985 era when Gibson owned the name. It records 16-bit, 44.1kHz audio to RAM and shipped with 50 seconds of memory, expandable with SIMM chips. The unit is essentially a "set it and forget it" device, and the front panel favors workflow over knob-twiddling.
The history is a bit tangled. The unit was conceived in the early nineties and originally sold under the Oberheim name. After Gibson's acquisition of Oberheim was fully absorbed, it was relabeled the Gibson Echoplex in June 2001. In January 2003 it was reissued in a slightly upgraded form as the Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro Plus, running the fourth-generation LoopIV software from Aurisis Research. The original Oberheim-badged units run Loop 3, upgradeable to Loop 4.
The looping community holds this unit in high regard. Its influence on modern looping devices is difficult to overstate, and artists including Brian Eno and U2 favored it. Vintage Synth Explorer noted that despite its early-nineties conception, it functioned much like Electrix Pro's newer Repeater loop recorder. The sampling time is long and the quality is high, so it can record, sample, and play loops in real time. With InsertMode set to Replace, you can replace any length of the original loop, depending on the quantize setting.
Collectibility is modest but steady. Used units appear periodically on Reverb and eBay, typically in good working condition. One Australian listing asked $999.00 AUD. Another noted missing knob caps, which the seller said weren't really needed given the unit's "set it and forget it" nature. No original retail price, production counts, or detailed service histories are documented in the sources available to the Archive.
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