Ralf, thanks for this info and included links to articles !

--- In oberheim@yahoogroups.com , Mr Ralf Schildan <tortug1000@...> wrote:

> Hi group, I think I see things somewhat different in the black/white discussion ;) and can put some more information (not necessarily better or more correct).
>
> Regarding what was built when by whom
>
> The Matrix-6 and 6R, Xk, Prommer, and other Oberheim gear of that era (1986-1988) were built by Sakata Shokai and Hammond Suzuki in Japan.
> The Matrix-12, Xpander, DMX, DX, and DPX-1 were handmade in the USA by Oberheim themselves. The Matrix -1000 and Perf/X boxes were also made in the States, and the only problem they've had has been buggy software in the Cyclone (buggy is a mild term).
> ( http://www.ibiblio.org/emusic-l/back-issues/vol017/issue4.txt)
> I also read about Oberheim (or ECC or Gibson) stopping production in Japan and returning to US because of quality problems.
>
> Oberheim sold to ecc in 85.Sold to Gibson from ECC in 88/89( )
> Gibson sold also black matrix 1000 till 90/91
> Tom Oberheim stated in SOS:
> "For various reasons that I don't want to go into too deeply, in 1985, Oberheim Electronics became ECC Oberheim owned by my ex-lawyer. I stayed on for a couple of years, then left the company in 1987 to start Marion Systems" ( http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1994_articles/mar94/tomoberheim.html)
> He also mentioned in another place that he wasnï ¿ ½t anymore involved in the development of the Matrix 1000.
> In 1994 Gibson restarted production of the Matrix 1000 with a white frontplate (white, because of the white OBMX) ( http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1994_articles/jun94/oberheimmatrix.html)
>
>
> Regarding black/white models
>
> Some people have had black and white models and there is no really difference between them. The power supply in the white models is different and I have read about slightly enhanced Software, although some people say they have black and white models with the same firmware.
> I also read from someone who made a copy of his white model eprom to put it in his black one to have the same.
> Apparently there are black ones with different firmware versions.
>
> Facts, iï ¿ ½ve seen some or read a lot about in newsgroups (icl. here,) or at harmony central reviews. The black model often has a power supply hum, which can be very loud because of vibrations mainly in top of casing.
> Black models often suffer from bad sound chips or other defect parts affecting single voices. Maybe as a result of the vibrations
> Never seen or heard about in white face or better from 1994 models, as I recently had a white faced 1988 built
> Matrix 1000 in hands (at least power supply dated from 1988! and serial was 88 like: 8A0724)
> I then bought a black one with badly humming power supply and 2 dead sound chips from 88, serial: 8A0521
> and then finally a white one with no problems from 94: serial: 320111
>
> I really do like the sound of the Matrix 1000!
>
> Regards,
>
> Ralf
>