discoDSP TED-8 brings the Oberheim TEO-5 to plugin form with eight voices
discoDSP has released TED-8, a software replica of the Oberheim TEO-5 modeled on a real unit: 8 voices, SEM filter, modulation matrix and a USB link to the hardware synth.
discoDSP, the developer behind the OB-Xd 2 and OB-Xd 3 plugins, has released TED-8, a software replica of the Oberheim TEO-5, the five-voice analog polysynth Oberheim unveiled at Superbooth 2024. According to the official product page, the plugin was modeled from measurements of a real unit. First released as version 1.0 this month, it has already reached version 1.1.3, per discoDSP’s version history.
What TED-8 does
TED-8 follows the TEO-5 architecture and stretches it a little. It runs on its own, inside a DAW, or as an editor and librarian for a TEO-5 connected over USB.
- 8 voices instead of the TEO-5’s 5, each with its own small pitch and level offset. Poly Unison stacks up to 6 voices on each of the 8 notes, for 48 voices in total. For the difference between voices, polyphony and paraphony, see our explainer on synth voice count;
- two oscillators (triangle, saw, pulse), a sub oscillator and a noise generator, with sync and X-Mod: cross modulation, where one oscillator varies the other’s frequency for metallic tones;
- a two-pole SEM-style filter (12 dB per octave) that sweeps continuously from low pass to high pass through notch, plus a band-pass mode. The SEM is the 1970s Oberheim module whose filter defined the brand’s sound;
- two envelopes with delay and Env Repeat, which turns an envelope into a cycling modulator. The four stages are covered in our ADSR envelope guide;
- two LFOs with five shapes each: the first global, the second per voice;
- an arpeggiator (Up, Down, Up+Down, Random, Assign) and a 64-step sequencer that records chords of up to five notes, rests and ties;
- overdrive, twelve effect types and a reverb;
- a 16-slot modulation matrix, which the hardware TEO-5 lacks.
TED-8 versus the TEO-5
| Oberheim TEO-5 (hardware) | discoDSP TED-8 (plugin) | |
|---|---|---|
| Voices | 5, analog | 8, up to 48 in Poly Unison |
| Filter | analog 2-pole SEM | model of the same filter, measured |
| Modulation matrix | no | 16 slots |
| Sequencer | 64-step polyphonic | 64 steps, chords up to 5 notes |
| User programs | 256 | 256, plus backup of the TEO-5’s own |
The hardware link is the real selling point for a TEO-5 owner: two-way editing, program change sync, and backup and restore of all 256 user programs to a single file. TED-8 also opens OB-Xd presets.
October’s updates
discoDSP shipped four versions in a month. Version 1.1 refitted the phaser, rotating speaker effect, reverb, filter resonance and noise to new TEO-5 measurements. Version 1.1.2 claims an engine 1.7 times faster on Mac and 2.2 times faster on Windows with the same sound, and a sequencer that follows the DAW transport. Version 1.1.3 renders offline bounces with 8x oversampling, cutting X-Mod aliasing by 20 to 40 dB, and exports programs as TEO-5 .syx files.
Who it’s for, what it costs, what it competes with
Who it’s for. TEO-5 owners, who get a full editor and three extra voices in the DAW; players who like the Oberheim sound but don’t want hardware; Linux users, rarely served by vintage synth emulations.
What it costs. $99 as a limited-time launch price, then $199. Owners of Discovery, Discovery Pro, Corona, OB-Xd 2 or OB-Xd 3 pay $49. A demo is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. Formats: standalone app, VST, VST3, Audio Unit and AAX (explained in our plugin formats guide). Requirements: Windows 10, macOS 12 or Debian 10 or later, a CPU with AVX2, 8 GB of RAM, and a one-time online activation.
What it competes with. The Oberheim sound is already available in plugin form from discoDSP itself with the OB-X-inspired OB-Xd 3, from Arturia with the OB-Xa V, and from GForce with OB-E, built around the SEM. TED-8 stands apart through its narrow target, the TEO-5 and its SEM filter, and above all through its hardware link, which none of these rivals offers for this model. Against the TEO-5 itself, it does not replace analog circuits, but it reproduces the architecture for a fraction of the price. More recent emulations are gathered in our Vintage Emulations section.
