Alex Ball vs. Miltone 4EXP: Oberheim Vibes, French Obsession

The Miltone 4EXP isn’t here to play it coy – it’s a straight-up, component-level clone of the Oberheim Four Voice, minus the old-school keyboard but with some modern twists thrown in. Born from a crew obsessed with vintage synths in a Parisian bunker, the 4EXP exists because restoring Oberheims got so deep, they started remanufacturing extinct parts just to keep them alive. What started as a rescue mission turned into full-on resurrection.

And this isn’t a one-trick pony. You can run the 4EXP standalone as your main analog weapon, chain up multiple units for an Eight Voice (or even more, if your bank account can handle the carnage), or use it to soup up your original Four Voice. This thing’s got polyphonic options out the wazoo – seriously, if you want old-school sound with modern flexibility, welcome to the sweet spot.

Pop the hood and it’s clear: the 4EXP is built by people who’d rather solder than sleep. Nearly every component inside could be swapped straight into an original Oberheim SEM. It’s discrete, it’s through-hole, and the attention to detail is borderline obsessive – perfect for anyone who thinks modern synth PCBs look too tidy.

Don’t expect the full original layout, though. MIDI in, MIDI thru, USB for firmware, two external audio ins, and CV/Gate for each voice put it firmly in the now. There’s a stereo mixer on board, but if you’re after individual outs for each voice, keep dreaming (or start modding). MIDI CCs handle what the OG’s left-hand section did, and more features are getting cooked up. It’s a love letter to the past, but not stuck in it.

Voice assignment here is anything but basic. Want classic round robin? Sorted. Prefer a fixed voice reset, or go full-on unison for that bulldozer bass? It’s all there, no menu diving required. Alex walks through continuous, round robin, reset, and the ever-popular unison, letting you juggle voices like a synth ninja.

And splits? Pure joy for the performance crowd. You can divide the voices left and right for chords, bass, melodies – or indulge in the Desmond 2-2 split for dual-layered madness. The flexibility smacks of a serious tool for stage or studio, not just a museum piece. Alex’s demo barely scratches what’s possible – you’ll want to see (and hear) the video for the real action.

Here’s the kicker: this boutique beast will set you back nearly twelve grand – plus the usual VAT and shipping sting. That’s not lunch money, but it’s handbuilt, limited to 50 units, and aimed straight at serious Oberheim obsessives. Alex reckons they’ll all sell, and honestly, he’s probably right. If you want the real deal, made with love and a touch of French madness, the price is just the cost of entry.