The successor of Matrix series, however, has a feature that strongly distinguishes Matrix-6 from its predecessors: the synthesizer's voices use digitally controlled oscillators (DCO).
To build the voices Oberhiem used a specialized chip CEM3396 which comprises:
Two DCOs that generate a meander, a saw, a triangle, and intermediate waveforms (obtained by adding the basic forms).
Voltage controlled four-stage low-pass filter (4 pole LP VCF).
Two voltage-controlled amplifiers (VCA).
Thus, in order to construct each voice it was necessary to add only a small number of external discrete elements to the factory chip.
In addition to the functional blocks in the voice chips, each Matrix-6 voice includes:
Three envelope generators with the adjustment of attack time, release, sustain, release, as well as the delay time (DADSR).
Two modulatable LFOs.
There is also a common for each voice LFO providing them with vibrato effect.
A flexible routing system allows almost any functional block to be commutated. This flexibility gives the possibility to receive complex modulated sounds and music palette.
Among the musicians who used Matrix-6, we should name Apoptygma Berzerk, Apollo 440, Future Sound of London, Astral Projection, Jane Child, Dan Donovan, Gravity Kills, Leatherstrip, Philip Glass Ensemble, Sunscream, Yamo.