The Oxford Synthesiser Company (OSC) was a small British synthesizer manufacturer, active during the early 1980s. It was founded in 1982 by electronics design engineer Chris Huggett, with Paul Wiffen, after Electronic Dream Plant folded.[1][2]
In 1984, the company introduced the OSC OSCar, a synthesizer that "raised eyebrows" in part due to its "monstrous" appearance.[2][1] Nevertheless, the keyboard became popular with musicians including Stevie Wonder, Keith Emerson, and Jean-Michel Jarre, and bands such as Ultravox and The Legendary Pink Dots.[2][1]
Despite the initial success of the OSCar, the company was unable to compete with the likes of Yamaha, which introduced the DX7.[1] OSC went out of business in 1986.[2]