polynominal logo
Synthesizers Drum machines Samplers Effects 8-16bits+ toys HOME

Arp Odyssey

 

 

arp odyssey mk3

  audio demo trend price : 1500-200€
manual demo video comments

ARP ODYSSEY
Model 2800 (1978)


American classic analog synthesizer, smart with a different design concept from main competitor Moog Minimoog D. The Arp Odyssey 2800 is considered the portable version of the famous modular ARP 2600 designed by Alan Robert Pearlman.

This is the third official after near ten years of production from 1972 to 1981 with some technical and cosmetic changes, this review is based on this model.

arp odyssey keyboad close up

voltage controlled oscillators

info KEYBOARD (weight: 8 Kg) compact 37-keys.
The main panel features 34 sliders, 3 pads PPC proportional pitch control and a 3-ways octave switch selector.


Back panel terminal connectors:
- CV pedal control input (it disables S&H functions)
- control CV / gate
- main out jack
- main out XLR
- line input


editVOICE monophonic / duophonic analog synthesizer.
A voice is composed either 2 X VCO oscillators + 1 white or pink noise circuit.



structure



edit OSCILLATORS VCO structure table:

  VCO1 VCO2
mix volume yes yes
pitch coarse yes yes
pitch fine yes yes
hard sync - VCO2 -> VCO1
waves saw / square saw / square
pulse width 50% to square 50% to square
width modulation LFO sine / EG ADSR LFO sine / EG ADSR




filter FILTER 4-poles lowpass and a simple non-resonant highpass.
New custom filter design replaced the previous model 4023 (so-called "Moog clone") but has its own character and still achieves a very characteristic resonance.


vcf


lfo LFO a single main modulator (range from 0.2 to 20 Hz) which features 2 waveforms square and sine (plus special sample and hold).

LFO destinations are:
- EG AR gate (square)
- EG ADSR gate (square)
- VCO1 pitch (sine or square) summable with EG ADSR or S&H
- VCO2 pitch (sine or S&H) summable with EG ADSR or S&H
- VCF cutoff (sine or S&H) summable with S&H
- VCO1 pulse width (sine)
- VCO2 pulse width (sine)
HINT: VCO1 can be interrupted (LF KEYB OFF) and acts as a secondary LFO (saw/square obviously)


lfo


lfo SAMPLE AND HOLD a smart mixer for this function: 2 dedicated sliders mix VCO1 wave square/saw values and VCO2 wave square. Each sampled step is clocked to LFO frequency or manually retriggered, then finally the generated voltage output has a voltage slew (a smoothing process) output lag.






adsr ENVELOPE
2 EGs:

  EG1 EG2  
N. segments 4 ADSR 2 AD  
VCA yes yes  
VCO1 pitch yes -  
VCO2 pitch yes -  
VCO1 width yes -  
VCO2 width yes -  
VCF yes yes  

VCA GAIN holds a sound indefinitely likely for drones effects and the repeat function retriggers the EG following the square LFO flow clocked to the main LFO frequency, but may also be synched to external trigger IN with latch mode.



lfo PERFORMANCE some handy playmode functions:
- special duophonic mode (VCO1 has lower priority)
- variable portamento time
- PPC is a kind of pitch bender.



lfo MAINTENANCE 3 ommon issues, but nothing really drammatic:
1- third version have caps falling apart
2- PPC rubber pads fails
3- sliders are a bit short-life


VCF FILTER


 

memroy ARP ODYSSEY RELATED MODELS:

odyssey mk1

MK1 WHITEFACE Model: 2800 (from 1972 to 1974)
- Rotary Knob bender
- No external CV control
- 2 poles filter (model 4023)

odyssey mk2

Mk2 GOLDEN model: 2800->2813 (from 1974 to 1978)
- Rotary Knob or late PPC
- Later models have CV control (like 2810)
- 4 poles "Mooged" (4023) filter replaced by custom 4075 patent infringement

odyssey mk3

Mk3 BLACK ORANGE Model: 2820-> 2823 (from 1978 to 1981)
- PPC controller
- CV/gate control
- 4 poles filter 4075

CREAMWARE PRODYSSEY CREAMWARE PRODYSSEY (2007) a smart digital analog modeling VIDEO
ARP 2600

ARP 2600 the modular spiritual father VIDEO

KORG ARP ODYSSEY

KORG ODYSSEY a reissue from korg (2015) with both 2 and 4 poles filter, new drive saturation filter, Midi input , USB and mini-keys. Availble in 3 different cases. VIDEO




 

effet VST PLUGIN / SAMPLED VERSION there are some free and commercial samples set:

  name price link demo
EFM Oddse EFM Oddse VST free
effet  ARP Odyssey
audio oddy Roberson Audio Oddy VST Free effet  ARP Odyssey
odsay ODSAY VST free effet N/A
synthschool odyssey Synth school odyssey VST free effet N/A
ohm force ohm force oddity VST commercial effet  ARP Odyssey
manx destiny MANX DESTINY VST commercial effet  ARP Odyssey
manx destiny GFORCE ODDITY VST commercial effet  ARP Odyssey



demoAUDIO DEMO

demo chameleon with sampled drum
demo commerical dope
demo synched sounds
demo tailgunner demo
demo another dope demo
demo ring modulation
demo synched 2
demo modem-like
demo talking filter
demo crazy LFo
demo Sample and hold mix
demo bouncy bouncy
demo nasty noise
demo flat Eric
demo another S&H
demo  


effet Soundcloud Arp odyssey

demo1 3 tracks 3 tracks 3 tracks



video VIDEO CLIP SELECTION

 ARP Odyssey arp odyssey with with roland tr808 spiral sequence 2
demo with roland tr808 with doepfer maq 16/3

 

arp odyssey




manual
ARP ODYSSEY USER MANUAL

 

 




manual
SERVICE MANUAL / SCHEMATICS

 


arp odyssey scan

 

 



arp odyssey magazine

 

 



arp odyssey advertising

 

 

 

 

arp odysseyflyer

 

 

 

 

arp odyssey brochure

 

 

 

 

arp odyssey pillow

 

 

 

arp odyssey shirt

 

 

 

arp odyssey upgrade
lumina kit

 

 

 

 

custom
custom

 

 

 

 

ODYSSEY FOR SALE
Arp Odyssey for sale
CHECK OUT EBAY OFFERS

 

 

behind the synthesizer ARP made in USA vcf detail- do not touch VCF pins


manual

- sound routing
- CV gate & pedal cv

manual

- bad sliders and PPC quality
- can be tricky


comment

REVIEW "Odyssey is a bit different from classical synthesizer with its own logic of editing, not always intuitive but really powerful and flexible."


logo arp USA

COMMENTS

 

polynominal logo
      For sale Comment Contact
Synthesizers Drum machines Samplers Effects 8-16bits+ toys HOME

all snapshots*, sounds, texts copyright Polynominal.com / Eric Pochesci
* gadget pictures from ebay sellers
* lumina kit by discretesynthesizer
* blue arp by custom synth

arp odyssey 4.5 out of 5 based on 26 ratings. price €1500