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.

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

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

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 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.

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)

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.






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.

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

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

 

ARP ODYSSEY RELATED MODELS:

	MK1 WHITEFACE Model: 2800 (from 1972 to 1974) - Rotary Knob bender - No external CV control - 2 poles filter (model 4023)
	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
	Mk3 BLACK ORANGE Model: 2820-> 2823 (from 1978 to 1981) - PPC controller - CV/gate control - 4 poles filter 4075
	CREAMWARE PRODYSSEY (2007) a smart digital analog modeling VIDEO
	ARP 2600 the modular spiritual father VIDEO
	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

 

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

	name	price	link	demo
	EFM Oddse	VST free
	Roberson Audio Oddy	VST Free
	ODSAY	VST free		N/A
	Synth school odyssey	VST free		N/A
	ohm force oddity	VST commercial
	MANX DESTINY	VST commercial
	GFORCE ODDITY	VST commercial

AUDIO DEMO

chameleon with sampled drum commerical dope synched sounds tailgunner demo another dope demo ring modulation synched 2 modem-like

talking filter crazy LFo Sample and hold mix bouncy bouncy nasty noise flat Eric another S&H

Soundcloud Arp odyssey

VIDEO CLIP SELECTION demo with roland tr808 with doepfer maq 16/3

 

ARP ODYSSEY USER MANUAL

SERVICE MANUAL / SCHEMATICS

lumina kit

custom

ODYSSEY FOR SALE CHECK OUT EBAY OFFERS