Here are the first official videos, via Roberto Raineri-Seith, of TheWarp – a new ARP 2600 clone.
TheWarp is a modern reinterpretation of the legendary ARP 2600 semimodular synthesizer, produced by ARP Intruments from 1970 to 1981.
TheWarp is based on the original schematics and is built with analogue components in traditional THT mounting and soldering process. According to the developers, the functions and technical specs are identical to those of the original instrument.
TheWarp’s front panel has been modernized to fit within standard 19″ rack size. The new instrument does, though, retain the graphic design, the size of the sections and feel of the original.
In the first video, above, the VCO section: waveforms, FM, Sample & Hold effects are demonstrated.
The second video, below, is a demo of the filter section (24 db/octave, 4012 Submodule version):
Note: Raineri-Seith says the initial videos are intended to demonstrate that TheWarp is really working. More demos with direct audio are planned.
TheWarp is sold on a pre-order basis for CHF 3’400 (about US $3,600 / 2800 Euro, depending on exchange rate, plus shipping. TheWarp comes fully calibrated with a 2 years guarantee on defective parts and is shipped worldwide on a direct sales basis. See TheWarp site for details.
It doesn’t sound like my Arp2600 , more like a shrunken MS20 ?
That aside, I’m sure the price being over $50 will have most of the I expect everything for nothing generation crying into their (free) cornflakes.
I’m always impressed at how people can judge the sound of a synth by some random patches, recorded with a camera microphone, from a Youtube video.
Anyone interested in either of the new ARP 2600 clones should expect a close match in sound, since they cloned the circuits, but not a 1 to 1 match for the UI and control hardware.
Personally, intelligently updated clones make a lot more sense to me than the ‘museum reproduction’ style reissue that Moog is doing. Like Korg including all three Odyssey filters – electronics are dirt cheap, so it would be stupid to not make some of these updates. Making this rack-friendly is also a smart move.
You have to ask yourself why the showcase videos of a new synth are indeed ” recorded with a camera microphone, from a Youtube video.”
Because nobody wants to pay a professional videographer.
Seeing as nobody wants to pay musicians (as the old joke goes) then musicians have nothing to pay anyone else. How much does it cost to run one audio cable? It does sound like they have the ARP milkiness intact.
Somebody that re-created a modular synth legend should know how to do a direct audio feed to go along with their video. They just did not bother too.
I admit it is quite frustrating the many NAMM videos or house studio synth jams that are recorded with a camera mic. It is quite ironic to have that much gear but recording the audio on a camera mic. I am fine with less than stellar video quality since it is sound we are talking about, but poor recorded audio is just a let down.
That being said, the audio quality on these demos could have been worse.
It is odd when audio professionals make videos with bad sound, they spend two years on an over ambitious project to shoot a poor video with ambient sound on mobile recording device – a crazy practice that is a real pet hate of mine.
spend hundreds of thousands of dollars developing and re-creating a synth and then the $300 bucks or whatever to plug the damn thing into the camera directly is out of budget or just too hard? i dont think so
If you’d read the article, you’d realize that the developer already addressed what you make complaint about. High-quality audio demos are in the works, this is just a video preview.
Also – there are enough uninformed complaints about synth prices, already. As a 2600 owner, don’t you have something more positive or constructive to contribute than that?
right, if i say ‘it’s bad’, it is okay that it’s bad. almost forgot.
Why do you care so much about this ? Even with these low quality camera mic shots I can tell the sound is not like an Arp 2600. You dont need a professional videographer, its not 1984. The filter sounds much more like an ms20 and quite screechy, these are my observations, Im sorry to have made disparaging remarks about your new product.
i think the real story here is that someone is pissed that their precious ARP 2600 has been copied and re-created and theirs is likely to be less “exclusive” in the very near future.
Sounds just like a Korg ARP Odyssey , which sounds just like a MS-20, what is it with ARP’s being made to sound like Korg’s, I was never a fan of either sounds, much better ways to waste some time than recreating the sound of a MS-20, unless you are actually Korg and it is the past.
It’s an integrated circuit that’s important to the 2600 sound. They’ve subbed it with a modern one that’s too clean.
The TL702.
That’s why it’ll sound different.
…
What a disgustinly ugly synth…Why…
Ugly like a fox.
I like this. Now if only someone would make a cost effective cheapass construction 86% mini version.
Makes me want to buy a TTSH kit…
These demos are off the chain bad.
One would think that you would set it up beforehand to make an awesome sound, something that will really showcase the product and make people want it.
If I ever need a $3,600 screech and blip machine, I’ll know what to get.
Have to say – for that price – its not rocking my world!! But I’ll wait until the professional videos come out. I still think Korg are going to repeat history and bring out a 2600 re-issue either next year or the year after, once all the excitement re the Odyssey has calmed down a bit. That’s an entirely logical thing for them to do, as would be some other ARP products. A Quadra? Maybe a Little Brother expander and a Sequencer for the Odyssey? Or they could develop new entirely ARP products. Its great that the ARP name is back – they need to keep the momentum going.