Korg

J
ust where do you start a
review of a legendary synth
on which everyone has an
opinion? Perhaps not by
trawling the internet to
find out what defines the
2600 sound, or why a
particular make of clone is/isn’t true
to the original. In fact there are likely
more views on this matter than there
are original working ARP 2600s in
existence. Let’s also remember that
the ARP 2600 itself went through a
host of design changes (not always
representing improvements) and it’s
Korg have now responded with a
smaller keyboard-less version in the
form of the 2600 M. Like its sibling
it employs surface-mount
components, adds MIDI connectivity
and some small functional tweaks.
However, despite losing the sturdy
wooden case and matching keyboard
of the FS, in broader sonic terms it is
the same beast. Possibly to counter
the competition from elsewhere,
Korg are also keen to suggest that
the 2600 M is not mass-produced,
but more of a quality boutique
investment with limited monthly
production numbers. How this is
perceived will perhaps determine its
long-term success.
So what exactly is a 2600 and
what has allowed its design to hold
its place among the true classics? At
its core it’s an all-analogue
three-oscillator synth. Each
independently tuneable oscillator
(alongside a noise source and the
ring-modulated outputs of VCO 1
and 2) are sent to a low-pass filter
section (VCF) and then amp (VCA)
stage. Two envelopes (a 4-stage
ADSR and 2-stage AR) can then be
used to modulate parameters relating
to oscillator frequency, filter-cutoff
and VCA level. There are also some
controls and sections for modulating
one oscillator from another, for noise
shaping, sample & hold, clocking,
signal inversion and switching as
well as lag generators, an audio input
with envelope follower and spring
reverb to boot.
Despite some of the hard-wired
modulation options, one could argue
that this is in some ways little more
than a standard Minimoog-style
monosynth, and also one that is
somewhat deficient when it comes to
the number of envelopes, LFO
sources and filter shapes. However, if
all you want is a playable pre-
configured synth then the ARP
Odyssey could well be a better fit,
and a very fine one at that – after all,
they do share a number of the same
sonic building-blocks. Where the
2600 really comes into its own is in
the sheer range of its pre-configured
or switchable modulation and control
routings, all married to a host of
patchpoints for overriding or adding
to them. In other words, it can do
conventional, but also weird, nasty,
complex and a whole host of other
adjectives often more associated
with modular synthesis. So while it
will allow you to create great basses,
leads and percussion sounds, it is
also an experimenter’s synth, where
chance slider movements or random
patching can deliver interesting
results. However, for those used to
easily switchable oscillator
wave-shapes, exact tuning
increments and patch memories,
some disappointment awaits.
Compared to the original ARP
2600, the new Korg version sports
USB sockets for connecting both a
computer and a MIDI controller
(though the MIDI spec is very basic).
The review unit – being one of the
impossible to travel back in time to
hear what one of them sounded like
when new. Such is the world that
Korg stepped into when they
released their limited-edition Korg
ARP 2600 FS in 2020. This was a
beautifully presented clone of the
2600 (with switchable filter types
reflecting one of the main sonic
differences between early and
mid-’70s units) and came in an
authentic case alongside a matching
controller keyboard. The downside
– a nearly £3,500 outlay and very
limited availability.
THE PROS & CONS
+
It looks like a (small)
2600 – and sounds
like a 2600
Extremely flexible
sound design tool
Integrates well with
modular gear
-
No dedicated LFO
Limited
envelope options
Small sliders on the
dark case can be
tricky to see
Korg ARP 2600 M | Reviews
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