All Things ARP Odyssey

[BobTheDog]

That's reasonable.  I haven't tried them on the Korg version, but I didn't have trouble with them on the original.  But this would amount to yet another argument against shrunken synthesizers.  If a company wants to re-issue a vintage instrument, it should re-issue the exact same dimensions or "proportions".

From my experience the Korg ones are terrible, just unusable.

Saying that though many reviews seem to put the Korg ones as superior to the Arp ones!

I agree that the keyboard on the Karp should have been bigger (standard size), but keeping the depth the same as the original would seem a step to far, those things were huge and the slider size in the karp seems perfectly useable to me.

[Paul Dither]

That's reasonable.  I haven't tried them on the Korg version, but I didn't have trouble with them on the original.  But this would amount to yet another argument against shrunken synthesizers.  If a company wants to re-issue a vintage instrument, it should re-issue the exact same dimensions or "proportions".

From my experience the Korg ones are terrible, just unusable.

Saying that though many reviews seem to put the Korg ones as superior to the Arp ones!

Interesting. I only found reviews in which the writers found the PPCs either as bad as on the original, or much worse - in case they used to like the pads on the original, like the guy behind the RetroSound channel. While I can't speak for the original, I can definitely understand the latter reasoning because of all the aforementioned reasons (size and pressure needed).

[BobTheDog]

I could easily be wrong.

[chysn]

The PPC on my Axxe wasn't functionally bad, but I found it tactilely unpleasant.

[Paul Dither]

The most interesting part would likely be the analog Ensemble effect, though you really have quite a few prototypes to choose from - for that matter, perhaps the effort would be better spent there. Imagine a box that could do a wide variety of ensemble effects (certainly, there is a range of variation between the Arp-branded units alone), Roland VP-330 ensemble, Juno chorus + Dimension-D, etc.

Once you have that, then it's simply a case of dealing with the tone-generator portion of the device (which needs to be nasty, along the lines of something that sounds like wet rotting cardboard when the effect is turned off). For pulse-constructed sawtooth imitations, a microcontroller could easily generate these, unless one really felt like implementing a complete divide-down network (I certainly don't).

The Streichfett, for nearly getting everything right, does have an issue with note doubling, which would not happen within an actual string machine, but let's be fair - the tone generator section is a wavetable engine, which has no notion of organ-style divide-down logic (at least within the current firmware). It also sounds too good IMHO with the effects turned off.

Had to laugh about the "wet rotting cardboard" description.

What do you think about the VP-03?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs5d3lBsrkw&feature=youtu.be

[DavidDever]

What do you think about the VP-03?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs5d3lBsrkw&feature=youtu.be

Funny that you posted those, Paul, as I had not seen the comparison one until yesterday. The standalone demo had me convinced that I might be interested, until I heard the comparison with the VP-330 side-by-side.

It's tough to get that same silky vocoder sound in a modeled unit: if you think about it, you've got at least ten bandpass filters to model (20 slopes!), long before you have to model the string-machine sound itself. I'd bet that the VP-03 vocoder, within a mix, would actually be quite decent, but standalone operation as a string machine probably wouldn't cut it (I loved the choir sound on the original).

[Paul Dither]

What do you think about the VP-03?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs5d3lBsrkw&feature=youtu.be

Funny that you posted those, Paul, as I had not seen the comparison one until yesterday. The standalone demo had me convinced that I might be interested, until I heard the comparison with the VP-330 side-by-side.

It's tough to get that same silky vocoder sound in a modeled unit: if you think about it, you've got at least ten bandpass filters to model (20 slopes!), long before you have to model the string-machine sound itself. I'd bet that the VP-03 vocoder, within a mix, would actually be quite decent, but standalone operation as a string machine probably wouldn't cut it (I loved the choir sound on the original).

It doesn't sound 100% like the VP-330, that's for sure. But I guess at its price, the VP-03 will be good enough for those who are looking for that particular sound and could never afford the vintage unit that is selling at ridiculous prices these days (up to $4,000). The sequencer is also a nice add-on, which is why I enjoyed the end of the first video the most.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Anybody hear of anyone offering wood end cheek for the Odyssey Desktop?

[Sacred Synthesis]

There's quite a difference in size between the original Odyssey and Korg's shrunken version.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Actually, the Odyssey has a wrap around sort of body, which would be difficult to imitate in wood.

This is probably the best source of ARP Odyssey information:

http://www.arpodyssey.com/

[Paul Dither]

The module version is not enclosed in that "tub" (see photos below). So there is indeed the possibility to attach wood panels. For that to happen, though, you might wanna wait until they've been out for a while. After all, there have been people who offered wood panels for the MS-20 mini and all that. So I'd assume that there might be a good chance of this happening again with regard to the Odyssey module.

[DavidDever]

There are two (likely M3) screws on either side, so it might be possible to affix wood sides directly to the unit.

[Sacred Synthesis]

The module version is not enclosed in that "tub" (see photos below). So there is indeed the possibility to attach wood panels. For that to happen, though, you might wanna wait until they've been out for a while. After all, there have been people who offered wood panels for the MS-20 mini and all that. So I'd assume that there might be a good chance of this happening again with regard to the Odyssey module.

That's what I thought, too.  But the photograph from the back shows rounded edges, so it seems the exterior could b one piece.  It's hard to tell without a picture from the side.  I can't see any screws on the side, so it's hard to tell how it's held together and whether or not there are three pieces with right angles - two side panels and a bottom.

[Paul Dither]

The module version is not enclosed in that "tub" (see photos below). So there is indeed the possibility to attach wood panels. For that to happen, though, you might wanna wait until they've been out for a while. After all, there have been people who offered wood panels for the MS-20 mini and all that. So I'd assume that there might be a good chance of this happening again with regard to the Odyssey module.

That's what I thought, too.  But the photograph from the back shows rounded edges, so it seems the exterior could b one piece.  It's hard to tell without a picture from the side.  I can't see any screws on the side, so it's hard to tell how it's held together and whether or not there are three pieces with right angles - two side panels and a bottom.

David is right. There are 3 screws on each side. So you just have to replace them with longer ones if you'd like to attach wood panels. Everything else - whether it's one piece or not - doesn't matter.

[Paul Dither]

Right.  I won't even be using the PPCs, since the Odyssey will be some distance from my keyboard.

You should consider using a MIDI to CV converter like the Kenton Solo Pro in conjunction with the Odyssey. That way, you'd get the most out of it.

There's even a dedicated instructional video from Kenton:

[Sacred Synthesis]

Thanks for the information, but it shouldn't be a problem for me.  Since both my hands and feet are nearly always busy playing, I wouldn't have occasion to use a MIDI device/wheel for modulation, nor the PPC pads themselves.  All modulation on my patches for all the instruments is either set to a static level or else delayed via an envelope.  I still think, design, and registrate as an organist.

[Paul Dither]

Alright. Then there's only one more thing to consider: http://www.vintagesynth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=80956&start=15

[Sacred Synthesis]

Vintage Synth Explorer is the only other forum I regularly read, and yet I missed that thread.  Thanks, Paul, for pointing it out to me. 

As a rule, I avoid instruments with low serial numbers.  I never jump at a newly released synthesizer, but wait until the comments and complaints about it arrive on the proper forums and the instrument has been fully vetted.  I intend to do the same with the Odyssey.  It seems there may be some problems that need to be resolved, although that thread is from late 2015, so possibly the desktop version is better.  Until I know, I'll sit back and wait.  I have to know for certain this instrument is sound.  Besides, I'm happy as a clam with my DSI synths.

[Paul Dither]

It seems there may be some problems that need to be resolved, although that thread is from late 2015, so possibly the desktop version is better.

You can keep an eye on this thread: http://www.vintagesynth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=90192&start=15
User "Broadwave" will probably let everybody know whether the LFO/envelope re-trigger issue, amongst other things, has been solved or not.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Not that I've made a decision, but it's always wonderfully liberating to be unexpectedly disappointed with an instrument previously desired.  The new Odyssey?  Eh, I could take it or leave it.