Korg's ARP 2600M packs three oscillators, a resonant filter and a ring modulator into one patchable panel. Signal paths are wired internally, so sounds arrive before you touch a single cable. Good for players who want hands-on analogue design without building a modular rack.
Three oscillators with room to roam
Sawtooth output is common to all three oscillators. VCO-1 adds a square wave, while triangle and sine come from VCO-2. A dynamic pulse, its width sweeping from 10 to 90 per cent, is available on the second and third units. In audio mode each tracks at 1V per octave, covering roughly 10 Hz to 10 kHz. Switch to the low frequency setting and they drop to about 0.03 Hz, ready for drift and gradual sweeps.
Filter, envelopes and noise
The low-pass filter offers two characters, an early and a late 24 dB per octave design, and it will self oscillate once resonance is pushed. Amplitude follows an AR or ADSR contour, both hard-wired so basic patches work straight away. White and pink noise, an analogue ring modulator and a sample and hold circuit fill out the modulation sources. None of it needs a cable.
Outputs and monitoring
Front panel outputs use 3.5 mm jacks, handy for patching into Eurorack cases and smaller boxes. On the side you get 6.3 mm left and right outputs at up to +4 dBu, which suits a mixer or an interface. Headphones run from a 6.3 mm stereo socket. Late-night work is covered.
Which version this is
This is the standard model, finished in a black that echoes the vintage original. The microkey2-37 keyboard supplied with the limited edition is not part of this package. Behind the original design sits David Friend, co-founder of ARP Instruments, who also worked on the Odyssey. Music technology specialist David Mash, an owner since 1977, advised Korg on the modern release.
See it in action
Specifications
| Operating temperature range | 0 - +40 °C (non‐condensing) |
|---|---|
| Maximum Polyphony | 2 voices for duo phonic; normally monophonic |
| VCO-1 (Voltage Controlled Oscilator 1) Waveforms | Sawtooth, square |
| Oscillator frequency range | Approx. 0.03 Hz - 30 Hz (low freq. mode) Approx. 10 Hz - 10 kHz (audio mode) |
| Voltage controlled response | 1V/oct. |
| VCO-2 (Voltage Controlled Oscillator 2) Waveforms | Sawtooth, pulse (dynamic pulse), triangle, sine |
| Pulse width | 10% - 90% |
| VCO-3 (Voltage Controlled Oscilator 3) Waveforms | Sawtooth, pulse (dynamic pulse) |
| VCF (Voltage Controlled Filter) Type | Low-pass (TYPE I : early 24 dB/oct., TYPE II: late 24 dB/oct.) |
| Resonance | 1/2 - self oscillate |
| VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier) Control voltage | AR type (internally connected) ADSR type (internally connected) |
| Noise generator | Noise spectrum types (white and pink) |
| RING MODULATOR Type | Analog multiplier |
| Input signal (Internally connected) | VCO-1 sawtooth wave, VCO-2 sine wave |
| SAMPLE & HOLD Sampled signal | Noise (internally connected) |
| Front panel output jacks | φ3.5 mm monaural phone jack |
| Front panel maximum output level | +9 dBu @ 10 kΩ load |
| Front panel output impedance | 1.2 kΩ |
| Side panel output jacks | φ6.3 mm monaural phone jack |
| Side panel maximum output level | +4 dBu @ 600 kΩ load |
| Side panel output impedance | 1.2 kΩ |
| Headphones jack | φ6.3 mm stereo phone jack |
| Headphones maximum output level | 50 mW + 50 mW @ 33Ω load |
| Headphones output impedance | 20Ω |
Specifications from Korg. Appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.
