TimewARP 2600 dead going forward...?

[EvilDragon]

Isn't it also a fact that soft synths are never going to sound exactly like their hardware counterpart?

Lots of people failing the blind test with Diva counters that statement.

But to say "doesn't sound at all like" ... really???

Yes, really. Some things are just way off.

[zzz00m]

Lots of people failing the blind test with Diva

Diva is not an emulation of a specific synth. It's a fantastic analog model with a mix of oscillators and filters from different synths.

[EvilDragon]

Sure, and if people can actually mistake Diva for a specific analog synth, it's a testament to what it can do.

[Teksonik]

When I hear "it doesn't sound like the hardware" I take that as a compliment to the software.

[Examigan]

In a way, I know what you mean. What if software (in an alternate universe) was first and hardware came out many years later?

[Teksonik]

That's a good question. If the software became prohibitively expensive and hard to obtain there might just be the same reverence we see towards hardware now.

[electro]

The TWARP site used to have A/B files with the Hardware 2600
https://wayoutware.com/twarpsamples.html

[Arashi]

CA2600 is not bad. It may not be a perfect emulation, but it’s definitely better than Arturia’s version. I guess it depends what kinds of sounds you make with it. I tend to make pretty standard bass and lead patches and don’t really do anything crazy, so don’t take my word for it, but I have a hardware Odyssey and I’ve been able to make CA2600 sound pretty close to it.

Not as close as Korg’s ARP Odyssey plugin though (which I think is damn near perfect). If Korg ever makes a 2600 plugin, there’s a good chance that’ll be the one to get.

In the meantime, CA2600 is cheap and fun. Worth checking out the demo, at least.

(I guess it would be helpful if I’d ever used TimewARP, since that’s supposed to be the topic here, but unfortunately I haven’t, so I don’t know how it compares.)

[bill45]

You might like the Cherry Audio 2600. There is a demo version you can try.
Info from their website:
macOS Requirements: macOS 10.9 or above (including macOS 12), 64-bit required. Native Apple M1 processor support

I uninstalled TimewARP 2600 after I picked up the Cherry Audio 2600. $25 now. Check out the demo! https://cherryaudio.com/products/ca2600

Xenos Soundworks has released a 90 preset bank for the CA2600, "Retroscapes", $8.95. https://xenossoundworks.com/ca2600.html
Xenos demo mp3 > https://xenossoundworks.com/resources/C ... s+Demo.mp3

The SONiVOX 2600 plugin was always way too small and buggy for me to enjoy it.

Ca 2600 sounds awesome. Xenos is a great programer.

[zzz00m]

Not as close as Korg’s ARP Odyssey plugin though (which I think is damn near perfect). If Korg ever makes a 2600 plugin, there’s a good chance that’ll be the one to get.

I have Korg's ARP Odyssey as well, and think it sounds fantastic!

And I tend to agree with you on the sound of the Arturia 2600. I lean towards the Cherry version, as I have both. But that Arturia GUI design isn't bad!

Plus Cherry Audio also released the Voltage Modular VM2500 Collection of the rare ARP 2500 as VM modules. https://store.cherryaudio.com/bundles/vm2500-collection

Cherry Audio and MRB have collaborated to deliver the unique module features, stunning sound quality, and overall user experience of the rare and classic ARP 2500 synthesizer to the Voltage Modular platform. All 18 modules originally produced for the ARP 2500 system have been recreated in perfect detail, as well as a couple that were planned but never produced (including a full-function oscilloscope and a spring reverb), and a mixer module that never existed, but should have! We’ve eliminated the matrix-switch I/O scheme and replaced all connections with standard CV jacks, and added bi-polar CV attenuators to all modulation inputs for full compatibility with all Voltage Modular modules. But most importantly, the tremendous analog sound and unique features of the original modules have been retained in their entirety, with a few small tweaks to improve the practicality of these 50-year-old designs. The recreation of the 2500 modules was a team effort, combining Cherry Audio’s extensive design experience with award-winning synth designer Mark Barton’s (MRB) DSP coding sorcery. The result is a virtual time machine of fat, impactful early electronic music history for the ears!

[Arashi]

And I tend to agree with you on the sound of the Arturia 2600. I lean towards the Cherry version, as I have both. But that Arturia GUI design isn't bad!

Yeah, it looks great! And it doesn’t sound terrible, but it also doesn’t sound like an ARP. Like many of Arturia’s oldest emulations, it doesn’t do a convincing impression of the actual hardware, but it’s a perfectly decent soft synth.

Arturia’s more recent emulations have all been really good, so if they ever decide to take another crack at the 2600 I’m sure they can do much better next time.

Plus Cherry Audio also released the Voltage Modular VM2500 Collection of the rare ARP 2500 as VM modules.

I have that too…but I don’t have any idea what an ARP 2500 is supposed to sound like.

[zzz00m]

I have that too…but I don’t have any idea what an ARP 2500 is supposed to sound like.

Right, but the VM2500 modules sound so gooood!

[DrGonzo]

It's sad that these things are taken on by companies from the original developers and then just abandoned.

Anyone knows happened with the original developer?

[pdxindy]

Isn't it also a fact that soft synths are never going to sound exactly like their hardware counterpart?

I accept that (and assume many folks do as well). Most emulations are close enough for any music that I would make with them, rather than stressing out over an oscilloscope comparison. Plus they're much less expensive and more convenient. If you don't accept that, you really should stick with hardware.

I think a reasonable benchmark might be rating how close they come. But to say "doesn't sound at all like" ... really???

RePro does a good job emulating both the sound and spirit of the Prophet.

By sound I mean has the features and same settings sound basically correct. By spirit I mean it has some of the juice and lively character of the original.

Some emulations miss the spirit. They are fairly accurate in a technical sense of having the right parameters and ranges and getting a similar sound at similar settings... but got no juice like the original analog synth they are emulating.

[zzz00m]

RePro does a good job emulating both the sound and spirit of the Prophet.

I have the Repro, and to my ears that is the most "analog" sounding synth in my arsenal. Having never owned a real Prophet or ARP synth, but having listened to countless recorded synth tracks on albums over the years, I can only approximate what "analog" sound these emulations should have.

The Repro is my favorite analog emulation. Urs did an amazing job with that one for sure!