WAS: Cherry Audio's CA2600 is available NOW!

[cherryaudio Greg]

Hi,

Yeah, that would be the other issue: fitting everything into a cabinet-sized module.

Greg

[docatlas]

I see both points of view..... however shouldn't the VM version be at least as good as the standalone being that VM is/was(?) CA's core business?
So Will synthvoice be upgraded to to come up to the same functionality? cheers

Hi,

Since SynthVoice is a module, you could use other modules to replicate or maybe even surpass the additional features of CA2600.

Greg

was thinking more that CA2600 has 3 OSC and 2x synthvoice fo get the 3rd OSC would be a big chunk of cabinet. But yep I see what you are getting at. ....although a quick and easy all in one module is always appealing. Eagerly awaiting MRBs "Tiny voice"

Even using two Synthvoices won't give you all the other functions of the CA2600 (or the hardware); you would still need to add other modules, like the envelope follower, electronic switch, and so on. I would use one Synthvoice, add one of the other oscillators in VM, and the other modules I needed, and save that as a basic patch to use when I wanted the functionality of a 2600 in a modular environment. This may not be ideal, but it's better than nothing. Also, if you have VM Core, you could load CA2600 into VM, and integrate it that way.

I didn't pick up DCO 160, as I've never cared for any of the Junos, but I'm picking up this. I got to work a lot with ARP gear during my years at Berklee, and this new plug-in looks like it'll feel like I'm back in the electronic music lab (now we need some 2500 modules for VM...). While I haven't downloaded this one yet, one of the features that has me excited is the choice of panel styles. I prefer the gray one (maybe because that's what I had in front of my during my time in college), but the Blue Meanie is pretty cool. I never cared for the black & orange graphics, on either the 2600 or the Odyssey. It doesn't affect the sound, but when you're spending hours in front of an interface, it helps to be looking at something you like.

I think the demos sound good, the videos are informative, and the price is a no-brainer, not only compared to the other few 2600 emulations out there, but compared to softsynths in general. I would at least try the demo, and then decide if it's something to buy or pass on.

[MLohmeyer]

I see both points of view..... however shouldn't the VM version be at least as good as the standalone being that VM is/was(?) CA's core business?
So Will synthvoice be upgraded to to come up to the same functionality? cheers

Hi,

Since SynthVoice is a module, you could use other modules to replicate or maybe even surpass the additional features of CA2600.

Greg

I'm OK with SynthVoice being simpler in features compared to CA2600. Cherry Audio did the right thing reducing it in size to fit in VM. We can add other modules from VM to make SynthVoice work like the CA2600 or real ARP2600.

It would be great if you could add a single Synthvoice Oscillator as a stand alone module (like you did with the Synthvoice filter) so we can complete the 3 oscillator configuration using an actual 2600 osc instead of having to load a 2nd instance of SynthVoice or use an existing VM osc that functions differently.

What I am concerned about, though, is if the sound quality (or similarity to the original ARP2600) is the same between the two modules. My initial tests comparing SynthVoice to CA2600 shows they are different sounding when setting up similar configurations. Not by a huge amount, but different none the less. Apparently the same is true with the DCO-106 vs. the DCO-60. (??)

Or let me say it another way... I'm sure Cherry Audio is going to make many more of these VM and stand along synths. I think that is fantastic! Especially if you end up doing several more semi-modular synths this way. But I want to have confidence that I'm not buying an "inferior" sounding VM version compared to the stand alone version. The VM version will _always_ be the one I care about most (especially for semi-modular synths like the 2600) because using it in VM is the unique reason why I care. The stand alone version will usually be of less interest to me. I have tons of stand alone VST synths, but VM is special.

That being said, I am probably going to buy CA2600 even though I bought SynthVoice because I am a fan of the ARP2600.

Thanks,
Michael