NAMM 2015: Korg unveils new ARP Odyssey synth

A new Odyssey

NAMM 2015: We knew it was coming, but that doesn't make the unveiling of Korg's revived ARP Odyssey synth any less exciting. Produced in collaboration with David Friend, co-founder of ARP, this is billed as “an Odyssey for today”.

Said to emulate the Odyssey “from the circuit level up,” the new instrument has the same 2VCO architecture and promises to deliver the penetrating sound of the original. Also onboard are oscillator sync, sample & hold, pulse width modulation, a high-pass filter, two types of envelope generator, and pitch bend using the PPC.

Korg's offering comes with the filters from all three generations of the synth - you can switch between them as you wish. You can also take your pick from the portamento behaviour of Rev1 and Rev 2/3.

Same but different

Fans of the original Odyssey will, of course, notice some differences. Most notably, Korg's version is 86% of the size of the genuine article, and its 37 keys are of the mini variety. The transpose feature gives this a 7-octave range, however.

On the connectivity side, you get MIDI In and USB-MIDI ports, a headphones output with adjustable volume, and balanced XLR audio outputs. Patch cables are included, too.

Sound-wise, there's a Drive switch that makes the VCA distort, giving you ready-made roughness. Oh, and you get a semi-hard case with the ARP logo on it.

So, how much? The standard, Mk 3-inspired Odyssey (pictured above) will cost around £935, but there are limited edition versions that feature the colour schemes of the Mk1 and Mk2, too. These will set you back around £983 each. All the models should be available in March, and you can find out more on the Korg website.

Click through the gallery for more photos, and check out our demo video below.

Connectivity

MIDI In and USB MIDI are present and correct.

Case

We're expecting to see a lot of these new Odysseys being used on stage, and the included semi-hard case reinforces the message that this is a performance-friendly synth.

Odyssey Mk1

Here's the limited edition Mk1 Odyssey model (the original was available between 1972 and 1975) with the appropriate colour scheme.

Odyssey Mk2

Big fan of the Odyssey Mk2 (originally available between 1978 and 1981)? You'll be ordering this, then.

I’m the Group Content Manager for MusicRadar, specialising in all things tech. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 20 of which I’ve also spent writing about music technology.