Ahead of the 2021 NAMM Show, Korg has officially introduced the ARP 2600 M, a new ‘desktop-friendly’ version of the classic ARP 2600 design.
At last year’s NAMM Show, Korg, working with ARP co-founder David Friend, reintroduced the ARP 2600. Though the Korg ARP 2600 was a high-end full-size reissue, it was a hit and essentially immediately sold out.
This year, they have introduced the ARP 2600 M, offering the same semi-modular workflow as the original, along with modern connectivity, in a more portable desktop-friendly format.
The ARP 2600 M is around 60% the original size, making it lighter, more portable and easier to place and use in a studio. It integrates the same analog circuitry and components as the ARP 2600 FS, reproducing the characteristic ARP sound. The Spring Reverb has been re-engineered and adapted to the new size body.
The ARP 2600 M updates the original design in several ways:
- Plug and play: Connect any class compliant MIDI controller such as a KORG microKeys, nanokeys or SQ-64 to one of the ARP 2600 M’s USB ports (USB-A and USB-B)
- Resized
- Two types of filters, from two versions of the original ARP 2600 – 4012 type, 4072 type
- DIN MIDI IN added
- Pitch-bend, Modulation and Portamento ON/OFF can be controlled through MIDI CC messages (USB/DIN MIDI)
- Normalized voltage: The threshold of the trigger signal required to activate the ADSR through the S/H GATE JACK has become 5V, making it much easier to use in combination with other gear such as volcas or Eurorack modules
- Improved Attack and Release time ratios
- L/R Stereo Output Jack (instead of XLR)
- Speakers turn automatically off when using headphones
- Improved, smoother sliders
Pricing and Availability
The Korg ARP 2600 M is expected to be available in June 2021 for 1799€. For more information, see the Korg site.
Meh. If I wanted this I’d go for the one by Antonus.
Which is bigger in size and more expensive. This certainly has its place in the market.
Truth. I tend to like larger controls, and pretty lights are the icing on the cake.
Price??? Hopefully its reasonable, and the production run is on-going. The ‘FS’ was unaffordable and sold out immediately – thus utterly pointless IMO.
1799€ is the reported price.
I think it’s going to have to be amazing to beat the competing offering. I know the large KARP was made with SMD components, so I guess this small one will also be SMD. Not that there’s any problem with that, it’s sensible enough, but it means there’s little to differentiate it and justify why it’s $1000 more expensive than the alternative clone.
I will happily save up a little longer to pay more so as not to support B., their business practices, and their unconscionable treatment of certain music tech journalists. That said, I really hope they don’t limit supply like they did with the FS.
Your “ethics” are gonna cost you an extra $1000 so you can feel a little warmer inside. While you type this on a device from a company that probably also has a hefty history of unethical practices and ideals.
> The ‘FS’ was unaffordable and sold out immediately – thus utterly pointless
It selling out immediately means it wasn’t pointless. The very reasonable price was much less than the original, inflation adjusted. It used original parts, quite a few which are nearly impossible to source. It’s not possible to build a replica that close in arbitrary quantity. The part pipeline necessarily constrained the maximum number that could be built. And now here’s the next version, using modern surface mount parts etc, but close enough to the original schematics.
And those who don’t want this can get the b word one if that’s what they prefer.
There will be no shortage of buyers for this new 2600.
“It selling out immediately means it wasn’t pointless. ”
Korg underestimated the demand for that one, clearly, because they hyping it at NAMM when it was already sold out.
Give them credit for making something awesome enough that people were willing to spend $4500 on it!
They could obviously made a larger ‘limited run’. But if they did that and the synths didn’t sell, they’d have to blow them out at a discount at some point. This would make everybody’s sizable investment in a synth go down in value, which would have pissed off all the buyers.
So they were correct to err on the side of buyers. I’ve never heard of anybody being disappointed by their 2600 FS purchase. I’ve seen a couple for sale – but always at a profit.
Ah yes, the 2600FS used original parts…. https://www.matrixsynth.com/2020/03/korg-arp-2600fs-goes-surface-mount.html … SMD was quite a thing in the seventies, if I remember correctly.
Why is it always that when Korg or Moog or Sequential makes something, the price is justified with “it’s because of high quality parts” or “the woodwork makes it expensive” or some other wrongheaded argument. And when Behringer makes something it is always cheap because of the cheap components, the slave labor, flimsy cases, etc.
Fact is, this is as much a knockoff as the Behringer 2600. And probably exactly the same build quality. Only Korg hasn’t figured out how to produce synths as cheaply (mainly because they can’t play the scale game like Behringer can) So you’d be forgiven to think that this is not a knockoff, and pay way too much for what it is.
I totally agree. If one actually played, say, Behringer’s Odyssey, you’d realize the components and build are not at all crap.
Are you saying that SMT parts are different than through hole? Seriously?
The challenge is how to make it competitive in cost with the Behringer 2600 – if 1799 euros is the price that works out at about $2800 AUD – the Behringer is about $1200 AUD… so is the significant about extra for the Korg going to weaken sales?
At Sweetwater, the Behringer 2600 is going for $599.00.
My prices were in Aussie dollars – not US$.
available in June 2021 for 1799€ according to synthanatomy
Thats not a bad price. My diy 2600 cost about 1600.– in parts alone.
Cheaper than the new minikorg700!? – their pricing policy is confusing
when i heard rumors i was really hoping this would become a reality, i am very excited about this!
okay, count me interested! although price a bit steep, this beats the behringer day and night, though for 800 euro more antonus might be a better option… tough choice!
good thing is there are three options for every budget, I wont complain about this.
Exactly how does this beat the Behringer day and night?
with the very first demo sounds more 2600-ish than the 40 videos available of the behringer version… they failed big time with their clone, sounds very, very far from a true 2600, but for the price I guess it’s a cool synth to play with, if you are looking for a polished and realiable mono synth
something else is the behringer look and design, quite ugly like all of their synths, again, they are after a price, not aesthetics…
I watched the Korg new product livestream today. If the Korg 2600 mini has a similar build quality to my Korg MS-20 mini (which it appears to have based on today’s livestream), then pfft, there’s no way I would pay over 2 grand for it.
You must have a discriminating ear. From what I’ve heard of the Behringer 2600, it sounds like a 2600. I’m interested in the new Behringer Blue Marvin and Gray Meanie versions. They both have a mechanical spring reverb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSeN7_VUtuY
I guess the Korg 2600 mini doesn’t matter to me. If I had over 2 grand to spend on a synth, it wouldn’t be on the Korg 2600 mini. For those of us who don’t have the loot lying around for a $2,000+ synth and don’t want to get into credit card debt to get one, the Behringer 2600 is a more affordable alternative.
hey, i am not a rich snob too, but most of the times the cheap comes at a high price. sorry but i just can’t hear a 2600 in behringer’s versions, even the new ones that they promote as high-grade components clones sounds super pristine and kinda digital, the spring reverb is terrible, a friend of mine have the antonus and it eats the behringer for a breakfast. the korg 2600 module seems to have the very same build quality as the fs, fake nuts or not, sound is there. but yeah, would be a let down if it’s fake nuts…
” Improved Attack and Release time ratios” , so the 2600 FS’ VCA were not snappy as the old Arp
Yeah!
This fits in 2021 much better then the fullsize one.
Glad that they kept everything even the internal speakers.
Everything?
A dedicated Keayboard&Controller would have been the icing on the cake ofc!
(discussing the price is not relevant here – personally prefer the ARP above the BARP)
Thanks Korg!
FWIW, this is less than the price of a properly done restoration of an original. Usually all the sliders need to be replaced by now, and this is labor intensive, and easy for an amateur to screw up. There can be a lot of other issues as well.
the important part, at least to me: ” working with ARP co-founder David Friend”