How close to the original is the Korg Odyssey?

[Kevin Nolan]

to anyone who owned /owns both an original ARP Odyssey and a Korg Odyssey - how close in sound and performance is the Korg to the original (bu performance I mean the envelope speed, LFO and filter response, ....).


And a separate but related question - how close was the basic sound of the original Odyssey to the sound of the ARP2600? (Again just referring to oscillator, filter, envelope characteristics - I realise the differences).


I only know ARP synths from recordings using them - but am contemplating purchasing a Korg Odyssey.

Thanks!

[Derek Cook]

Hi, Kevin

Can't comment personally, but check out the Sound On Sound reviews by Gordon Reid

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/korg-arp-odyssey

His comment (with an original by its side)

...This is what happened: I set the switches and moved the KARP’s silky–smooth faders to the same positions as on my Odyssey and listened to the results. To within a gnat’s wotsit, they were the same. I then performed a fanfare, playing alternate notes on each synth. Seamless. Bloody seamless! So I went on to duplicate many other sounds, and I was gobsmacked at how similar I could make even arcane patches sound. In short, the KARP really is an Odyssey.

Gordon of course bemoaned the mini keys in the original review (and rightly so)

HTH.