The Ultimate Epic Sonic Journey

Celebrating 100 Years of the Legacy of Alan R. Pearlman!

Cherry Audio’s ODC 2800 is an exceptional three-in-one virtual instrument that pays tribute to the legendary synth pioneer Alan R. Pearlman on the momentous 100th anniversary of his birth. This powerful synthesizer plugin draws inspiration from the revolutionary Odyssey analog duophonic synthesizer, launched by ARP Instruments in 1972. 

With precision-crafted and circuit-modeled DSP designs from the award-winning developer Mark Barton, ODC 2800 goes beyond merely emulating ARP’s “Model 2800” synthesizer. ODC 2800 not only provides an authentic reproduction of the sound and appearance of all three versions of the original hardware, but also enhances the experience with expanded polyphony, an additional oscillator and LFO, extensive modulation options, and support for both velocity and polyphonic aftertouch. Furthermore, it features a redesigned and intuitive integrated effects suite that simplifies the sound design process and improves usability. ODC 2800 offers the ultimate sonic journey through time, connecting the past of synthesis innovation with today's essential tools for music production!

Alan R. Pearlman’s company, ARP Instruments, launched its first analog synthesizer, the ARP 2500, in 1970. They followed this with their second product, the ARP 2600, in 1971. However, the 2600 initially struggled to gain traction among musicians due to its complexity and reliance on patch cords. In response, ARP introduced the Model 2800, a simplified synthesizer known as the Odyssey, in 1972.

In comparison to the 2600, the Odyssey featured a white control panel, a 37-key keyboard, only two voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), and internal pre-patching. But it was celebrated for its immediacy and unique sound, largely due to its stable oscillators that delivered sawtooth, square wave, and pulse waveforms, as well as pulse width modulation. The Odyssey also offered features like oscillator sync and a ring modulator, which were not available in the Minimoog Model D at the time. Its design would have a significant impact on synthesizer design in the years that followed.

Moreover, the Odyssey included extensive sound-shaping capabilities, such as pitch modulation, sample-and-hold, and two filters. Its innovative keyboard-scanning system made it the world's first duophonic synthesizer, and it boasted a 2-pole (12 dB/octave) state-variable filter that further contributed to its sound and character.

In 1975, ARP released the updated Model 2810 Odyssey, or "Mk II," which featured a striking black and gold faceplate. These models initially used a 4-pole 24 dB/octave Moog-style ladder lowpass filter, but this was later replaced with a non-infringing filter of ARP's own design. In 1978, ARP launched the "Mk III," known as the 2820, distinguished by its black and orange color scheme. This model incorporated ARP's improved 4-pole 24 dB/octave filter and introduced proportional pitch control (PPC), using three pressure-sensitive buttons to control bend up, bend down, and vibrato. Sales of the Mk III continued until ARP Instruments declared bankruptcy in 1981.

The Odyssey remains one of the most impactful synthesizers in music history, making its mark from ABBA to Zawinul. Countless renowned artists have harnessed its power, including Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Chick Corea, Kraftwerk, Nine Inch Nails, Deep Purple, Billy Currie of Ultravox and Visage, Gary Numan, John Foxx, and Yellow Magic Orchestra. In 1980, Peter Howell of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop prominently showcased the Odyssey in the groundbreaking synthesized reimagining of the "Doctor Who" television series theme.

Cherry Audio has condensed all of this innovation and history into one of its most significant virtual synthesizer releases. ODC 2800's proprietary DSP coding accurately replicates all of the sonic nuances of all three original hardware revisions. It also enhances the experience with additional functionality and modulation options, making it the ultimate version of the classic synth. The user interface includes matching designs for Models 2800, 2810, and 2820. You can lock the design to your favorite, and hide a lower panel for the keyboard and effects, now easily accessible through a new tray.

The duophonic architecture has been upgraded to support Monophonic, Mono Legato, Duophonic, and Polyphonic modes. Users can choose from 1, 4, 8, or 16 voices, along with a unison mode. The synth supports velocity, channel aftertouch, and polyphonic aftertouch with three assignable controls. It also includes adjustable portamento settings and a CS-80-like "smart portamento" for enhanced musicality. The syncable dynamic arpeggiator includes Swing, Chance, and Feel to add degrees of randomness and a human touch to arpeggiated patterns.

ODC 2800 has also been expanded to include three complete VCOs with sawtooth and square/pulse waveforms, with quantizable frequency control and extended oscillator sync routing. Each VCO has three frequency modulators (FM), including an assignable modulator offering 35 source options. Ring modulation is straightforward, and cross-modulation is now possible through assignable FM menus.

The LFO options have been significantly expanded, now featuring two separate LFOs with five waveforms and options for mono and poly modes, key reset, sync, pulse width, and delay. The Sample/Hold Mixer allows for assignable modulation of the VCF and VCA, with 35 predefined modulation sources.

ODC 2800's VCF emulation features three filters: the Mk I 4023 (12 dB/Oct, 2-pole), the Mk II 4035 (24 dB/Oct, 4-pole ladder), and the Mk 4075 (24 dB/Oct, 4-pole cascade). Each offers lowpass, bandpass, and highpass responses, with optional gain compensation to prevent bass loss at high resonance. A separate highpass filter is also included.

The envelopes have also been expanded, with two complete ADSR envelope generators with velocity control and trimmer-style drift controls for VCO, VCF, and EG to further emulate the analog vibe.

ODC 2800 features a resourceful new effects strip with accessible controls for toggling effects, soloing tracks, and adjusting the dry/wet mix. Global controls allow for enabling all effects, changing the overall level, and expanding the stereo width. The expanded effects tray includes five studio-quality pedal-style options: Distortion/EQ, Dual Phaser, Flanger/Chorus, three Delays, and five Reverbs.

ODC 2800 also includes comprehensive MIDI mapping for controllers, seamless DAW integration, and over 330 professional presets across 13 categories, making it an essential virtual instrument for vintage synth lovers and modern music producers.

The design and release of the ODC 2800 synthesizer caps off Cherry Audio's month-long celebration of the life and work of visionary synth pioneer Alan R. Pearlman on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Cherry Audio will donate a portion of the profits from its June website sales of ODC 2800 to the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization which supports the legacy of innovation represented by ARP Instruments and the Odyssey. Additionally, when you make a purchase from the Cherry Audio store, you will have the opportunity to donate to the ARP Foundation. These contributions will help support their efforts to make Pearlman's inventions publicly accessible and inspire future generations to imagine and create.

Cherry Audio is delighted to have our musician friend Mike Martin, the driving force behind the 2024 Wurlybird 140B Electric Piano, join us to introduce the ODC 2800 synthesizer in this comprehensive quick-start tutorial.