From personal experience while working with ARP in the 70s it was a repackaged Omni and Odyssey combined with a microprocessor to provide some limited presets. It was one of their last attempts to remain current after two abysmal failures in design: the Avatar (the guitar synth) and the Arp Piano. That $5K price tag in 1980 was close to 15k today. In the world of the Prophet V it just didn't hold up. I don't think you'll find one in the Jordan Rudess Studio Tour.
It was kind of sad how they half-implemented presets by controlling only the simple things: the switches. Putting the microprocessor in control of everything (like the Prophet V) must have been too much redesign and in the end a microprocessor-controlled Omni wouldn't have half the sounds of the Prophet V.
Wasn't there also an attempt a polyphonic guitar synth? I believe it was called the Centaur and was huge, and would have cost something like 10 grand if it had been actually put on the market. I remember hearing that was one of the things that really did the company in. I think one of the chief R&D guys later said, "Yeah, we really blew our brains out over guitar synths".
at 17yrs old in 1979, the Quadra was THE object on planet earth I craved above all others (except for girls of course). Almost 40yrs later I find it no less interesting and enjoyable to listen to. As I listened to this vid I was reminded of music I LOVED from Gary Wright, Manfred Mann, Jarre. The Quadra was then, and still is a thing of beauty to look at. Sonically the secret sauce of the Quadra sound is the 14-stage phase shifter. There are other famed standalone or pedal-based phase shifters from the 70s era, but this one sounds particularly good to my ear. I got to borrow a Quadra in about 95% functional condition from a musician friend back ~'98-'99. Had it to use at home for about 6 weeks. As of this writing, SynthChaser in San Diego is restoring 3 Quadras (and he does a SUPERB and thorough job). The first one is sold, the next 2 will be available to buy. Prices are insane of course ($6500-$7500).
Hard to tell from this audio but it does sound like a classic phaser overload in places. This has so many phase stages that ultra deep notches are inevitable. That's why I like Univibes (I have built many of them) as the phase stages are non-aligned and track differently. As well as running at a slightly higher rail voltage compared to 9v ones: small stone / phase 90 etc. These have 4 stages, ibanez ph7 is similar to phase 90 but switchable to 6 stages.
The ides of this model is so good - and ARP riding such a thin line - that if they had given this monster at least one more week of research and development regarding the patch memory programming and the inclusion of mylar lining, it would've been a much bigger seller and would've been more likely to help undo some of the damage from the misfire of the Avatar from the year before.
After read through these four years later it's pretty sweet to see how the ARP thing had a loyalty behind it. I most certainly was drinking the kool-aid back in the day.
What an astonishingly lovely musical instrument. As a kind of Tony Banks fan, I always coveted this one. I love the duophonic sounds too, seemingly an ARP thing, neglected by anybody else but nicer than Mono for sure. However, it's just the SOUND that I love. It has a lot more sounds than Banks used. This is a real synthesizer in my view! You are lucky to have it.
I will say I'm impressed with the Minilogue and Monologue, but they still need to go bigger with a new polysynth. Even if it's not a reissue of the Quadra.
Same with mine. The membrane switch board was ok in mine. Were you able to repair the membrane switches? How did you do that? First time I hear that. Or was it just the mylar connector?
Hi mate thanx for link to this , you messaged me this morning through Ebay , thankyou , i just noticed id left you a message below with my old account Chris Cook , small world this internet , cheers again , great job on your Quadra , i just got new Mylar panel for mine
Beautiful instrument. I mean the ARP 2600 is nice, and even the Odyssey, but the Quadra looks like a polyphonic synthesizer with 5-octave keyboard, that you can actually play as a keyboard player. I'd love Korg to reissue both the 2600 and the Quadra after the Odyssey, but that's just hopeless wishful thinking.
***** The only mini keys I like are on the KX5. They are great feeling keys, with velocity and aftertouch. Other than that, mini keys tend to suck, like those on the CZ-101. I had to sell that cause as good as it sounded, I couldn't stand the keys.
I don't think that they could re-create this model and come even close to doing it justice with the mini-keys. I could imagine that they would try creating a less-volatile version where you don't have to worry about losing your programs or about the insides melting in the back of a hot vehicle.
Yes mate , 8 of them ,, google messed up everthing so ive ended up with two names lol ,, I get realy confused ,, but look for my channel called .... TheArpOmni2
For me this has better presets than the Prophet-5 if this video is anything to go by. I had an early SSM chip Prophet-5 that never sounded much like the later ones to my ears. It was awesome but the ARPs seem to be more subtle. I am guessing that there are 4 different arcitectures in this synth, whereas the P-5 was just a completely open book, more of a create fro first principles kind of synth. Both awesome. I just had 2 videos running together by accident, a new Prophet-08 abnd an ARP Quadra and thecombined sound was gorgeous, percussive and punchy P08 added to subtle and milky toffee ARP. Modern synths just do not sound like this - period.
Not beautiful by design , but , capable to produce nice , warm , interesting analog sounds ! Asking my self , why to push 4 instruments in 1 device instead , making , just Synth with '' real '' memory and 2 , 3 or 4 , how ewer - timber , over the memo location ?
I really wanted one of these back in the day and even back then, i was never able to find one to try out. After awhile i gave up looking for one. And, idk, now when i hear alot of these late 70s early 80s synths, they all just sound the same to me. Too thin, too reverb, too phase shift. Sorry, fans.
K'mon Korg reissue this Quadra without the aweful touch screen! Nobody is reisssueing any top down octave divider synths (whatever the #@$ you call them) We need Omini's, Quadra's and String synths. Lions and Tigers and Bears! Come On! All they want to reissue is the same old mono, no programmer lead synths. Fine, it's been done. STOP!!!!!! KORG!...KAHN! LOL.
From personal experience while working with ARP in the 70s it was a repackaged Omni and Odyssey combined with a microprocessor to provide some limited presets. It was one of their last attempts to remain current after two abysmal failures in design: the Avatar (the guitar synth) and the Arp Piano. That $5K price tag in 1980 was close to 15k today. In the world of the Prophet V it just didn't hold up. I don't think you'll find one in the Jordan Rudess Studio Tour.
It was kind of sad how they half-implemented presets by controlling only the simple things: the switches. Putting the microprocessor in control of everything (like the Prophet V) must have been too much redesign and in the end a microprocessor-controlled Omni wouldn't have half the sounds of the Prophet V.
I don't care, I want one anyway.
Wasn't there also an attempt a polyphonic guitar synth? I believe it was called the Centaur and was huge, and would have cost something like 10 grand if it had been actually put on the market. I remember hearing that was one of the things that really did the company in. I think one of the chief R&D guys later said, "Yeah, we really blew our brains out over guitar synths".
at 17yrs old in 1979, the Quadra was THE object on planet earth I craved above all others (except for girls of course). Almost 40yrs later I find it no less interesting and enjoyable to listen to. As I listened to this vid I was reminded of music I LOVED from Gary Wright, Manfred Mann, Jarre. The Quadra was then, and still is a thing of beauty to look at. Sonically the secret sauce of the Quadra sound is the 14-stage phase shifter. There are other famed standalone or pedal-based phase shifters from the 70s era, but this one sounds particularly good to my ear. I got to borrow a Quadra in about 95% functional condition from a musician friend back ~'98-'99. Had it to use at home for about 6 weeks. As of this writing, SynthChaser in San Diego is restoring 3 Quadras (and he does a SUPERB and thorough job). The first one is sold, the next 2 will be available to buy. Prices are insane of course ($6500-$7500).
Hard to tell from this audio but it does sound like a classic phaser overload in places. This has so many phase stages that ultra deep notches are inevitable. That's why I like Univibes (I have built many of them) as the phase stages are non-aligned and track differently. As well as running at a slightly higher rail voltage compared to 9v ones: small stone / phase 90 etc. These have 4 stages, ibanez ph7 is similar to phase 90 but switchable to 6 stages.
Price no object alpha catagory
The ides of this model is so good - and ARP riding such a thin line - that if they had given this monster at least one more week of research and development regarding the patch memory programming and the inclusion of mylar lining, it would've been a much bigger seller and would've been more likely to help undo some of the damage from the misfire of the Avatar from the year before.
After read through these four years later it's pretty sweet to see how the ARP thing had a loyalty behind it. I most certainly was drinking the kool-aid back in the day.
It's got a real magical sound.
What an astonishingly lovely musical instrument. As a kind of Tony Banks fan, I always coveted this one. I love the duophonic sounds too, seemingly an ARP thing, neglected by anybody else but nicer than Mono for sure. However, it's just the SOUND that I love. It has a lot more sounds than Banks used. This is a real synthesizer in my view! You are lucky to have it.
Ive seen a video of a few 2 Quadra's and other ARP synths imitating a jazz band. They did it very well.
Korg should reissue this after they reissue the Odyssey.
AMEN!
I will say I'm impressed with the Minilogue and Monologue, but they still need to go bigger with a new polysynth. Even if it's not a reissue of the Quadra.
with MINI KEYS??? LOL :))
or maybe Behringer?
or get an omni - omni + odyssey = 90% of a quadra
super best ARP Quadra
This is the peak of synth tone.
Second patch gave me a goosebumps...
It took me 2 years to rebuild mine, membrane and all... I will be buried with mine.
Same with mine. The membrane switch board was ok in mine. Were you able to repair the membrane switches? How did you do that? First time I hear that. Or was it just the mylar connector?
I don't blame you these are sounds from another world, light years away.
your video is the best !
Interesting, this is what I'd call a synthesizer, as real one, it sounds as we'd expect.
Nice vid. One of the coolest synths ever, and very hard to find.
one of the synths used on escape from ny soundtrack. they sure knew how to make synths back in those days
Wonderful...I want one!
Awsum Excellent Demo recently purchased 1 but needs attention cant wait to play it
Looks and sounds great!
Hi mate thanx for link to this , you messaged me this morning through Ebay , thankyou , i just noticed id left you a message below with my old account Chris Cook , small world this internet , cheers again , great job on your Quadra , i just got new Mylar panel for mine
the dream synth !!!
Genesis 1981-83, prominently used in The Duke and Mama tour
thank you, Alan R Perlman
I cringe at those keys hanging off unprotected. Must have been a nightmare to take on the road.
Brilliant
Oh I want one, just got my Odyssey rev1.
super super super
0:00 Nice Tubular Bells reference
Beautiful instrument. I mean the ARP 2600 is nice, and even the Odyssey, but the Quadra looks like a polyphonic synthesizer with 5-octave keyboard, that you can actually play as a keyboard player. I'd love Korg to reissue both the 2600 and the Quadra after the Odyssey, but that's just hopeless wishful thinking.
+Andrew Piatek If Korg did reissue it they would stick mini keys on it . That seems to be what everyone wants now, except me....
*****
The only mini keys I like are on the KX5. They are great feeling keys, with velocity and aftertouch. Other than that, mini keys tend to suck, like those on the CZ-101. I had to sell that cause as good as it sounded, I couldn't stand the keys.
I don't think that they could re-create this model and come even close to doing it justice with the mini-keys. I could imagine that they would try creating a less-volatile version where you don't have to worry about losing your programs or about the insides melting in the back of a hot vehicle.
Yes, if Korg wants to beat Behringer they need to reissue quadra with real size keys and AT.
That would be awesome!!
Ive just got and restored New Orders old one , ive shown the full restoration in 7 vids on my channel
Yes mate , 8 of them ,, google messed up everthing so ive ended up with two names lol ,, I get realy confused ,, but look for my channel called .... TheArpOmni2
Great Demo. I wonder how many of these there are working out there these days?Love the setting at :38
Sick!!! :)
0:00 when you dont have enough money for a sequencer so you do it yourself
Jarre used it in the first records.
How did you sustain the lead section at :39?? and thru those changes at 1:25
....swap you your Quadra for my demo copy of fl studio?
come on Behringer. I dare you.
good
Nice @ 2:15
How's this compare to a Prophet 5? I know John Carpenter used both but what would you say is the one to strive for?
For me this has better presets than the Prophet-5 if this video is anything to go by. I had an early SSM chip Prophet-5 that never sounded much like the later ones to my ears. It was awesome but the ARPs seem to be more subtle. I am guessing that there are 4 different arcitectures in this synth, whereas the P-5 was just a completely open book, more of a create fro first principles kind of synth. Both awesome. I just had 2 videos running together by accident, a new Prophet-08 abnd an ARP Quadra and thecombined sound was gorgeous, percussive and punchy P08 added to subtle and milky toffee ARP. Modern synths just do not sound like this - period.
2:49 Vangelis' Bacchanale
wow. very Alan Parsons 'esque.
howly fucking god :O
this one is so good i have the mininova from novation!
I wish I had one, but it's rare in Germany...
They are rare everywhere man! Even US
of "bells" and " banks"
Not beautiful by design , but , capable to produce nice , warm , interesting analog sounds ! Asking my self , why to push 4 instruments in 1 device instead , making , just Synth with '' real '' memory and 2 , 3 or 4 , how ewer - timber , over the memo location ?
Im back!
I really wanted one of these back in the day and even back then, i was never able to find one to try out.
After awhile i gave up looking for one. And, idk, now when i hear alot of these late 70s early 80s synths, they all just sound the same to me. Too thin, too reverb, too phase shift. Sorry, fans.
Annoying amount of echo on everything. That being said, the Quadra, as I recall, relied heavily on phase shifters.
00:14 JARRE???
ARP string sound with a phaser sounds like Jarre yes :-)
please korg make it happen
K'mon Korg reissue this Quadra without the aweful touch screen! Nobody is reisssueing any top down octave divider synths (whatever the #@$ you call them) We need Omini's, Quadra's and String synths. Lions and Tigers and Bears! Come On! All they want to reissue is the same old mono, no programmer lead synths. Fine, it's been done. STOP!!!!!! KORG!...KAHN! LOL.