Korg ARP 2600M Synthesizer

Korg ARP 2600M Synthesizer Overview

The original ARP 2600 is up there with the most important synthesizers in history and is praised for its incredible analogue tone and universe of sonic potential. It’s been used by legendary artists such as Stevie Wonder, Pete Townshend and Edgar Winter as well as contemporary ones such as Trent Reznor and Todd Terje (who showcased the 2600 to incredible effect on his record “It’s the Arps”).

With the 2600M, Korg have condensed the pedigree and sound of the classic synth into a portable form factor in addition to upgrading it with modern features. The first 1000 units come with a special road-case and a microKey 2 37 keyboard so snap one up quick!

Legendary Synth

The Korg ARP 2600M is a semi-modular three-oscillator monophonic all-analog synthesiser. It faithfully recreates the look and sound of the original 2600, with the best aspects of all the revisions. Whilst it excels at classic bread-and-butter patches like leads and basses, thanks to its semi-modular architecture it’s capable of a lot more (including out-of-this-world FX and percussion). This means the 2600M will sound incredible, with and without patch cords! With a fundamental tone that sounds absolutely pristine and “hi-fi” across the entire frequency spectrum, the Korg ARP 2600M is a synth that will put a big smile on your face every time you switch it on!

Compact Form Factor

The headline feature of ARP 2600 M is that it’s roughly 60% of the original’s size and is also a lot lighter, giving it a huge advantage for live and studio use. Korg have cleverly condensed the circuitry and lush Spring Reverb of the FS model into the 2600 M so the tonal quality is identical. The compact size also means you can use smaller cables when patching in your sounds.

Premium Build-Quality

Just like their 2600FS, the 2600M has been designed and crafted to the highest standard in Japan with the same analogue components as the original - ensuring faithful reproduction of the original’s sound.

Sonic Exploration

A big part of what makes the 2600 and 2600M is its inviting hands-on interface, with plenty of sliders to get to grips with. Even if you’re not a synth expert, there’s a lot of fun to be had by playing with the controls and seeing what happens.

You’ve got the best of both worlds, as you can use the Korg ARP 2600M as both a hardwired and modular synthesizer. The 2600M boasts a tonne of exciting features including a preamp with envelope follower (which can process any audio signal, such as drum machines and external synths), ring modulation, a sample-and-hold module, voltage processors (including lag and signal inversion) and a pink/white noise source. The 2600M plays well with other CV-enabled gear (such as Volcas and Eurorack modules) as it features normalised voltage.

Dual Filter

Across the ARP 2600’s lifetime, there were two filter revisions (the 4012 and 4072) which had their own distinct character. Korg have opted to include both types, giving you more ways to sculpt your sounds.

Best Of Vintage and Modern

Thanks to modern enhancements (including 5-pin/USB MIDI and a USB input for class-compliant controllers) and upgrades (L/R stereo output jack, smoother slider action and improved attack/release time ratios), the ARP 2600M has the functionality and reliability of a contemporary instrument with the sound and feel of a vintage one.

Free Software Bundle

As an added bonus, Korg also throw in a free software suite with the 2600 M. This includes Izotope’s Ozone Elements (intelligent mastering software), Skoove (improves your playing skills), Reason Lite (powerful music production software) and an array of virtual instruments from Korg and other leading brands.

The Korg ARP 2600M has the prestige - and most importantly - the iconic sound that’ll satisfy the most discerning fans of the original. It’s also a fantastic choice if you’re looking for an inspiring addition to your studio/synth arsenal or are looking for an intuitive way to experiment with modular synthesis.

Overview by Korg

The most iconic synth for the Modern musician.
The genuine ARP 2600 in a more convenient size.

The ARP 2600 is arguably the most iconic and recognizable synthesizer of all time. Having been used in countless records, film scores, TV shows and game soundtracks since its appearance from the 70’s through to today, the ARP 2600’s sound remains an essential part of the music world.

The new ARP 2600 M delivers the sound admired around the world, in a more compact and portable format and including added features that make it the ideal incarnation of this historic synth.

A legend, reborn

When the ARP 2600 FS was announced in January 2020, it quickly became a phenomenal success with musicians all over the world recognizing the faithfulness to the original ARP 2600.

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, thus faithfully reproducing the characteristic ARP sound.

Proudly Designed and Made in Japan

The ARP 2600 M is built in Japan with the same care and extraordinary quality standard as the ARP 2600 FS, and uses the same analog components to accurately reproduce the sound and feel of the original.

The Spring Reverb has been re-engineered and adapted to the new size body to the same lush effect.

Preliminary Information – Specifications and features subject to change

The ARP 2600 M comes with a dedicated Carry Case that not only protects your instrument, but also makes it easier to transport, thanks to its custom casters with special anti-shock damping technology.

There is also enough space to carry other gear together, like your favourite volca, SQ-64 or MIDI controller!

A must-have in the studio

It is not by chance that the ARP 2600 has been so extremely popular to this day.

More than a synthesizer, the ARP 2600 M is a complete sound design studio. Even today, the ARP 2600 stands as a bridge between the individual elements of modular synthesis and the immediacy of a production / performance instrument. Included are an ample supply of oscillators, envelopes, a filter and amplifier – all of the building blocks of analog synthesis. But the ARP 2600 M goes even further, with a spring reverb tank and even a pair of built-in monitor speakers. Also present is much of the versatility of a vintage modular system, including a ring modulation, lag and voltage processors, an envelope follower, audio preamp, a clock-able switch, noise source, a sample-and-hold module, signal inverters, an auxiliary mixer, and even a set of parallel-wired/multi jacks.

Limited Edition Version

Celebrating the rebirth of this iconic synth, the first units will come with a special colour road case, as well as a KORG microKEY2-37 so you can start playing right away!

Free bundle of music software
The ARP 2600 FS comes with a diverse variety of music software from Izotope including “Ozone Elements” which lets you not only create songs but also master them using AI, “Skoove” which will help you improve your keyboard playing skills, “Reason Lite” DAW software, as well as software synths from KORG and other brands.
In other words, the moment you get your hands on this synthesizer you’ll have a variety of tools to help you take your music to the next level.