The TimewARP 2600 is a digital software emulation of the classic ARP 2600 analog synthesizer. It’s sufficiently impressive that it is apparently the only ARP 2600 emulation product endorsed by the creator of the original ARP 2600, Alan R. Pearlman. The great thing about it is that the emulation runs very deep; you can “mistakenly” patch the wrong things to each other and the weird noises you’ll get are the same weird noises you’d get with the original hardware. There are some improvements over the original too — of course you can save your patches, and it has 8 voice polyphony compared to the original mono synth.

The interface is very nice. It uses the virtual patch cable interface made famous by Reason, but it is actually appropriate here in a vintage synth emulator. There are a zillion control knobs and sliders, and you can assign an unlimited number of them to a single MIDI control on your MIDI keyboard or control surface.

The TimewARP 2600 has been around for a while as a standalone soft synth, but just now Way Out Ware have released plugin versions in VST, RTAS and AU formats so they’ll fit into almost any studio. They say a TDM version is on the way, so all you Pro Tools users will be able to join the ARP frenzy soon too. Here’s the full list of features from the website.

TimewARP 2600 Synth Features

• 3 VCOs – all capable of generating audio band and Low Frequency (LF) signals.
• 1 Lo-Pass Resonant Filter – supports variable-depth self-oscillation and audio band and LF control modulation.
• 1 Sample & Hold – driven by either an internal, external, or MIDI Beat Clock. Can also be used as LFO source.
• 1 Ring Modulator.
• 1 Noise Generator – adjustable from white to red noise.
• 2 Envelope Generators – 1 ADSR, 1 AR.
• 1 Envelope Follower.
• 1 VCA – 2 audio inputs, 1 linear control input, 1 exponential control input. Also has initial gain control.
• 4 plug multiple module.
• Stereo Reverb.
• Output Pan.
• Electronic Switch.
• Lag Processor – LF filtering from 1.2 to 1200Hz.
• 2 Inverter Modules – both with attenuable inputs.
• Preamp In – mono or stereo.

TimewARP 2600 Keyboard Features

• Virtual ARP 3620 Keyboard.
• Variable-rate portamento, octave switch, pitch bend, LFO controls including delayed sine wave vibrato depth and speed.
• LFO Outputs – include square, triangle, and sine waves.
• External LFO-In – allows keyboard voltages to be modulated by any signal present on the TimewARP 2600.
• Interval Latch Switch – will latch a two note interval for use as single key play.
• 2 Upper Voice Outputs.
• Multiple or Single Trigger Mode – provides for single or multiple gates for slurred notes.
• Keyboard Repeat Mode – provides auto repeat or repeat on key-press synchronized to keyboard LFO and MIDI Beat Clock.
• Square wave is syncable to MIDI Beat Clock.