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From: NonDigitalTom
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  • Wakeman could play a packet of crisps and I'd achieve an embarassing trouser lump!

  • beautiful sounds. Recognised alot from famous recordings...

  • That Mellotron Flutes patch was unspected and brilliant.

  • @javiceres I felt the same way!

  • It pains me that ARP made some of the greatest synths ever, yet went bankrupt.

  • @fsol13 It pains me more! I was working for them! One of my favorite jobs ever! Stayed after hours in their showroom studio frequently. Never got to hear the Chroma. It was bought by Fender/Rogers/Rhodes/Squiers at their R&D shop in Woburn, MA which I went to visit once, hoping for a new job. All I remember there was the prototype ARP Electronic Piano in a fancy miniature grand piano cabinet. Alan Pearlman, Phil Dodds, Mark Smith and 1 or 2 other ARP R&D guys were all that worked there.

  • Amazing warm sounds..!

  • sounds like a dx7 .... :)

  • Fantásticum!

  • Best analog instrument I've heard. Why is it so large?

  • @JedoubleKI Umm, look up "Miniaturization" on Wikipedia. Or better yet, look up photos of the interior of the case, or the interior of something like the CS-80. 

  • @JedoubleKI I think it's a stack of 2 units.

  • very good and analog instrument! great and fat sound!

  • Were these all factory presets? If so, that's incredible.

  • Love that Beatles Mellotron at 1:28!

  • 1:05 kills it

  • whats that tune at 1.28?

  • @republikanin strawberry fields forever

  • Please, tell me when the expander and the last voice of the Chroma is fixed.

  • those melotron flute sounds are dank.

    what a nice looking synth.

  • I couldn't really tell but, did you have the expander running as well? Doesn't look like it's on in the video. Also, in the repair/ restoration of this, did you have to build a separate module for testing purposes? I know that these are bears to work on and I have not found one yet that I thought I should grab up. I may though here in the future. I restore many other vintage synthesizers and completely restored my Polymoog but, I'm thinking of doing one of these.

  • Just like I'd always imagined my 2600 would sound like if it could play chords.

  • WOW, the Chroma sounds so warm and fuzzy. i can hear ARP qualities in there in polyphonic, but i also hear the timbre of the Polaris. Wouldn't Clockwork orange have been a lot of moog stuff? She was a huge pioneer of Bob Moogs innovations. validated it in some respects not that it could have been held back. But you can also think about Kubrick choosing to use a very new musical genre and medium for the soundtrack.

  • CS-80 would be greater. and i prefer the knobbyness of other polyphonic synths

  • Some nice key sounds, the traditional organ sounds nice, electric piano and synth nice, very versatile keyboard.

  • Looks like a small organ!!!! And yet this was an early 1980s synth!!!

  • You deserve this synthesizer :) 

  • @kohlemainen: I agree.  The players style fits the timbre of this synth perfectly :)

  • Favorite Patches: 2:07 to 2:14, and 2:15 to 2:32

  • good playing at 8,oo

  • Nice sound. I also say the Prophet was better, and also the Jupiter. This one is probably worth alot more because it's rarer than the others. Collectors drive the market value up.

    You can't compare a Minimoog to it, that's just a ripping monosynth, this can't touch it at what it does well.

    It sounds like a it would be nice for soundtracks, I don't hear any sounds that make me really want it. or any sounds I could use in my music. Basses. leads. they just don't seem to be there.

  • OMG ! The Mellotron flutes are unbelievable !

  • This is a beautiful sounding synth (5:16 yum!) but I'd worry about the membrane switches as I have read that when they fail, you can't repair them. (Moog Source and Arp Quadra too).

  • I keep hearing that, but I have two Quadras that have never had any such problem. And one was a gigging instrument. The Chroma is a slightly newer instrument, so I would expect it to be at least as reliable.

  • 1:34 made my jaw drop !! This synth is FAT...

  • SOUNDS LIKE A DX SOMETIMES

  • Thanks for the demo of this wonderful "beast"

    Spandau Ballet hits like "True" and "Communication" were based on this synth.

  • I wonder: It's a RHODES instrument, Can it Emulate its namesake, the Rhodes Piano?

  • theres no such thing as a best synthesizer- they are all good ,cheap or expensive anologue or digital they all have something different to offer.

  • "arguably the greatest polyphonic analog synthesizer of all time" ,, yep i'd deff argue with that statement.. everyone and their cat knows the best synthesizer ever made is a CS-80 .

  • the cs80 is so overated - seriously i have used one and its really an inflated ego somedays

  • Nice demo. The bass sequence starting at 6:34 sounds just like (at least the german version of) the first Karate Tiger movie soundtrack.

  • The Chroma is one of the all-time best polys. Pay "marantz" no mind he has no depth, his "knowledge" is simple and he won't be able to say he's actually used a Chroma. As usual his forte is talking out his ass LOL

  • Coming from a true synthesist such as yourself...maybe we should believe you!

    Your track record speaks for itself...all those wonderful productions of yours. (nil)

  • @MARANTZamp's true talents lie in talking out thy huge azz...no one who knows anything about synthesis would make such stupid claims especially someone who clearly has no experience with this board LOL

  • this organ is great... mellotron sounds coming out of it, also reminds me of tangerine dreams sounds and stevie wonder :-)

  • This thing doesn't seem to have a bender.

  • There's 2 'wheels' on the left of the keyboard (visible at the very beginning of the video). I think they're like the Oberheim OBX/OB-8 style controllers in appearance.

    This was also originally designed by ARP (which you can kinda tell by the orange "CHROMA" lettering), but they went out of business before completing it and Fender/Rhodes picked up what was left of the company.

  • @xnonsuchx BTW, one of my favorite synths ever.

  • first time i see or hear a rhodes chroma its very warm. what year is it?

  • 1982

  • I had the ARP 16-Voice piano, which was a kind of preset Chroma, before the Chroma came out. The sounds were quite good. Nice portable piano.

  • As far as i'm aware the Chroma and the 16-Voice piano are worlds apart - completely different. The 16 voice was the top in a range of electric piano's - very limited and not very good as far as i understand.

  • I am not sure how close they were, electronically. The model I had had the a similar case and front panel as the Chroma. It was an analogue piano that was not too bad sounding and had wooden keys. Mine had no problems at all and I took on gigs (in an anvil case) and used on recordings. Not sure about electronics being similar? Cheers. What you have is quite rare!!

  • Wasn't the Rhodes Electronic Piano basically a repackaged ARP Electronic Piano? I've played one of those before, but never could find the ARP version.

  • I have loved Rhodes keyboards, as well as Arp forever. Hearing the tones you're producing on this is beautiful! 3:51 is my dream tone. Great upload!

  • absolutely stunning sound

  • its the greatest thing i have ever seen!!!!!

    beautiful

  • I didn't realize the Chroma could do such good electric piano sounds. Back when the Chroma came out - I dreamed of having one.

    I read somewhere that the brassy synth on Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" was a Chroma. Another source said it was a CS-80. Does anybody know what's true?

  • John Harrison used one of these on his soundtrack for George A. Romero's Day of the Dead (1985)

  • Haha. Oh man... don't ever go to a synth convention.

  • The reason i looked here was because i had a Chroma for repair. Finally i set it up to 100% function. I did a full calibration and adjustment according the repair manual, adjusted all 8 tone cards perfectly. Finally i downloaded factory setting no. 5 to to get an impression on the sounds....

    Guess i was .....

  • what improvements? today's synths sould like sterile pieces of shit compared to these old monsters.

  • Quite the dumbass as usual, contradicting his own words by claiming that today's stuff is sterile but then saying the ion's better than the Chroma. What a genius!

  • nice clean arp sound. was one of the last synths arp made. but if you wanna good synth of that dept try the PPG wave.

  • Arp REALLY needs to be brought back by Pearlman himself like Moog, Dave Smith, etc.

  • @plungerdrum

    And now Tom Oberheim too. He just re-released the SEM...

    Now, if i could only find a Chroma for sale here in Australia. Anyone got one? Holler at me!

  • @backindauk

    Found one. About to start restoring :)

  • @plungerdrum Unfortunately, it looks like Alan Perlman's not interested in reviving ARP. The late Bob Moog was actually the only one of the true pioneers that was able to get his company back under his own name. Supposedly the Sequential name is owned by either Yamaha or Korg, Oberheim is owned by Gibson (?) and ARP might be buried in one of Roland's closets, since they owned Rhodes at one time.

  • @cubdukat Well, I know that at least Tom Oberheim runs the company, and that's good enough for me. But, it would still be awesome since even Oberheim came back! And Sequential Circuits!

  • @cubdukat ARP was never owned by Rhodes, just the Chroma design was bought.

    Alan Pearlman and his family lost a lot of money when ARP went under - as per the story on the rhodeschroma website. That said, i'd buy a new ARP monosynth :)

  • @plungerdrum - Thumbs up, but Pearlman is 86 years old as of 2011! He did accept an award though from Craig Anderton last year at AES though, and gave his stamp of approval to the TimewARP 2600, the only soft synth he has given his approval to.

  • Hey - thanx for this vid! There was really nothing on youtube so far, and this device is so rare. A few years ago I was considering buying a Chroma because of the almost unlimited programming and modulation possibilities. I've also heard it has a great keyboard action with real wood keys - wow :-)

  • wow you must get your ears checked.

  • Comment removed

  • to not like a prophet-5 deems anyone instantly INSANE

  • Nice demo, but surely this is not as good as the Prophet 5?

  • The Chroma has it all over the Prophet-5 in terms of playability, options and sound. This is, of course, my personal opinion but I think from a players perspective, the Chroma would be the way to go.

  • Cool. I'm sure I read somewhere that even Mr Moog himself said that it had brilliant playability, but seen as I'm not a keyboard player that doesn't mean anything to me lol. I just know that the Prophet 5 is capable of making some incredible sounds - I'm a big fan of Level 42 and the Prophet is their main synth. Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post though, it's nice to have a proffesional opinion :)

  • No problem man. The dynamic response of the Chroma beats the Prophet-5 and the OB series. I love my OB-8 but the playability sucks because of the lousy plastic keys, for instance. Sitting down and playing the Chroma, for me anyway, is like sitting down at the piano and being able to come up with new ideas on the fly because it really is inspiring.

  • Nice synth, but the prophet is much warmer/phatter, and has a more agressive filter..and the envelopes are faster on a prophet, than any other synthesizer made.

    Plus...the prophet has a much better interface, having a dedicated knob for EVERY function..the chroma is quite limited in this area.

    MR. FUNK

  • To each their own I guess, though I would think it's debatable to say that the Prophet has the fastest envelopes of every synthesizer ever made. I do agree that the interface is limiting but there are software choices and midi controllers that can solve that problem and allow full access to all parameters.

  • Maybe so, but i'm not interested in software or midi controllers--I want everything I need to be on/in the synth itself.

    Again, it sounds pretty darn good, but I don't think it's as well rounded or has the strong character that a prophet or moog has.

    MR. FUNK

  • I believe the Roland Jupiter 8 has eve faster envelopes. The brass sounds are amazing, but the Prophet is fatter indeed ;)

  • nobody shares that opinion..based on the amount of records made with prophet 5's as opposed to those made with chromas.  sorry buddy

  • of course not--NOTHING is as good as the prophet-5, not even getting a blowjob by carmen electra

  • thank you soooooooooo much!

    i suspect a few people have been waiting for this!

  • What a great sound, and many compliments also for the simulated mellotron flute....Chroma and CS80 can go shoulder to shoulder although I prefer the interface of the Japanese one....

  • is it right to assume that this was the synth used in Clockwork Orange?

  • No, A Clockwork Orange was 1971. The Chroma debuted in 1982. That soundtrack, BTW, was by Wendy Carlos.

  • ...with a Moog Modular :)

  • @NonDigitalTom Walter CArlos at the time ;)

  • @NonDigitalTom

    I really like Wendy's work.....She is phenomenal...

  • @christianclough I believe that was a Modular Moog.

  • @christianclough , Walter (Wendy) Carlos used a customised Moog Modular III C series.

  • @LeonardRockstein No a customised Moog55,the Modular III C series was used on the "Well Tempered Clavier".

  • @christianclough the MoogModular-55 was used to score that film.

  • @christianclough she used an ARP 2500

  • @christianclough the synth used  in the clockwork orange soundtrack was a Moog

  • @christianclough Wendy Carlos used mostly Moog Modular Synthesizers (miscellaneous setups) for the soundtrack.

  • @christianclough No but sound like it.She-He used Moogs

  • Just bought an Arp Chroma two days ago. I am pretty sure it has a faulty power supply. It is up on ebay right now. Watching your video makes me want to take it off ebay, keep it and get it up and running. It truly sounds wonderful

  • Joe, if you decide to keep it, be prepared to spend some money. Once you replace the power supply and get it running, there may be other problems. And if you take the trouble to get all that sorted out, you'll definitely want the CC+ upgrade.

    I had the same dilemma, but I'm a grandiose and shameless gear glutton with absolutely no sense of moderation or restraint... so it didn't take much to convince myself to go all out in keeping it...

  • Yeah, I already flipped it on Ebay. I bought it for 200 at a shop in amazing physical condition. Obviously it had the functionality issues, and so I decided to flip it instead of put the grand+ fixing it. I knew I would be making a lot, it sold for 1750. I have been thinking about a jupiter 6. I have also thought of getting both a mono/poly and a prophet 600. Right now my only good analog is an akai AX80.

  • @NonDigitalTom Ahhhh, honesty like a glass of ice water in the mojave in July. I tell every on selling gear is like selling your signature. Other's have a good point too, that point being "You're Crazy", but we can't listen to that type of negitive chatter now, can we? Great Video, post more when it's fully functional.

  • @NonDigitalTom Ahhhh, honesty like a glass of ice water on the mojave in July. I tell every on selling gear is like selling your signature. Other's have a good point too, that point being "You're Crazy", but we can't listen to that type of negitive chatter now, can we? Great Video, post more when it's fully functional.

  • I would. If you had an ARP-branded Chroma, that probably would fetch even more than the Rhodes ones, because the ARP ones were never released widely, right?

  • To my knowledge, they did not release arp branded ones. I might be wrong, but I am pretty sure at ARP they only reached the prototyping stage. Anywho, the one I just sold was branded Rhodes. I never even got a chance to play the machine... maybe some day.

  • I think it'd be pretty cool. I remember reading about how its keyboard was the same one that Sequential Circuits used in the Prophet-T8. I've played one of those before, and it has a very nice action.

  • Just love the Chroma - my favorite analog... owned 3 over the years, sadly without one at the moment! Well done for putting this up

  • One of the best sounding synths I've heard. Thanks for sharing.

  • Thanks for putting this up, as most have never heard this excellent synth.

  • Phenomenal synthesizer. Great demo.

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