ARP Instruments ARP Axxe (1975–1978)
The ARP Axxe is a fully analog synthesizer built by ARP Instruments from 1975 to 1978. List price was $1,195. It sat below the flagship ARP 2600 and above the preset-oriented ARP Soloist, and it was meant as an affordable, portable instrument for working musicians. Modern-Recording (April 1976, p.43) called it "popular, inexpensive" and "the basic variable synthesizer," and set it apart from ARP's more elaborate models like the Odyssey and Pro Soloist.
The Axxe uses the same basic architecture as the ARP 2600, but simplified a lot. The keyboard has 37 notes (F to F) and is duophonic. Two notes can sound at once, but this is not true polyphony. Sound comes from two voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO-1 and VCO-2), each covering 32′ to 2′. VCO-2 offers saw, triangle, pulse/PWM and white noise waveforms. VCO-1 has saw and pulse/PWM. The second oscillator can be switched to LFO mode, where it produces only a square wave for modulation. The filter is a 4-pole low-pass (24 dB/octave) covering 16 Hz to 16 kHz, and a fully variable ADSR envelope controls it. The VCA uses an AR envelope, with variable sustain set by a "VCA Level" knob. There is also an external audio input and a white noise source (no pink noise). Modulation can be routed from the LFO or ADSR to VCO-1 and VCF. All controls are on the front panel: 16 sliders, 9 switches and one fine-tune knob. There is a single 1/4″ mono output.
ARP designed the Axxe to compete directly with the Moog Minimoog and the Roland SH-1000, but the company was already facing stiff competition from Moog and Roland during this period. A later Axxe SE (Special Edition, released 1976) added a sample-and-hold and a ring modulator. The standard Axxe has neither. The instrument found use in many genres, particularly for bass and lead lines. Build quality is a frequent complaint - the keyboard relies on a foam strip that deteriorates over time, and the sliders can become scratchy. The usual advice is to replace the foam with felt and clean the sliders with Deoxit. On the used market, prices currently range from $800 to $1,500 depending on condition.
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