As the ARP AVATAR is almost identical to the ARP ODYSSEY (MK III), we recommend to have a look at our Odyssey review by Christian Hatvani or at the Odyssey review by Vintagesynth concerning the instrument's architecture.
This being said, we don't need to discuss the basic functionality of the AVATAR anymore, and can concentrate on other topics: its history, the modular upgrade of CMS, the european ARP specialist Eric van Baaren, and whether any modular upgrade is worth it these days or not.
Creating a guitar synthesizer (Looking at a plucker’s world)
In terms of marketing, ARP didn’t always make the best decisions. One of the most dangerous projects it ever undertook was the AVATAR guitar synthesizer. The reason for this rather unusual addition to its product line was that there were about four times as many guitarists as keyboard players around. Whether the guitar players would ever want to control an analogue synthesizer or not didn't seem an important consideration, let alone the $3,000 they would have to have been willing to pay...
In order to concentrate on the new AVATAR, APR stopped the Centaur project (which was to be a polyphonic mega synthesizer that had some guitar incarnations). Instead, they used an Odyssey and implemented the guitar interface. And that's where the problem started: the R&D (research and development) budget was almost $500,000, and most of it went into the guitar interface. When the AVATAR was released, the guitar interface still didn't seem to work properly. Players had difficulty producing a clean sound. Once word got around that the AVATAR wasn't worth its money, the instrument was destined to be a marketing desaster. In its two-year lifespan ARP sold only $1 million worth of Avatars. In other words, there were only about 400 instruments built!
ARP Electric Piano, Solus and Chroma
In 1979 ARP tried to get its feet back down on the ground with the Electric Piano. But again, it was an ill-fated product. First, it was terribly noisy. Second, the membrane switches had an inherent design flaw. The company's sales plummeted, repair costs went up. Coming out in 1980, the ARP Solus was among the last of the company’s products to hit the market. Basically another 2VCO-synth design, not spectacular, and not interesting enough to make it a big seller. Even the Chroma project, a microprocessor-operated touch-sensitive polyphonic synthesizer couldn't prevent ARP from going downhill. CBS finally bought part of the company (the engineering department) and the Chroma. That's the story...
Coming back to the AVATAR, it’s surprising how low its street value is these days. I'd expect it to be a lot higher than an Odyssey (or at least equal to it), especially because of its useful and smart desktop/expander design. And another reason why an AVATAR could be the one to look out for is its easy-to-do modular upgrade. With a whole batch of INs and OUTs, a modular AVATAR comes quite close to an ARP-2600 ... and that's the good point!
Phil Cirocco - CMS
Phil has been servicing and repairing ARP instruments for more than 25 years now. His Patch Point Modification of the Avatar is famous, though not extremely cheap. However, his modular-upgraded 2600s, Odysseys and Avatars offer high quality components and are very precisely modified. For a couple of years now, Phil Cirocco has been building his own modular instruments as well. These are a mixture of ARP 2500 / 2600 and his personal design style. But they are very pricy! Hans Zimmer, at least, was able to afford one of Cirocco’s elegant modular systems...
Turn your Avatar into a 2600 expander!
Here's a list of the CMS upgrades available for the ARP Avatar...
(Source: http://www.discretesynthesizers.com/arptronics/arp2200.htm).
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THE AVATAR PATCH POINT UPGRADE BY CMS
Realize the full possibilities of the ARP Avatar with this unique and legendary mod by CMS. All inputs and outputs made accessible 2600 style using high quality Switchcraft 1/8" jacks. Great for adding more VCO's or a 2nd ADSR to your 2600 patch.
FILTER UPGRADE
Avatar filters have a upper frequency limit of 11khz! This frequency response upgrade is similar to the 2600 filter upgrade extending the cutoff frequency range from 11khz to 28khz. Also replaces some critical components in the signal path. Your filter sub module is removed, tested, upgraded, re-tested and re-installed into main board "C".
AUDIO PATH UPGRADE
This mod replaces critical signal path components with audiophile grade components. Low end response is improved resulting in a more accurate wave shape. This mod used to be called the "Low end wave correction mod" in the early days of CMS. High end response is also Improved.
POWER SUPPLY REBUILD
Certain critical components in your power supply have a shelf / working life of 20 years maximum. It's probably time your power supply was rebuilt. These units are getting very old, so if you are serious about your ARP, you should get the Power Supply Rebuild.
LFO FREE RUN SWITCH
It's impossible to get a slow moving sweep on the LFO while controlling the Avatar from a remote keyboard. When this switch is in the free run position, the keyboard will not restart the LFO as with stock units. Contrary to misinformation on the web, CMS is the originator of this mod.
ADSR TURBO SWITCH
This mod installs a switch in your Avatars ADSR section that engages the turbo mode speeding up the time constant on the ADSR to attain 2600 type percussive envelopes.
PORTAMENTO ENABLE
Stock Avatars have their portamento circuits hardwired to the guitar section. This mod rewires the portamento so that it slews the keyboard cv input.
SLIDER RECONDITIONING PACKAGE
This package restores stiff and gummed up sliders. It also cleans up fur ball laden circuit boards. ARP Avatars are notorious for hairy, stiff and non functional sliders. Most people don't know or remember how the sliders on a brand new ARP Avatar would operate fresh from the ARP factory. If your sliders are dry and stiff, you need the slider restoration package. Restore your sliders to brand new operating condition. Using our special process, your sliders and printed circuit boards are thoroughly cleaned. Then the sliders are lubricated with our special drag-lube (don't call us asking for the formula - it's classified). Improves the slider function mechanically as well as electrically. Also fixes sliders that have been loaded up with incorrec
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ARP specialist Eric van Baaren
If it's beyond your means to drop your Avatar off at CMS (or to send it there), then you might look into similar possibilities in Europe. And, indeed, there is at least one...
Eric van Baaren from Holland does approx. the same upgrades as CMS, but intergrates some additional modules as well. Attenuators, multiples and an extra LFO fit perfectly into the Avatar's synth architecture.
This is a list of Eric's upgrades:
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- The usual ARP filter-upgrade (instead of the original 11khz range, 24-28 khz)
- extra 12/ 24db switch
- The usual in-outputs, like the CMS mod
- extra trig-in for the ADSR
- The ADSR has a faster attack
- ADSR and AR turbo modulation (much faster envelopes!)
- LFO reset input. With a dummyjack it don't restarts or you can give it an reset signal, double speed switch
- VCO1 has two extra waveforms; sine and triangle
The most interesting part, the mixers:
- VCF signal mixer: 3 extra pots and inputs - so you can use 6 inputs simultaneously
- VCF control mixer: added 3 extra pots and inputs - you can mix 6 inputs and a polarity switch for the ADSR(very handy, no patching required)
- VCA control added one extra pot and input. You can mix, for instance, AR and ADSR signal (also interesting)
- Extra standard ARP LFO without reset, very basic..
- LAG time processor
- 2 inverters
- 2 multiples jack-4 minijack
- 3 in - 1 out allpurpose mixer
- signalpath upgrade - change of some caps and some opamps
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Just one last word about Phil Cirocco and Eric van Baaren. It is not my intention to play one against the other. I simply aim to inform Avatar users on both sides of the Atlantic of the possibilities they have...
The AVATAR sound
As with the Odyssey, the Avatar comes close to the sound of an ARP-2600. It is NOT the same (the filter is not exactly the same, and the VCA, above all, is stronger on the 2600), but it is clearly ARP, and a good one, too.
| Solo MP3s |
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dry_saw |
Simple, raw VCO (sawtooth) sound |
Theo Bloderer
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vocal |
Great (filter) FM sequence |
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fm |
(oscillator) FM sound |
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soft_lead |
Lovely soft analog lead line |
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eric_bass line |
Avatar bass line |
Eric van Baaren
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| Mix MP3s |
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Avatar_Mix1 |
Avatar sequenced sound and Roland JD-800 pads |
Theo Bloderer
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Avatar_Mix3 |
Avatar vocal sound and Yamaha CS-60 lead line |
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Avatar_Mix5 |
Avatar (modulated) filter sound, Technosaurus Selector noise, Roland TR-808 dums and JD-800 pads |
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Whether or not it's worth it these days to do modular upgrades on a 25+ year old Avatar (or Odyssey) is another question. Even the all-time classic ARP-2600 starts to fade into the background when we look at the modern, brand-new analogue (modular) synths on the market today. Just to name two, there's the huuuuge MacBeth M5, and the Cwejman Modular System. Sure, the ARP filter sounds wonderful, most ARP instruments sound wonderful. But we still have to decide whether investing money in an extremely old instrument is better than saving some additional money and buying something totally new.
Especially in the field of modular instruments we have tons of brand-new products to choose from: Wiard, MOTM, Analogue Systems, Synthesizers.com, Cwejman, MacBeth, Anyware Instruments, Curetronic or Doepfer... That's a lot of competition for any modular synthesizer of the 70ies/80ies.
Still, if you do have an Avatar that is in very good technical (and hopefully cosmetical) condition, then I'd recommend saving some money for a modular upgrade (or do it yourself, as my friend Robert S. alias The Vision did). The modular upgrade is worth its money for two reasons: first, this heavily extends the instrument's possibilities. Don’t forget: a modular Avatar comes quite close to an ARP-2600. Second, it opens the door to integrating the Avatar into an existing modular environment. I bought a rack of Analogue Systems modules just to expand the Avatar: high-speed LFOs, VC-ENVs, analogue sequencers etc... once the Avatar is modular, you have a completely new machine with a multiplicity of options. Certainly, combining a modular Avatar with a red-faced ARP-2600 must be about the most beautiful combination imaginable...
But buying a used Avatar first, just to spend some extra money in a modular upgrade, doesn't seem wise to me. In that case, I'd recommend going directly for a brand-new modular, such as a Cwejman (I have friends currently willing to sell their whole synth collection just to buy one of these modulars)...
It might be time to let some vintage items pass away, in order to take advantage of modern analogue technology...
LINKS:
Review, pictures, sounds: Theo Bloderer