January 05, 2026
Blog by Freddie Davies
A2600 UDS: A Love Letter in Waveforms
The original 1970s ARP 2600 remains one of the most powerful synthesizers in music history. It is the piercingly iconic sound behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller, R2-D2 in Star Wars, and Stevie Wonder’s Superstition. From the signature tones of Nine Inch Nails to the experimental worlds of Radiohead and Depeche Mode, it was never designed to be polite. It is a large slice of music history with a power and presence that other synthesizers simply cannot match.
The Obsession Behind the Sampling
Most sample libraries give you a few snapshots of a synth. We took a different path. We spent three months with two legendary second-generation units: the Tonus and the Blue Marvin. This is the deepest sampling of this instrument ever made: a love letter in waveforms consisting of over 21,000 samples solely dedicated to the 2600.
The Tonus and Blue Marvin were captured using our revolutionary CAF™ technology (Capture Analog Filter). This enables us to achieve the exact filter colours and unique filter behaviours of the physical hardware. Because the 2600 is an analogue modular system, there are literally infinite sound combinations. To honour this depth, we ultra-deep sampled (UDS™) the instrument in multiple states:
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Raw Oscillators: Captured in Pulse, Saw, Sine, Square, Triangle, and White Noise.
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Iconic Patches: Dozens of famous patches were meticulously re-created from original 1970s schematics and instructions.
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Historical Precision: We even included multiple variations of iconic sounds, such as three different Thriller bass tones alone.
Beyond the Physical Hardware
What makes the A2600 UDS unique in Soundpaint is the ability to go where the hardware could not. We created hundreds of evolving drones, pads, and ambient textures derived from long-form modular performances. We also developed UDS sampled Cinematic Arps and Pads which are not possible on the original hardware units due to their limited polyphony.
Whether you need powerful leads, raw and punchy basses, or sweeping arps, each sound carries the attitude and grit that only the 2600 can deliver. Producers like Anthony Marinelli and Greg Phillinganes refer to it as their "desert island" synth for a reason. Some instruments cannot be surpassed. The 2600 is one of them.
