Author: synthchaser

While restoring this ARP Axxe I found that the voltage controlled filter wasn’t working right–it wasn’t filtering anything! In this video we put the filter into my ARP Filter test fixture and track down the problem using the schematics.

In the last part of this series, we repaired the power supply & recapped this lovely Rhodes Chroma. Today I show you some of the upgrades I made to the Rhodes Chroma, and we have a listen to some of the many sounds the Chroma is capable of.

My usual disclaimer: none of the sample sounds played are intended to be musical, I am not demonstrating my musical ability (or total lack thereof), just showing some of the sounds the Chroma can make.

In the last video we figured out why this Rhodes Chroma wouldn’t work. In this video, we make the repair to the power supply as well as recap the synth and clean up some corrosion on the CPU board.

Viewer submissions for new time-lapse soldering music is welcome!

Before this Omni gets shipped off to the UK, I explain the mains wiring and show how to convert an ARP from 120V to 240V operation.

You will learn why the lamp on the power switch is meaningless as a diagnostic indicator, as well as where there is a dangerous wire that is color coded neutral but is actually hot mains level.

I briefly show you my set up to test ARP Voltage Controlled Filter submodules. We also have a listen to a couple of different ARP filter designs, the 4075 found in all ARPs from 1975 on, and the 4035 Moog style ladder filter found in some rarer Odysseys.

This Rhodes Chroma lay dormant for over a decade, and wouldn’t wake up from its long nap. In this video we troubleshoot and repair the power supply and get the synth alive and making sound. We also have a brief tour around the inside of this legendary polysynth.

Want to see more of the restoration and upgrade of this Chroma? Let me know what you’d like to see in the comments!