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Average Price: $6,200
High-end/Boutique
$500
$1501+
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High-end
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Description
Step into the world of classic synthesizers with the ARP Quadra, a powerful analog synthesizer that combines the best of ARP's legendary sound design in one cohesive package. Designed for musicians who appreciate vintage gear, the Quadra offers a unique combination of four synthesizer sections: Bass, Strings, Polysynth, and Lead. Each section can be played individually or layered together for a rich, textured sound that is truly versatile.
The ARP Quadra is revered for its distinct sound, thanks to the inclusion of a 61-note keyboard, which provides a wide range for exploring different musical styles. The integrated phase shifter and stereo outputs allow for immersive soundscapes, while the onboard arpeggiator and portamento add dynamic movement to your compositions. Its interface is intuitive, featuring sliders and buttons that provide hands-on control over each section's parameters, making sound shaping both easy and enjoyable.
Whether you are in the studio or on stage, the Quadra offers a blend of classic analog warmth with modern functionality. Musicians will appreciate its robust build and distinctive sonic capabilities that continue to inspire creativity decades after its initial release.
Key Features:
- Combines four synthesizer sections: Bass, Strings, Polysynth, and Lead
- 61-note keyboard for extensive range
- Integrated phase shifter for enhanced sound effects
- Stereo outputs for immersive audio experience
- Onboard arpeggiator and portamento for dynamic sound movement
- Intuitive interface with sliders and buttons for hands-on control
Product specs
| Brand | ARP |
| Model | Quadra Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer |
| Finish | Black / Orange |
| Year | 1978 - 1981 |
| Made In | United States |
| Categories | Keyboard Synths |
| Analog / Digital | Analog |
| Key Size | Full Size |
| Keyboard Action | Synth Action |
| Number of Keys | 61 Keys |
| Polyphony | 64 Voices |
FAQs
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Is the ARP Quadra suitable for live performances?
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Yes, the ARP Quadra is well-suited for live performances due to its full-size 61-key keyboard and polyphonic capabilities, allowing for rich and complex soundscapes on stage.
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What kind of synthesis does the ARP Quadra use?
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The ARP Quadra is an analog synthesizer, known for its warm and vintage sound, characteristic of late 1970s synthesizers.
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How many voices of polyphony does the ARP Quadra have?
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The ARP Quadra offers 64 voices of polyphony, providing extensive layering and sound design possibilities.
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What are the standout features of the ARP Quadra's sound engine?
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The ARP Quadra's sound engine is notable for its four-part architecture, combining bass, string, polyphonic, and lead synth sections, allowing for diverse and complex sound creation.
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Does the ARP Quadra have MIDI connectivity?
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No, the ARP Quadra does not have MIDI connectivity as it was manufactured before the introduction of MIDI technology. External MIDI-to-CV converters are required for integration with modern setups.
Videos
Alex Ball
The Glorious ARP Quadra from 1978!
The Glorious ARP Quadra from 1978!
Alex Ball
ARP QUADRA Analog Synthesizer (1978) "Four In One"
RetroSound
ARP QUADRA (PART 1)
Stephen Teller
ARP Quadra
LtPicard
ARP Quadra
MrFirechild
ARP QUADRA Analog Synthesizer (1978) Over the Clouds - 70s electronic music style
RetroSound
Synthchaser #104 - ARP Quadra Demonstration
Synthchaser
Best of ARP QUADRA Synthesizer ~ RetroSound Demo
RetroSound
Arp Quadra's brass
Synthguru
Reviews
PROS
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Unique sound and features for its time
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Incorporates best elements from several ARP synths
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First true workstation concept in synthesizers
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Quadra's unique design suited for live performances
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Rare collectible synthesizer with distinctive ARP sound
CONS
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Prone to reliability issues even when serviced
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Expensive compared to other ARP models with similar capabilities
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Unwieldy design makes transport challenging
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Buttons prone to malfunction and keys easily damaged
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about ARP Quadra.
Build quality
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The membrane switches are considered fragile, and the keyboard extending past the bottom lip can be a maintenance concern.
Source
Features and functionality
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The lush flanger/ensemble effects are highlighted as standout features, significantly enhancing the synth's sound compared to when these effects are off.
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The pure octave divider sound is seen as lackluster without the flanger/ensemble effects, making it easily emulated using FPGA technology.
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The Quadra's design integrates multiple pre-existing products, making it unique but challenging to replicate with modern synths like the Minilogue.
Source
Comparisons
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The ARP Quadra is compared to Yamaha Electones from the same era, although Electones are now much more affordable.
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The ARP Quadra combines elements like the Omni, Odyssey, a Solina-like string unit, a phaser, a divide-down organ with ADSR, and a 4075 24 db low pass filter.
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Korg's Minilogue, despite being modeled on ARP reissues, doesn't replicate the Quadra's string synth sound, making it different from the original ARP experience.
Source
4.5 out of 5
Based on 1 Review and 4 Ratings
Artist usage
Add artist
In this interview from the March 1985 issue of Electronics & Music Maker, Bernard talks about acquiring the ARP Quadra after New Order's Omni was stolen in New York on their first US tour.
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The Quadra is mentioned on the synth notes for The Wall.
Tony is playing the main Abacab lead in this clip on the ARP Quadra around the 8:30 mark. Also in this setup (from one of the Wembley shows for the "Invisible Touch" tour in 1987) he has a Yamaha CP80 piano, an Emulator II+, Yamaha DX-7, NED Synclavier II, Sequential Prophet 10 (double manual)
At 2'53'' Nick talks about using the item during the recording sessions for the "All You Need Is Now" album.
There is a photo on this site that shows Gilbert playing an Arp Quadra.
"My studio was called Pi West, and the initial bank of keyboards there when John and I started out working together were the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Rev3, a Prophet 10, an early ARP Quadra and two ARP Avatars — one Avatar was integrated with a Sequential Circuits Model 700 programmer — an ARP Sequencer, an Oberheim Four Voice, and an Emulator 1 sampler. I also had the Linn LM1 drum machine, which drove our main arpeggiator, the ARP Sequencer, using clock pulses."
During his time as keyboardist and producer for the Minneapolis-based art-rock band Chameleon in the mid-1980s, Yanni's massive keyboard rig featured an ARP Quadra.
"Zawinul did not stop at the Wurlitzer and Fender Rhodes electric pianos he used in the 1960s. By the late 1960s he was extending his sonic palette with effects like phase shifters, Echoplexes, wah-wahs and ring modulators, and when synthesizers came on the market he was among the first to buy one (the EMS Putney). The list of synthesizers he has used since then — among them the ARP 2600, Rhodes Chroma, Oberheim Four-voice and Eight-voice, ARP Quadra, Sequential Prophet 5 and Prophet T8, Korg Trident, Oberheim Xpander, Korg VC10 vocoder, Emu Emulator, Casio CZ101, Korg DW8000, DSS1, DSM1 and M1 — reads like a synth museum's treasure list."
The ARP Quadra is seen in the studio with Claude Schnell.
Alan Howarth, known for his collaborations with John Carpenter, used the ARP Quadra synthesizer, as evidenced by a user-uploaded photo on Fbcdn.
"The easiest thing for six and seven was to have sustained notes there, let's say organ notes. But I don't particularly like organ sounds, so I did strings on the ARP Quadra I've acquired: one straight strings, the other 'voice-strings', or 'Amanda' as we've dubbed her/them."
Album Usage
The ARP Quadra has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use ARP Quadra, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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