CA2600's effect implementation is somewhat unique in the sense that, instead of being "tacked on" and hidden behind menus, they're integrated into the main interface, and have CV inputs for almost all of their controls. Applying CV's to the effects parameters can range from subtle (reverb mix) to total insanity (delay time mod with high feedback settings).
Keep in mind that all three effects have separate level sliders in the Master Out section (beneath the orange FX-Bus block); in addition to enabling the effects with the red buttons, you'll need to turn up the sliders in the Master Out section to hear them.
Note that the effects have no wet/dry controls - they are always 100% wet in the Master Out faders. Wet/dry signal mix is achieved by blending in the Master Out VCF and/or VCA signals. This arrangement is useful, because it allows a great deal of flexibility if, for example, you'd like totally wet reverb signals (incidentally, "all-wet" reverb signals aren't possible with the original ARP 2600 master mixer).
Distortion
On/Off- The red button in the orange box enables and disables the distortion effect.
FM Control inputs and attenuators- These are the normalled and jack parameter modulation inputs. The slider control to the right of each jack is an attenuator, affecting the amount of the normalled source, or if a cable is plugged into the jack, the amount of the signal from the patched source. This is is the same as bulk of parameters in the top section of the control panel; we just turned them sideways to save space. See table below for control details.
MOD SOURCE NAME
NORMALLED SOURCE
NORMALLED DESTINATION
Distortion/Audio Input - VCA
VCA output
distortion input amount
Distortion/Control - LFO
LFO output
amount of distortion
Output level slider and jack- The slider beneath the orange DIST block sets the output level. The output jack allows the distorted signal to be routed to any CA2600 input. You don't necessarily need to use the output jack, as the signal it normalled to the Master Out FX-Bus/Audio section.
Delay
On/Off- The red button in the orange box enables and disables the delay effect.
FM Control inputs and attenuators- These are the normalled and jack parameter modulation inputs. The slider control to the right of each jack is an attenuator, affecting the amount of the normalled source, or if a cable is plugged into the jack, the amount of the signal from the patched source. See table below for control details.
MOD SOURCE NAME
NORMALLED SOURCE
NORMALLED DESTINATION
Delay/Audio Input - VCA
VCA output
delay input amount
Delay/Control - LFO
LFO output
delay input
Delay/Control - LFO
LFO output
delay time
Delay/Control - Mod Whl
mod wheel
delay feedback amount
Delay/Control - LFO
LFO output
damping amount
Invert (Inv)- Inverts the delayed signal from the incoming dry signal. Along with the Damping slider, this can be useful if repeats are stacking up and audibly "cancelling out." It's also useful for achieving different tones when using the delay at short times for flanging and chorus effects (in the 1-20 ms range).
Sync- Engaging the Sync button locks the delays time to master tempo. When engaged, the Rate slider snaps to note values ranging from 1/64th-note triplet to 8 beats. Sync mode locks to the tempo in the top toolbar when using the CA-2600 standalone version or the current project tempo when the plug-in version is used in a DAW.
Time- Sets delay time, from 1 to 2000 ms. If the Sync button is enabled, time settings snap to synchronized note values. The LED number display shows the current time.
Feedback- Routes the output to the input for additional repeats. Be careful at high settings as this can result in runaway feedback madness.
Damping- Attenuates high-frequencies as the slider amount is increased. Not only does this create more natural sounding decays, it also reduces the "stacking" effect that occurs with high feedback levels.
Output jack- The output jack allows the fully wet delay signal to be routed to any CA2600 input. You don't necessarily need to use the output jack, as the signal it normalled to the Master Out FX-Bus/Audio section.
Reverb
On/Off- The red button in the orange box enables and disables the reverb effect.
FM Control inputs and attenuators- These are the normalled and jack parameter modulation inputs. The slider control to the right of each jack is an attenuator, affecting the amount of the normalled source, or if a cable is plugged into the jack, the amount of the signal from the patched source. See table below for control details.
MOD SOURCE NAME
NORMALLED SOURCE
NORMALLED DESTINATION
Reverb/Audio Input - VCA
VCA output
reverb input amount
Reverb/Control - LFO
LFO output
reverb input
Reverb/Control - LFO
LFO output
reverb decay time
Delay/Control - Mod Whl
mod wheel
reverb damping
L+R Output jack- The output jack allows the fully wet reverb signal to be routed to any CA2600 input. You don't necessarily need to use the output jack, as the signal it normalled to the Master Out FX-Bus/Audio section.
About CA2600's stereo reverb- The reverb section is takes CA2600's mono output and converts it to a wide-sounding stereo signal. The single Master Out/FX-Bux St Verb fader affects the level of both channels to the master output bus, however both channels are summed to a mono signal at the output jack in the Reverb effect section. This was done to simplify patching, because CA2600 doesn't have any stereo input destinations.
Decay- Sets the overall length of reverb; the actual time varies dependent on the reverb type.
Type - Spring/Plate- Allows selection of two different types of reverb. Spring sounds like the crude spring-type reverb found in the original ARP 2600; plate is has more hifi and refined sound, as well as longer decay times.
Damp- Attenuates high-frequencies as the slider amount is increased for more natural reverb sounds.
