Chroma Polaris -- the secret Arp!!!

[Audi Uh Oh]

Just snagged a Chroma Polaris, which is actually an Arp, designed by the Arp team, but it was bought by Fender and released as the Polaris...

Just got it and have to say, WOW

IMO, it is like a filled out Arp Odyssey... perhaps better.

Anyone else want to share their experience?

[mono-poly]

IMHO the Chroma was an Arp design.
The Polaris came later.

[cub005@yahoo.co.]

I have a lovely Polaris - most underrated proper analog poly in history IMHO.

Once you go to work and find the sweet spots, it's both meaty and sweet and colourful - great synth.

[iamYorke]

I just got one of these for 200 euros. Some clown has attempted to fix the membrane switch problem but has hacked through the front panel, and half of the buttons/faders still dont work. Anyone know where i could get some spares from if i want to restore it?

Til then I'm looking to run it through midi as the board works, so i imagine all the midi/sysex parameters should work. Does anyone know any good software (for Mac) to upload the factory patches and make edits?

[fuse]

Heads up to the owners.

On the polaris mailing list on yahoogroups is a group of owners trying to have a batch run of new replacement membrane panels. If you join up it will favor the costs.

Best resources on the web for this synth are:
Rhodes Chroma · Polaris

[Teknobeam]

Originally Posted by iamYorke

I just got one of these for 200 euros. Some clown has attempted to fix the membrane switch problem but has hacked through the front panel, and half of the buttons/faders still dont work. Anyone know where i could get some spares from if i want to restore it?

Til then I'm looking to run it through midi as the board works, so i imagine all the midi/sysex parameters should work. Does anyone know any good software (for Mac) to upload the factory patches and make edits?

I have restored two polaris synths with two completely different methods. Not by choice but from the desire to get the synths working so i could use them. i toured with a Polaris in the 80's. then sold it when i needed the money after leaving that part of the industry. Years later i sought one out but it had that classic ribbon issue. i can walk you through repairing it if you want. Once it;s fixed it's rock solid. The sound of the polaris is pristine and if you dig deep, it can do a lot of strange stuff also. I would compare it in some ways to a Synthacon. It's wild, and it can render obscure results. But it can also be extremely musical.

[Teknobeam]

Originally Posted by iamYorke

I just got one of these for 200 euros. Some clown has attempted to fix the membrane switch problem but has hacked through the front panel, and half of the buttons/faders still dont work. Anyone know where i could get some spares from if i want to restore it?

Til then I'm looking to run it through midi as the board works, so i imagine all the midi/sysex parameters should work. Does anyone know any good software (for Mac) to upload the factory patches and make edits?

take some detailed pictures of the front panel, then some of the other side of the front panel and also the ribbon connectors that are connected to the panels and terminate at the PC boards in the main chasis and then send me the Pictures. Be VERY careful when you remove the top cover. You don't want to do any more damage to the ribbons and thus limit the chances at repairing the synth.

[kilon]

Originally Posted by Audi Uh Oh

Just snagged a Chroma Polaris, which is actually an Arp, designed by the Arp team, but it was bought by Fender and released as the Polaris...

Just got it and have to say, WOW

IMO, it is like a filled out Arp Odyssey... perhaps better.

Anyone else want to share their experience?

I have to speak to the mods to get people like you an automatic ban from this forum.

You come inside , throw a couple of words to us and leave ?

Where are the demos, where are the youtube videos, where are the gearlusty photos ?

Shame on , I say, Shame on you !!!

We have the right to drool, dont deny us that right...

Great synth , amazing sound, would love to add it to my collection. How much you paid for it ?

Originally Posted by iamYorke

I just got one of these for 200 euros. Some clown has attempted to fix the membrane switch problem but has hacked through the front panel, and half of the buttons/faders still dont work. Anyone know where i could get some spares from if i want to restore it?

Til then I'm looking to run it through midi as the board works, so i imagine all the midi/sysex parameters should work. Does anyone know any good software (for Mac) to upload the factory patches and make edits?

only 200 ?



seriously ? I thought it would cost a fortune.



Should I guess the low cost is because it does not work ?

[dlmorley]

The Chroma is the daddy. Miss mine!
Nice things the Polaris. CEM based. The Chroma was the last ARP design though (not that it matters really)

[SWAN808]

it sounds quite brassy....verging on harsh...but not quite...but yeah powerful analogue if you can deal with the membrane and ribbon anxiety...

[fuse]

You even can use it as a midi controller for your softsynths. :D
Most sliders send out CC.

[minime123]

this thread inspired me to take a 2 minute break to play the polaris we recently put on the market. i used to hate the polaris because i didnt know of a fix for the typical membrane issues, but we finally figured out a good solution. i still dont like the fact that it's so heavy, but its quite an underrated synth that sounds great. i wouldnt call it an arp though.
mini

[Teknobeam]

Originally Posted by minime123

this thread inspired me to take a 2 minute break to play the polaris we recently put on the market. i used to hate the polaris because i didnt know of a fix for the typical membrane issues, but we finally figured out a good solution. i still dont like the fact that it's so heavy, but its quite an underrated synth that sounds great. i wouldnt call it an arp though.
mini

The magic with the Polaris begins the minute you lose all of the factory presets.
With some work you can end up with sounds and patches that you won't want to lose. the membrane issue is annoying, but it's completely fixable (if that's even a word). The membrane issue on the Polaris was it;s achilles heel. Other than that, it's built like a Russian Kamov Helicopter. I'll always own at least one.

[criminallysmooth]

one of my most disappointing near-misses on eBay, i think it sold for like $160

[backindauk]

As previously stated, ARP did not design the Chroma Polaris.

The Rhodes Chroma however was initially developed by ARP and then later produced by Rhodes (at that time a division of CBS)

Both are fantastic synths.

[Delta T]

I used to have a Polaris - sold it many years ago. One of those things you regret doing. The other day I was going thru my old casette tapes and came across the orignal Factory Load cassette for it, lol. If anyone is interested I can try and extract the data and post a wav file somewhere that will take it. I don't know if after all this time it would be good or not. The factory sounds were sort of ok from what I remember. But as mentioned it really started to shine once you dug into it. I really wished it had a step sequencer in it besides the realtime sequencer...probably would have still had it.

[fuse]

The original factory sounds are already available as a file. And is to be recommended if you want to learn what this synth can do.

[dougt]

Polaris patches are here -

Rhodes Chroma · Polaris

[Rob Ocelot]

Polaris has the dubious honor of being the most deceptively heavy synth ever. It doesn't look all that big, but the combination of solid wood, metal, weighted keyboard, and honkin' huge alkaline D-cells for memory backup make it an absolute backbreaker!

Any thief who dares run off with a Chroma Polaris will pay for it later in hernia repair bills.

There still are cheap Polaris' to be found out there. I recently sourced a Polaris for $100+40 shipping. Turned out to be in a little worse shape than advertised (typical membrane issues plus some other quirks) but for the price it's worth it for the parts alone to maintain my good Polaris. Turns out this unit is an extremely early model with a different membrane top panel (some of the bi-polar parameters are colored as unipolar) and some other differences.