"The Cat is similar to the ARP Odyssey, but not as similar as some people think. Things that make this synthesizer unique are: The 2-voice keyboard, which has a second sample-and-hold for the second voice, so both notes die out when you let go of the keys. Each oscillator has a sub-octave output allowing you to get 4 separate notes from the machine at once (although two must be octaves of the other two). VCO 1 also has a triangle wave output, which ARP left off of the Odyssey. Finally, the keyboard is switchable between 2-voice (poly) and 1-voice (mono) modes, allowing you to work monophonically if you want to. The ARP can't do that, so if you're using the ARP's ring modulator you will get random timbres if you aren't careful to release each key before pressing the next one.------ Dave Wilson from synthmuseum.com"
Also see this post for a video demonstration including differnces of the SRM 1 and 2.
I had one of these that I got repaired by an old ARP tech in Boston way back in the 90's. He looked at it and said, "Oh, yeah. I remember these. Total ripoff." That cat should know.
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