ArtiphonReviews of artiphon.com

Love the Chorda as an instrument, but Artiphon as a company is practically unreachable when it comes to customer support. I've submitted tickets concerning my Chorda's headphone output (only outputs on left channel) and have yet to hear anything back, and it's been nearly 2 months. C'mon guys, you gotta do better.

This is a nice little synth 4 tracker but the functions that make it Orba 2 rather than just Orba e.g. recording & samples leave a lot to be desired. I cannot import sound mp3 samples when connected to my pc ( with USB turned off) - I cannot record sound sample - they play so much slower I cannot hear them properly or they don't play at all and cut off. May as well buy Orba and not Orba 2 if you want something to play with.

This instrument has such potential but the software is not good. I am hooked up via usb to my computer and it disconnects every 30 seconds. i try to save a song it disconnects- i change to a different preset, it disconnects. I paid $199 for this and its not reliable at all. Almost every time i start up there is a firmware update, but I see no improvement in the actual operation of the device. I have Orba 2- I honestly do not see how this is worth what I paid for it. Ive been using it for months and the connection between pc and the instrument is no bueno

The buttons and functionality is great, if I wanted to used it as a Midi controller. I don't. I want to use it as an easy-to-use expressive instrument. I don't want to be tethered to a USB cable. Bluetooth doesn't work great. I don't want to have to use my phone to change an instrument. It has lots of instruments inside the Orba 2 but I can't directly access them without being tied into another device. You should be able to change instruments and sounds on the fly directly from the Orba. Edit after Artiphon response: about the Bluetooth, I am frustrated when it says that I have to connect to USB to do something. There's something going on about which functions or presets that can only be accessed via USB. I don't want a cable on my wonderfully standalone handheld device. Also, about presets. Why do they have to have such ornamentally fancy but fundamentally uninformative names? For example, when I connect the Orba 2 to my PC via USB I see in the sync messages that there's a StratGuitar. But, can I find it among all the useless preset names? No. I want some common standard instruments, like various electric guitars, a Hammond organ, etc. Sure, I can use it as a MIDI controller to a DAW that has those instruments. I want it in my untethered, handheld device. I thought that that was the point.

App doesn't work with older devices listed as supposed

I am having major issues with your desktop app (windows). It makes me not use the device because I can't update it or use the desktop app to alter and add sounds etc. I like the device, but the functionality is hindered by the app issue

I am sorry to have to put such a note but the main problem of the Orba is not being able to save the loops. For such a limited instrument, it is necessary to be able to save and move on. I start with negative and finally say this instrument is incredible. It makes composing fun and easy. My favorite exercise: Drum loop + psychedelic Chord loop and I do my solo on the new Lead with motion detector, in the dark, lying down, Magic! Thank you

The Orba itself is neat, feels sturdy and is kind of like an adult fidget spinner (remember those?). I'm taking off a couple of stars for the less than useless app that should be the beating heart of the software that runs the whole operations but ultimately does...nothing. It opens, you can see that there are sounds that you should be able to switch to, but nothing happens when you 'load' them. I understand that it runs on another sort of Bluetooth, but despite it saying that it is connected to my Orba it manages to do absolutely zip. Nothing. Nada. The team at Artiphon don't respond to emails, they are like the personification of their rubbish app.