This popped into my inbox, just as I was shutting down for the night
https://www.airmusictech.com/virtual-instruments/timewarp-2600/
Allegedly endorsed by Alan R Pealman, and I wondered how, as Alan passed away in 2019, but it looks like this was first released in 2006 and has recently been updated.
Now the question is do I need another 2600 emulation like I need a hole in the head… 
For me, the key for a 2600 emulation is the filter, and the acid test is “can it do Edgar Winter’s iconic Frankenstein chirp solo?” That sound is 100% filter self oscillation that’s being modulated.
I’ve not run across a 2600 emulation that comes very close up to now. But you can take the Frankenstein settings right off the original patch book from the 1970’s and this one friggin kills it with very little fussing around. Just amazing and huge!
After deep diving why, it turns out its all about the self oscillation amplitude vs frequency behavior. Apparently this one is the only one (that I’m aware of) to duplicate the hardware behavior. This one gets louder as self osc freq increases while others get softer or are flat.
So even though the UI is lacking imo (fuzzy, not good contrast, tons of wasted space around the perimeter, too much shadow effect), I’ve excused it since it hammers the sound. The presets are also a little on the underwhelming side imo. Preset browser isn’t bad but could be better imo. No onboard FX except the 2600 reverb and no sequencer or arp.
On the plus side (other than the killer sound) its poly, has portamento, vibrato (which is actually pretty cool imo) and a few other basic modern synth niceties. And of course Blue Arp is still free.
Totally worth a demo imo if you’re into 2600 sounds and found the other emulations have you thinking hardware is the only way to get all the way there.
Have you tried the new Korg vst version yet? Any opinions on that one?
I just demo’ed the Korg and the self oscillation is flat with some slight amplitude rolloff at the highest frequencies. I tried the Frankenstein patch and after messing with it about ten minutes could not get anything convincing. So overall I suspect its like the Arturia and Cherry in that it can make some great sounds that don’t rely so heavily on that specific self oscillation behavior. But for me, there is no contest, the AIR wins by a mile if you need/want that specific “chirp” sound. The others can chirp, but somehow when its modulated it just doesn’t sound convincing at all to me. Maybe others know a secret formula to get them there… jmo of course.
[edit] Also, to me the Cherry has the best UI graphics followed by Arturia, then a tie for AIR and Korg. The best UI layout imo is Cherry and Arturia, then tie for AIR and Korg. The best filter is AIR, tie for Aurturia and Korg, then Cherry imo. Feture set goes to Arturia and Korg, then AIR then Cherry (since its mono duo voice). jmo.
Running the demo requires creating an account at “inMusic”. Anyone see any problems with that? Aren’t they the ones who killed the Andromeda?
They also own Moog now.
Note that if you buy from them they use a third party processor that shows up on the credit card statement. It was something I never heard of before and LOL, I disputed the charge until I went to the processor’s site and saw they had inMusic listed.
Also, the link inside the product to the manual doesn’t work and they don’t have a link to it on their website. I contacted their support and they gave me a link to it to download… .and said it will be fixed in next release.
Duo 
Well, technically yeah.
I don’t have a real ARP2600 here to provide a reliable review. Nor have I ever owned one.
I saw the TimewARP many years ago, in the era of 32-bit VSTs, but never bought it.
The new Korg could be interesting, I’ll have a look at the demo.
So far I am happy with the ones from Arturia and Cherry Audio.
If I had to get another one, I think I would go for a hardware version, maybe the cheap Behringer.
Fly in the ointment on the TimewARP…midi learn doesn’t move the sliders in the GUI. It changes the sound just fine, but no visual feedback on screen. I have a help ticket in, we’ll see what they say… I’m hoping this isn’t “normal behavior”.
Thanks for this info, good to know.
I haven’t tried the bindings or sending CC# to TimewARP, just played around a bit, listening mainly to the filter behaviour, making a sound from scratch. Next step will be to demo the Korg plug.
I don’t know if I’ll upgrade though. I’m not interested in the EP1 or the VOX organ, so I may pass. I don’t think I need the nth 2600s. I’ll just try it out of curiosity.
They did respond about the online manual link being broken, so hopefully they get back with something positive. I’ll post when they answer…
Tried the Korg ARP2600. Great sound, but too much CPU hog. Even the init patch takes 40% of audio load.
Checked out the Korg. What a hog.
Filter sounds smoother than the Cherry - a totally different sound. There were a few iterations of 2600 filter, and it sounds like the target the respective developers were going for was very different. Hard to explain the obvious difference unless they were listening to very different examples of hardware.
It just so happens that a comparison between the Cherry MiniVerse and the Korg 2600 yields a far closer result, which is interesting when we consider the famous law suit Moog filed against ARP for infringement of the filter design, which it seems from this interesting vid, never happened.
https://fb.watch/u5AJI9u1ew/
Korg, they say, has modeled the original ‘disputed’ filter. Why wouldn’t you? It’s the best sounding.
I can’t see myself adding the Korg into my plugin library. Too hungry for a sonic texture I can achieve elsewhere. The semi-modular design of a 2600 is appealing in hardware, not so much in software. If I’m going that route, I’m happier in CA’s Voltage Modular, where the ability to mix and match is vast, and the modular experience is fully developed, in many respects, beyond hardware.
It just so happens that I’ve pressed the Cherry 2600 into service recently, and it is capable of some truly beautiful, satisfying, lead sounds., so that’s where it’s value comes, for me.
Probably TMI, but hey, I don’t get out much 
Based on their responses of “we do not understand the issue” and them closing the ticket, I have to assume its considered normal behavior, but they don’t want to say so. They did at least fix the link to the online manual though.
Still really like the sound, slider calibration and the poly features.
Ditto Ade on the CA2600 being able to make some really great sounds in its own right.