tl;dr - new update added feature creep, but didn't seem to make a more cohesive device (IMO)
So, I was pretty excited to hear about the 2.0 OS, but couldn't help but feel they added a lot of complex features (feature creep anyone?) without fixing up some underlying things. I had reached out to Sequential (and see others having similar complaints) regarding the P5/10.
1) Parameter Xmit - sends Program Change messages out even if the Xmit is set to off. The response from Sequential was that:
"Param Xmit set to Off has always been for parameters on the front panel, excluding patch and bank changes. This has been implemented on our past instruments as well."
Ok - but just because your previous gear does it in this way, doesn't mean it is the way that makes sense. At least give us the option. But this was not implemented. It's an odd way to deal with things because most of my other synths don't do this. Given Dave Smith founded MIDI - it's weird that his company does the most head-scratching MIDI implementations (The Prophet 12 does a bunch of strange things too, especially with the ARP, making it unusable).
2) Octave transpose - this would be such a simple feature to implement, although it would require two button presses (record + plus or minus, or something like that). The rationale that this was not implemented was
"Mainly our synths are used as standalone instruments rather than dedicated controllers like those of other companies specifically for that purpose."
This too is a head scratcher, and I'm not sure I understand Sequential's aversion to allowing their synthesizers to be 'controllers' in any sense.
I have this massive, nice feeling synthesizer that basically can't be used as a controller because it doesn't do octave transpose and sends PC messages to my sequencer (which is not ideal). Some of this can obviously be fixed by using MIDI patchbays or the LFE device (for $1000, which does do octave transpose). But it'd be nice not to require a bunch of extra stuff to manage the Prophet 10.
I'm sure people are really happy to have the split/layer features - and maybe that's preferred over a more single cohesive device. Me personally, I would rather have a really well designed and simple synth. The new features feel very feature creepy and a bit difficult to navigate given there's no language on the front to manage them. Although it's really hard for me to really get into the new OS due to the bug with initializing patches.
Speaking of the initialize patch, it kinda sucks that if you create a stack layer, you can edit 'B' and initialize (even if it's the wrong INIT patch) but then go into 'A' and do the same, and you no longer have a stacked patch and have to start over again.
I recall when Sequential originally released the P5/10 REV4 they seemed against a lot of extra features to avoid feature creep, but here we are.
These are, of course, just my opinions, and I know my MIDI requirements in my studio are just different than people who go out and play live. And I don't think I'm just a rando that doesn't know anything about gear - I have a lot of synthesizers and think I do OK on YouTube demonstrating their (and other) gear. I'll add a link just to clarify my abilities.