REV2 (16-Voice Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer)

[dsetto]

Here’s a scenario …
“Prophet 16. But, we're selling an 8 voice. Compared to the previous '08 double entendre, Prophet 16 feels dated, as it's '17. And even though this is a culminating gesture, I don't want to highlight that it's not an innovative one. We no longer need the Prophet name to sell. Here’s a chance for change on this front. Let’s add some zip. And, we leave space for the expansion of our VCO/discrete filter line, in case.”

[eXode]

Things got more interesting when playing with the shape mod, especially when using a LFO to modulate it.  Being able to mod each of the waveforms is definitely a high light. I got some crazy sounds using different LFOs on each oscillator’s shape mod.

Yavn, what kind of shape mod do the other waveforms offer?

[eXode]

Or if some friendly DSI staff member could provide us with more info...

[Fuseball]

There is one less-heralded usability feature that I'm concerned may be lost with the upgrade to Rev2...

The P'08 helpfully displays both the stored and current value for the knob or parameter being changed at any time. This is enormously useful, particularly for potentiometer controls, when tweaking, adapting or reverse-engineering a previously stored sound.

From what few pictures I've seen of the OLED display, the stored value doesn't appear to be shown. If at all possible, I would love it to be there as it is so incredibly useful to sound design. Alternatively, perhaps it would be possible to hold down the Compare button and turn a knob to see it's stored value?

[Sacred Synthesis]

I wondered about that also, as well as whether or not the same number of letters/digits are available in the OLED display for naming patches.  The REV2's display seems narrower than the Prophet '08's.  Reverting to pressing a Compare button would mean going back to the Poly Evolver Keyboard's design, which would be unfortunate.

[Fuseball]

I agree. The P'08s displaying of stored parameters is far better than the PEK Compare button method. It actually makes the P'08, for me, by far the most enjoyable synth to program. I really hope that it is something that is transferred over to the Rev2.

The text for program names looks a bit smaller than the fixed character display of the P'08. Looks to be a similar number of characters though.

[proteus-ix]

Hopeful rev 2 will get its own sub forum. Its. A shame this excellent thread is burned down in the off topic section...

My question: would getting a rev2 seeing that i have an ob6 already, be superfluous?

Different oscillators, different filters, different number of LFOs, different number of envelopes, and more than twice the polyphony, far more modulation possibilities, poly sequencer, effects per layer on the REV2...

I mean... they are almost nothing alike, except being DSI analog polys.

[proteus-ix]

And besides, who knows at this point if there might be some presently unknown reason for liking the P'08 over the REV2?  It's unlikely, but perhaps the purest will have such a preference.

Yes, it's possible... but let's hope not! On paper, the Rev certainly seems to be better on all fronts.
Like you, I intend to hang on to my '08 module for the foreseeable future to use with the Rev2.

Even if the Rev2 is a little better in all departments, it doesn't make my existing P'08 any less useful to me. I almost always have a couple of parts using the 08 in anything I record, so a second one sure won't hurt. I wonder if it will be possible to dump programs made on the Rev2 in P'08 format, much as you could dump Tetra programs in P'08 format?

Related to that, has anyone confirmed if you can polychain a P8, Tetra or Mopho?  I've been thinking of getting a Tetra, and if I later get a Rev2, that would give me either 12 or 20 voices!  Consider you can load P8 sounds to the Rev2, and the P8 is polychainable with the Tetra and Mopho, that seems like a good possibility, and I can't really think of a technical reason it wouldn't work.  I do wonder what you'd be giving up with that scenario though - the Tetra has 2 suboscs per voice where the Rev2 now has one, so does that mean chained patches would only be able to use 1 of the Tetra suboscs per voice?  What happens to the other?

[chysn]

Related to that, has anyone confirmed if you can polychain a P8, Tetra or Mopho?

Polychain is pretty much just like MIDI, but the polychain settings tell each synth to be silent for some of the notes. It's likely that the REV2 polychain has a setting to be 16 voices of 24 (to go with a Prophet 08), but it might not be able to be 16 voices of 20 (to go with a Tetra). But previous DSI synths had a large number of Polychain "Out" numbers, so it's a reasonable hope.

I do wonder what you'd be giving up with that scenario though - the Tetra has 2 suboscs per voice where the Rev2 now has one, so does that mean chained patches would only be able to use 1 of the Tetra suboscs per voice?  What happens to the other?

The Tetra would play whatever patch it's set to play. If its patch uses both suboscillators, they'll play. The consequence is that it won't match the sounds played by the REV2.

[eXode]

From about 10 min in there is some shape mod tweaking and demonstration of the slop.

https://youtu.be/OVFGutH2peI

[Jason]

https://youtu.be/OVFGutH2peI

Great video. I really like the Shape Mod feature.

[LoboLives]

Sounds pretty decent. If I do end up picking one up, it'll most likely be an eight voice. It's a tad annoying switching the patches is by a dial instead of buttons (like the P-6), makes it a bit more difficult to switch between sequences on the fly.

[Morgenspaziergang]

Exactly you the confirmation i needed to hear. Your post is exactly what i was looking for.

Cheers. 

Hopeful rev 2 will get its own sub forum. Its. A shame this excellent thread is burned down in the off topic section...

My question: would getting a rev2 seeing that i have an ob6 already, be superfluous?

Different oscillators, different filters, different number of LFOs, different number of envelopes, and more than twice the polyphony, far more modulation possibilities, poly sequencer, effects per layer on the REV2...

I mean... they are almost nothing alike, except being DSI analog polys.

[Robot Heart]

There is one less-heralded usability feature that I'm concerned may be lost with the upgrade to Rev2...

...Alternatively, perhaps it would be possible to hold down the Compare button and turn a knob to see it's stored value?

There will be an indicator on the display when you've arrived at the originally programmed parameter value.

There is also a "show" function, by holding the Misc Params button and turning a knob or pressing a button the current value of the parameter is displayed without changing the value itself. Note the current value will be the same as the programmed parameter value when you first recall a preset, but if you've edited the preset it will display whatever value you've changed it to.

[Robot Heart]

No plans on poly chaining, 16 voices should cover you. No poly chain with the older instruments, the feature sets are too different. You can still use the older instruments as an external "stack" simply by using the MIDI Out of the REV2 though.

[Fuseball]

There will be an indicator on the display when you've arrived at the originally programmed parameter value.

There is also a "show" function, by holding the Misc Params button and turning a knob or pressing a button the current value of the parameter is displayed without changing the value itself. Note the current value will be the same as the programmed parameter value when you first recall a preset, but if you've edited the preset it will display whatever value you've changed it to.

That's great. Thanks. I did wonder if you might have implemented something similar to the P6 dot.

Equally, if you press Compare and then use the "show" function does that then show the parameter value for the compared preset?

Ok, another question - Does the Rev2 have the same unison options as the P'08 or do you now have more control over number of voices (like the P6) or detune handled by Slop (like the OB6)?

[eXode]

I'd love polyphonic dual and quad modes (i.e. 8*2, and 4*4) where the pan spread would pan the voices L and R. The awesome thing with the REV2 and 16 voices is that you could do a layered dual mode and still have 4 voices of polyphony with true stereo goodness! I'm guessing at least one other user on this forum wouldn't mind something like that...

[vinnyburns1@mac.com]

There will be an indicator on the display when you've arrived at the originally programmed parameter value.

There is also a "show" function, by holding the Misc Params button and turning a knob or pressing a button the current value of the parameter is displayed without changing the value itself. Note the current value will be the same as the programmed parameter value when you first recall a preset, but if you've edited the preset it will display whatever value you've changed it to.

Well, the old saying "if it isn't broke.... etc. Please don't redesign things from the original that already make the synth brilliant in the first place. This new synth is going to be fantastic but just read what you have posted above and look how much more convoluted your 'new' method is compared to just simply displaying current value and the edited value.
Don't make it into a 'designed by committee' nightmare.
The way this is already implemented is perfect. Why would you change that?

[Sacred Synthesis]

Does it appear as if there won't be a REV2 Module?   Hmmm, this would be a problem.  In order for a synthesizer to qualify as my main poly synth, it has to have the ability to be expanded with identical modules.  Combining a REV2 Keyboard with Prophet '08 Modules wouldn't work well enough.  I've been intending to switch over my whole P'08 system of one keyboard and two modules to REV2's.  I'll have to wait and see.

Again, it is possible that the old Prophet '08 could have some advantages over the new REV2.

[Sacred Synthesis]

There will be an indicator on the display when you've arrived at the originally programmed parameter value.

There is also a "show" function, by holding the Misc Params button and turning a knob or pressing a button the current value of the parameter is displayed without changing the value itself. Note the current value will be the same as the programmed parameter value when you first recall a preset, but if you've edited the preset it will display whatever value you've changed it to.

Well, the old saying "if it isn't broke.... etc. Please don't redesign things from the original that already make the synth brilliant in the first place. This new synth is going to be fantastic but just read what you have posted above and look how much more convoluted your 'new' method is compared to just simply displaying current value and the edited value.
Don't make it into a 'designed by committee' nightmare.
The way this is already implemented is perfect. Why would you change that?

It's true.  The old design of the Prophet '08 made altering old programs a breeze.  You could see the old setting together with the change you were making all at once. 

Again, wait and see.  I look forward to seeing some working demonstrations.