Swapping a P12 for a REV2

Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« on: October 29, 2017, 02:16:25 AM »
I've been offered a REV2 (16 voice) in as new condition as trade for my P12, also in great condition.

I think I'm gonna go ahead - I loved my tetra, but have found it much harder to get the sounds I want out of the P12 (I know this is my fault, and I'm not one of those who doesn't think it's a great instrument).

I'm not making a loss on it - I bought the P12 2nd hand for £1600, and it'd cost me £1900 for a new REV2 anyhow.

I'd like any opinions people might have about this. Does it sound like a reasonable thing to do? Or am I being mad?

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2017, 06:00:13 AM »
I've been offered a REV2 (16 voice) in as new condition as trade for my P12, also in great condition.

I think I'm gonna go ahead - I loved my tetra, but have found it much harder to get the sounds I want out of the P12 (I know this is my fault, and I'm not one of those who doesn't think it's a great instrument).

I'm not making a loss on it - I bought the P12 2nd hand for £1600, and it'd cost me £1900 for a new REV2 anyhow.

I'd like any opinions people might have about this. Does it sound like a reasonable thing to do? Or am I being mad?

Not a bad idea. They are similar in enough respects that a shift from one to the other would not be a difficult transition. And the built-in effects are a big plus for ease of use.

You will lose the high-pass filter and delays, but my guess is that you've not really been using those anyway.

For me, the Rev2 desktop has been tempting....
Sequential / DSI stuff: Prophet-6 Keyboard with Yorick Tech LFE, Prophet 12 Keyboard, Mono Evolver Keyboard, Split-Eight, Six-Trak, Prophet 2000

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2017, 06:15:07 AM »
I've been offered a REV2 (16 voice) in as new condition as trade for my P12, also in great condition.

I think I'm gonna go ahead - I loved my tetra, but have found it much harder to get the sounds I want out of the P12 (I know this is my fault, and I'm not one of those who doesn't think it's a great instrument).

I'm not making a loss on it - I bought the P12 2nd hand for £1600, and it'd cost me £1900 for a new REV2 anyhow.

I'd like any opinions people might have about this. Does it sound like a reasonable thing to do? Or am I being mad?

Well I have both synths and these are my thoughts...

If you prefer the character of an analogue synth then the REV2 is the one for you - certainly if you miss the Tetra it's a no brainer IMO - the REV2 is a 16 voice Tetra! :)

However the UI on the Prophet 12 is much better than the REV2.
The bigger OLED display, the soft buttons and soft knobs above and below the display, the dedicated User & Factory buttons, the dedicated Bank Select buttons and the Numeric keypad make it much quicker to navigate.

If you play live the two Sliders are a great as is the 'playlist' mode - neither of which are on the REV2.

Both synths are capable of making sounds that the other synth cannot so it comes down to the kinds of sound you want and the kind of instrument you want to play & program.

The P12 is definitely the more complete instrument and it's great for soft string pads (which I love), but you get 16 voices of polyphony on the REV2, so even with a layered program (when it effectively becomes a 4 oscillator analogue synth with 2 effects), you get 8 voices - pretty darned good! :)

So yes in your instance I'd say go for it! :)

There are plus and negatives to both.

However if I had to give up one it'd be the REV2 not my P12.

That's me though and if you miss the Tetra I'd go for the REV2.

I'd be happy with either synth tbh, they are both excellent! :)
« Last Edit: October 29, 2017, 06:22:00 AM by jazzygb1 »

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2017, 06:31:17 AM »
Thanks both. I think I'm gonna go for it. I miss how easy it was to get the sound I liked on my tetra.

I was kind of worried I was trading the flagship in for something noticeably worse, but it sounds like the rev2 is a similar level but different.

I also reckon I'd get more mileage out of the effects than the stuff I'd lose.

If I ever do get better at programming, I could always save up for a P12 module...

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2017, 06:53:20 AM »

Well I have both synths and these are my thoughts...


Just out of interest, what kind of music do you do - and what would you use the REV2 for over the P12?

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2017, 06:56:39 AM »

Well I have both synths and these are my thoughts...


Just out of interest, what kind of music do you do - and what would you use the REV2 for over the P12?

Stuff like this...
https://soundcloud.com/blottuk

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2017, 07:00:30 AM »
Nice! Some cool stuff there - and it at least sounds like there's a lot of P12 all over it? In what circumstances would you choose to use the REV2 over the P12?

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2017, 07:53:01 AM »
Nice! Some cool stuff there - and it at least sounds like there's a lot of P12 all over it? In what circumstances would you choose to use the REV2 over the P12?

Thanks :)

Tbh I'm still finding that out (I've only had the REV 2 a couple of months). :)
For me it's not necessarily where I'd use one instead of the other, but more where I'd use them both together.

There is a character to the REV2 sound that is just different to the Prophet 12.

Compare the pulse waves on the P12 to the REV2 for example and there's a significant difference in the core sound, which means a pulse wave based sound you like on the P12 cannot be replicated on the REV2 and vice versa.

For me they compliment each other rather than replace one other.  I think the P12 excels at certain sounds like soft, lush, stringy pads for example, but combine it with a string pad from the Rev2 with it's brasher, fuller analogue sound and you get a truly brilliant string pad better than either synth alone could produce.

When playing live the Prophet 12 is just so expressive and little touches like the Sliders and the Playlist are great - even the illuminated pitch & Mod wheels all just make you love it that little bit more. :)
Plus the programming flexibility means the longer you own it the better it becomes (that's not a line btw, it genuinely does).
That's what I meant when I said it was the superior 'instrument' - that doesn't necessarily make it a superior synth, just that as an all round instrument the P12 is better conceived IMO.

That said I WAS NOT a fan of the P12 to begin with tbh and it took a couple of months for it to 'click' with me and I was close to moving it on at one point but you'd have to pry it from my cold dead hands now! :)

That's not to say that the REV2 isn't great too BTW - it totally is! :)
Love mine, love how ballsy it sounds and I like the fact that it's rubbish at being gentle. Even the thinnest sounds sound thick & wooly! lol

Ultimately though it just gives me a broader palette to work from sonically. If you want an analogue sound you really need an analogue synth and TBH there's no other current analogue synth that touches the REV2 for value for money IMO so that's why I went for the REV2.

I'm actually in the process of making a video comparing the P12 to The Rev2 at the moment and should be uploaded in the coming days.

In June this year Dave Smith released a Firmware update for the P12 despite it being a 4 year old product and strange though it may sound, that was the clincher for me getting the REV2.
The support DSI give their synths was a BIG factor in me deciding on the REV2 instead of say a DM12 or Peak. In fact I think I posted as much on the Forum at the time.

After owning a lot of high end Roland kit which is simply abandoned like the Jupiter 80 and Integra 7, finding a company that truly supports their products is worth its weight in gold IMO and there's a big chance that my next major purchase will be another DSI synth because of it.

VERY happy with both my DSI synths at the moment and I'm sure you'll love the REV2 too. :)

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2017, 08:39:30 AM »
Thanks for the reply - much appreciated!

niagarasynths

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2017, 10:26:01 AM »
I sold my P12 to get a Rev2. When I bought the P12 (sight unseen) I had hoped it would sound more analog but it lacked in that regard. Not that you can't get analog sounds out of it, it just seemed like work. The keyboard, interface and sliders are the bomb. I'm overlooking the Rev2s' shortcomings right now but it has the girth I need. Any sounds I miss from the P12 I can get on my other stuff.

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2017, 02:25:36 PM »
Agreed to the swap - been playing my new REV2 for about half an hour and already really pleased I went ahead. I don't really care about whether something is analog or digital, but there's something about the presence and saturation of the sound of the REV2 which is just like the Tetra, and it's the kind of sound I was after personally.

I know the P12 is a quality instrument, but I'm way more at home on the REV2.

Thanks for all your advice!

sEIGu

Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2017, 06:12:14 AM »
Quote
Stuff like this...
https://soundcloud.com/blottuk

/like

Quai34

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Re: Swapping a P12 for a REV2
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2017, 01:26:58 AM »
That's funny, I have the same experience....The P12 is awesome for pads strings but when I layers it wi the P08, it bring a so much wider, strong sound than I've been using on a lot of songs even songs where there is no keys....Imagine "Gimme all your loving" by ZZtop...It's not specifically a Synthy song....But my bandmates love what I did with the songs....Well, anyway, I had too, otherwise, it would have been a very boring song for me to play....So, just to say that this combination of a more organic analog synth layers with a more digital ones could do marvels on a Hard Rock song, especially P12 and P08, therefore of course Rev-2 for sure...
Stage 2, NL2X+TC Pedals, Nord C2, Matrix 1000 X2, Proteus 2000, Prophet 12 & P08//Tetra+Eventide H9, TX802, Roland D50+PG1000, AX5080, AX keytar, Waldorf Streichfett, 2 Yorkville PS-10P, Bass: Ibanez SR1200+G&L L2000. Guitars: G&L Legacy HSS, Asat Blueboys, Asat Deluxe Savanna, Ibanez Artstar AS153