The New Sequential Prophet-5 and Prophet-10

[Paul Dither]

Time for a little flashback. Spot the differences:

Rev1


Rev2


Rev3


Rev4

[Nicko35]

Is Dave getting old?? Why should i buy a p5 for those kind of money when i can buy a p6 cheaper and without curtisfilter??
And without effects?? WTF!!Pure nostalgia,hmm just wondering what a p5 or a p10 is going to cost in Sweden?

[chysn]

Why should i buy a p5 for those kind of money when i can buy a p6 cheaper and without curtisfilter??

Not a single person here is telling you why you should buy anything.

[Sacred Synthesis]

And what's wrong with nostalgia?  After all, Dave Smith is a human being with a history he obviously cherishes.  Besides, nostalgia is finally providing us with musical instruments (such as the ARP 2600) that fill a vacuum left by the many new synthesizers that do everything under the sun.  Synthesists are apparently hungering for a distinctive quality sound, rather than limitless sound design capability that often results in generic variety, in a voice without character.  For this, the past remains a valuable resource.  And the simplicity of the control panels on these instruments tends to distract one less from the keyboard, resulting in more music and less sound effects.   

If you don't like nostalgic instruments, you've got a plethora of other brilliant new synthesizers from which to choose, including a number from Sequential.  But sometimes the constant innovation gets boring, even redundant, and it's refreshing to focus instead on just the fundamentals of synthesis.

[A Thousand Eyes]

@Nicko35: It's the CEM3320 featured in the P5 Rev 3, which is more highly regarded than the Curtis filter that you're probably associating with DSI products. In addition, it has a button to switch between those filters and the SSI2140, which is an improved recreation of the classic SSM2040 found in the P5 Rev 1&2 from the man himself who created the chip. While the Rev 1&2 are more highly sought after than the Rev 3, it's still a nice addition as they're obviously different enough to warrant having both in there.

[Manbird]

I can't even say how delighted I am about this new P5. I was skimming a related post on another forum and of course there were people perplexed by all the things "lacking," like hi-pass filters, sub oscs, fx etc. Meanwhile, I'm giggling with glee to discover it's got only a mono output, right? I simply can't put time into explaining *why* this is so thrilling to me. Those who get it, get it. I adore the Prophet 6. I own two of them. And I have a rev3 P5 three feet away as I type. But this new rev4 model... there's no way around it. Must have it. Can't afford it, but must have it. Anyone want to buy a kidney?

[LPF83]

I can't even say how delighted I am about this new P5. I was skimming a related post on another forum and of course there were people perplexed by all the things "lacking," like hi-pass filters, sub oscs, fx etc. Meanwhile, I'm giggling with glee to discover it's got only a mono output, right? I simply can't put time into explaining *why* this is so thrilling to me. Those who get it, get it. I adore the Prophet 6. I own two of them. And I have a rev3 P5 three feet away as I type. But this new rev4 model... there's no way around it. Must have it. Can't afford it, but must have it. Anyone want to buy a kidney?

My take on the matter is similar.   For me, it's like this:

What if, two weeks ago someone told me I could get a vintage SCI Prophet-5, in mint condition and perfect working order, with direct support from Dave's team including warranty, and it would only cost me three and a half grand?   Oh and by the way, it has been retrofitted with USB and a button that switches between Rev 1/2 and Rev 3 filter types, and a knob that simulates revision osc/env/filter sloppiness.

It would be a no brainer for most vintage synth enthusiasts to pull the trigger on Reverb or eBay or whatever.  They wouldn't be complaining about mono, no effects, etc.   They would just do it.

I still want to spend some time to hear it in a variety of situations, watch videos on impressions from others, etc.

Sounds fantastic in the J3PO video, but he also has 3 Strymon pedals on it, so it's not necessarily a showcase of the P5 reissue sound.

[LPF83]

And what's wrong with nostalgia?  After all, Dave Smith is a human being with a history he obviously cherishes.  Besides, nostalgia is finally providing us with musical instruments (such as the ARP 2600) that fill a vacuum left by the many new synthesizers that do everything under the sun.  Synthesists are apparently hungering for a distinctive quality sound, rather than limitless sound design capability that often results in generic variety, in a voice without character.  For this, the past remains a valuable resource.  And the simplicity of the control panels on these instruments tends to distract one less from the keyboard, resulting in more music and less sound effects.   

If you don't like nostalgic instruments, you've got a plethora of other brilliant new synthesizers from which to choose, including a number from Sequential.  But sometimes the constant innovation gets boring, even redundant, and it's refreshing to focus instead on just the fundamentals of synthesis.

Plus, the limitations of the instruments during the Golden Age of Analog were part of what made them so magical.  Anyone who researches how many tracks the P5 was used on, and how different and distinctive they sounded, might rethink whether or not the P5 should be a generic "kitchen sink" synth.

Limitations breed creativity... otherwise the machinery is doing all the work for us, taking over the role of the musician.

[Sacred Synthesis]

And what's wrong with nostalgia?  After all, Dave Smith is a human being with a history he obviously cherishes.  Besides, nostalgia is finally providing us with musical instruments (such as the ARP 2600) that fill a vacuum left by the many new synthesizers that do everything under the sun.  Synthesists are apparently hungering for a distinctive quality sound, rather than limitless sound design capability that often results in generic variety, in a voice without character.  For this, the past remains a valuable resource.  And the simplicity of the control panels on these instruments tends to distract one less from the keyboard, resulting in more music and less sound effects.   

If you don't like nostalgic instruments, you've got a plethora of other brilliant new synthesizers from which to choose, including a number from Sequential.  But sometimes the constant innovation gets boring, even redundant, and it's refreshing to focus instead on just the fundamentals of synthesis.

Plus, the limitations of the instruments during the Golden Age of Analog were part of what made them so magical.  Anyone who researches how many tracks the P5 was used on, and how different and distinctive they sounded, might rethink whether or not the P5 should be a generic "kitchen sink" synth.

Limitations breed creativity... otherwise the machinery is doing all the work for us, taking over the role of the musician.

And let's not overlook the fact that the "Golden Age of Analog" coincided with the golden age of progressive rock, when remarkable musicians produced remarkable music on - by modern standards - unremarkable instruments.  Look at what Tony Banks achieved with an ARP Pro Soloist, an instrument that would be regarded as a silly little toy by a modern synthesist.  I doubt the result would have been as musically and compositionally impressive if the same musicians had all owned Waldorf Quantums.  They would have wasted precious time in sound design.  Musical beauty is often lost in the perennial quest for complexity.

[jok3r]

As I statet in the other thread, I'm pretty sure, that I don't need a Prophet 5. But I watched the J3PO video and must admit, that it sounds absolutely beatiful. Yes, he uses the holy Strymon trinity on it... but that is exactly what I would do myself, since I own this pedals, too. This sounds so classic rock! ;-)

So now I can say, if I ever feel the urge to buy a reissue of any classic synth, then it would be this one.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Jok3r, perhaps you could find a place for the module version.

[jok3r]

Jok3r, perhaps you could find a place for the module version.

Hm... my experience with modules is not very satisfying. For example I love my PEAK... it's a wonderful sounding synth. But I do not use it as much as all my other gear, since I cannot simply start it up and play. Having to hook up a midi keyboard everytime is really annoying. If have everything installed in my home studio then it is no problem, because I have a mio10 where everything is connected and I can play every synth from every other. But since I'm a gigging musician, half of my synth are in rehearsal rooms, other rooms in the house or simply in their road cases somewhere else. So most of the time, the PEAK is here, but I have to get some midi keyboard hooked up first. And that often stops me before have even started 

Perhaps that will change, when I find time to get some of my older keyboards out of my parents house to my own. I love my S90ES but don't use it live anymore. Perhaps I could install that permanently in my studio as master controller.

So I was just looking for keyboard versions of everything the last years. That is also the reason why I didn't buy a P6 module. I'm living in a big house in the country, so fortunatly space is not a problem.

[LoboLives]

Truth be told I likely will get a P5. I do hope the modules are slightly different. Perhaps the modules can feature a poly sequencer and hopefully poly chaining.

[chysn]

Time for a little flashback. Spot the differences:

This was a fun and educational exercise, thanks!

[Paul Dither]

Time for a little flashback. Spot the differences:

This was a fun and educational exercise, thanks!

 

[LoboLives]

I am a bit worried that this is going to end up being a limited run like the Minimoog Model D or ARP 2600 reissue.

[Shaw]

I am a bit worried that this is going to end up being a limited run like the Minimoog Model D or ARP 2600 reissue.

Someone from Sequential chimed in on GS and said that this isn’t a limited edition. I got the sense that they intend to make them as long as people are buying them.

[Pym]

This is not a limited edition

I am a bit worried that this is going to end up being a limited run like the Minimoog Model D or ARP 2600 reissue.

Someone from Sequential chimed in on GS and said that this isn’t a limited edition. I got the sense that they intend to make them as long as people are buying them.

[timbo74]

It's great to see Sequential bring back this icon of a synth.
And the Rev1/2/3 switch gives it all flavours. Nice.
 
 

[LoboLives]

This is not a limited edition

I am a bit worried that this is going to end up being a limited run like the Minimoog Model D or ARP 2600 reissue.

Someone from Sequential chimed in on GS and said that this isn’t a limited edition. I got the sense that they intend to make them as long as people are buying them.

Wonderful.