Now we need a new Pro One etc

[Paul Dither]

I'd love to see somebody do a blind sound test between a P6 in unison mode (set to 2 voices - 4 Osc, no sub) and a Pro 2 (4 Osc, no sub).

Not to put the pressure on you, Paul, but.... 

I'll do my best...

[Paul Dither]

There.

Now that is a thing of beauuuuuty!  Just add five more notes on the bottom end of the keyboard, and I'm all in for it.

Thanks! I knew you would say that.     But you have to be happy that it has more than 2.5 octaves. 

[Paul Dither]

The original mod section, which was pretty much based on the original.

[Paul Dither]

For a nostalgic Saturday:

[Paul Dither]

I'd love to see somebody do a blind sound test between a P6 in unison mode (set to 2 voices - 4 Osc, no sub) and a Pro 2 (4 Osc, no sub).

To be fair the comparison should be done so that the two synths are set as closely as possible to try and re-create the same patch… No effects, no overly complicated sequenced patches, etc.

Both would need to be limited in some ways, but that's fine for the sake of a good comparison.

Here you go: https://soundcloud.com/pauldither/p6-pro2/s-g5oFI

A quick note: Both synths use two oscillators (since the Prophet-6 only has two) and the Prophet-6 has been set to one voice unison mode to keep things equal. No sub has been used.

The filter cutoff frequency is set to about 2/3 (interestingly, the Pro 2 filter had to be opened almost fully), and the VCA envelope is set to moderate attack and release phases. Slop is set to about 20%, and both oscillators are slightly detuned (about 4 cents). The settings are exactly the same for each patch.

Here are the waveform details about the single examples:
1. Sawtooth
2. Triangle
3. Square
4. PWM (at a moderate rate)

[Shaw]

I'd love to see somebody do a blind sound test between a P6 in unison mode (set to 2 voices - 4 Osc, no sub) and a Pro 2 (4 Osc, no sub).

To be fair the comparison should be done so that the two synths are set as closely as possible to try and re-create the same patch… No effects, no overly complicated sequenced patches, etc.

Both would need to be limited in some ways, but that's fine for the sake of a good comparison.

Here you go: https://soundcloud.com/pauldither/p6-pro2/s-g5oFI

A quick note: Both synths use two oscillators (since the Prophet-6 only has two) and the Prophet-6 has been set to one voice unison mode to keep things equal. No sub has been used.

The filter cutoff frequency is set to about 2/3 (interestingly, the Pro 2 filter had to be opened almost fully), and the VCA envelope is set to moderate attack and release phases. Slop is set to about 20%, and both oscillators are slightly detuned (about 4 cents). The settings are exactly the same for each patch.

Here are the waveform details about the single examples:
1. Sawtooth
2. Triangle
3. Square
4. PWM (at a moderate rate)

Great comparison!  Thanks for doing that.  For fun, I'd say the P6 is the first one in each of the 5 samples.  But it is hard to tell for sure. 

Cheers!

[Paul Dither]

Great comparison!  Thanks for doing that.  For fun, I'd say the P6 is the first one in each of the 5 samples.  But it is hard to tell for sure. 

Cheers!

No problem. I'll keep you all in suspense for a couple of days. Then I will reveal, which one is which. 

[Sacred Synthesis]

I would say with the first two examples - the sawtooth and triangle - that the Prophet-6 was the first example and the Pro 2 the second.  The differences were substantial.

In the third pair - the square - I would actually guess the second example was the P-6, which sounded better to my ear.  But if the Pro 2 is the second of the pair, than I have to admit that it sounds quite good.  The fourth pair - the PWM patches - sounds almost equal.

Paul, without giving away the instruments, was the P-6 sawtooth patch using slop, because the detuning was quite substantial?  Is it possible on the P-6 to maintain a steady oscillator beating rate up and down the keyboard?

[Paul Dither]

Paul, without giving away the instruments, was the P-6 sawtooth patch using slop, because the detuning was quite substantial?  Is it possible on the P-6 to maintain a steady oscillator beating rate up and down the keyboard?

The slop setting is exactly the same on all patches, about 20%, which is still in the region of subtle. The drifting effect rises exponentially to the oscillator frequency - at least according to my observations.

[Paul Dither]

Okay, since I guess only the two of you - Shaw and Sacred Synthesis - are interested in this comparison, i shall reveal the secret: The first example is always the Pro 2, the second one the Prophet-6.

[Paul Dither]

Also, I guess this would be more realistic. Pardon the seemingly messy perspective due to pots being used that have been photographed from the top mostly.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Okay, since I guess only the two of you - Shaw and Sacred Synthesis - are interested in this comparison, i shall reveal the secret: The first example is always the Pro 2, the second one the Prophet-6.

You're joking, aren't you?

[Paul Dither]

Okay, since I guess only the two of you - Shaw and Sacred Synthesis - are interested in this comparison, i shall reveal the secret: The first example is always the Pro 2, the second one the Prophet-6.

You're joking, aren't you?

No, I'm not.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Goodness gracious.  Then the Pro 2 sounds better to me than the Prophet-6.  Either you were recording with your cell phone, or I'm having an identity crisis. 

[Paul Dither]

Goodness gracious.  Then the Pro 2 sounds better to me than the Prophet-6.  Either you were recording with your cell phone, or I'm having an identity crisis.

No, I recorded straight into Ableton Live. So, I'm sorry sir, you're having an identity crisis now. 

I mean I could also offer to record just the same with only one oscillator and absolutely no slop.

[Sacred Synthesis]

It wouldn't matter.  Honestly, the Prophet-6 sawtooth sounded terrible - thin and sterile.  I'm mystified by this.

[Paul Dither]

Honestly, the Prophet-6 sawtooth sounded terrible.

Hm, I honestly think that it's one of the waveforms that sounds very close on both synths, unlike the triangle wave, which seems to be buzzier on the Prophet-6.
I recognized something else though: The amplitude of the recorded Pro 2 files look more as if they're been run through a compressor (they're more equal levelled) than those of the Prophet-6, which look more dynamic.

[Shaw]

Okay, since I guess only the two of you - Shaw and Sacred Synthesis - are interested in this comparison, i shall reveal the secret: The first example is always the Pro 2, the second one the Prophet-6.

Oh shit.   I've got to go back and listen again. Because the first example definitely sounds better than the second in almost all of the comparisons. 

I'll bet DSI deletes this thread...

Cheers!

[Sacred Synthesis]

This makes sense to me only in two ways: first, I did expect the Pro 2 sawtooth to sound better than did that second sawtooth sample (which I wrongly thought was the Pro 2).  I've heard it sound better in other recordings.  And second, the phasing in the second to last sample definitely sounded digital, as opposed to the phasing in the very last.  But I thought both instruments sounded poor - very thin.  Paul, I think your YouTube recordings sound a little warmer than did this one.

You now owe DSI the price of a Prophet-6, or possibly two. 

I'll be interested to see what the others on the forum think.

[Benzebub]

I was also very surprised by this. In person I prefer the Prophet 6 sawtooth to the Pro 2 one (although I should saw that for a digital sawtooth the Pro 2 is very good).
Good comparison, always nice to get a reality check.