Reunited and it feels so etc!

Reunited and it feels so etc!
« on: August 12, 2021, 08:18:35 AM »
After a year and a half, I'm back in Berlin and so pleased to be spending time with my beloved Prophet 6. The Vintage upgrade is fab. It does the very thing I always wished Slop would do. It's subtle, but it brings the "beautiful blur" to the 6.

It's funny how much love I have for the P6. So many of us, when it was first announced, hoped it was actually a P5 crammed into a smaller box, and it took time to accept (a) it wasn't and (b) that it was wonderful in its own right. It's still my favourite synth to play. Meaning, I sit and my hands wander around just as they do a real piano. The word "modern" is often used to describe the sound and that's how it sits in my ears, certainly. This is an almost blasphemous thing to say, but I like that on the rev 4 P5, there are options to adjust the fuzz when the synth is in Unison mode. I tend often now to tweak my P5 bass patches towards the cleaner, P6 side of the spectrum. Also on the "I can't believe you're about to say this!" end, I' certain I won't miss my P5 while I'm away from it the same way I've been missing the 6. Maybe this is because I've known the Prophet 5 for decades and I can count on it to make "that" sound the moment I'm back with it. The Prophet 6, though, all the more with the Vintage function added, feels like it's constantly challenging me to understand it differently and more deeply. The P5 - to me - never goes wrong. It sounds great every time, and fits the track at hand. I find that the P6 takes more delicate effort sometimes, to get it  sonically where I want it to land.

I know how fortunate I am to have both synths. I'll very likely end up shipping the P6 back to California, where it will live side by side with the Prophet 5. The other synths I'm shipping home include my Pro One and Evolver (represent!).

 

LPF83

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Re: Reunited and it feels so etc!
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2021, 04:27:33 PM »
After a year and a half, I'm back in Berlin and so pleased to be spending time with my beloved Prophet 6. The Vintage upgrade is fab. It does the very thing I always wished Slop would do. It's subtle, but it brings the "beautiful blur" to the 6.

It's funny how much love I have for the P6. So many of us, when it was first announced, hoped it was actually a P5 crammed into a smaller box, and it took time to accept (a) it wasn't and (b) that it was wonderful in its own right. It's still my favourite synth to play. Meaning, I sit and my hands wander around just as they do a real piano. The word "modern" is often used to describe the sound and that's how it sits in my ears, certainly. This is an almost blasphemous thing to say, but I like that on the rev 4 P5, there are options to adjust the fuzz when the synth is in Unison mode. I tend often now to tweak my P5 bass patches towards the cleaner, P6 side of the spectrum. Also on the "I can't believe you're about to say this!" end, I' certain I won't miss my P5 while I'm away from it the same way I've been missing the 6. Maybe this is because I've known the Prophet 5 for decades and I can count on it to make "that" sound the moment I'm back with it. The Prophet 6, though, all the more with the Vintage function added, feels like it's constantly challenging me to understand it differently and more deeply. The P5 - to me - never goes wrong. It sounds great every time, and fits the track at hand. I find that the P6 takes more delicate effort sometimes, to get it  sonically where I want it to land.

I know how fortunate I am to have both synths. I'll very likely end up shipping the P6 back to California, where it will live side by side with the Prophet 5. The other synths I'm shipping home include my Pro One and Evolver (represent!).

My P10 is still my favorite due to not only the tone, but the little details like the travel of the large knobs and what they bring to sound sculpting and performance play.   But I truly believe that the P6 will go down in history as one of the greatest analogs ever made -- it's that good.  It does not get that title right now because of "don't know what we've got till it's gone" syndrome.   A synth usually doesn't earn its slot in the hall of fame until they are no longer made and folks begin to actively seek out their sound on the used market.  But when it does go away, people are going to be talking about the Prophet 6 for a long time.   
Prophet 10, OB-X8m, Prophet 6, OB-6, 3rd Wave, Prophet 12m, Prophet Rev2-16, Toraiz AS-1, Pro 2, Virus TI2, Moog SlimPhatty, Hydrasynth desktop, Korg Minilogue XDm, Roland JP-8080, Roland System-8, Roland SPD-SX SE / Octapad, Maschine, Cubase/Ableton/Akai MPC

Re: Reunited and it feels so etc!
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2021, 05:06:51 PM »
After a year and a half, I'm back in Berlin and so pleased to be spending time with my beloved Prophet 6. … <snip>

Thanks for this write-up. It was very enjoyable to read. The P6 has been one of those few things (musical or otherwise) that I own that I enjoy and appreciate more and more over time. I’ve had it for several (5?) years and like it more every year. It’s a pretty wonderful instrument.

Re: Reunited and it feels so etc!
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2021, 04:14:25 AM »
I'm glad my love for the P6 has resonated a wee bit. I don't fault anyone for whatever their synth needs are - some people collect them just because, some use them as "tools" and some of us are "spiritually obsessed," to put it weirdly. It's kinda far out how much Sequential has been at the top of my mountain from the start.

LPF83 - while I'm with you on the (sorry for implied smirking, but I lived in the UK for years) P5/10 big knobs thing, I've come to dig the microscopic vibe of the Prophet 6. The tiniest of tiny tweaks can make the biggest difference. A very different mindset, for me, anyway. With the P5, there's no "work" involved... grab, dial in a sound and it's only always gonna sound fab. With the P6, there's a level of effort that goes into getting things just right. 

markwilkins - Yep, the P6 just gets better the more time is spent with it.

Re: Reunited and it feels so etc!
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2021, 07:07:57 AM »
For me I prefer the P6 over the P5 which I recently tried in store. While I appreciate the larger form factor, the P6 is way more versatile in terms of it's sonic pallet and features. I love the onboard distortion to warm up the sound, the hi pass filter, the sub oscillator, the more extensive poly mod section, and of course the sequencer, arpeggiator and onboard effects. The P6 can sound like a P5 but more importantly, it can also have it's own unique voice. I did a track recently in which I used the built in analog overdrive and a few people commented saying "Ugh that sounds so ugly and overdriven." but I took it as a compliment.

I can't wait for Sequential's next step after the Prophet 6 to see what else they can do with VCOs and further expand on the P6's capabilities.

I still say Paul Dither's Prophet 8 design is near perfect.

LPF83

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Re: Reunited and it feels so etc!
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2021, 07:52:57 AM »
LPF83 - while I'm with you on the (sorry for implied smirking, but I lived in the UK for years) P5/10 big knobs thing, I've come to dig the microscopic vibe of the Prophet 6. The tiniest of tiny tweaks can make the biggest difference. A very different mindset, for me, anyway. With the P5, there's no "work" involved... grab, dial in a sound and it's only always gonna sound fab. With the P6, there's a level of effort that goes into getting things just right. 

They are definitely different tools for different jobs; this is why I need both.  These would definitely be the 2 synths I keep if I ever had to get rid of everything else.  Even though the P10 is my favorite, if I could only keep one, it would be a tough choice...  the sequencer, the onboard fx, the HPF etc. of the P6 all find their use with me, regularly.   I agree the Rev4 seems to have sweet spots peeking out from behind every corner... Sometimes that's what I want (for example tweaking the sound during play).  Other times when sculpting sounds, I like to be challenged a bit.  In my own mind, I categorize them as Rev4=Vintage sound that can sound modern with a bit of work, and P6=Modern sound that can sound vintage with a bit of work.   There is some overlap in between those ranges where the two can sound very much alike.
Now if you'll pardon me, I've got some knob fiddling to do (nefarious pun). :)
Prophet 10, OB-X8m, Prophet 6, OB-6, 3rd Wave, Prophet 12m, Prophet Rev2-16, Toraiz AS-1, Pro 2, Virus TI2, Moog SlimPhatty, Hydrasynth desktop, Korg Minilogue XDm, Roland JP-8080, Roland System-8, Roland SPD-SX SE / Octapad, Maschine, Cubase/Ableton/Akai MPC

Re: Reunited and it feels so etc!
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2021, 08:11:52 AM »
For me I prefer the P6 over the P5 which I recently tried in store. While I appreciate the larger form factor, the P6 is way more versatile in terms of it's sonic pallet and features. I love the onboard distortion to warm up the sound, the hi pass filter, the sub oscillator, the more extensive poly mod section, and of course the sequencer, arpeggiator and onboard effects. The P6 can sound like a P5 but more importantly, it can also have it's own unique voice. I did a track recently in which I used the built in analog overdrive and a few people commented saying "Ugh that sounds so ugly and overdriven." but I took it as a compliment.

I can't wait for Sequential's next step after the Prophet 6 to see what else they can do with VCOs and further expand on the P6's capabilities.

I still say Paul Dither's Prophet 8 design is near perfect.

The funny thing for me is that I spent much energy when I first got the P6 trying to trick/squish/force/coerce etc it into being a Prophet 5. I only ran it through the mono out, and used an external (analog, of course) stereo chorus if needed. All the extra bits and pieces were fine, but my focus was on trying to knock it's number down a notch. By now, as I've already posted, I love the synth for everything it does. I set the distortion anywhere from barely to bastard, and make great use of the various effects. Still, it's the holistic feel of the thing that gets me. And yeah, the Vintage function does bring it much closer in feel to that of the P5. The 5, though, still has "that" sound. Often as I'm working, even if the P5 isn't my focus in the moment, I'll turn to the 5, hold down a single note just to get a buzz, then go back to whatever is in front of me. The P6 doesn't do *that* for me, but on the other and, it's the synth I really play, for pleasure's sake as well as being my go-to for a given project. I'll never part with either and I'm really looking forward to having the two of them in the same place.

Re: Reunited and it feels so etc!
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2021, 09:19:46 AM »
I still say Paul Dither's Prophet 8 design is near perfect.

I LOVE the idea of the Prophet 8 design.  Though, I really would like to see the Master Volume knob on the left-side of the keyboard like that of the Prophet 6.    Reason Being: that most chords and leads are probably played with the right hand.  And it is difficult to be playing a solo with your right hand and having to use your left arm to crossover your right arm to adjust master volume. As a result, you end up looking like a human pretzel.   
P5 Rev 3.3/P5 Rev 4 (w/Expansion board)/OB8/Jupiter 6/Juno 60/MKS80/MKS70/CP80/S80/AN1x/SK30/Motif XS Rack/CS6R/Crumar DS-2/Performer/ARP Axxe.

Re: Reunited and it feels so etc!
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2021, 07:01:00 AM »
Use a volume pedal?
Prophet X, Prophet 6, Nord Electro 5D 73, Korg Wavestate, NDLR, Arturia Matrixbrute, Waldorf Iridium, BARP 2600, Eurorack and altogether too many guitars.

Re: Reunited and it feels so etc!
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2021, 09:32:58 AM »
So, now I'm RE-reunited... I'm back in California, with all my gear shipped over from Berlin. Sadly, my Pro One didn't like the flight and is no longer speaking to me. Repair booked for next week!

Having the Prophet 6 and Prophet 5 side by side is a trip. I got so used to the 6 when I was back in Berlin. I have such a love for it, as much for it as a "complete thought" as for how it sounds. But dang/damn - coming back to the 5 was such an instant reminder that it's the king. For all the people who haven't played one and don't understand why a mono-output synth with no onboard effects could be worth any consideration, well, uh... What a sound. It FEELS like it's in stereo and running through every effect you can imagine, if I might exaggerate a bit. The P6 really does sound much more modern, and that's part of what I've come to love in the years I've had mine. You can match some patches - get the 6 and 5 to sound quite alike, but I've spent zero time doing that since I got back. They each are their own animals. I'm fortunate to have both.