Prophet 600

Sacred Synthesis · « **on:** June 14, 2016, 08:20:44 AM »

Of the many instruments produced by Sequential Circuits, the Prophet 600 has always sounded to me the most like a DSI synthesizer. I really like its character. Interestingly, I've heard many P600 demos that sounded so much like a Prophet '08. I've never associated the Prophet 5 sound with the Prophet '08, but the Prophet 600 is another story. One instrument could easily substitute for the other, due to their sonic similarities.

The P600 has a fairly basic feature set, but the good effect this has is that its users tend to make music with it, rather than endlessly tweak its parameters and make elaborate sound effects. That's just the sort of synthesizer that appeals to me.

Here are some examples of the character I mean:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZvgYxHpIOQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGa7dQhSY6I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z5c71OOZXo

Sacred Synthesis · « **Reply #1 on:** July 23, 2016, 02:31:10 PM »

Here's a comparison video of a P600 and an OB-6. The two instruments use only similar sounds, so the comparison value is limited.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_T8LIX-Gk8

Telstar · « **Reply #2 on:** July 27, 2016, 04:01:04 AM »

I really like the Prophet-600. I like its old school sound. I've always been fond of Vince Clarkes use of the Pro One, and I also really like the Prophet 5. I imagine the Prophet-600 sounds equally great.

I own the Prophet 6, but sometimes find it too clinical sounding, and I almost never use the effects. Each time I make a patch I find myself work extra hard to get that vintage sound, and then I only get about 80% there. I'd like a synth that has that inherent vibe, no matter what sound I make.

I've been going back and forth between the Prophet 600 and the Jupiter 6 as a replacement.
The one thing thats holding me back from the Prophet 600 is its lack of sequencer. I love sequencers. :-)

Sacred Synthesis · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2016, 06:29:53 AM »

Interesting comments on the Prophet-6. Have you tried the Prophet '08? I'm just curious, because the sound of the Prophet 600 always reminds of the Prophet '08.

I've never played a Prophet 600 either, but many of the videos I've heard sound excellent - and by that, I mean the character of the instrument, and not necessarily the high audio quality of the recording. It's funny how the former still comes through, in spite of the latter. I like the directness and simplicity of the control panel. Just the fundamentals.

There's quite a difference between the Jupiter 6 and the P600, isn't there? At least with the P600 you can get the Gligli update.

Paul Dither · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2016, 07:00:24 AM »

Quote from: Sacred Synthesis on July 27, 2016, 06:29:53 AM

I'm just curious, because the sound of the Prophet 600 always reminds of the Prophet '08.

Interesting. I would have said the opposite, but then it's also been a while since I played a Prophet 600. Sounded way more brassier and aggressive to me (tameable, of course). So I would describe the Prophet '08 as more polite sounding.

Sacred Synthesis · « **Reply #5 on:** July 27, 2016, 07:29:01 AM »

Quote from: Paul Dither on July 27, 2016, 07:00:24 AM

Quote from: Sacred Synthesis on July 27, 2016, 06:29:53 AM
I'm just curious, because the sound of the Prophet 600 always reminds of the Prophet '08.

Interesting. I would have said the opposite, but then it's also been a while since I played a Prophet 600. Sounded way more brassier and aggressive to me (tameable, of course). So I would describe the Prophet '08 as more polite sounding.

Meaning that a Prophet '08 sounds just like a Prophet 600? Yeah, I would agree with that, too.

I know what you meant. I truly think these two instrument sound very similar. It strikes me over and over again - that pleasantly bright and bristly filter that quickly changes to warm and mysterious as you close it. I personally don't think the P'08 sounds so dull and tame, like an old stiff and starchy VA. I know that's the prevailing view, but I find just the opposite to be true.

The three recordings I posted above - I'm sure I could easily and convincingly emulate those sounds on my Prophet '08. Indeed, they are its natural and normal voice.

Paul Dither · « **Reply #6 on:** July 27, 2016, 10:27:23 AM »

Quote from: Sacred Synthesis on July 27, 2016, 07:29:01 AM

I truly think these two instrument sound very similar. It strikes me over and over again - that pleasantly bright and bristly filter that quickly changes to warm and mysterious as you close it. I personally don't think the P'08 sounds so dull and tame, like an old stiff and starchy VA. I know that's the prevailing view, but I find just the opposite to be true.

I didn't mean to say that the Prophet '08 sounds dull, just more polite, cleaner, sophisticated.

Sacred Synthesis · « **Reply #7 on:** July 27, 2016, 11:27:31 AM »

Yeah, I kind of put words in your mouth. Sorry. But I get what you're saying. I just think the Prophet '08 is an under-appreciated classic. It can be made to sound pretty and petite, or else, like a giant monster that's going to gobble us all up.

Paul Dither · « **Reply #8 on:** July 27, 2016, 11:41:06 AM »

Quote from: Sacred Synthesis on July 27, 2016, 11:27:31 AM

I just think the Prophet '08 is an under-appreciated classic. It can be made to sound petite and pretty, or else, like a giant monster that's going to gobble us up.

It certainly can do both, yeah. What I meant by more aggressive sounding is something like an MS-20 vs a smooth Moog lead sound - just to make that continuum clear. In some ways the Prophet 600 reminded me more of that raw tone the Pro One is usually associated with. Definitely more edgy than the Prophet '08, which is what I meant by more polite with regard to the latter. And I still owned a Prophet '08 at the time I played a Prophet 600. To me it just sounded different, more wiry (for a lack of a better expression) and also more vintage, simply more raw. Marc Doty often uses the description of how you can sometimes just "feel" the voltages moving through a particular vintage synth. The Prophet 600 did this for me, not the Prophet '08.

Fuseball · « **Reply #9 on:** July 27, 2016, 03:31:47 PM »

Quote from: Sacred Synthesis on July 27, 2016, 06:29:53 AM

Interesting comments on the Prophet-6. Have you tried the Prophet '08? I'm just curious, because the sound of the Prophet 600 always reminds of the Prophet '08.

I've never played a Prophet 600 either, but many of the videos I've heard sound excellent - and by that, I mean the character of the instrument, and not necessarily the high audio quality of the recording. It's funny how the former still comes through, in spite of the latter. I like the directness and simplicity of the control panel. Just the fundamentals.

There's quite a difference between the Jupiter 6 and the P600, isn't there? At least with the P600 you can get the Gligli update.

I've always been curious about the Prophet 600, as a more affordable cousin of the 5. They're pretty hard to find in the UK though.

The P600 may gave Gligli but the Jupiter 6 also has Europa. Both great synths in their modernised forms. I really should use my Jupiter 6 more. I love the sound of it and always seems to fit easily into a mix.

Paul Dither · « **Reply #10 on:** July 27, 2016, 03:42:13 PM »

PS: These two videos come closest to my impression (with regard to the sonic character I was addressing):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzQ9prO9z2E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J46QTnMUWVU

Sacred Synthesis · « **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2017, 03:57:03 PM »

I continue to be amazed at the sound of this instrument. I love the rawness of its filter and PWM.

Here's a question for you synth experts: In your opinion, which DSI/Sequential synthesizer sounds most like the Prophet 600?

Paul Dither · « **Reply #12 on:** January 28, 2017, 04:32:48 PM »

Quote from: Sacred Synthesis on January 28, 2017, 03:57:03 PM

I continue to be amazed at the sound of this instrument. I love the rawness of its filter and PWM.

Here's a question for you synth experts: In your opinion, which DSI/Sequential synthesizer sounds most like the Prophet 600?

Hm, that's difficult. None really has that particular raw brassy rattling character as I would call it. You'd probably get closest if you swap the Prophet-6 filters with the Prophet '08/REV2 filter. Just spontaneously I'd say the Prophet '08/REV2. Mainly because the Prophet-6 sounds too premium in my ears, which I consider to be the opposite of the Prophet-600 sound. Plus: with the Prophet '08/REV2 you're definitely closer in terms of filter characteristics. The latter still sounds more hi-fi and smoother to me though.

Sacred Synthesis · « **Reply #13 on:** January 28, 2017, 05:16:06 PM »

Actually, there aren't too many choices, are there? I mean, it's either the Prophet '08/REV2, the Prophet-6, the Prophet 12, the Poly Evolver, or the OB-6. It probably isn't going to be any of the last three, so it comes down to either the P'08/REV2 or the P-6, or perhaps none. Hmmm, DSI needs yet another Prophet.

DavidDever · « **Reply #14 on:** March 09, 2017, 12:01:41 PM »

It appears that I'm bringing home a new member of the family next week, with new (reissue) CEM3340 Rev G VCO chips and a Gligli v2.x upgrade already installed...!

I've been hankering for a VCO-based polysynth for quite a while, but was unwilling to forgo a decent degree of MIDI control and serviceability for so-called "vintage tone". And–as I already have a Toraiz AS-1 on order from Sweetwater (handling my single Prophet-6 voice "fix"), this seemed to be a viable option.

This Prophet-600 will dovetail nicely with my other early-MIDI-with-a-freshly-rebrained Kiwi(JX)-3P; although neither unit has a velocity-sensitive keyboard, both now possess faster-than-original envelopes (with velocity scaling), LFOs and MIDI CC support.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIrymQoaU9I

Sacred Synthesis · « **Reply #15 on:** March 09, 2017, 12:14:28 PM »

Good for you. Congratulations.

Is that your Youtube channel, David?

Paul Dither · « **Reply #16 on:** March 09, 2017, 12:17:29 PM »

Someone recently did a voice panning upgrade similar to the one of the OB-X. The article is in German, but you can find audio examples below the article and the word "Klangbeispiele":

https://www.amazona.de/diy-sequential-prophet-600-panorama-upgrade/

DavidDever · « **Reply #17 on:** March 09, 2017, 01:31:16 PM »

Quote from: Sacred Synthesis on March 09, 2017, 12:14:28 PM

Good for you. Congratulations.

Is that your Youtube channel, David?

Oh, no–not mine–but that's one of the clips that finally convinced me.

DavidDever · « **Reply #18 on:** March 09, 2017, 01:50:51 PM »

Quote from: Paul Dither on March 09, 2017, 12:17:29 PM

Someone recently did a voice panning upgrade similar to the one of the OB-X. The article is in German, but you can find audio examples below the article and the word "Klangbeispiele":

https://www.amazona.de/diy-sequential-prophet-600-panorama-upgrade/

Might be interesting to mount the pan adjust pots within the wood side panel a la OB-Series....

Paul Dither · « **Reply #19 on:** March 09, 2017, 02:20:41 PM »

Quote from: DavidDever on March 09, 2017, 01:50:51 PM

Quote from: Paul Dither on March 09, 2017, 12:17:29 PM
Someone recently did a voice panning upgrade similar to the one of the OB-X. The article is in German, but you can find audio examples below the article and the word "Klangbeispiele":

https://www.amazona.de/diy-sequential-prophet-600-panorama-upgrade/

Might be interesting to mount the pan adjust pots within the wood side panel a la OB-Series....

That would probably be the coolest solution. I found it quite interesting what it does to the sound. It turns it into a really luxurious sounding synth.