Prophet REV2 16 voice

[seqpro3]

I’ve listened to the prophet rev2 16 voice in demos comparing it to the OBX8 . It sounding very close to the OBX8
But had the advantage when it came to splits and layers being it had 16 voice polyphony. I realize it has DCOs. Was wondering if the fact it uses DCOs instead of VCOs  changes the overal timbre and sonic signature . I know that DCOs are more stable than VCOs. That’s why they were developed especially in regards to polysynths. I thought it sounded good. I realize it still is an analog synth none the less. I always was interested in it simply because of the 16 voice polyphony.
I’ve read on forums about VCOs  and DCOs . I’m in the camp of VCOs  simply because they sound alive and have a breathing quality to them so to speak. Some people say DCOs sound sterile.  It seems that if a polysynth has VCOs you pay a premium as well. I have the OBX8 and it costs alot more than the prophet Rev2 16 voice.  I’ve heard people say the rev2
Didn’t sound as good as say the Prophet5/10 rev4 . I know some of this is subjective and these synths offer different features and price points. Does the price difference between the two reflect the cost of possibly discrete electronics  in one
And voices on a chip in the other?  I’m not technical I’ve just read some things on forums comparing and contrasting
VCOs and DCOs. I assume it costs more to make an analog poly synth with VCOs? I’ve read that the rev2 was considered weaker sounding than some of the other sequential/oberhiem offerings.  I just wonder if people can really hear a difference
In the sound. I also know there are other factors like the type of oscillators and filter that are used and possibly if there are effects on board. I wonder if sometimes you pay an inflated price for nostalgia possibly. Some synths seem to have obviously more features and modulation capability’s , voice count, verses maybe a simpler synth that has less features, less voices but has a more coveted sound. Sometimes I wonder if it’s physchological as well. Sometimes overall tone is everything. I guess it comes down to what feature set you want in a synth.  I’m sure different synths are marketed differently for various reasons. Just was wondering what ProphetRev2 owners have to say.

[hoodoo_ray]

First off, this is the Prophet 08 section, not the Rev2 - so you may want to post this in the Rev2 section as well to get more responses!

In regards your question on DCOs vs VCOs you will hear differing viewpoints. There are some folk who say they dislike DCOs etc. There are some who say that these days there is no difference. Others still will say that there is a distinct difference in sound between them. And yet others still who say that it doesn't make a difference, it's all about the filter etc. Or indeed a combination of everything on board the synth. etc etc etc

All I will say is: the Prophet 08 is my favourite ever synth. By the way, the Alpha Juno is perhaps my second favourite (maybe), and it also has DCOs like the Prophet 08. But I also love the OB6 (VCOs), Prophet 6 (VCOs)...

Is the reason for your question in regards what synth you wish to get? My advice is always to go for the one which inspires you the most, regardless of features, technical specifications etc. It's why I love the Prophet 08, I seem to come up with my best stuff on that, and I just love being in the 'world' of that synth.

But that's just me, and I can only give my viewpoint. However others may think differently and perhaps more pragmatically about it. Considerations such as size and weight of the synth, will it be used for studio of live (or both), would you want on board effects, what are the modulation capabilities, what is the filter like etc etc.. I tend not to worry about that and like I say just go for teh one that draws me in.. hence why it's always great to try then out beforehand (if possible).

[chysn]

Moderator note: Moved this topic to Prophet Rev2 forum.

[AlainHubert]

i own a REV2  16 voices. And its big advantages over the OBX8 are; the number of voices (obviously), the mod matrix, the 4 LFOs. The filters, however, are very different from the OBX8, and frankly I don't like them very much. They're Curtis CEM3396 type filters. Not much to do with the CEM3320 or any other Curtis filters.

I much prefer the sound of the SEM filter, which the OBX8 has along with CEM3320 too.
The DCOs of the REV2 don't bother me much since they can be slightly detuned (per the detune knob), but it doesn't quite give the same results as the "vintage mode" of the OB6 or Prophet6 or Prophet 5. But still, they sound okay.

If the price of the OBX8 wasn't so damn high, I would get one. But since I already have a very very nice sounding OB6, I don't see the need for it just to get 2 more voices.

[Jason]

I think the best thoughts on this issue can be read in the post regarding VCM by Creative Spiral. His VCM templates give us something like a vintage knob on the Rev2. When using these templates, we can get the Rev2 DCOs into the realm of VCOs. I use two Rev2's together in true stereo (and did the same prior to it with the '08's). I have considered numerous times over the years whether or not I should sell my two Rev2's and get something else with VCOs. But when I play the Prophet-6, OB-6, Prophet-5, etc... I continue be satisfied with my decision to continue to use my setup. I have not yet played the OB-X8, and perhaps its stereo options would win me over? But as you have said: the Rev2 is great at getting Oberheim sounds. (I'll attach a link to my 1984/Jump video.)

https://forum.sequential.com/index.php?topic=3449.0

[seqpro3]

Sounds good. It sounds like the OBXA used on Jump.My drummer friend Tony Pia played drums for David Lee Roth,Edger
Winter.Van Morrison,The Doobie Brothers and K Emerson  sadly before K Emerson passed. Sadly EVH is gone as well.
I once purchased a OBXA used for $500 dollars when I lived in Texas. I regret selling it . My OBX8 will have to suffice instead. I sometimes think about selling some of my synths so I could purchase a Prophet 10/Rev4 or a Prophet5 rev4.
There are so many great sounding poly synths being offered right now. I saw where someone had modded thier Prophet 10
Making it so it had stereo outs utilizing the headphone out jack and converting the headphone jack to stereo. If the Prophet
10 had been in stereo I would have probably opted to get it other than the OBX8.

[Jason]

I believe I saw Tony Pia perform with Keith Emerson when he played at NEARFest in 2006; I also have their live DVD.
I used to play with a drummer who had also played with Edger Winter a long time ago; unfortunately my friend died of an overdose.

The new Prophet 5/10 sounds amazing. I do wish it were stereo... or maybe not as I would probably feel compelled to buy one!

[seqpro3]

Small world. That was quite a while ago. Sorry to hear about your friend my condolences. I think the prophet 10 would have
been  better if it had been equipped with stereo outs. In the 70s it was normal to have a single mono out on synths like the Minimoog modelD and prophet5.  I always thought Frankenstein was a great tune . I saw Johnny Winter at a blues festival
Many years ago. I sold some of my synth programming and samples to Waylon Jennings son Shooter Jennings many years ago when I was into sampling, met him on the internet it seems odd that he would be interested being he was a country
Musician. He put them on an album. He even has a Minimoog Voyager.  I’ve played with a few famous jazz musicians like Stanley Turrentine once.  Jazz for the most part will make you poor and desolate.  I’ve seen Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock,
Mike Brecker Roy Hargrove, Terri Lynn Carrington . I even met McCoy Tyner once ,had him autograph an album called tender moments with McCoy Tyner. He was brilliant and humble. sadly he’s gone as well as Roy Hargrove and Mike Brecker.
I was going to study with Gerri Allen , she had been married to Wallace Rooney who was miles Davis’s only trumpet student, but sadly she was taken ill so it never happened. She had albums that Ron Carter and Tony Williams had played on with her.
Wallace Rooney was the trumpeter for Tony Williams when I saw him at Caravan Of Dreams in Fort Worth Texas. I lived in Denton Texas many years ago that’s how I met Tony Pia he had attended the North Texas State school of music. He had studied jazz there. He moved out to LA and got those gigs with those 70s rock acts. He was friends with Greg Bissonnette
So I think he helped him get hooked up with David Lee Roth.  I lived in a house and ended up renting the room Matt Chamberlain’ had rented , he was the drummer for Eddie Brikell and Tori Amos. He was the second drummer for Pearl Jam.
He also played drums on Saturday Night Live for awhile. There was a jazz drummer that lived in that house as well named
Earl Harvin he played for that singer from Ireland that did the song nothing compares to you. I can never spell her name correctly. Last I heard he was living in Berlin. This was along time ago when I was living in that house in Denton Texas.

[Autosynther]

I think the prophet 10 would have been  better if it had been equipped with stereo outs.

I asked at P10 forum about that, and got a link to buy such addon cards for stereo outs.
So there are 3rd party ones.

I decided on a REV2-16 desktop instead, but it is there if you want it for a P10.
You can search on my nickname to simplify.

Voice panning is probably one of the greatest  contributions to synths overall, even if Oberheim had them long ago.
- not cancelling out a lot of harmonics with all these voices stacked, but spread them and it's just lovely and rich

[seqpro3]

It seems like a feature like stereo panning and stereo outs would be features that you would want to implement in the prophet 10 rev4. I liked the fact it has 10 voice polyphony. Shame they didn’t make it in stereo. I think it would be cool if sequential would make a prophet 5 rev 4 with 8 voices in stereo.
Same knobs , same poly mod section . Same filters same keyboard range , aftertouch , velocity sensitivity VCOs etc that way it would be like a sequential take on the OBX8.  Not a prophet 08 but
A 8 voice stereo version of the prophet5 rev4 with the great looks and wood chassis of the prophet5.
I think that would compete with the OBX8 , have a great sonic signature and look. Always seemed to me they didn’t have a 8 voice stereo analog VCO based synth 61 note keyboard in thier lineup. I think
there would be an interest in that.