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F
or the synth geeks among us, well with the Evolver range of hybrid by using the (dreaded) external ‘wall-
ON THE DVD
Dave Smith’s name is analogue/digital synths, it makes wart’ power supply, Dave Smith
WHAT IS IT? synonymous with some of sense that the Prophet range is Instruments (DSI) have enabled the
An eight-voice polyphonic the best analogue synths revisited to bring it into the here and main body of the Prophet 08 to be
analogue synth with ever made. The Prophet range of now and to introduce a new only a little longer than the five-octave
flexible mod routings, synths, including the Prophet 10, 5, generation to the sound of polyphonic keyboard it contains.
sequencer, stack/split
modes and huge sound T8 and Pro One made under Smith’s analogue synthesis…
CONTACT
company Sequential Circuits, are the The first thing that strikes you Classic good looks
stuff of legend due to their ballsy about the Prophet 08 is how compact The overall look immediately harks
Who: Turnkey
Tel: +44 (0)20 7419 9999 sound and great feature sets, and it is, and this makes it perfect for back to the classic Prophet 5 design,
Web: turnkey.co.uk were the mainstays of many a pro those with space-strapped studios or using a few clever design cues. The
HIGHLIGHTS keyboardist in the ’70s and ’80s. even for slinging in the back of the car most notable of these include the
1 Eight-voice, all-analogue In a time where analogue synthesis for gigs. By moving the pitch and mod recommission of the original ‘Prophet’
signal path with two oscs is having a great renaissance and wheels above the keyboard (they work font for the logo, the silver topped
per voice and dual-mode
low-pass filter. Smith’s current company is doing very surprisingly well in this position) and dials and of course, the now obligatory
2 Very portable with solid
build and plenty of hands-
on control
3 Comprehensive onboard
modulation and sequencing
possibilities Envelopes
A freely assignable
extra envelope
allowing more
complex and time-
evolving sounds
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Parameters
Includes
independent voice
volume, keyboard
tracking, sound
naming and Osc Slop
modes
Modulation
Four mod slots for
assigning modulation
to lFOs, envelopes,
sequencer and
arpeggiator
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(and whether these hold up for 30 ring of LEDs – like the Nord Lead 3 or for this display. As it’s not angled
years remains to be seen!). One thing the Moog Little Phatty – but this upwards (and because it’s a little
that concerns me though is that you would add to the price considerably so dark) it’s sometimes quite difficult to
can’t just look at the front panel and it’s a fair compromise. read. It’s also a shame that there are
immediately know where your settings The selector switches seem very no Direct Program and Bank buttons
– a major change from the Prophet 5. sturdy and are all lit with red for quick sound changing. Instead,
In fact, it’s not until you turn the backlighting, as is the small two-line this has to be done with dials – which
dial that its corresponding value display. While the red looks nice and isn’t as easy.
comes up in the display. In an ideal ties in with the overall look, I don’t The sound architecture and sound
world, each dial would have its own feel it was necessarily the best choice shaping features are very
comprehensive. This is an eight-voice
(eight-note polyphonic) polysynth with
The good and great two oscs per voice (16 oscs total),
which also allows splits and layering
of sounds, and at this price point
that’s quite unique.
There are lots we like but here are Prophet 08 has a 100% all
our top three Prophet 08 features analogue signal path that uses stable
and drift-free DCOs (the same as in
the Evolver range). Available wave
> The flexible structure of the shapes include saw, triangle, saw/
Prophet 08 allows for endless triangle mix, pulse (which, at a setting
of 50, becomes a square wave) and
sound-shaping possibilities. With noise. The Oscs have a wide ten-
four IFOs, voice panning/spreading, octave range from 8Hz to 8kHz, which
low-pass filter, arpeggiator, allows any type of sound from deep
aftertouch, four mod slots and even a 4-track 16- and bassy through bright and cutting.
The Oscs also use Curtis chips that
step sequencer – to call the new Prophet ‘fully have been tweaked by Smith for
featured’ would an understatement! maximum analogueness For those of
you screaming, “DCOs? They don’t
sound as good as VCOs!” I massively
> You can create a 16-voice, 32- disagree in this case. These sound
Oscillator, all-analogue monster huge, raw and phat-as-you-like.
using the Polychain function to
connect another Prophet 08, or just Catch my drift?
For those that want to simulate the
MIDI it up to another sound module. drift associated with VCOs there’s an
‘Oscillator Slop’ parameter that subtly
> Using the Stack and Split shifts the frequency of the lscillators.
Other notable features in the Osc
modes, several different sounds section are the Single Mix dial for
can be layered, zoned-off and mixing the oscillators together (this is
accessed within one patch – great much quicker than having two
separate controls) and separate glide
for live use. Plus velocity and controls for each oscillator (although
aftertouch can be used to quickly turn a flute into it’s a shame there’s no dedicated glide
a searing lead guitar within seconds… on/off switch). One other useful
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SPECS
The arpeggiator and gated sequencer Modulation: Four
assignable lFOs, four mode
The Prophet 08 features a 40 mod destinations. Once the arpeggiator, 4-track 16-
useful arpeggiator and a edit sequencer is turned on, the step sequencer
versatile 16-step 4-track gated dials in the filter and amp Memory: 256 total, all user
sequencer. The arpeggiator has section switch to sequencer editable. Two banks of 128
with two layers per program
four modes (up, down, up/down mode. Each dial has a yellow
Outputs: Two sets of stereo
and assign). Its clock can be LED above it that corresponds
outs, one for A Layer and
sync’d with MIDI and has to one of the 16 steps. one for B Layer. Headphone
several beat division options To set off a sequence you hit out. Pannable
ranging from half-note through a key or give the Prophet 08 a Pedal Jacks: CV input for
eighth note swing, up to 64th MIDI clock signal. Then you just use with expression pedal.
note triplets if you so desire! pick a sequencer track, and Sustain pedal input
The gated sequencer is a assign a mod destination in the MIDI Connections: In/Out/
great addition to the Prophet 08 mod section. Once this is done, Thru and Poly chain that
doubles as second MIDI out
and is pretty easy to use once each of the front panel dials in
you’ve got your head around it. the filt/amp envelope section Dimensions:
The sequencer controls are control the amount sent to the 889 x 305 x 76mm
written in yellow on the front mod destination during each Weight:
panel. Each of the four tracks in step. It sounds complex but it’s 9.5kg
the sequencer can have 16 quite simple in practice and a
steps and be assigned to over really inspiring feature.
control is the Audio Mod dial that Further, there’s the powerful Stack in the same way, but this time you
allows Osc 1’s audio output to mode, where two sounds can be could have a string pad to the right
modulate the cutoff. For simulating stacked with independent control over and a mono bass to the left.
classic monosynths such as the Pro 1 unison, arpeggiator and sequence
or Minimoog, Prophet 08 has a very controls for each layer (more about Split and polish
comprehensive unison option that these modes later). The split points are set by simply
puts it into monophonic mode. This is The Stack mode assigns voices 1- pressing and holding the Split A/B
great for leads and basses where all 4 to Layer A and 5-8 to Layer B. To switch and hitting the desired key on
the keyboard for
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and can turn a soft bass into a hard staple analogue sounds from pads come in very useful both on stage and
ALTERNATIVES
lead with ease. There’s a four-pole through to leads and basses. in the studio. The MIDI options are
mode (which allows self-oscillation The envelopes are also very also very comprehensive with most
and sounds warm and phat) and a versatile and snappy sounding (but controls able to send and receive MIDI
CCs, and you can
Alesis Andromeda
£1,650
16-voice beast with even
Im going to have to buy one myself. even chain two
Prophet 08s
together to make
Arpeggiator
Four modes and
MIDI sync-able for
maximum flexibility
LFO
Four MIDI sync-able
independent LFOs
with several
waveshapes
including the much-
loved Random mode Sequencer
Oscillation 16-step, four-track
Mix, blend and tune analogue step
the two Oscs for sequencer with
maximum phatness. several trigger
Also assign Glide and modes for time-
Unison modes here locked evolving
sounds
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