Vintage Synth Explorer

Dave Smith Instruments • Prophet '08

Prophet '08

The Prophet '08 truly signals the return of the classic Sequential Circuits Prophet synthesizers, in a beautiful, modern and ultra-stable programmable analog synthesizer! Building on the Poly Evolver keyboard, the Prophet '08 offers eight voices of polyphony with a 100% analog signal path. The look is spot-on! Brand new, the Prophet '08 already looks like it's a classic vintage piece of history. And its sound really does blow you away!

Dave Smith is considered a legendary figure in the synthesizer world, he founded Sequential Circuits and designed such classics as the Prophet 5 and Prophet VS, and he was a pioneer in bringing MIDI to synthesizers. The new for 2007 Prophet '08 brings back much of the original technology from those old Prophets (Curtis filters and analog oscillators), updated of course, to meet todays musician's needs.

While it doesn't sound exactly like an original P5, it does sound and behave more like one than any other pretender. It's cleaner, purer and a little more predictable than its 25 year old predecessors. Actually, it sounds just like the Poly Evolver, minus the digital oscillators.

Regardless, the Prophet '08 is truly a modern day Prophet series synth. Unlike many (Roland) synths that are attaching vintage model names to their current synths even though they are almost nothing alike (Juno, SH, etc.), the Prophet '08 is the real-deal next generation version of its predecessors. As DSI says, the Prophet '08 is the product of evolution, not nostalgia. Of course, it includes features we now take for granted, like velocity and aftertouch. Add to that performance features like an arpeggiator, gated step sequencer, and the ability to split and layer sounds. The modulation possibilities are much deeper than anything Sequential ever produced, making it capable of producing sounds the "classics" simply could not.

Prophet '08 Special Edition

The year 2008 marks 30 years of great Dave Smith-designed synthesizers. To celebrate, DSI issued the Prophet '08 Special Edition. In addition to the standard Prophet '08 features, the Special Edition includes red lighted (pitch/bend) wheels, exotic leopard-wood end panels, and a special commemorative overlay signed by Dave. It also includes editor/librarian software and the "Dave Smith: Synthesizer Pioneer" DVD. It costs about $500 more than the standard model.

VISITOR COMMENTS

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Posting Rules: Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

 

Tim

Posted 208 days ago

I've owned the prophet '08 for several months now, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. It may not compare to the complexity of the Alesis Andromeda (and I'm so sick of the comparisons), but for basic traditional analog sounds, it's superb - smooth, rich, and warm. I like the feel and size of the keyboard, and find the overall instrument easy to program. I'm happily awaiting the arrival of my second Prophet '08!

Joerg Dustrick

Posted 224 days ago

beautiful analog texture with a stereo imaging field which seems almost not natural at times. easily comparable to the prophet V but a whole lot of new features and many new editing options which would be impossible in the 80's generation of poly's. this is capable of the sweetest pads yours ears will have ever heard to sounds that seem to modulate around your ears as if this were made to be played in a surroud sound environment it sounds like nothing else i have ever heard. i wish the knobs were a bit more of a prophet feel but this little thing i will live with afterall it sounds fabulous.

Dewann Davis

Posted 239 days ago

In a year of programming, learning and tweaking I can honestly say this is one of the best synthesizer's I own. It holds its own against its big brother (sequential prophet 5, but with shafty knobs) but its sound just owns a mix, totally convincing even with DCO's it out-shines the best synths I have in my studio with pads and never ending modulation creating some of the warmest atmosphere I have ever heard in my music. I would recommend this synth to any of the synth elite as one of the best since the original P5 but with 8 voices and a beautiful true *STEREO* width I have NEVER heard out of any synthesizer I own and there isn't even a stereo imaging effect on it, its pure analog heaven. Thank you Dave Smith.

rocky

Posted 255 days ago

an amazing synth, everything is perfect but the knobs!........they feel like tooth paste tube caps. if only better replacements were available . life would be much better to me.

anyway I love this beauty .... a perfect girl with ugly nipples.

JHJH6

Posted 260 days ago

ignore the naysayer and have no fear mprint - it's a fantastic machine.. Some people want new analogs to be replicas of the old and they're not supposed to be - in this case dave smith explicitly said at the start that it's not a replica of the P5. I've owned pretty much a whole workshop of old analog polys and I like it a lot.

- great sizzle and penetration to the sound, stands very nicely in the mix
- excellent layering features that you'd miss on any classic
- a hell of a lot of versatility in what this machine can produce - in terms of fuzzy pads, leads, a lot vintage tones around pianos and organs, sharper more modern textures & fx, probably as much as any analog I've used
- *very * sweet and musical treble end - just listen to it. again compare well with any analog poly on that front.
- A1 customer support - t almost surreally helpful

it's just a good instrument ! ;)

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