Vintage Synth Explorer

Sequential Circuits • Prophet T8

(click to enlarge)

A monstrous 8 voice polysynth from SCI! The T8 has a very fat Prophet-5-like tone. This synth adds many illustrious new features (for its time) such as full MIDI implementation, 76 full size weighted keys with velocity and aftertouch, split/layer double/unison keyboard modes, and a simple but useful real-time sequencer. The new keyboard features many dynamics enhancements, ie: aftertouch can affect pitch, level, filter or the LFO. It was Sequential's finest analog synthesizer. Digital control of analog sound with an extremely flexible, intuitive and beautiful design - right down to the wood panels!

Unfortunately the T8 suffered from the popularity of the much cheaper Yamaha DX7 back in 1983 when they were released. Although it still sounds great, the weighted keyboard is the T8's best feature making it the Rolls Royce of analog synthesizers. Generally these beasts are hard to find today and still very expensive. It has been used by Howard Jones, the Thompson Twins and Steve Levine.

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The Dark Knight

Posted 9 days ago

Ive owned one of these, i brought it over from newy york back in 2002 it was a very strange peice of gear and nothing like as powerful as a prophet 5. envelopes are software and laggy.
It hasnt got the same voice structure as a prophet 5, and it sounds more like a beefed up prophet 600, i swapped it for a vgc jupiter 8 and mint TR808 and never looked back. I wouldnt have another given to me. The keyboard made a lovely master controller though.
A rare synth, but seriously overated, The layering features are cool though and make it capable of some impressive pads and such like.

Mark Duff

Posted 67 days ago

I have one of these for sale, It is based in New Zealand and is in great condition. email me for more information duff@ohno.co.nz

www.ohno.co.nz

Andy McDuffie

Posted 107 days ago

Eddie Jobson recently returned to the world of Prog rock with a new band, UKZ. On their short inaugural US tour, Jobson's rig apparently consisted of two T8s being driven by a range of different softsynths from a laptop. The YouToob clips that were posted shortly after the dates demonstrated some superb Yamaha CS80, Hammond C3 and Grand Piano tones and the weighted keyboard gave the whole thing a very solid look and feel.

Dude

Posted 172 days ago

Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley also owns/uses a Prophet T8 as of the Perfect Symmetry record.

Micke

Posted 206 days ago

Also used by Jerry Goldsmith (soundtracks), Billy Currie/Ultravox, Kinny Landrum ( "I did use a T8 as my master keyboard when working on the Twin Peaks soundtrack, and sometimes used it for string patches, but not much."), Joe Zawinul/Weather Report, Adolphson & Falk, Jerry Harrison/Talking Heads, Suzanne Ciani, Rupert Greenall and Ralph Grierson.

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