What do all you 'foogers think of the DSI Prophet?

[Brian G]

For ME the display is not a problem, could it be larger. sure. The multi function knobs also for ME make sense, it would have added too much cost and space to have each individual. But I can understand some not liking it and that's fine. I guess it's from all those years programming a DX7 I don’t really mind it . Menu diving for sure can be a problem on a small screen.

The Tempest is a interesting box with lots of nice features, enjoy.

[drcarver]

I've been eyeballing the Tempest as well. I really want to get my hands on one for a while before I commit to purchasing though.

[Vince Ascoli]

Just a quick reply, I've got one alongside a Voyager & a few other classic polys and I love it:) It now serves as the main controller for almost everything else (using the aftertouch on the P08's keyboard to sweep the filter on the Memorymoog or the Jupiter 8 via a Kenton MIDI>CV box, is especially dope:) Very nice in a live setting, too - the (lack of) weight is sheer delight. One thing that really helped crack the more complex aspects of the programming & sequencer for me, is the editing software; I found it to be an excellent companion and a great visual reference when doing sound design...the software really opens things up.

[ebo]

DSI Prophet no midi !
http://youtu.be/qDEP0IspOkw

[newtoslim]

IMHO it's a must.

Forget for a moment the pads and the horns (where the prophet is king, and terribly unexpensive for a 8-voice analog):

just speaking of the leads, I use a oberheim synth, a ARPish one, a prophet08 and a moogish synth (planning to move back to a Moog with a great M: but my 24db ladder-based synth is a modular... which is cumbersome, but... I am full of doubts... I want a moog sound, but won't give up modularity. thinking very hard about that ).

Well, they NEVER overlap. they can be layered, or you can "duet" by alternating voices. No way of mistaking one for the other.

The prophet has a distinct, "vocal" quality.

I'd recommend it along with a moog.

If it was my ONLY synth, what would I choose?

Dunno. Real hard to tell.

But FOR ME, a "only" synth would have to be polyphonic, so that somehow restricts the choice (and scores another point for the DSI, albeit this is not correct considering your initial question)

Totally subjective at this point.

Finally, the following is NOT subjective. Comes from experience with several prophet08s I owned or tested:

a) don't use your prophet as a "master" synth. buy the module not the keyboard. keys are poor, midi implementation limited, polychaining sometimes questionable.

I traded my keyboard for a module and I am very happy

b) PE.

again: PE.
Non-"pot edition" prophets are a nightmare. Go for the PE. Or buy CHEAP, VERY CHEAP a used "encoder edition", and have it immediately upgraded to PE.

[unfiltered37]

The '08 is too clean for me. If you are going to spend money on hardware, why not get something that is really raw analog sounding, like an Oberheim Sem, or if you want a poly, a prophet 5. The difference between an '08 and a prophet 5 is dramatic.

[diddi_jo]

For anyone interested in prgramming their own sounds (besides brass & pads), the P08 is great. Modulation options are well beyond what we were used to on vintage gear. However, if you want presets, there are plenty of other directions to go. The P08, much as the Voyager, is a stable and clean sounding synth. You have to work it a bit to getgrit and dirt...

[namahshaman]

Thanks for all the input everyone . . . diddi–jo, sounds like you've almost got my dream setup . . . I've got a Voyager and a Nord Lead 2x, halfway there.

[dougt]

For anyone interested in prgramming their own sounds (besides brass & pads), the P08 is great. Modulation options are well beyond what we were used to on vintage gear.

Actually if you take a look at the Poly-Mod section of the P-5 you'll see it has more than you get with the DSI stuff... The DSI stuff is cool it's just that it's basically the sound chips from the Matrix-6/1000 with a knobby interface and some extras thrown in, not in the same league as the classics.

[Voltor07]

-DELETED FOR INACCURACY-

[muksys]

Actually if you take a look at the Poly-Mod section of the P-5 you'll see it has more than you get with the DSI stuff... The DSI stuff is cool it's just that it's basically the sound chips from the Matrix-6/1000 with a knobby interface and some extras thrown in, not in the same league as the classics.

The P-5 first release used SSM chips, and the first releases are quite rare. All the later models used the same CEM chips as the P08. Therefore I would think that the difference in sound would have to do with the way signals were routed in the P-5 (2nd gen) as opposed to the way it is in the P08. Saying the DSI stuff is cool because they use the same chips as brand X, even though they used the same chips in the Sequential Circuits machines, then saying the P08 is not in the same league as the classics, even though it is an updated version of the classic, doesn't make much sense to me.

It was Rev-3 that started using the Curtis chip, actually. It has been commented that the Rev-3 P5 sounds "thinner" but is more stable. But, the chips that were used in the Rev-3 P5 (as well as many other analog synth manufacturers) are used in the P08/Mopho/Tetra line.

But, to say the Poly-Mod section boasts more options than a P08 is way off the mark.The P08 (and Mopho & Tetra) have 4 Modulation slots and a plethora of source/destination options (p36-38). It also has 4 16-step sequencers (which can be routed to more than just the oscillators) and an arpeggiator. Granted, the P08 does not sound like a P5 (any rev) just as much as a Minimoog Voyager doesn't sound like a Minimoog Model D.

[Voltor07]

Muksys, thanks for your input. A quick visit to Wikipedia confirms that it was indeed Rev-3 that started using CEM's. A P-5 is also 30+ years old, so component values as well as discontinued parts probably play a factor in the sound differences.

[dougt]

Actually if you take a look at the Poly-Mod section of the P-5 you'll see it has more than you get with the DSI stuff... The DSI stuff is cool it's just that it's basically the sound chips from the Matrix-6/1000 with a knobby interface and some extras thrown in, not in the same league as the classics.

The P-5 first release used SSM chips, and the first releases are quite rare. All the later models used the same CEM chips as the P08. Therefore I would think that the difference in sound would have to do with the way signals were routed in the P-5 (2nd gen) as opposed to the way it is in the P08. Saying the DSI stuff is cool because they use the same chips as brand X, even though they used the same chips in the Sequential Circuits machines, then saying the P08 is not in the same league as the classics, even though it is an updated version of the classic, doesn't make much sense to me.

That's because you don't have the facts correct. The Rev 3 P-5 used CEM3340 VCOs and CEM3320 VCFs. The P-08 has DCOs and PA397 (basically a surface mount version of the CEM3396 Dual Wave Processor which was a low-cost chip containing a 4-pole filter, waveshaper, mixer, and VCAs used in the Matrix-6/1000)...

[Voltor07]

That's because you don't have the facts correct. The Rev 3 P-5 used CEM3340 VCOs and CEM3320 VCFs. The P-08 has DCOs and PA397 (basically a surface mount version of the CEM3396 Dual Wave Processor which was a low-cost chip containing a 4-pole filter, waveshaper, mixer, and VCAs used in the Matrix-6/1000)...

Oh...that's right, actually. Sorry, my bad. I'll shut up now.

[vasago]

For whats its worth, I think if you want a prophet anything you should get a prophet 5 rev3.3. It sounds amazing, and doesnt have an annoying interface. Less features and all, but who needs that many anyway? And if you need that many/kind of modulations, then you shouldnt worry about any board because you should be building a modular.

I had a p8 moduel for a while, but sold it to fund my p10. Trying to conjure up the cash for a prophet 5 a buddy has for a decent price, and not really concerned with ever having the p8 again.

I shouldnt be seen as bashing any DSI equipment though, because it is good stuff. I have a mopho module, only because of its size/portability. Make programming sequences while watching TV easy. Like stupid easy, and doesnt take up a good portion of the coffee table either. The tempest is something that will eventually find its way in to my set up, but for some reason I keep waiting for more software updates to come out, or maybe some one will get tired of waiting and sell theirs cheap!