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Sequential's description of the Sequential Prophet 5 polyphonic analog synthesizer
The Return of a Legend
The new Prophet-5 is Dave Smith’s timely return to the analog poly synth that changed the world. It’s “the best of all Prophet-5s” as Dave puts it because it embodies all three revisions of the legendary synth — Rev1, Rev2, and Rev3 — through the use of genuine Curtis analog VCOs and filters (as in the Rev3) as well as new 2140 low-pass filters designed by Dave Rossum, like the 2040 filters he designed in the original Rev1 and Rev2. A Rev switch lets you choose between the two filter designs. It also adjusts the Filter Envelope’s shape and response to match the original Prophet Rev 1/2 or Rev 3 respectively.
The result is as pure a renewal of an analog classic as you could wish for, with the authentic, muscular sound of the original and the roadworthiness of a state-of-the-art modern instrument.
Vintage Sound, Vintage Knob
In addition to sourcing genuine Prophet-5 hardware components, we did extensive research into exactly what made the original sound the way it did — warm, organic, and alive. We found that much of this desirable character was due to slight fluctuations and differences in the response times and frequencies of the individual VCOs, filters, envelopes, and amplifiers from voice to voice.
To give the same mojo to the new Prophet-5, we created the Vintage knob. Use it to dial in as much old-school randomness as you’d like. Go from a very stable “4” — as in Prophet-5 Rev4, which is how we refer to the new version in house — all the way to “1,” as in Prophet-5 Rev1, the rarest and most temperamental of all Prophet-5s.
Poly Mod and Enhanced Unison
In addition to the unmistakable tone of its oscillators and filters, much of the classic sound of Prophet-5 was the result of Poly Mod, which is faithfully present here as well. True to the original, modulation sources are Filter Envelope and Oscillator B. Destinations include Oscillator A frequency, Oscillator A pulse width, and low-pass filter. The range of sounds possible defy its simplicity. Another welcome reprise is Unison mode, which now features configurable voice count (1-5 voices) with variable detuning, and chord memory. And now Glide works both in and out of Unison.
Velocity and Aftertouch
Though our mission was to make the new Prophet-5 as accurate, authoritative, and true to the original as possible, we couldn’t resist adding a couple of modern enhancements to increase expressiveness: velocity sensitivity and aftertouch. These enable the new Prophet-5 to perform in ways the original never could by putting filter sweeps, LFO mod, and volume changes at your fingertips.
Effortless to Program
The purity of the new Prophet’s sound is matched only by its simplicity to program. The knob-per-function front panel gives you instant gratification and immediate access to all sound-shaping controls. Toggling off the Preset button enables live panel mode, where the Prophet-5 switches to the current settings of its knobs and switches. What you see is exactly what you hear. Included are 200 permanent factory programs and 200 rewritable user programs, including the original 40-program sound set from 1978 that found its way onto countless recordings and film soundtracks back in the day and beyond.
Expandable to 10 Voices
With the optional Voice Expansion Card, you can double the polyphony of the Prophet-5 to ten voices. This also enables you to take advantage of bi-timbral operation, which is available on 10-voice-capable Prophets. This means that you can play two different programs simultaneously. In this mode, each program is allocated five voices. Use this capability to layer two programs for thicker, more powerful pads or chord stabs. Alternatively, split the keyboard into two independent performance zones and play synth bass in the lower range and leads or chords in the upper range.
The Whole Package
All of this punchy, powerful, analog goodness is housed in a full, five-octave, semi-weighted Fatar keyboard with USB, MIDI, Gate and CV ins/outs, and a premium-quality, steel and hand-oiled, sustainable black walnut heartwood body that make it as satisfying to behold as it is to hear and play.
Because each Prophet-5 features hand-selected woods, figuring and color can vary widely, making each instrument one-of-a-kind.
The new Prophet-5 — history never looked or sounded better.
Prophet-5 Specifications
OSCILLATORS
- Two authentic CEM 3340 VCOs per voice
- Simultaneously selectable wave shapes. Oscillator A: sawtooth, pulse. Oscillator B: sawtooth, triangle, pulse.
- Pulse width per oscillator
- Hard sync: oscillator 1 syncs to oscillator 2
- Low frequency mode (oscillator 2)
- Keyboard tracking on/off (oscillator 2)
MIXER
- Oscillator 1 amount
- Oscillator 2 amount
- White noise amount
LOW-PASS FILTER
- Four-pole, resonant, low-pass filter per voice
- Switchable between authentic versions of the Prophet-5 Rev1/2 filter and Prophet-5 Rev3 filter
- Rev1/2 filter is a Dave Rossum-designed 2140, the modern counterpart of the original 2040 filter found in the Prophet-5 Rev1 and Rev2
- Rev3 filter is a Doug Curtis-designed CEM 3320
- Filter can be driven into self-oscillation with the Resonance control
- Keyboard tracking: off, half, full
FILTER ENVELOPE
- Four-stage (ADSR) envelope generator
- Velocity modulation of envelope amount
AMPLIFIER ENVELOPE
- Four-stage (ADSR) envelope generator
- Velocity modulation of envelope amount
LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR
- Three wave shapes: sawtooth, triangle, square. All waveshapes can be engaged simultaneously
- Both Initial Amount and mod wheel control
- Mod destinations: oscillator A frequency, oscillator B frequency, oscillator A and B pulse width, filter cutoff
POLY MOD
- Sources: filter envelope and oscillator B
- Destinations: oscillator A frequency, oscillator A pulse width, filter cutoff
VINTAGE KNOB
- Recreates the characteristics of various Prophet-5 models by varying the behavior of oscillators, envelopes, amplifiers, and other parameters. Go from a very stable “4” — as in Prophet-5 Rev4, (the new version) — all the way to “1,” as in Prophet-5 Rev1, the rarest and most temperamental of all Prophet-5s.
AFTERTOUCH
- Channel (mono) aftertouch
- Destinations: filter cutoff frequency, LFO amount
PERFORMANCE CONTROLS
- Full-sized, semi-weighted, premium Fatar 5-octave keyboard with velocity and aftertouch
- Mod wheel
- Spring-loaded pitch wheel with selectable range per program (1 to 12 semitones up and down)
- Polyphonic glide (portamento)
- Unison (monophonic) mode with configurable voice count, from one to all five voices and key modes
- Preset switch: when off, the front panel is live; what you see is what you hear
PATCH MEMORY
- 200 user and 200 factory programs in 5 banks of 40 programs each
- Direct program access, including Prophet 5-style single-button access to the current set of 8 programs
IN/OUT
- Mono output (1 x 1/4” phone jack)
- Headphone output (stereo, 1/4” phone jack)
- MIDI in, out, and thru ports
- USB for bidirectional MIDI communication
- Control voltage in/out (1 x 1/4” phone jack) 0- +5V input/output signal. Configured for 1-volt-per-octave operation.
- Gate in/out (1 x 1/4” phone jack). Accepts a 1.5 to 15-volt on/off signal to gate the envelopes of a single voice on the Prophet-5. Outputs a 15-volt on/off used to gate the envelopes of an external synth.
- Low-pass filter cutoff expression pedal input
- Volume expression pedal input
- Sustain footswitch input
POWER
- IEC AC power inlet for internal power supply
- Operates worldwide on voltages between 100 and 240 volts at 50 to 60 Hz; Prophet-5: 20 watts maximum power consumption.
PHYSICAL SPECS
- 37.37” L x 16.35 W x 5.95″ H (94.92 cm x 41.52 cm x 15.11 cm)
- 32 lbs (14.51 kg)
- Roadworthy all-steel construction with premium black walnut heartwood body and trim