Dave Smith Sequential Prophet 10 – 61 Keys Analog Synthesizer

Sequential Prophet 10 61 Keys Fatar Keyboard with Aftertouch

Highlights

• 10-Voice Version of Prophet 5 (Rev 4)
• Curtis VCOs and Filters (Old and New)
• Vintage Knob to Dial in Authentic Sounds
• Original Poly Mod Modulation Matrix
• Enhanced Unison-Configurable Voice Count
• 5-Octave Keyboard, Velocity & Aftertouch
• Knob-Per-Function Front Panel
• 400 Programs (200 Factory, 200 User)
• USB, MIDI, CV/Gate I/O
• Steel and Black Walnut Heartwood Body

Features

The Sequential Prophet-10 is a 10-voice version of the original polyphonic synthesizer with added enhancements is made for musicians, sound designers, and synthesizer aficionados. Created in the late ’70s, the original Prophet 5 was the first fully programmable polyphonic synthesizer with savable patches.
This reissue features the authentic analog circuit designs of the original and incorporates Curtis VCOs, and both Curtis and Rossum-designed filters, which provide the true sonic magic of the original Prophet-5 versions 1, 2, and 3. Additional enhancements include velocity and aftertouch, full MIDI, and USB. The remarkable vintage control provides continuous variability between the musical volatility of the Rev 1 to the rock-solid stability of the Rev 4.

The original Poly Mod is included and features Filter Envelope and Oscillator B as sources, and Oscillator A Frequency, Oscillator A Pulse Width, and Low-Pass Filter as destinations. Although simple, the Poly Mod is quite capable of producing a wide range of sounds. Additionally, Unison mode now features configurable voice counts (1-10) with variable detuning and chord memory. Glide also works both in and out of Unison mode.

The instrument is housed in a full 5-octave, semi-weighted Fatar keyboard with USB, MIDI, gate, and CV inputs/outputs, and a premium-quality steel chassis with a hand-oiled sustainable black-walnut heartwood body. The knob-per-function front panel is adorned with all manner of controls for instant gratification and immediate sound shaping. There are 200 permanent factory programs and 200 rewriteable user programs including the original 40 presets from 1978.

Return of a Legend
The Prophet-10 is Dave Smith’s ten-voice version of the analog poly synth that changed the world. It embodies all three revisions of the legendary Prophet-5 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.

Vintage Sound, Vintage Knob
In addition to sourcing genuine Prophet-5 hardware components, Sequential did extensive research into exactly what made the original sound the way it did – warm, organic, and alive. 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-10, a Vintage knob was created. 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 refers to the new version, 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 the 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 (1-10 voices) with variable detuning, and chord memory. And now Glide works both in and out of Unison.

Velocity and Aftertouch
This updated instrument now features velocity sensitivity and aftertouch, which enables the Prophet-10 to perform in ways the original never could, by putting filter sweeps, LFO mod, and volume changes at your fingertips.

Effortless Programming
The purity of the 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-10 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.

The Whole Package
All of this punchy, powerful, analog goodness is housed with a full five-octave semi-weighted Fatar keyboard with USB, MIDI, gate and CV inputs/outputs, 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.

The Prophet-10 is as pure of 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.

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

BI-TIMBRAL OPERATION

• Layer mode: two different 5-voice programs stacked together simultaneously
• Split mode: two independent, user-assignable performance zones, with a different 5-voice program assigned to each.

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 ten 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-10. 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; 28 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