Description

In this compact desktop version, the Sequential Prophet 5 embodies all three revisions of the legendary synth: Rev1, Rev2, and Rev3. 2 CEM 3340 VCOs per voice, Curtis (CEM 3320) analog filters, and Dave Rossum-designed SSI 2140 low-pass filters.

A pure revival of an analog classic: the authentic, powerful sound of the original with the precision of a modern, cutting-edge instrument.

Sound Synthesis in the Prophet 5 Rev 4

The oscillators of the Prophet 5 Rev 4 are the source of the warm, deep, and powerful sound that this synthesizer generates. These are not just any analog oscillators. The 2 VCOs of the Prophet 5 Rev 4 were designed and built with the same chip used in vintage Prophets: the CEM 3340. It was only in 2016, 9 years after the untimely death of its creator Doug Curtis, that the company he founded decided to reproduce this chip. The two oscillators, named A and B, can generate saw waves and variable-width pulse waves. Oscillator B also includes a triangle wave. One of the unique features that made this synth famous is that each oscillator can simultaneously play multiple waveforms, resulting in a unique, full-bodied, and rich identifying sound. In the oscillator B section, there is a switch called LOW FREQ: once activated, it will reproduce very low frequencies, making it usable as an LFO. With the dedicated DETUNE knob, you can vary the pitch of oscillator B by approximately a semitone relative to oscillator A. As in previous versions, this Rev 4 also includes the ability to synchronize oscillator A to oscillator B to create complex sounds rich in harmonics. When we activate the Unison function, the Prophet 5 acts as a monophonic synth: it plays only one note at a time. Use it to create full-bodied, impressive basses and leads, dedicating all five voices to a single note: 10 oscillators per key! Holding down the Unison button will activate the Chord Memory function to store the intervals between notes of a chord, then transpose and replay them starting from the note (root) you play.

The Filter Section of the Prophet 5 Rev 4

The SSM 2040 chip used for the filters in the Prophet 5 Rev 1 and Rev 2 was highly regarded; however, it was not particularly stable and functional. The chip in the third version, the CEM 3320, in addition to its distinctive sonic footprint, made a fundamental contribution to the instrument's stability and reliability. The characteristics of these two chips were similar: both created a 4-pole resonant low-pass filter, but with different sonic results. In designing this fourth revision of the Prophet, the Sequential team decided to integrate both filters into the instrument. With the Rev button next to the Cut-off potentiometer, we can freely decide whether to select the Rev 1/2 filter or the Rev 3 filter. The difference between the two filters is not subtle at all, as variables such as different envelope response times come into play. The integrated circuit with which the filter reproducing Revision 3 is built is the same component designed by Doug Curtis in 1979. The SSM 2040 chip of Revision 1 and 2 has been replaced with its modern counterpart, the SSI 2140, designed by Dave Rossum.

The Prophet 5 Vintage Mode Knob

In addition to sourcing the original hardware components used in the vintage version of the Prophet 5, Sequential conducted extensive research to determine what made the sound so unique. It was discovered that much of these characteristics were due to slight fluctuations and differences in response times from voice to voice, not only in the frequencies of individual VCOs but also in the filters, envelopes, and amplifiers. To reproduce all this in this new Rev 4 of the Prophet-5, Sequential added the Vintage knob: use it to continuously switch from Revision 1, the rarest and most capricious Prophet of all, to Revision 4: which is the most stable and precise version ever.

Poly Mod & Enhanced Unison

Beyond the unmistakable tone of its oscillators and filters, much of the classic sound of the Prophet 5 comes from the connections enabled by the Poly Mod section. True to the original, the modulation sources are the filter envelope and oscillator B. Destinations include oscillator A frequency, oscillator A pulse width, and filter cutoff. It's called Poly-Mod (polyphonic modulation) because the Prophet can play up to five voices, meaning each voice will apply the programmed modulation to the selected destination. For example, if we set oscillator B to LO FREQ mode, we will have just created 5 LFOs: one per voice. At this point, we activate keyboard tracking, and each of these LFOs will modulate the destination with a different frequency speed from note to note. The range of possible sounds defies its simplicity. Another welcome and famous mode in the Prophet 5 is the Unison mode, which now features a configurable number of voices from one to five with variable detuning and chord memory.

Programming in the Prophet 5

The panel of this desktop synthesizer features a knob for each function, allowing immediate access to all sound shaping controls. With the PRESET button, we can enter LIVE PANEL MODE: the sound of your Sequential Prophet 5 will automatically switch to values corresponding to the physical settings of the potentiometers and buttons you see on the panel. What you see is exactly what you hear. 200 permanent factory programs and 200 rewritable user programs are included, which also include the set of 40 original presets from 1978. Sounds that made history, used in countless recordings and film soundtracks from that era to the present day.

Sequential Prophet 5 Desktop Features

    
• Compact analog desktop synth
    
• 5-voice polyphony
    
• 200 user and 200 factory memories
    
• 2 VCOs (CEM 3340) per voice
    
• OSC A saw, variable width pulse
    
• OSC B saw, triangle, variable width pulse
    
• Simultaneous playback of waveforms on both oscillators
    
• Hard-sync
    
• Unison and Chord Memory
    
• 2 4-pole resonant LP VCFs (SSI2140/CEM 3320)
    
• Filter selection button Rev1/2 or Rev3
    
• 1 LFO, 2 ADSRs
    
• Wheel-Mod 2 sources 5 destinations
    
• Poly-Mod with 2 sources and 3 destinations
    
• Velocity, Aftertouch (mono)
    
• Vintage Knob
    
• Glide
    
• Master Tune and tune button
    
• MIDI: In, Out, and Thru DIN, USB type B
    
• Main mono output (1/4'' TS jack)
    
• Headphone output (1/4" TRS stereo jack)
    
• 2 CV in/out; 2 GATE in/out
    
• 1 1/4'' TRS jack input for expression pedal (Amp Volume)
    
• 1 1/4'' TRS jack input for expression pedal (Cutoff Filter)
    
• 1 1/4'' TS jack input for sustain pedal
    
• Dimensions and weight: 52.70x18.8x7.62cm; 4.5KG
    
• IEC connector for power supply
    
• Consumption: max 20W