Sequential Prophet-5 Synthesizer

General

For the last couple of years, synthesizer-makers have been doing something similar to what the film industry does: reboots, remakes and long-awaited successors. The results might be a little meagre from time to time, but in the world of synths, newly released classics rarely ever disappoint. Here, we're talking the latest from Sequential (Dave Smith), two heavy-weight contenders, the Prophet 5 and the Prophet 10. You're currently looking at the Prophet 5, the definitive sound of which helped build the careers of Kraftwerk, Duran Duran, Peter Gabriel, Genesis, Jean Michel Jarre, Kitaro, Vangelis and many more. What I'm trying to say is, this is no budget-synth we're dealing it, but a professional machine that has long since earned its reputation.

The Features of the Sequential Prophet 5

Anyone versed in the history of the Prophets knows there have been three revisions so far. If we take that into consideration, the new Prophet 5 is actually less of a reboot and more of a rev4 model. The synthesizer itself is pretty easy-going and not too difficult to master. You're provided with two CEM-VCO oscillators per voice with classic analogue waveforms and a noise oscillator to finish. These three sources can be balanced out using the mixer, after which the filter adds its own envelope before the sample is sent to the volume envelope. All the way on the left, there are two LFOs and a modulation wheel routing section. These days, it goes without saying that there's preset storage available, but here, you're even getting forty original Prophet 5 presets on top.

Additional Features

The Prophet 5 is equipped with an amazing touch-sensitive Fatar keyboard with aftertouch, and modern MIDI and USB-MIDI connections. Also, if you ever find yourself missing the sonic character of filters from earlier revisions, you can switch the synth back to an older rev model, and there's a special Vintage control fitted to mix in some of that more unstable, old-school sound. It's a beauty to behold and pure melancholy to hear, but the Prophet 5 does come at a price that not everyone will be equally appreciative of. If you do have the money to spare, you're getting a genuine piece of freshly revamped and improved pop music history in return!