DSI Announces New REV2 16-Voice Analog Poly Synth!

[griffin avid]

Prophet ’08 Successor Boasts Expanded Polyphony, Digital Effects, Waveshaping Capabilities

Anaheim, CA—January 19, 2017—Dave Smith today announced the REV2, a new 16-voice analog synthesizer designed to be a successor to their popular Prophet ’08 poly synth. Like its predecessor, the REV2 features two DCOs per voice, and Curtis filters at the heart of its sound engine, but boasts a number of significant enhancements designed to make it more powerful.
As Dave Smith puts it, “The Prophet ’08 has been a real road warrior for 10 years now and people still love it. But we felt it was time to update it with new technology and new features and, at the same time, lower its cost.” Smith continued: “The REV2 is essentially the result of our effort to enhance and improve everything we could about the original Prophet ’08 and, in many cases, double its power.”

The most obvious difference between the REV2 and its predecessor is polyphony. The REV2 has 16-voices as its standard configuration — twice the polyphony of the Prophet ’08 (though an 8-voice option is also available). Since the synth features bi-timbral operation, two completely independent sounds can be stacked or split — layered together or assigned to two different zones on the keyboard.

The essence of its sound comes from two DCOs (plus a sub-octave generator on oscillator 1) per voice, with 4 waveshapes (sawtooth, triangle, sawtooth + triangle, and pulse) and a 2/4 pole low-pass, resonant Curtis filter per voice. These are the same filters used not only in the Prophet ’08, but also in many classic instruments of the ’70s and ’80s. A new feature unique to the REV2 is waveshape modulation. You can vary the “pulse width” of any of the four waveforms by manually dialing in a desired waveshape width or by using an LFO or other modulation source for continuously shifting timbre.

An effects section provides reverb, delays (standard and BBD), chorus, phase shifter, ring modulation, and distortion. In stacked or split voice mode, you can apply a different effect to each layer. Effects parameters can be modulated through the mod matrix, which is twice as extensive as its predecessor, with 8 individual slots and many more sources/destinations.

A new polyphonic step sequencer allows up to 64 steps and up to 6 notes per step. A different sequence can be created for each layer when working in stacked or split voice mode. A separate gated sequencer functions as a modulation source, allowing you to create up to 4 different 16-step sequences for complex modulation. Sequences allow ties and rests, and can sync to an external MIDI clock. The arpeggiator features note repeats, re-latching, and can be synced to external MIDI clock, as well. Other improvements include a premium-quality, five-octave, semi-weighted keyboard with velocity and channel aftertouch, an integrated power supply, USB support, and a crisp OLED display.

“We’ve created a monster,” joked Smith, “and I mean that in the best possible way.”

The REV2 has a projected ship date of April 2017 with a MAP of $1499 for the 8-voice version and $1999 for the 16-voice version.

[griffin avid]

https://www.davesmithinstruments.com/

[countrushmore]

Just listened to the sound cloud demos and was bored right away. I know those things possess more power than they are displaying, wish they would put more sound design into their demos.

[elsongs]

The REV2 has a projected ship date of April 2017 with a MAP of $1499 for the 8-voice version and $1999 for the 16-voice version.

Clearly this must be some sort of typo. A DSI synth that lists for under $2000? YEAH RIGHT!

[BluMunk]

The REV2 has a projected ship date of April 2017 with a MAP of $1499 for the 8-voice version and $1999 for the 16-voice version.

Clearly this must be some sort of typo. A DSI synth that lists for under $2000? YEAH RIGHT!

In the video he does say that this is intended to be a cheaper synth than the '08 was.

Certainly got my attention!

[elsongs]

The REV2 has a projected ship date of April 2017 with a MAP of $1499 for the 8-voice version and $1999 for the 16-voice version.

Clearly this must be some sort of typo. A DSI synth that lists for under $2000? YEAH RIGHT!

In the video he does say that this is intended to be a cheaper synth than the '08 was.

Certainly got my attention!

Yeah yeah yeah...I still don't believe it.

[jxalex]

No. (I smile and say "no" becouse I smell they do say one thing and mean something other).
Someone perhaps call me cynical, but my guess is becouse all that DSI talk about to "update and at the same time, lower its cost" is only becouse Behringer come to market with its synthesizer with $1000 price.
But just to keep the price high they add the polyphony.
Also BECOUSE all these things like BBD chorus smells like Roland Juno-106! Right? Also, since when DSI new models have 5-octave keyboards?

(thread de-railing with pleasure for gearheads:
What about some other thing: a DCO modification to Alpha Junos and Roland MKS50 soon? ).

[Bitexion]

About time someone caught up with the 15 years old Alesis Andromeda.

[meatballfulton]

jxalex,

I doubt Deep Mind had anything to do with Rev2. It's exactly what DSI say it is, an update to the P08.

They added the effects and 64-step polyphonic sequencer from the Prophet 6 (freeing up the 4x16 sequencer for modulation duties), added the subosc from the Mopho, increased the number of mod slots, dumped the wall wart added waveshaping to the DCOs, added USB MIDI and then brought the whole thing in at a price $100 less than the P08 (if you get the 8 voice model) and still under $2k with 16 voices.

BTW, noone else is doing 16 voices of analog today. Since each layer has it's own sequencers and effects, it's like getting two P08s in a box.

If I could afford $2K for a new synth I'd buy one for sure.

[MyKeyZ]

They had me until Curtis filter

[meatballfulton]

That Curtis filter is saving you $1000

[HalloweenJack]

Even though I'd have liked a 8/16 voices Poly Evolver, or an high pass filter with the LPF on this Rev2, I have to say that this is an exciting news for me, maybe more exciting than the DeepMind news (more waveforms on OSC2 are an important factor for me) it looks like the "perfect" all round analog poly

If I could afford $2K for a new synth I'd buy one for sure.

I think the same

[HalloweenJack]

Strange that nobody here's talking about it

Has anybody ordered it? I've read that the Rev2 is now shipping...

Here's a video with some presets:



Another one quite recent:

[Broadwave]

I'm suffering from Analogue fatigue at the moment - Too much of the same old. I'm after something that's going to slap me in the face and scream "WAKE UP"... Even if it's digital - GASP!

[clubbedtodeath]

I can give an account of one when an 8-voice REV2 finally arrives at my address in 3 weeks' time..