Beware the storm that gathers here...

[Dave Bryce]

Me things, these 4 slots fill up pretty fast when using velocity, aftertouch, and the wheels.

Velocity, AT, and the wheels have their own dedicated mod slots that leave the four assignable slots to be used for whatever else you want (or to do double/triple duty with the dedicated routings), same as the PEK/MEK.

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[Dave Bryce]

Sounds to me like the modulation matrix is only for digital modulation.

I don't even know what that means....sorry.

If this is only a rehashed Prophet 600

It's not, but thanks for playing...

then at the price why not just get a Prophet 600?

Because maybe you want an eight voice synth that doesn't sound like a Prophet 600 and does a whole bunch more?

...and then there's the fact that the P'08 comes with a warranty.

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[johans121]

I believe that there is lots of space on the left and right of the panel. It looks to me that it would fit nicely in the MEK housing. Even it doesn't make sense to put octave up/down buttons on a 5 octave keyboard, it would make sense when you shorten the keys to let's say 3 octaves!! And to cover the space on the left, you just move the wheels over the keys.

That is exactly what I was thinking. Some have mentioned that the layout is sexy - I personally think there is a lot of wasted space. I like how everything lines up on the left and right like the PEK & MEK better.

Anyway, I agree I LOVE RED ON BLACK! In that aspect it looks nice.

Does anybody know if the mod matrix is allowing FM to pulse width? Me things, these 4 slots fill up pretty fast when using velocity, aftertouch, and the wheels.

I don't have an answer regarding FM > pulse width, however you don't have to use the 4 mod slots for velocity, aftertouch, and the wheels - they have their own specific routings (assuming it is like the evolvers).

For example, with Velocity you have a destination slot dedicated especially for it. Just like the wheels, aftertouch, external in, and sequencer 1 - 4. All of those can be used without using the 4 mod slots. So you can think of those 4 slots as a "bonus". However, you can also assign those same sources if you want to have them control more than one destination for them. Same with the 4 LFO's and the 3rd eg. They have their own dedicated destinations. You also have separate "free" velocities for each of the three EGs.

You have at least 18 assignable destinations with at least 14 of the sources pre-defined. I may have left some things out, however it should give you an idea as to how flexible it can truly be.

[johans121]

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[Villi]

Is the filter strictly lp? A multimode would rock.

[redchapterjubilee]

Having listened to the demos, seen the pictures, read 30 pages of conjecture I have to say the synth looks great, sounds great and has fine features. It has '80s analog more than '70s analog from what I can tell. But that was what I felt about the Evolver's analog side too. $2k is a good price. Yet another fine synth that I can't afford

[sizzlemeister]

Wasted panel space? Have you seen a Virus lately?

[sizzlemeister]

So, the question on some of our lips is probably, is this just old repackaged luncheon meat? Perhaps more importantly does this mean that the Prophet 8 is the product Dave Smith really had no desire to make in the first place?

Maybe he'd like to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Prophet in style. And for a synth-maker like Dave Smith, this is a pretty stylish way to celebrate and reaffirm his legacy.

You seem to have some sort of Freudian issues with Dave Smith and his products. Are you okay? Do you need someone to recommend a therapist?

[polardark]

Sounds to me like the modulation matrix is only for digital modulation.

I don't even know what that means....sorry.

Well, the Prophet 8 most likely uses an analogue signal path and a digital modulation path. (It's just the way it's done unless you are insane or work at Moog.) The digital bits control oscillator frequency, VCA and VCF cutoff and resonance.

The cheap way to do it is to just handle all the modulation routing in the microprocessor. This will let you hook up an LFO to VCA or whatever, but it won't let you route the audio oscillators to filter cutoff to do audio-rate FM of the filter or other more interesting audio-rate modulations.

I have an evolver desktop myself and i love it, and i still hope to be pleasantly surprised by the more detailed specs of the Prophet 8 when they arrive. The evolver has a lot of interesting modulation possibilities but only because there's a digital microprocessor in the signal path. With an all-analogue signal path, the Prophet 8 might not have as much flexibility.

Don't get me wrong, all things considered it looks like a nice instrument. If i didn't have 7 analogue synthesizers already i would be really tempted. I suppose what i'm looking for is just something to justify purchasing something like this.

then at the price why not just get a Prophet 600?

Because maybe you want an eight voice synth that doesn't sound like a Prophet 600 and does a whole bunch more? ;)

...and then there's the fact that the P'08 comes with a warranty. :idea:

On the other hand, an old Prophet 600 i could fix myself, since it uses pin-through-hole cirquitry. The Prophet 8 with a surface mounted circuit board wouldn't be something i would even consider trying to fix.

I know that it might be rude to say anything that could be perceived as negative in a thread such as this, but i'm not sure if leaving that for later really benefits anyone. We'll need to deal with these questions sooner or later.

[polardark]

That said, the P8 does have a few tricks to make the sound pretty knarly if you like, including osc (audio) frequency modulation of the LPF.

Oh my bad. Sorry. FM of the LPF is a very good feature.

[Dave Bryce]

Well, the Prophet 8 most likely uses an analogue signal path and a digital modulation path. (It's just the way it's done unless you are insane or work at Moog.) The digital bits control oscillator frequency, VCA and VCF cutoff and resonance.

Ah. You mean mod routings are under microprocessor control. Now I understand what you were trying to say. Of course I understand what that means - I just didn't know that was what you meant from the way you phrased it. Thanks for clarifying.

On the other hand, an old Prophet 600 i could fix myself, since it uses pin-through-hole cirquitry. The Prophet 8 with a surface mounted circuit board wouldn't be something i would even consider trying to fix.

That addresses the warranty thing of course, but not the other points I made in the previous sentence. Those are the main reasons why this should be considered instead of "just buying a Prophet 600". The warranty thing is just an addition one...which was why I tacked it on as an afterthought.

When reading responses from me, please keep in mind that as a synth player, I find I am rarely able to dismiss (or seriously consider, for that matter) any instrument before I play it - the right/passionate side of my brain rules the roost in my studio. The left/logical side of my brain is a very quiet voice in these matters - I find if I connect with in instrument via it's sound and interface (feel of keys included in the interface set), I'll probably find a way to acquire it no matter what potential features it may be missing, or which may be implemented in a way that is less than ideal for me. Consequently, the fact that you seem to be seriously considering the possibility that it's basically interchageable with a Prophet 600 without ever playing it is confusing to me.

Heck, I don't even think it's interchangeable with a PEK.

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[sizzlemeister]

Heck, I don't even think it's interchangeable with a PEK.

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I'm beginning to agree with you, Dave, not even having played the P'08 yet. I've listened to the clips enough and have a good idea of the P'08's architecture. I was playing my PEK last night to determine what kind of overlap there'd be and there are just too many things an Evolver CAN do that a P'08 won't be able to. Now, the opposite is true, too, especially when you compare instrument to instrument. How I'm going to handle this all for my needs is still way up in the air.

[raffor]

Ah. You mean mod routings are under microprocessor control. Now I understand what you were trying to say. Of course I understand what that means - I just didn't know that was what you meant from the way you phrased it. Thanks for clarifying.

Dave,

With the prophet name comes the expectation of some unique prophet features. One was the polymodulation that used oscillator two and/or the filter envelope to modulate Oscillator 1 pitch, OSC1 pulse width, and/or the filter cutoff. I used to FM the pulsewidth extensively with the T8 to create fine overtone structures and the best electric piano sounds an analog synth could create.


The questions:

1.) Can the P8 audio modulate the pulse-width? (I think we know that it has crossmodulation and filter FM and in addition we know that we can use the envelopes in the modmatrix)

2.) Is one (or both) of the oscillators part of the modulation matrix and can be used as a SOURCE

Thanks in advance!

[synthshaw]

These are the questions i'd like answered as well Raffor. The polymod section of the P5 is what made that synth quite unique, i don't own the evolver but my guess is you can't do the polymod stuff on it.

[DocT]

Filter cutoff is the only destination for audio rate modulation from the oscillators.
Pulse width can be modulated by every available mod source.
While the LFO frequency can be set to keyscale, the highest available LFO frequency is in the lower audio range, so no "real" FM from there.

I fear you need a Poly Evolver as complement to your P8