Prophet 6

[Jabberwalky]

Wow, I've had the Prophet-6 in my gearlist for years. Now I anxiously await the Jupiter-7 and Juno-50...

Ha! I do recall reading your gear list years ago oh mighty soothsayer.

[Stab Frenzy]

I was looking at the connections this thing has, & the biggest difference from the P5 is the lack of cv, considering at least a few rev 3.3's left the factory with midi. instead of cv & gate ins & outs, theres an expression in for the filter. now, why wouldn't the Prophet 6 have cv patch points, especially after seeing how DSI is dipping a toenail into modular even? And why would Dave Smith, a synth designer whose major accomplishments have all been about interfacing digital controls & then digital sound sources into analog/hybrid systems, switch to discrete vcos & vcfs?
I think he's copying the polysix, specifically its discrete, linear tracking oscillators. The evidence suggests that would be the way to go, because Mr. Smith has always been a stickler for tuning stability, and getting rid of the exponential convertors that provide V/oct response would be the easiest way to get stable VCOs, which is why korg went that route when knocking off the Prophet 5 a lifetime ago. given that the thing has 2 resonant filters per voice, i would suppose the same logic went into making them discrete smt designs as well

CV and gate ins and outs are pretty much pointless on a six voice poly. You'd need an extra 24 jacks that wouldn't be used by 99.9% of people who bought the synth. CV/exp input for the filter makes sense, can you describe a situation where you would use pitch CV and gate connections?

[SeventhStar]

now, why wouldn't the Prophet 6 have cv patch points, especially after seeing how DSI is dipping a toenail into modular even?

Dave, himself, answers this question at 2:57 in this video:

[CfNorENa]

CV and gate ins and outs are pretty much pointless on a six voice poly. You'd need an extra 24 jacks that wouldn't be used by 99.9% of people who bought the synth. CV/exp input for the filter makes sense, can you describe a situation where you would use pitch CV and gate connections?

I guess it would have to be like the Oberheim Xpander, i.e., with separate voice outs and a multitimbral engine (so that you're treating it, in effect, as six monosynths). But the CV/Gate is only in, I think...

[Stab Frenzy]

But the P6 isn't multitimbral.

[Marco Koeller]

The Prophet 6... consequent and the right descision.
I guess, the Prophet-6 will be on my list

[CfNorENa]

But the P6 isn't multitimbral.

Exactly. So I'm with all of you: no point of a bunch of CV/Gates on this one...

[gd]

Like many others here I grew up on the old analogue synths. I bought my miniD in early '74, suffered through a very tempermental MemoryMoog, owned a Jupiter 8 for 20 or so years and a myriad of others. After selling the Jup 7 or 8 yrs ago I swapped a JD 800 for a Juno 60. The only analogue synths that I have left are the MiniD, Juno 60 and P08. This Prophet 6 sounds very nice, From reading he posts and watching some of the demo's I like most everything about it but its 49 keys, for me I'd prefer a 61 keybd. Maybe DSI will add a module later on but I am definitely going to audition one when it arrives up in the Toronto area. It is so nice to see the Sequential nameplate back. Who of us that cut our teeth on synths in the 70's or early 80's would have thought that analogue would be so desireable at this time. Great stuff Dave and crew.

[Rbh]

But the P6 isn't multitimbral.

Exactly. So I'm with all of you: no point of a bunch of CV/Gates on this one...

The effective use for Cv ins would be with an onboard midi to cv convertor for use with a larger controller ( maybe up to 76?) and of course sequencer input. This would open up lots worlds IMHO.

[Stab Frenzy]

But the P6 isn't multitimbral.

Exactly. So I'm with all of you: no point of a bunch of CV/Gates on this one...

The effective use for Cv ins would be with an onboard midi to cv convertor for use with a larger controller ( maybe up to 76?) and of course sequencer input. This would open up lots worlds IMHO.

How would CV ins make it a midi/CV convertor? If you wanted to control it with a bigger keyboard why not just plug in a midi cable? Same if you wanted to use it with a sequencer. Also, who actually needs a six channel monotimbral Midi/CV convertor? I have a four channel one in the Hexinverter MIDI2CV, but even that is a rare case. What you're suggesting makes no sense.

[SeventhStar]

This Prophet 6 sounds very nice, From reading the posts and watching some of the demo's I like most everything about it but its 49 keys, for me I'd prefer a 61 keybd.

Yes, I personally would prefer that it had a five octave keyboard like my Multi-Trak or the Prophet-5, 600, VS etc. He gave it a Six-Trak size, four octave keyboard, to probably make it easier to transport for the gigging musician..

The Prophet-6 is the exact same weight as a Multi-Trak, 20 lbs.

Maybe in the future, there will be a Prophet-6 Studio version, with 61 keys.. I don't gig, so I would like a bigger unit with a larger octave range, without having to manually shift the octaves up and down. That is really the only thing missing for me on this new P6.

[commodorejohn]

I'd prefer 61 keys as well, but h**l, I'll take it.

[moremagic]

CV and gate ins and outs are pretty much pointless on a six voice poly. You'd need an extra 24 jacks that wouldn't be used by 99.9% of people who bought the synth. CV/exp input for the filter makes sense, can you describe a situation where you would use pitch CV and gate connections?

the original prophets had cv gate for one voice, low note priotity iirc to seem more moogy. i would consider the outputs more useful than an input, but given how basic the internal sequencer looks i can imagine controlling one voice from an analog sequencer over a vamp from the internal one to be one potential use
it would make the unit mildly more appealing as a main kb in a gigging voltage controlled setup, and 4 extra jacks on an instrument thats over two grand doesnt seem like a whole lot to ask for. barring that, if expression pedal to filter is it, i would ask for one for each filter
at least they put the wheels in the right place and brought back a real poly mod section
i just might have to save up for one of these

[steveman]

CV and gate ins and outs are pretty much pointless on a six voice poly. You'd need an extra 24 jacks that wouldn't be used by 99.9% of people who bought the synth. CV/exp input for the filter makes sense, can you describe a situation where you would use pitch CV and gate connections?

the original prophets had cv gate for one voice, low note priotity iirc to seem more moogy. i would consider the outputs more useful than an input, but given how basic the internal sequencer looks i can imagine controlling one voice from an analog sequencer over a vamp from the internal one to be one potential use
it would make the unit mildly more appealing as a main kb in a gigging voltage controlled setup, and 4 extra jacks on an instrument thats over two grand doesnt seem like a whole lot to ask for. barring that, if expression pedal to filter is it, i would ask for one for each filter
at least they put the wheels in the right place and brought back a real poly mod section
i just might have to save up for one of these

Given it's monotimbral I don't really see much point in external CV control of 1 voice when it'll sound the same as the other voices you're playing. As for CV out for a 'gigging CV controlled setup', again makes little sense, why on earth would you tie up your polysynth to use it as a monophonic CV controller Most likely a CV setup would be modular, there are far more interesting ways of controlling that than a keyboard. Don't understand the multiple pedal CV ins idea - what do you think would that give you?
The P6 is 1st and foremost a keyboard synth, it's designed to be played from the keyboard - if you want to get fancy with your CVs and link it to your modular that's what the Pro2 is for.
Looks good, and from the SC demos sounds pretty great too.

[Stab Frenzy]

Guys, it has midi.