Sequential Prophet-6 6-Voice Analog Synthesizer

The Dave Smith Instruments Prophet-6 is his tribute to the poly synth that started it all—the Sequential Prophet-5. But it’s not simply a reissue of a classic. Rather, as Dave puts it, “It’s the result of our effort to build the most awesome-sounding, modern analog poly synth possible.” The Prophet-6 takes the best qualities of the original Prophet-5—true voltage-controlled oscillators, filters, and amplifiers—and adds enhancements such as studio-quality effects, a polyphonic step sequencer, an arpeggiator, and more. The result is pure, unadulterated analog tone with the stability and reliability of a state-of-the-art modern synth.

Classic Tone, Classic Vibe

Central to the warm, punchy sound of the Prophet-6 are its two newly-designed, discrete voltage-controlled oscillators (plus sub-oscillator) per voice. Continuously variable waveshapes provide the tonal palette with triangle, sawtooth, and variable-width pulse waves. There are two discrete filters per voice—a four-pole, resonant, low-pass inspired by the original Prophet-5 filter, and a two-pole, resonant, high-pass filter. Voltage-controlled amplifiers complete the all-analog signal path.

Dual Effects

The dual effects section provides studio-quality reverbs, delays (standard and BBD), chorus and phase shifter. While the effects themselves are digital, with 24-bit, 48 kHz resolution, a true bypass maintains a full analog signal path. There’s also an independent stereo distortion effect, which is 100% analog.

Poly Mod and Poly Step Sequencing

Also present from its classic predecessor is a Poly Mod section, with enhancements. True to the original, modulation sources are filter envelope and oscillator 2 (both with bi-polar control). Destinations include oscillator 1 frequency, oscillator 1 shape, oscillator 1 pulse width, low-pass filter cutoff, and high-pass filter cutoff. Another welcome reprise is Unison mode, which features configurable voice count (1-6 voices) and key modes. The polyphonic step sequencer allows up to 64 steps and up to 6 notes per step. You can create sequences polyphonically, with rests, and sync to an external MIDI clock. The full-featured arpeggiator can be synced to external MIDI clock as well.

Easy to Program

The knob-per-function front panel offers instant access to virtually all Prophet-6 functions. Included are 500 permanent factory programs in 10 banks of 100 programs. In addition to these, you can create and save up to 500 user programs of your own. Toggling off the Preset button enables live panel mode, in which the sound of the Prophet-6 switches to the current settings of its knobs and switches. In this state, what you see is what you hear.

Easy to Play

All of this awe-inspiring sound is packed into a four octave, semi-weighted keyboard with velocity and channel aftertouch that’s an ideal combination portability and power for the project studio or the gigging musician.

Specifications

Oscillators

• Two newly designed, discrete VCOs per voice
• Continuously variable wave shape (triangle, sawtooth, pulse, square) per oscillator
• Pulse width per oscillator
• Hard sync: oscillator 1 syncs to oscillator 2
• Triangle sub-octave generator (oscillator 1) per voice
• Low frequency mode (oscillator 2)
• Keyboard tracking on/off (oscillator 2)
• Oscillator slop amount for increased tuning instability, from subtle to extreme

Mixer

• Oscillator 1 amount
• Oscillator 1 sub-octave amount
• Oscillator 2 amount
• White noise amount

High-pass filter

• Two-pole, resonant, high-pass filter per voice
• Bi-polar filter envelope amount
• Velocity modulation of envelope amount
• Keyboard tracking: off, half, full

Low-pass filter

• Four-pole, resonant, low-pass filter per voice, inspired by the original Prophet 5 filter
• Filter can be driven into self-oscillation with the Resonance control
• Bi-polar filter envelope amount
• Velocity modulation of envelope amount
• Keyboard tracking: off, half, full

Filter envelope

• Four-stage (ADSR) envelope generator

Amplifier envelope

• Four-stage (ADSR) envelope generator
• Velocity modulation of envelope amount

Low frequency amplifier

• Five wave shapes: triangle, sawtooth, reverse sawtooth, square, and random (sample and hold)
• Clock sync (internal or external MIDI clock)
• Initial amount
• Mod destinations: oscillator 1 frequency, oscillator 2 frequency, oscillator 1 and 2 pulse width, low-pass filter cutoff, high-pass filter cutoff

Poly mod

• Sources: filter envelope (bi-polar) and oscillator 2 (bi-polar)
• Destinations: oscillator 1 frequency, oscillator 1 shape, oscillator 1 pulse width, low-pass filter cutoff, high-pass filter cutoff

Aftertouch

• Source: channel (mono) aftertouch with bi-polar amount
• Destinations: oscillator 1 frequency, oscillator 2 frequency, LFO amount, amplifier envelope amount, low-pass filter envelope amount, high-pass filter envelope amount

Clock

• Master clock with tap tempo
• BPM control and display
• MIDI clock sync

Arpeggiator

• Selectable note value: 16th note, 8th note triplet, 8th note, dotted 8th note, quarter note
• One, two, or three octave range
• Up, down, up/down, random, and assign modes

Sequencer

• Polyphonic step sequencer with up to 64 steps and rests

Effects

• Stereo analog distortion
• Dual, 24-bit, 48 kHz digital effects, including: reverb (room, hall, plate, spring), delay (full bandwidth digital delay and emulated bucket brigade and tape delays), chorus, and phase shifter
• Delay sync
• True bypass maintains fully analog signal path when digital effects are off

Performance controls

• Full-sized, semi-weighted, 4-octave keyboard with velocity and aftertouch
• Backlit pitch and mod wheels
• Spring-loaded pitch wheel with selectable range per program (1 to 12 semitones up and down)
• Transpose controls for an 8-octave range
• Hold switch latches held notes on
• Polyphonic glide (portamento)
• Unison (monophonic) mode with configurable voice count, from one to all six voices, and key modes
• Preset switch: when off, the front panel is live; what you see is what you hear

Patch Memory

• 500 user and 500 factory programs in 10 banks of 100 programs each
• Direct program access, including Prophet 5-style single-button access to the current set of 10 programs

In/out

• Left/mono and right audio outputs (2 x 1/4” phone jack)
• Headphone output (stereo, 1/4” phone jack)
• MIDI in, out, and thru ports
• USB for bidirectional MIDI communication
• Low-pass filter cutoff expression pedal input
• Volume expression pedal input
• Sustain footswitch input
• Sequencer start/stop footswitch input

Power

• IEC AC power inlet for internal power supply
• Operates worldwide on voltages between 100 and 240 volts at 50 to 60 Hz; 30 watts maximum power consumption

Physical specs

• 32” L x 12.7” W x 4.6″ H (81.3 cm x 32.3 cm x 11.7 cm)
• 20.0 lbs (9.5 kg)
• Walnut end panels and trim