Sequential Circuits Prophet X Revealed

Keeping secrets in this industry is particularly difficult, especially when you've played something you're incredibly enthusiastic about....and that's what I've been doing since I had a chance to sit down with Dave Smith at NAMM this year and check out the forthcoming Prophet X. I was very fortunate to travel to Anaheim this year to visit the NAMM show, I was also very lucky to have some time to chat with Dave Smith and the DSI gang. During that meeting I got a sneak preview of the Sequential Prophet X (and some sweet DSI swag!!), a synth-sampler combo I wasn't really expecting to see from Dave Smith Instruments, but when I saw the Sequential logo it all started to make sense :) Fast forward three months and the finished product is finally public knowledge and I can talk about it (phew!). So what is the Sequential Prophet X and how does it sound? Well that's pretty simple to answer; The Prophet X is a hybrid sampling synthesizer that combines both high quality samples with a complex digital synthesis voice that's all run through lush analogue filters. It ships with 150GB of sample content from sound development pioneers 8Dio and also has 50GB of space for user samples too. Each of the two samples can be modulated to varying degrees of complexity, you can for example modulated the start point, the playback speed and more using the onboard mod matrix, the onboard LFO's and the onboard envelopes. So, you can combine two samples with a two oscillator synth, run it through analogue filters, incredible stereo effects and much more. With support of up to 16-voices in mono and 8-voices in stereo. And the synthesis engine is INCREDIBLE, with sprinkles of Prophet 12 (since there's DCOs with waveshape modulation) you can get anything from simple subtractive tones all the way through to complex additive textures. It has all of the complexity of all of the other DSI synths, but it goes so so much deeper than anything else Dave has put his name to. And how does it sound? Well "complex" is probably the best word I can think to describe it, since I heard everything from Rhodes pianos morphing into crazy stereo-modulated synthesis tones, all the way through to Hammond Organs being turned into the most sublime granular textures....I mean, the synth is an absolute beast and really sounds quite unlike anything else in this form factor. I was very taken back by the sheer amount of tonal diversity the Prophet X has to offer and I can't wait to get my hands on it again at Superbooth 2018! The Prophet X is expected to be in stock in late May and we're extremely lucky to have reserved stock from the first UK shipment, so pre order yours now! At £3359 it's no pocket money, but a solid investment piece for those who like to explore the outer regions of sonic possibilities. For more information about Dave Smith, Sequential Circuits, the Prophet X or just talk synths, get in touch with our in house synthesizer expert Tom Lewis.