GForce Software Prophet~5 – Legendary, Classic and Official
4,0 / 5,0 | 
The Prophet~5 is one of a small number of electronic musical instruments that redefined what to expect from a synthesizer, and influenced both artists and synth developers alike. Now it receives its first official software version.
GForce Software Prophet~5: Key Highlights
- Complete recreation of Rev.1, 2 and 3 of the original
- Full MPE compatibility
- Powerful X-Modifiers for huge modulation capabilities
- Dual Layers, Splits and Alternates with up to 20 voice polyphony
- Huge preset library including all the original presets
GForce Software Prophet~5
Some Prophet~5 History & Background
I sat here for a good 10 minutes, trying to come up with something that described the impact and influence of the Sequential Circuits Prophet~5 when it launched in 1978, and how that impact and influence continues to this day.
There are only a handful of synthesizers that can lay claim to being, for want of a better phrase, game-changers. The Minimoog Model D, the Yamaha CS-80, the Yamaha DX7, the KORG M1… It’s an elite club, and the Prophet~5 deserves its place among them.
In his own, inimitable way, Dave Smith and his team created a synthesizer that delivered a combination of performance and functionality that paved the way for many instruments that came after it. But aside from the ability to store patches in memory, what set it apart was its sound.
It was versatile, being able to create warmth and depth, but at the same time, capable of delivering powerful sounds that cut through a mix like the proverbial hot knife through butter. As such, it found a great many fans and for many years, was the staple synth sound for many artists.
The GForce Software Prophet~5
Now, in 2026, for the very first time, we have an official Prophet~5 plugin from the team at GForce Software. Undoubtedly influenced by their work on the Oberheim plugins (OB-E, OB-X, SEM, DMX, OB-EZ, OB-1, TVS-Pro), Sequential has entrusted GForce to recreate one of the most important synthesizers of all time.
As you might expect from the boffins at GForce Towers, their version does two main things. It recreates the original hardware from the late 70s/early 80s, and it adds a huge gob of 21st-century enhancements to keep it relevant in our modern music-making world.
Rev.1, Rev.2 or Rev.3? Why Not All Three?
It is generally accepted that the Rev.2 is the best-sounding version, ironing out the teething issues of the first revision whilst maintaining the use of the SSM filters and envelopes. Sadly, these machines are delicate things and can develop issues that are both costly and sometimes hard to repair.
The Rev.3 version swapped out the SSM chips for Curtis ones, changing the tone somewhat, but delivering increased reliability. And so, buyers of the original hardware are often faced with the dilemma of buying the definitive Prophet sound or buying one that will require the least long-term attention.
GForce Software’s Prophet~5 relieves you of that concern by offering all three revisions with none of the reliability concerns! So whichever version you prefer, you have it at the flick of a virtual switch. Everything from the original hardware is replicated, including the factory presets, now complemented by hundreds of new creations.
Everything You Love About the Original…
One of the things that was somewhat unique about the Prophet~5 was its voice count. Rather than be in multiples of 2, it had 5. Given that most polysynths of the day had 4 or 8, the latter of which typically exceeded the budget of many working musicians, 5 always seemed like an odd compromise. Why not 6?
That said, 5 voices allowed for quads or triads over a bass note, so it never felt much of a restriction unless you wanted more than that, or were playing lots of notes close together with long release times. One such recording that exposed this was the Kim Carnes classic, ‘Bette Davis Eyes’. It’s opening riff, noticeably exhibited voice stealing
But rather than ruining the riff, it actually enhanced it and, if you recreate it and don’t limit the polyphony to 5 and last note priority, it doesn’t sound right! Anyway, the GForce version delivers not only the 10 voice polyphony of the Prophet~10, but you can also stack two 10-voice layers together for some massive sounds!
…And More!
That voice-stacking capability can be used as splits across the keyboard, or in Alternate mode, can move back and forth between the two layers as you play. And the new enhancements don’t stop there. GForce have brought their X-Modifiers section to bear on the Prophet~5, delivering dedicated envelopes and LFOs to virtually all parameters.
Better still is its full MPE compatibility, further extending the capabilities of the Prophet~5 way beyond Dave Smith’s initial vision. And, as you would expect, GForce have added their suite of effects which, as in previous GForce synths, are superb in quality and make the instrument sing.
Performance-wise, each layer features its own arpeggiator and chord mode, making for some very interesting outcomes when combining the layers. The patch-browser is excellent, as always, with very useful search facilities, and it also makes an appearance in miniaturised form on the main panel when selecting layers.
Visually, it is instantly familiar, looking just like the original, a design as useful and accepted as that of the Minimoog Model D, albeit with the additional controls and a collapsible X-Modifiers section. As the Radiohead song, which so effectively used the Prophet~5 to great effect, states, the GForce version has everything in its right place.
In Conclusion
Yet again, GForce Software have demonstrated why brands like Oberheim, and now Sequential, trust them with their legacies. I would wager that this is as close as you can currently get to having a Prophet~5 in your computer. People may prefer the sound or price of the other Prophet~5 plugins out there, but if you want a faithful reproduction coupled with present-day power and flexibility, the GForce Prophet~5 takes the crown.
Price and Availability
The GForce Software Prophet~5 is available now for an introductory price of £73.00/$80.00/€83.00 until the end of July 2026, when it will rise to its full price of £99.99/$119.99/€119.99. It is available for Mac (AU/AAX/VST/VST3/Standalone) and PC (AAX/VST/VST3/Standalone)
GForce Software Prophet~5 Pros and Cons
Pros
- All three revisions of the original included
- Vintage knob from the Rev.4 to deliver imperfections
- Powerful X-Modifiers
- Full MPE compatibility
- Definitive, officially endorsed plugin
Cons
- I genuinely cannot find anything wrong with this!
- Do we need another Prophet 5 plugin?
More Information
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