Which Prophet Is Best – Prophet-5, Prophet-6 or Rev2?
Which Prophet Should You Choose? A Look at the Similarities and Differences.
The Sequential Prophet name is music in the ears of all synth fans. With so many options to choose from, which Prophet is best – the Rev2, the Prophet-6, or the reissued Prophet-5?
Which Prophet is Best?
The Prophet moniker is without a doubt one of the most famous names in synth history, and it’s inseparable from that of Dave Smith, the legendary pioneer. Ever since Dave went back to building synths in the early 2000s, his company has released a string of Prophet-branded synths, first under the name Dave Smith Instruments, later as Sequential.
Beginning with the Prophet ’08, all modern Prophets share certain characteristics. All are (mostly) analog, all are polyphonic, all are deeply musical, and all come in keyboard and desktop variants. So which Prophet is best? In this article, I’ll share a few thoughts on the matter.
Note: If you stumbled across my assertion that “all Prophets are analog” and would like to add that I’m wrong and don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m aware that this is a simplification. Over the years, Dave Smith also used the Prophet name for a number of hybrid synths, namely the Prophet-12 and Prophet-X. However, I’ve decided to omit those for this article, as they’re no longer available and also not typically associated with the Prophet brand.
Prophet-6: Modern Evolution of a Classic
When the Prophet-6 arrived in 2015, it was the first synth in decades to bear the Sequential name, after Dave Smith had regained the rights from Yamaha. Envisioned by Dave Smith as a modern evolution of the classic Prophet-5, the Prophet-6 shares many similarities with its famous predecessor, but also comes with some significant enhancements and improvements, the extra voice being just the beginning.
Unlike the Prophet-5 (or any other Prophet, for that matter), the Prophet-6 uses discrete circuitry for its oscillators and filters. The VCOs also have continuously variable waveshapes, and there’s a very useful resonant high-pass filter in addition to the low-pass. The unique Poly Mod section is similar to the Prophet-5, but offers more destinations. Moreover, the Prophet-6 also boasts dual digital multi-effects, an arpeggiator, a polyphonic step sequencer, and an Oscillator Slop control for dialing in analog imperfections.
Pros
- Discrete VCOs and filters
- Continuously variable waveshapes
- Dual filter (high-pass and low-pass)
- Poly Mod
- Oscillator slop
- Pan spread
- 2 digital multi-effects, analog distortion
- Polyphonic step sequencer
Cons
- Impossible to change program banks with one hand
The Prophet-6 is available at Thomann*.
Prophet Rev2: the only Bi-Timbral Prophet
The Sequential Prophet Rev2 can be traced back to the Dave Smith Instruments Prophet ’08, released back in 2007. At that time (and for years to come), it was pretty much the only analog polysynth you could buy new – how things have changed!
Early models of the Prophet ’08 were equipped with rotary encoders, which were prone to failure. This was fixed in 2009 with the Prophet ’08 Potentiometer Edition (PE). Something to keep in mind if you’re hunting for one on the used market.
The Prophet ’08 offered dual digitally controlled analog oscillators (DCOs), Curtis low-pass filters, and analog VCAs per voice. It also had a sizable modulation section with three envelopes, four LFOs, and a modulation matrix.
In 2017, Sequential (which had by then regained its original name) replaced the Prophet ’08 with the updated Rev2. While the synthesis architecture remained largely unchanged, the Rev2 features waveform modulation (think of it as PWM for all wave shapes), built-in effects, a sub-oscillator, an expanded modulation matrix, and a polyphonic sequencer. Also new was the 16-voice option, which, as far as I’m aware, is still the highest-polyphony analog polysynth available today, alongside the Behringer UB-Xa.
Apart from its use of DCOs, another thing that sets the ’08/Rev2 apart from all other Prophets is that it’s bi-timbral, meaning that you can play two programs at the same time in split or layer configurations or via MIDI.
Pros
- Most affordable of the Prophet bunch
- Available with up to 16 voices
- Bi-timbral
- 3 envelopes, 4 LFOs
- Pan spread
Cons
- DCOs
- No Poly Mod section
The Prophet Rev2 is available at Thomann*.
Prophet-5 Rev4 / Prophet-10: the Eternal Classic
In 2020, Sequential finally did it: the arrival of the Prophet-5 Rev4 marked the triumphant return of the synth that started it all. In the years prior, Dave Smith had seemed reluctant to release a reissue, feeling that it would be a step backwards (he had, after all, already presented his vision of a modern Prophet with the Prophet-6). We don’t know what changed his mind, but I think it’s probably safe to assume that it was a combination of other manufacturers successfully pulling it off (KORG MS-20, ARP Odyssey, Moog Minimoog), and Behringer threatening to clone pretty much every analog synth ever made (although the JT-16 has yet to arrive six years later, so go figure …).
The impressive Prophet-5 Rev4 is just that – a Prophet-5. It’s pretty much a carbon copy of the legend from the ‘70s, with a few subtle enhancements. Most notably, the Rev4 features both filter designs the original went through in its lifetime: the Dave Rossum-designed filter of the Rev1/2 and the Doug Curtis-designed CEM 3320 filter of the Rev3. It’s also got a Vintage knob for recreating the variations of various Prophet-5 revisions. Other enhancements over the original include velocity, channel aftertouch, and MIDI.
Sequential even brought back the 10-voice Prophet-10, but decided to omit the second manual. A sensible choice, in my opinion.
Pros
- Reissue of the legendary synth that started it all
- Simultaneously selectable waveshapes
- Selectable filter designs (SSM or Curtis)
- Poly Mod
- Vintage knob
Cons
- Most expensive
- No sub-oscillator
- No LFO sync
- No effects
- No arpeggiator / sequencer
The Prophet-5 and Prophet-10 are available at Thomann*.
So which Prophet Is Best?
All of the modern Prophets have their advantages and disadvantages. And all are significant investments – no matter which Prophet you choose, you’re certainly paying for the name. So which Prophet is best? Ultimately, that comes down to your personal requirements and preferences, so I won’t try to make a recommendation that works for everyone. All I can do is share with you which Prophet I chose, and why. So here goes.
My personal favorite of the modern Prophets has got to be the Prophet-6. While the reissued Prophet-5 obviously wins in terms of nostalgia and prestige, the -6 has a lot going for it on the synthesis side. And that’s no coincidence: it’s the synth Dave Smith envisioned as an advancement of the original design, rather than a mere reissue. While the Prophet-6 and the Prophet-5 are now in a similar price range, I feel that the money goes towards musically useful advancements in the -6, whereas the -5 is all about prestige and authenticity. I know what I prefer.
Not only is the Prophet-6 the only Prophet with discrete VCOs and filters, but it’s also the only one with continuously variable waveshapes. Add to that the sub-oscillator, the excellent dual-filter setup with resonant high-pass and low-pass filters, the versatile effects section, and the polyphonic sequencer, and you’ve got a synth that beats the Prophet-5 hands-down in terms of flexibility.
Not to mention the fact that six instead of five voices makes a bigger difference than you might think: not only can you play 3-voice chords in both hands, but playing a sequence of triads with a slightly longer release time doesn’t lead to voices being cut off.
I do have one pet peeve with the Prophet-6, though. The method for selecting programs isn’t great for use on stage. As changing banks requires you to hold down the Bank or Tens buttons while pressing one of the Program Selector buttons, it’s impossible to reach the higher banks with one hand. If your other hand is busy playing another instrument, you’re out of luck (unless you have the hands of a giant). The Prophet-5, on the other hand, cycles through banks and groups with each press of the respective button, which also isn’t ideal, but can at least be done with one hand.
While the Prophet-6 is clearly my top choice for sound design and studio use, I’d probably pick the Rev2 if I needed a versatile polysynth for gigging. The option to split or layer two sounds is awesome, and the availability of a 16-voice model makes bi-timbral configurations feasible. Built-in effects with tappable tempo sync are also great to have on stage (although the -6 has them, too).
More about Sequential
- Prophet Rev2 product page
- Prophet-6 product page
- Prophet-5 product page
- The History Of Sequential: Celebrating 50 Years of Sequential
- More from Sequential
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