Dave Smith Instruments Prophet -6 Desktop Module Site Now Live

Published on Oct 22, 2015 Dave Smith Instruments

"Vintage Analog Sound — Small Enough to Fit in a Backpack. Poly chain any two Prophet-6's for 12 voice polyphony!"

Update: video added above, and the official press release added further below.


Follow-up to this post. The site is now live. Details and pics captured here for the archives. Note the image to the left is in via VINCENT ASCOLI and not on the DSI page from what I can see.

"Vintage Analog Sound — Small Enough to Fit in a Backpack
The Prophet-6 desktop module is every bit as powerful and easy to use as its counterpart, the Prophet-6 Keyboard. The module has all of the same controls as the keyboard version and provides the same immediacy and easy of use — with absolutely no menu diving. As with the Prophet-6 Keyboard, all parameters are at your fingertips, with full-sized knobs and switches and a comfortable, intuitive layout.

How does it sound? Awesome — just like the keyboard, because on the inside, it’s exactly the same. The same analog signal path with discrete VCOs and VCFs. The same high-quality digital effects. The same classic sound that has been earning raves from customers and reviewers alike.

We’ve also added a poly chain feature so that any two Prophet-6s can be paired for twelve-voice polyphony!

Vintage with a Modern Twist
Both the Prophet-6 desktop module and keyboard are Dave Smith’s 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 desktop module that’s small enough to fit in a backpack. It’s an ideal combination of portability and power for the project studio or the gigging musician."




And the press release:

"Legendary Designer to Ship Desktop Version of Acclaimed Analog Poly Synth in November

San Francisco, CA—October 22, 2015—Dave Smith Instruments today announced that they will begin shipping a desktop module version of their acclaimed Sequential Prophet-6 six-voice analog synthesizer at the end of November. Like the keyboard version, it features an all-analog signal path and discrete VCOs, VCAs, and filters. The knob-per-function front panel is free of menu-diving and offers immediate access to virtually all parameters.

As Dave Smith explained: “The Prophet-6 has been our most successful product launch ever. In the four months since its release, a huge number of artists have already added it to their setups.” Added Smith: “Apart from its awesome sound, we feel that a big part of its appeal is the immediacy of its user interface, so we made sure that the desktop version retained all of the same controls as the keyboard version.”

Smith continued:
'As a bonus, we’ve added a poly chain feature so that any two Prophet-6s can be paired for 12-voice polyphony. The biggest sound in modern analog poly synths just got bigger.'

Key to the vintage sound of the Prophet-6 is its two newly-designed, discrete voltage-controlled oscillators (plus sub-oscillator) and two discrete filters: 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. Said Smith: 'The desktop module sounds every bit as good as the keyboard because, on the inside, it’s exactly the same — the same VCOs, VCFs, and VCAs and the same classic, punchy, analog poly sound that’s been earning raves from customers and reviewers.'

The module weighs approximately 13 lbs (5.9 kg) and measures 21.25” L x 7.43” W x 4.4” H (54.0 cm x 18.9 cm x 11.2 cm). 'It’s an ideal mix of portability and power,' Smith said.

The Prophet-6 desktop module will be available at the end of November with a projected MAP of $2,199.

Download high resolution photos of the Prophet-6 desktop module at http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/product-photos/

View a video of Dave Smith introducing the Prophet-6 desktop module at: https://youtu.be/2bBXcJOKxC8

Price and specifications subject to change."