The Return of a Legend

The new Prophet-10 is Dave Smith’s ten-voice version of the analog poly synth that changed the world. It’s “the best of all Prophets” as Dave puts it because it embodies all three revisions of the legendary Prophet-5 synth — Rev1, Rev2, and Rev3 — through the use of genuine Curtis analog VCOs and filters (as in the Rev3) as well as new 2140 low-pass filters designed by Dave Rossum, like the 2040 filters he designed in the original Rev1 and Rev2. A Rev switch lets you choose between the two filter designs. It also adjusts the Filter Envelope’s shape and response to match the original Prophet Rev 1/2 or Rev 3 respectively. The result is as pure a renewal of an analog classic as you could wish for, with the authentic, muscular sound of the original and the roadworthiness of a state-of-the-art modern instrument.

Vintage Sound, Vintage Knobs

In addition to sourcing genuine Prophet-5 hardware components, we did extensive research into exactly what made the original sound the way it did — warm, organic, and alive. We found that much of this desirable character was due to slight fluctuations and differences in the response times and frequencies of the individual VCOs, filters, envelopes, and amplifiers from voice to voice. To give the same mojo to the new Prophet-10, we created the Vintage knob. Use it to dial in as much old-school randomness as you’d like. Go from a very stable “4” — as in Prophet-5 Rev4 , which is how we refer to the new version in house — all the way to “1,” as in Prophet-5 Rev1 , the rarest and most temperamental of all Prophet-5s.

Poly Mod and Enhanced Unison

In addition to the unmistakable tone of its oscillators and filters, much of the classic sound of Prophet-5 was the result of Poly Mod, which is faithfully present here as well. True to the original, modulation sources are Filter Envelope and Oscillator B. Destinations include Oscillator A frequency, Oscillator A pulse width, and low-pass filter. The range of sounds possible defies its simplicity. Another welcome reprise is Unison mode, which now features configurable voice count (1-10 voices) with variable detuning, and chord memory. And now Glide works both in and out of Unison.

Velocity and Aftertouch

Although our mission was to make the new Prophet-5 and Prophet-10 as accurate, authoritative, and true to the original as possible, we couldn’t resist adding a couple of modern enhancements to increase expressiveness: velocity sensitivity and aftertouch. These enable the new Prophet-5 and Prophet-10 to perform in ways the original never could by putting filter sweeps, LFO mod, and volume changes at your fingertips.

Bi-timbral for Layers and Splits

The Prophet-10 is bi-timbral, meaning that it can play two different programs simultaneously. In this mode, each program is allocated five voices. Use this capability to layer two programs for thicker, more powerful pads and chord stabs. Alternatively, split the keyboard into two independent performance zones and play synth bass in the lower range and leads or chords in the upper range.

Effortless to Program

The purity of the new Prophet’s sound is matched only by its simplicity to program. The knob-per-function front panel gives you instant gratification and immediate access to all sound-shaping controls. Toggling off the Preset button enables live panel mode, where the Prophet-10 switches to the current settings of its knobs and switches. What you see is exactly what you hear. Included are 200 permanent factory programs and 200 rewritable user programs, including the original 40-program sound set from 1978 that found its way onto countless recordings and film soundtracks back in the day and beyond.

The Whole Package

All of this punchy, powerful, analog goodness is housed in a full, five-octave, semi-weighted Fatar keyboard with USB, MIDI, Gate and CV ins/outs, and a premium-quality, steel and hand-oiled, sustainable black walnut heartwood body that makes it as satisfying to hold as it is to hear and play. Because each Prophet-10 features hand-selected woods, figuring and color can vary widely, making each instrument one-of-a-kind.

Prophet-10 Specifications

OSCILLATORS

Two authentic CEM 3340 VCOs per voice
Simultaneously selectable wave shapes. Oscillator A: sawtooth, pulse. Oscillator B: sawtooth, triangle, pulse.
Pulse width per oscillator
Hard sync: oscillator 1 syncs to oscillator 2
Low frequency mode (oscillator 2)
Keyboard tracking on/off (oscillator 2)

MIXER

Oscillator 1 amount
Oscillator 2 amount
White noise amount

LOW-PASS FILTER

Four-pole, resonant, low-pass filter per voice
Switchable between authentic versions of the Prophet-5 Rev1/2 filter and Prophet-5 Rev3 filter
Rev1/2 filter is a Dave Rossum-designed 2140, the modern counterpart of the original 2040 filter found in the Prophet-5 Rev1 and Rev2
The Rev3 filter is a Doug Curtis-designed CEM 3320
Filter can be driven into self-oscillation with the Resonance control
Keyboard tracking: off, half, full

FILTER ENVELOPE

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

AMPLIFIER ENVELOPE

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

LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR

Three wave shapes: sawtooth, triangle, square. All waveshapes can be engaged simultaneously
Both Initial Amount and mod wheel control
Towards destination: oscillator A frequency, oscillator B frequency, oscillator A and B pulse width, filter cutoff

POLY MOD

Sources: filter envelope and oscillator B
Destinations: oscillator A frequency, oscillator A pulse width, filter cutoff

VINTAGE KNOB

Recreates the characteristics of various Prophet-5 models by varying the behavior of oscillators, envelopes, amplifiers, and other parameters. Go from a very stable “4” — as in Prophet-5 Rev4 , (the new version) — all the way to “1,” as in Prophet-5 Rev1 , the rarest and most temperamental of all Prophet-5s.

AFTER TOUCH

Channel (mono) aftertouch
Destinations: filter cutoff frequency, LFO amount

BI-TIMBRAL OPERATION

Layer mode: two different 5-voice programs stacked together simultaneously
Split mode: two independent, user-assignable performance zones, with a different 5-voice program assigned to each.

PERFORMANCE CONTROLS

Full-sized, semi-weighted, premium Fatar 5-octave keyboard with velocity and aftertouch
Mod wheel
Spring-loaded pitch wheel with selectable range per program (1 to 12 semitones up and down)
Polyphonic glide (portamento)
Unison (monophonic) mode with configurable voice count, from one to all ten voices and key modes
Preset switch: when off, the front panel is live; what you see is what you hear

PATCH MEMORY

200 user and 200 factory programs in 5 banks of 40 programs each
Direct program access, including Prophet 5-style single-button access to the current set of 8 programs

IN/OUT

Mono output (1 x 1/4” phone jack)
Headphone output (stereo, 1/4” phone jack)
MIDI in, out, and thru ports
USB for bidirectional MIDI communication
Control voltage in/out (1 x 1/4” phone jack) 0- +5V input/output signal. Configured for 1-volt-per-octave operation.
Gate in/out (1 x 1/4” phone jack). Accepts a 1.5 to 15-volt on/off signal to gate the envelopes of a single voice on the Prophet-10. Outputs a 15-volt on/off used to gate the envelopes of an external synth.
Low-pass filter cutoff expression pedal input
Volume expression pedal input
Sustain 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; 28 watts maximum power consumption

PHYSICAL SPECS

37.37” L x 16.35 W x 5.95″ H (94.92 cm x 41.52 cm x 15.11 cm)
32 lbs (14.51 kg)
Roadworthy all-steel construction with premium black walnut heartwood body and trim

Sequential Prophet 10