Sequential Prophet-5 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer
The Return of a Legend
The new Prophet-5 is Dave Smith's timely return to the analog poly synth that changed the world. It’s “the best of all Prophet-5s” as Dave puts it because it embodies all three revisions of the legendary 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.
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 Knob
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-5, 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 defy its simplicity. Another welcome reprise is Unison mode, which now features configurable voice count (1-5 voices) with variable detuning, and chord memory. And now Glide works both in and out of Unison.
Velocity and Aftertouch
Though our mission was to make the new Prophet-5 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 to perform in ways the original never could by putting filter sweeps, LFO mod, and volume changes at your fingertips.
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-5 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 make it as satisfying to behold as it is to hear and play.
The new Prophet-5 — history never looked or sounded better.
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
- 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
- Mod destinations: 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.
AFTERTOUCH
- Channel (mono) aftertouch
- Destinations: filter cutoff frequency, LFO amount
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 five 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-5. 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; Prophet-5: 20 watts maximum power consumption.
PHYSICAL SPECS
- 37.5” L x 16.4 W x 4.9" H (95.25 cm x 41.6 cm x 12.4 cm)
- 31 lbs (14.06 kg)
- Roadworthy all-steel construction with premium black walnut heartwood body and trim
Please Note: The item displayed in the images may not be the actual item you receive.
Payment Terms - Orders Internet orders may be paid for using the following methods: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal. For phone or mail orders you may pay money orders and cashier's checks by mail. Just call us at 773-525-7773 to place your order. All non-credit-card orders are subject to a 10-business-day hold. We do not accept international credit card or PayPal payments from international accounts. For international security reasons, please call the store to arrange a Bank Wire: +01-773-525-7773.
Shipping Charges - Taxes and Title Separate charges for shipping and handling will be shown on your order form. As a security precaution, initial orders and orders shipping to alternate addresses may be held for extended verification. We reserve the right to make partial shipments, which will not relieve you of your obligation to pay for the remaining deliveries. All items purchased from Chicago Music Exchange are made pursuant to a shipment contract. This means that the risk of loss and title for such items passes to you upon our delivery to the carrier. The published rates are for US domestic shipping only. Contact us directly if you wish to place an international order. For more information on our shipping policies, including rates, delivery times, and delays, please visit our website at chicagomusicexchange or call us at: 773-525-7773. If applicable, a separate charge for taxes will be shown on the invoice. We are required to collect sales tax on all orders shipped to Illinois.
3-Day / 15-day Return Policy If you are not completely satisfied with any product, return it for a full refund of the product purchase price, full credit, or exchange of your choice. We give you 3 days from the shipping date on Vintage instruments, and 15 days on New instruments. Credit card returns are issued a credit for purchase price. Refunds are made for product value only, excluding shipping and handling charges. New, Unopened items: You may return most NEW, untouched, unopened items within 15 days of delivery for a full refund. if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.) we'll also pay the return shipping costs. AmEx credit cards: Note that if your order was paid using an AmEx card we may pass on a 3.5% fee of the purchase price to process your refund. Vintage, Used items: We have to evaluate vintage and used guitars, amps, and other items on a case by case basis. We spend a lot of time with you and the item before your purchase to try to avoid any surprises after your purchase. AmEx credit cards: Note that if your order was paid using an AmEx card we may pass on a 3.5% fee of the purchase price to process your refund. You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, we strive to issue your refund sooner. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days). Send your return to: Chicago Music Exchange 3316 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60657 The following items are returnable only if defective OR unopened or unused: strings, harmonicas, microphones, cleaners, polishes, and polishing cloths. Software/soundware, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, and videos may be returned for credit only if they are in their original, sealed packaging. If defective, these items will only be exchanged for the same product. For complete details on our guarantees, shipping, and return policies, please contact our Customer Service Department at 773-525-7773; fax us at 773-525-2775; visit our website at www.chicagomusicexchange.com, or write us at Chicago Music Exchange, 3316 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60657.