Prophet Rev2 or another?

[ahmadeus]

I’m planning on picking up a Prophet Rev2 over the coming months and was wondering if anyone has any advice or thoughts to consider before purchasing.

On top of that, what would be some alternatives to consider?

I make electronic/hip hop/pop music and my budget is around £1-1.5k. I’m most interested in knob per function and sounds that sit well in a mix.

[cryophonik]

Just curious (and to help with other suggestions), which Rev2 version are you considering? Keyboard or desktop module? 8 or 16 voices?

I love my Rev2. I have the 16-voice (I upgraded from the 8-voice version) desktop module. In terms of value per dollar/pound, I don't think there's a better option on the market, especially in its price range. It's a pretty deep synth, so there is a little menu diving required on occasion, but the menus are pretty limited, easy to navigate, and most of what you need for sound design is right there on the front panel. I don't make hiphop, but I do make many forms of electronic/synth-based music and see no reason that this couldn't be a go-to synth for hiphop.

In that price range, there's not really a lot of strong competition to the Rev2 IMO, especially if you're mostly interested in analog synths. The most obvious contender is the Novation Peak, which is an 8-voice hybrid (digital oscillators with analog filter and distortion). Overall, it's arguably a more feature-rich synth (3 oscillators, each with the standard analog-style waveforms plus dozens of other digital waveforms), but also has more menu diving. You'll probably find that it gets mixed reviews, primarily for being a "boring" synth, but IMO those reviews are off the mark and probably based mostly on the factory presets. I have one sitting between my Rev2, PolyBrute, and Prophet 6 and it holds its own against all of them. It definitely has a much more modern sounding flare to it, like going into supersaw territory through an analog filter! Not to mention that its effects section is on par with the much more expensive PolyBrute and they both blow away the Rev2 and P6's effects. There's another active thread comparing the Rev2 and Peak that you might want to check out:

viewtopic.php?t=588471

In terms of pure digital contenders, the Access Virus and Nord Lead 4 should both be thrown into the mix. I have no idea how widely used they are in the hip/hop world, but they're both very diverse synths and obviously major players in all forms of synth-based music. The Virus is deep... VERY deep, so it's less immediate than the other synths I've mentioned, but most of the controls you'd need for sound design are on the front panel, although it requires a lot of shift-clicking or button selections to get to the parameter of interest. It's not as agonizing as it sounds, but also not as immediate as the others.

[ahmadeus]

I’m most likely going for the 8 voice keyboard version for now and possibly upgrading with an expansion card in the future.

The keyboard is mostly essential since it’ll also be used as a go-to MIDI keyboard for VSTs and such.

I’ll definitely look further into the Peak than I have already but it’s great to hear those things about the Rev2.

Just curious (and to help with other suggestions), which Rev2 version are you considering? Keyboard or desktop module? 8 or 16 voices?

I love my Rev2. I have the 16-voice (I upgraded from the 8-voice version) desktop module. In terms of value per dollar/pound, I don't think there's a better option on the market, especially in its price range. It's a pretty deep synth, so there is a little menu diving required on occasion, but the menus are pretty limited, easy to navigate, and most of what you need for sound design is right there on the front panel. I don't make hiphop, but I do make many forms of electronic/synth-based music and see no reason that this couldn't be a go-to synth for hiphop.

In that price range, there's not really a lot of strong competition to the Rev2 IMO, especially if you're mostly interested in analog synths. The most obvious contender is the Novation Peak, which is an 8-voice hybrid (digital oscillators with analog filter and distortion). Overall, it's arguably a more feature-rich synth (3 oscillators, each with the standard analog-style waveforms plus dozens of other digital waveforms), but also has more menu diving. You'll probably find that it gets mixed reviews, primarily for being a "boring" synth, but IMO those reviews are off the mark and probably based mostly on the factory presets. I have one sitting between my Rev2, PolyBrute, and Prophet 6 and it holds its own against all of them. It definitely has a much more modern sounding flare to it, like going into supersaw territory through an analog filter! Not to mention that its effects section is on par with the much more expensive PolyBrute and they both blow away the Rev2 and P6's effects. There's another active thread comparing the Rev2 and Peak that you might want to check out:

viewtopic.php?t=588471

In terms of pure digital contenders, the Access Virus and Nord Lead 4 should both be thrown into the mix. I have no idea how widely used they are in the hip/hop world, but they're both very diverse synths and obviously major players in all forms of synth-based music. The Virus is deep... VERY deep, so it's less immediate than the other synths I've mentioned, but most of the controls you'd need for sound design are on the front panel, although it requires a lot of shift-clicking or button selections to get to the parameter of interest. It's not as agonizing as it sounds, but also not as immediate as the others.

[cryophonik]

In that case, the Novation Summit is basically the keyboard version of the Peak, but has more voices, two layers, and some filter differences, I believe. You might want to compare that to the Rev2.

[vitocorleone123]

Knob per function sound is NOT the rev2 if you want to make the most of it. It's more a sound designer's synth based on everything I've read and seen and heard over the years.

Admittedly, I don't have one (went with an OB-6 desktop as my one and only synth that's over $1k).

[Fleer]

Take a good look at the Sequential Take 5. When I heard its glorious VCOs, there was no going back to the Rev2’s DCOs or Curtis filter.

[simmo75]

I love my Rev 2, I prefer it to the Take 5 & ended up selling my Take 5. It’s got such a beautiful tone, really unique and it’s a pleasure to use, it’s UI is very intuitive.

[cryophonik]

Here’s another one to consider, the Argentinian-made GS Music e7 (7 voice analog):

https://www.gsmusic.com.ar/wordpress/en/gs-e7/

I love my Rev 2, I prefer it to the Take 5 & ended up selling my Take 5. It’s got such a beautiful tone, really unique and it’s a pleasure to use, it’s UI is very intuitive.

Totally agree.

[zerocrossing]

Take a good look at the Sequential Take 5. When I heard its glorious VCOs, there was no going back to the Rev2’s DCOs or Curtis filter.

After having a MoPho, Evolver, Prophet 08, Prophet 12 and Tempest, I decided that the Prophet 12 was enough of that filter sound, and having the Prophet 6 was the ultimate.

3 months later I missed those DCOs and got a REV2. I probably use it more than the 6.

[lfm]

REV2 is like a swiss army knife and something of a must have.
Discovering the depth of this synth and what you can do is all fun and exiting journey.
Especially the 16-voice desktop, which was only €100 more to 8-voice to my surprise.

True bitimbral you still have two handed 4-finger chords you can do. And that makes massive pads for one. Pan voices a bit diffferent each layer and use osc slop knob to detune a bit differently.

Also like ability to set each oscillator to reset for a new note or not, so free running and more like VCO with different phase or strict get same phase for new note.

4 LFO's with loads of options, 20+ modulations each layer. 4 gated sequencers are very useful having endless alterations going in a sound, each a source for modulation.

I also like the preset handling in REV2 and the compare feature make it easy to find a preset you feel like overwriting. I like this better than P6 and Take 5 style where you have to navigate twice to overwrite.

And entering debug mode, you can copy the 512 presets over to factory apartment, having 512 extra locations. This goes for Take 5 too.

Having effect off it's all analog path for REV2. Take 5 have amp envelope being digital already, so straight after filter a A/D converter and then D/A again before out and no true analog path.

[mothra]

I just gave in and hit the buy button on one about an hour ago (8 voice desktop model)..

Was planning on getting a Deepmind 12D and later the Pro-800 when Behringer gets around to releasing it, but after looking at the price for those two units together, and listening to a bunch of demos yesterday.. Ended up deciding to just get a real Sequential finally.

[seismicfm]

How are you liking your Rev2? I've had the deep mind 12 and the Peak, twice! I did not like them at all. I've been eyeing the rev2 for a while now.

[JamminFool]

How are you liking your Rev2? I've had the deep mind 12 and the Peak, twice! I did not like them at all. I've been eyeing the rev2 for a while now.

what did you not like about the Peak? I wonder if it would be the same if you had the Summit instead (I'm trying to decide between REV2 and Summit).

[seismicfm]

How are you liking your Rev2? I've had the deep mind 12 and the Peak, twice! I did not like them at all. I've been eyeing the rev2 for a while now.

what did you not like about the Peak? I wonder if it would be the same if you had the Summit instead (I'm trying to decide between REV2 and Summit).

It didn't really offer me anything interesting or 'character' compared to my wavetable VSTs, even with its analog filters. It was a bit cumbersome to program, and it was easy to create harsh and bad sounding patches. I gave it a 2nd try because I thought I was missing something, but it sounded even worse. I'm sure it can sound great in more capable hands. It's really a tough choice between the two, but I personally won't go with Peak again.

[Azbest]

How are you liking your Rev2? I've had the deep mind 12 and the Peak, twice! I did not like them at all. I've been eyeing the rev2 for a while now.

If you're looking for an easy, nice sounding synth, a P6 or OB6 may be more suitable.