Sequential Fourm

[zerocrossing]

Sequential releases a synth that's a slight variation of a design that they've used over and over again since the 1970s?! Who saw that coming?

Is that fair?

Isn't that the case with every synth manufacturer?

Sure, manufacturers iterate, but Sequential seems to do it to a greater degree. They're like a Mexican restaurant with 4 types of meat, beans, rice and two types of tortillas, and they just reconfigure those ingredients in somewhat different ways.

I think Dave Smith did evolve deeper and deeper
- Prophet 8 and later REV2 of that an absolute master piece in what it offers
- I only have a REV2 left these days, but really worried over the poor pots quality
- really much headroom in REV2 to have plenty fun for years more

The '08/REV2 is basically a slightly reconfigured Oberheim Matrix 6. Add digital oscillators to it and you get an Evolver. Make it a mono and you get a MoPho. Add samples and a sequencer to it and call it a Tempest.

Prophet X is a very different thing too.

Very? Isn't the Prophet X a Prophet 12 with a sample engine tacked on?

Compare with Roland where just about everything is called Jupiter something but all digital these days and few common nominators with what made Jupiter famous, really.
- most of it just layering things more, not much innovation.
- never found a Roland that was fun to explore
- purchase libraries most of it, like JV series, not making own sounds so much
- JDXa was 4 analog voices together with rest digital, maybe innovative a bit

Sure, Roland is guilty of this as well, though historically, less so. I don't own any Roland hardware for this exact reason.

Nordleads were very early in sofisticated modulations on velocity and really good quality VA synths already 20 years ago. Then they released Nordlead A1 which was new approach in many ways. Never owned one though.

I've not heard a Nord that seemed interesting since my 2x, which was easily replaced with software, so you can put them on the pile as well.

Korg did quite a few innovations like with Prologue, MiniLogue och MonoLogue with user oscillators to combine if you wanted.

Korg is quite good in this respect. They don't always hit for me, but I admire that they are doing things like selling ARP 2600 clones at the same time they're selling there 'logues and the new digital synths like the OPSix.

I see no harm if Sequential Fourm is matching Behringer price tag on a new synth.
- will reel some new owners in, I think, maybe nothing new for everybody.
- more useful to make 4 voice chords than the range of mono synths they have
- Take5 was a good move probably too, save costs with digital amp section

There's no harm in any of it, but it's just a bit disheartening to see manufacturers churning out the same instruments over and over again, calling slight variations or recombination of features a new instrument. Don't get me wrong, I love my Prophet 6 and 12, and they're going nowhere, but I feel like they're behaving like car companies and just releasing the same car year after year with slight updates. To get something interesting I have to turn to software. Oh well.

[cryophonik]

Sorry, but I disagree with all of that. This synth is not intended to be a new innovative flagship synth, it's basically just a pared down budget-friendly "Prophet" intended for a considerable segment of the market that would like to own a Sequential analog poly synth, but isn't going to drop $2-5K on a 6-series or P5/10. And, this isn't a 2025 re-release of any of their current synths - it's more like a luxury car brand releasing a new compact hybrid - so your car analogy is just wrong, and you and I are not the target market for this synth. I would think all of that would be obvious.

[felis]

Completely destroys Moog’s Messenger though.

The Fourm looks pretty good.

But I wouldn't give up my Messenger for two of them.

[Constructed Identity]

Completely destroys Moog’s Messenger though.

The Fourm looks pretty good.

But I wouldn't give up my Messenger for two of them.

One day I will test a Messenger, the last time I went to Guitar Center they still didn’t have one but I bet they will before Christmas. I ‘m not in the market for another mono synth anymore though.

[zerocrossing]

Sorry, but I disagree with all of that. This synth is not intended to be a new innovative flagship synth, it's basically just a pared down budget-friendly "Prophet" intended for a considerable segment of the market that would like to own a Sequential analog poly synth, but isn't going to drop $2-5K on a 6-series or P5/10. And, this isn't a 2025 re-release of any of their current synths - it's more like a luxury car brand releasing a new compact hybrid - so your car analogy is just wrong, and you and I are not the target market for this synth. I would think all of that would be obvious.

I get all that, but it seems weird, like the Porsche 914. Why dilute your luxury brand with budget stuff, when Uli is just going to clone it and offer it for half the price? Maybe now that they're owned by Focusrite they can compete in that sector. All I know, is it's been quite a long time since they've released something that wasn't a rehash of previous technology.

One thing I will say is, this is a nice way for people to get a great sounding instrument and a small polyphonic aftertouch keyboard for a decent price. Would people buy this over a UB-Xa? Maybe.

[cryophonik]

All I know, is it's been quite a long time since they've released something that wasn't a rehash of previous technology.

True, but I feel like it's that way across the entire analog synth market. That said, it's still more innovative than anything that guitar, bass, drum, piano, etc., manufacturers are doing.

One thing I will say is, this is a nice way for people to get a great sounding instrument and a small polyphonic aftertouch keyboard for a decent price. Would people buy this over a UB-Xa? Maybe.

Totally agree. Poly AT doesn't really excite me and I've got my poly analog needs covered, but if/when a no-brainer deal pops up on a secondhand unit in a year or so, I may have a hard time passing it up.

[kritikon]

Having listened to all the vids I can find, I'm very much undecided on Fourm. I want to love it and simultaneously hate it. TBH I don't like it having just one 24dB/oct filter. Really, not even a hipass or bandpass option? 24 filters tend to be the more boring ones IMO, would be nice to be able to switch 24 or 12 (which other synths at similar price can do). It doesn't seem capable of anything too out-there that you couldn't do on any number of other synths. And I obvs initially missed the bit where you can actually control the drive. BUT, the sounds it makes seem strong and I have to admit I begrudgingly think it would sit well in a mix. Probably not the type of middle-of-the-road sounds I would want to make, but it really does have presence. I haven't seen too much done with the sync yet, and that could be a strength hopefully. It makes the boring plinks plonks and boings better than many other synths. I suspect that without the drive it would be very bland, but it does at least have drive. So, yeah, it makes me think "pop synth", but actually does it really well.

I suspect I might end up buying it just because I think I "should" have a Sequential of some kind, and I'm damned well not paying half a mortgage for a big one. Fourm wouldn't make me feel like I'm having my pockets picked. Shame they put polyAT on it though...if you're going to go budget, do it properly.

[Korg Supporter]

Having listened to all the vids I can find, I'm very much undecided on Fourm. I want to love it and simultaneously hate it. TBH I don't like it having just one 24dB/oct filter. Really, not even a hipass or bandpass option? 24 filters tend to be the more boring ones IMO, would be nice to be able to switch 24 or 12 (which other synths at similar price can do). It doesn't seem capable of anything too out-there that you couldn't do on any number of other synths. And I obvs initially missed the bit where you can actually control the drive. BUT, the sounds it makes seem strong and I have to admit I begrudgingly think it would sit well in a mix. Probably not the type of middle-of-the-road sounds I would want to make, but it really does have presence. I haven't seen too much done with the sync yet, and that could be a strength hopefully. It makes the boring plinks plonks and boings better than many other synths. I suspect that without the drive it would be very bland, but it does at least have drive. So, yeah, it makes me think "pop synth", but actually does it really well.

I suspect I might end up buying it just because I think I "should" have a Sequential of some kind, and I'm damned well not paying half a mortgage for a big one. Fourm wouldn't make me feel like I'm having my pockets picked. Shame they put polyAT on it though...if you're going to go budget, do it properly.

Even if it doesn't have many features, I would still buy it to control other synths like the Peak (which I just ordered) and even Repro! It sounds pretty ballsy to me, and I love OTA filters!

[kritikon]

It has OTA filter? Didn't know that...never really paid much attention to Sequential. Maybe it's just that the initial vids haven't got under the hood enough and programmed it deep enough to get some character out of it, as my initial impression was capable but kinda bland filter when it wasn't driven. So, we should be able to squeeze a bit more character out of it. I think that tips the balance a bit more in it's favour for me

[seafire]

Should be around 5k postage to NZ

[kritikon]

It might well be 5k sold locally in NZ, never mind postage

A Prophet Double-Digit here goes for around....not entirely sure and this is off the top of my head, but...27,000 or so? (I might be exaggerating just a tiny wee bit )

[stoopicus]

Sequential releases a synth that's a slight variation of a design that they've used over and over again since the 1970s?! Who saw that coming?

Absolutely on point for the feature set.

However, in this case I think the real news is the price. Seeing a Prophet at this price point from Sequential and not Behringer is a nice change.

It's essentially competing with the Behringer Pro-800 (their Prophet 6 clone) at a higher price point, or maybe the UB-Xa (obv not a Prophet clone but same space) at a lower one.

[zerocrossing]

Sequential releases a synth that's a slight variation of a design that they've used over and over again since the 1970s?! Who saw that coming?

Absolutely on point for the feature set.

However, in this case I think the real news is the price. Seeing a Prophet at this price point from Sequential and not Behringer is a nice change.

It's essentially competing with the Behringer Pro-800 (their Prophet 6 clone) at a higher price point, or maybe the UB-Xa (obv not a Prophet clone but same space) at a lower one.

I think the Pro-800 is a Prophet 600 clone.

[stoopicus]

Ahh yeah (obviously). Thanks for catching that.

[seafire]

Sequential releases a synth that's a slight variation of a design that they've used over and over again since the 1970s?! Who saw that coming?

Absolutely on point for the feature set.

However, in this case I think the real news is the price. Seeing a Prophet at this price point from Sequential and not Behringer is a nice change.

It's essentially competing with the Behringer Pro-800 (their Prophet 6 clone) at a higher price point, or maybe the UB-Xa (obv not a Prophet clone but same space) at a lower one.

I think the Pro-800 is a Prophet 600 clone.

It is, with the GliGli mods.