DSI Prophet ’08 Desktop

Instruments Category: 
Sound Module
Synthesis Types: 
Analogue Synthesis
Voice: 
Polyphony
Company : 
Sequential (Dave Smith Instruments)

The Prophet Returns—And Fits on Your Desktop

The Prophet ’08 Synthesizer Module is a tabletop “knobby” module with all of the features and controls of the Prophet ’08 Keyboard (minus the keyboard, of course) in an even more compact enclosure. With real analog oscillators, famed Curtis low-pass filters, and analog VCAs, the Prophet ’08 is capable of reproducing the familiar sounds of its legendary predecessors. But modern features like a greatly expanded modulation matrix and additional modulation sources—including three envelopes and four LFOs per voice—take it way beyond vintage gear and make it a worthy and unique addition to the Prophet family tree.

Features include a gated 16 x 4 step sequencer, arpeggiator, split or stacked key modes with separate stereo outputs per layer, and rack ears for optional rack-mounting. The Prophet ’08 module can also be used as an expander to increase the polyphony of another Prophet ’08—keyboard or module—to 16 voices.

  • Full-featured polysynth with a 100% analog signal path.
  • Classic, real analog sound—including legendary Curtis analog low-pass filters—married to a modern feature set.
  • Small footprint, huge sound.
  • Tons of knobs for direct, real-time editing and performance.
  • Used as an expander, increases polyphony of another Prophet ’08 to 16 voices.

OSCILLATORS

  • 2 digitally controlled analog oscillators (DCOs) per voice with selectable sawtooth, triangle, saw/triangle mix, and pulse waves (with pulse-width modulation)
  • Glide (portamento): separate rates per oscillator
  • -White noise generator
  • Analog VCAs
  • Hard sync
  • Filters
  • 1 analog Curtis low-pass filter per voice, selectable 2- and 4-pole operation (self-resonating in 4-pole mode).

ENVELOPES

  • 3 envelope generators: filter, VCA, and assignable (four-stage ADSR + delay); Envelope 3 can loop.

SEQUENCER

  • 16 x 4 gated step sequencer

LFOS

  • 4 LFO’s with key sync per LFO

MODULATION

  • 4 x 2 modulation matrix with 20 mod sources and 43 mod destinations

ARPEGGIATOR

  • Programmable arpeggiator with up, down, up+down, random, assign modes.
  • Re-latching arpeggiation

CONTROLS

  • 52 knobs and 22 buttons enable deep and comprehensive editing with little to no menu diving.

MEMORY

  • 256 fully editable Programs (2 banks of 128) with 2 Layers (2 separate sounds) in each Program.

IN/OUT

  • MIDI In, Out, Thru, and Poly Chain
  • Main stereo audio output: 1/4? unbalanced
  • Output B stereo audio output: 1/4? unbalanced
  • Sustain pedal input: accepts normally on or normally off momentary footswitch.
  • Pedal/CV input: responds to expression pedals or control voltages ranging from 0 to 5 VDC (protected against higher or negative voltages).
  • Headphone output: 1/4? stereo phone jack.

POWER

  • Includes power supply for 110V – 240V AC operation (13-15 VDC, 600 mA) and operation manual.

PHYSICAL SPECS

  • Oiled walnut wood end panels
  • Dimensions: 3.25? H X 18.5? L x 7? W (8.25 cm x 47 cm x 17.8 cm)
  • Weight: 8.5 lbs. (3.86 kg)
  • Rack mounted: 4U*

*The input and output jacks are on the back panel, so they are on top when the module is rack mounted. The jacks are recessed about 1? but we recommend using cables with angled MIDI and audio plugs to avoid interfering with the rack space above the module.