Dave Smith Instruments Prophet'08

Using Latest software available.
I think the presets have some nice sounds showing what the synth is capabale of. "Moonster" is a Massive and awesome sounding patch that really blew me away. Editing patches is a breeze thanks to the classic layout of the front panel.
The manual is small and easy to understand.

8 Voices of polyphony is not bad at all. I would perfer 10 voices because I play often cords with 5 notes, and if I play pads I would like the second chord not to replace the notes of the previous chord, other then that the polyphony is pretty acceptable :).
No built-in effects, but with 4 LFO's and PAN modulation, you can make some nice delay effects :)
This board has no expansion capabilty other then being able to connect another prophet 08 to double the polyphony.
The keyboard is very nice for those who wants an expressive keyboard, the aftertouch and velocity is extremely sencitive.
The onboard sequencers (4) can be modulation sources! :D
This synth has extremely wide range of modulation capabilities.

To my taste, this is the weak point of the synth.
To start of with the good things here: With all the modulation capabilties, it is possible to create very complex sounds, though it will require a tad of menu diving but this is the strong side of the sound of this synth. On the other hand, I have problems finding the sweetspots I was hoping for with an analog synth; By creating basses, leads and strings, I do not get satisfied. I really hate the filter responce! And the sound from the oscillators is very dry and thin. I was hoping for the warm sounds and screaming leads, that the Prophet had. But this synth is totally different.

The software of this synth seems to be rock solid, I didn't experience any bugs of any sort. Personally if I would gig with this, I would've put it in a hard case. The knobs really worries me, they feel loose and sencitive, and gives me an impression of bad quality. Though it feels a bit better then on the Evolver series because of the bigger heads, but they need care still. The buttons feels the same way, but luckily they arent as big as the knobs and is less vunerable because of that.

I've sent some e-mails and their responce is extremely quick. Good job Dave!!

I would not buy it again. I've actually sold mine now and replaced it with a moog little phatty, that gives me the sound I was after.
My setup now: Nord Wave, Moog LP, Virus TI, IK multimedia software bundle, Best service Drums overkill, Mac Pro, Cubase 4.
I wish the prophet 08 had better buildquality of knobs and buttons. I wish it had 10 voices. I wish it had VCO's instead of DCO's. I wish the filter responce would be different. I wish it had USB connection for editor software.

Currently using the latest software. The presets are a good starting point to make your own sounds and they demonstrate the unlimited sound sculpting possibilities. Editing can be as easy as twisting a knob or as complex as routing anything to anywhere. Manual is simple no BS. I use the editor librarian for backing up sounds only.

8 voice poly. keyboard action is better than any other in its category. no effects. currently using a lexicon mx300 to process. polyphony can be expanded by chaining with other p8's. All the necessary MIDI is there(Remember, Dave Smith originally implemented it)

Are the sounds realistic. geez i hope not. pure analog. I use it for pop, rock, and electronic dance,etc. again, no effects. You can route anything to the mod, pitch wheels or cv pedal for expression. velocity and aftertouch as well, and don't forget about all the knobs. Sounds are good, for a poly analog at its price.

I use this keyboard for gigging and home studio. I've owned it for a year now. After gigging with it about 20 times (in a softcase) and transporting it to the studio and rehearsals 2 to 3 times per weak it has not failed me. Although the knobs are tempermental when twisting too fast while playing live. If i could afford a backup i definately would.

i've dealt with the company, and am currently dealing with the knob situation. customer service is as good as it gets.

if it were lost or stolen i would replace it, i cannot think of another keyboard that could replace it with. it's my main axe. I love everything about it except the tempermental knobs. chose this keyboard because of sound, price weight, keyboard and capabilities. There is a few things i wish it had but there is more than plenty to keep me busy.

I'm using the latest software as of September 2008. This synth sounds fabulous. It's the first real analog synth I've owned for a long time, and I'd forgotten how great they sound. Virtual analogs are good for many things, but if they're all you play you won't know what you're missing. In a dense mix, live, on a compressed mp3, or over the radio, the difference between virtual and actual analogs is often lost. Play the Prophet 08 by itself next to the Virus TI, however, and you'll hear the difference.

The presets are a mixed bag, like on every synth. Some are really nice, some are unusable and just meant to grab your attention or highlight a particular feature, some are just bad. Editing them is about as easy as it gets, though, since there are very few menus. The patch editor has its advantages, but it's mostly not necessary for typical patch tweaking. It's probably most useful as a librarian or for the sequencer. The display is very easy to read, the LFO lights indicate rate and waveshape by the way they blink, and sequencer functions are indicated by yellow lights and lettering--all very ergonomic and great.

Ease of use is compromised, though, by the external power supply. It's really surprising that someone like Dave Smith, who has made such landmark instruments and designed them with such care would do that to an otherwise great synth. Wall warts/line lumps get stepped on, kicked around, they get pulled out of the jack on the synth, and it's much harder and more expensive to keep spares around. Really, REALLY bad move.

Otherwise, the only thing I'd wish for is a numeric keypad for selecting patches. That's a small gripe, though. Points off for the external power supply.

I won't make a list of the features, because you should get them from the DSI website. I've seen incorrect features listed for many synths on HC.

The keyboard action is very nice, tied with the Supernova II and Virus C/TI as my favorite. It's nicely weighted, fast, solid, it bottoms out onto something firm but forgiving, and the velocity and pressure sensitivity respond wonderfully. SOO much better than flimsy MIDI controllers, and much better even than the V-Synth, various Nords, etc. It's a real pleasure to play.

8-voice polyphony is fine--of course 16 or 32 voices would be great, too, but this is unlikely to be anyone's only synth, and more voices means higher cost. No effects, but I bought a t.c. electronic M350 for next to nothing, and the P08 is permanently routed through it. (There's a dedicated front-panel bypass switch on the M350 for when I don't want to hear effects.) No expansion capabilities, and MIDI capabilities are fine. Actually, the MIDI poly-chain feature is unusual and great--plug in a second P08 and they act as a single 16-voice synth. Great!

The on-board sequencer is tricky. I wish it weren't gated only, but would play sequences even after I lifted my hands from the keyboard or at the touch of a button like the sequencer from the Evolver series. Although it's hard to program, it's still very useful. Having 4 LFOs is fantastic, I just wish there was a smoothed-random waveshape (Access calls it sample-and-glide, Novation acheives it by smoothing the S&H setting) and I wish there were more LFO destinations (like other LFOs, for example). The endless knobs are fine with me--I think the smooth changes in settings that they provide is worth the trade-off of not being able to "see" all the settings in a particular sound by looking at the knob positions. Especially since the display shows the original setting and new setting for any parameter you alter.

The main feature that is really disappointing is the arpeggiator. It has no random mode, and it can't do multiple octaves. If you play new notes while it's latched, those notes get added to the existing arpeggio instead of replacing the existing arpeggio. It seems like replacing existing arpeggio notes is MUCH more useful--it is to me, anyway--or at least being able to choose between the two would be great. I've emailed them about this, and they basically said that they're busy, don't hold your breath.

Mmmmmm. I used to think that people were too OCD about analog sounds, that VAs were so good today that real analogs were no longer necessary. Then I played the P08, and I changed my tune. I still think that in a loud live mix, buried under guitars and all the rest, the difference will be lost on the audience. In the studio, though, or in more refined live settings or recordings, the difference is immediately apparent. The P08 sounds huge, full, warm, and organic in a way that only analog can. It's beautiful (or nasty and filthy, depending on your programming). It would work for any music where synths are called for, unless you specifically want a glassy, digital edge or samples.

I'm not so sure about this one. The knobs are seriously wobbly and the power supply is external. These two things make it feel like a studio-only piece. It's weird that the knobs are so fragile-feeling, because the keyboard and the wheels feel so nice. Like other reviewers below, I'd have paid more for sturdy knobs.

Very nice people who respond quickly to emails. It's a tiny company, though, and they appear not to have time for extensive OS updates like those offered by Kurzweil or Waldorf (also tiny companies).

I actually returned the keyboard because of the knob issues, and I bought the P08 rack. It's knobs are still not as sturdy as those on a Nord or Moog, but they're better. Plus, I'll admit that I hate wood ends on synthesizers. It just seems like a marketing tactic aimed at nostalgic people, because wood is clearly not the best material for synth construction. (It absorbs moisture, it dings easily, it required dead trees, etc.) The P08 rack has wood ends, but it comes with rack ears that I use, and they're great. In the rack, if you use angled connectors and if you seriously bend the power cord (I tied mine into an angle with thread), you won't need an extra space above the synth for the cables.

Otherwise, this is a fantastic synth. It's specialized because it does one thing only--analog sounds--so it's unlikely to be anyone's only synth. Luckily, it does analog sounds incredibly well. It has limitations as described above, but it costs less than a vintage analog polysynth on eBay, and it does SO many things that vintage polysynths can't do. It's really great to be able to buy a new analog polysynth, more powerful than previous ones, at a low price and with a warranty!

I compared this synth with what I consider to be the best VAs out there--the Alesis Ion/Micron, and the Clavia Nord Wave. (I've heard great things about the VA engine in the Korg Oasys, but I can't afford it, and the Access Virus TI aliases too much for me to consider it a good analog emulator.) The Ion and Micron are both great, and they have capabilities that the P08 lacks, but I have other synths with unusual filters and three oscillators per voice, so I thought my needs were better served by a real analog engine. The Nord Wave is great and has a very convincing sound, but it's expensive and much of its cost is because of its ability to play samples. I would have considered an Alesis Andromeda, but nobody around me sells them, and I didn't want to pay that much money for a used thing on eBay. Plus, the P08 is simpler, yet it still sounds great.

I also own a Roland V-Synth, a Waldorf Blofeld, and a Kurzweil PC3. The Prophet 08 rack rounds out this collection perfectly. It I somehow lost it, I'd buy it again without hesitation.

The presets installed were pretty much a joke. There was only one good one. The rest had no musical value whatsoever. Sound creation was pretty strait forward. I never used the editor software. The synth has an amazing number of modulation possibilities, but since the owners manual provides only a minimum of information, I never was really able fully understand and use all of the features in a satisfying manner. It's almost like after they finished developeing the Prophet, someone realized "Hey we forgot the manual" and then wrote it in a few hours!

The keyboard has eight voices, which for this type of keyboard, is sufficient. No built-in effects. I bought a Lexicon MX200 when I bought the Prophet. The keyboard action is very nice. For a non-weighted action, it provides a nice amount of resistance.

The on-board gated sequencer sounds great in all the ads, but in reality, it's very hard to program.

This instrument, like most analogs, produces a limited range of sounds. That's just the nature of analog synthsis. Although the sounds are very fat, this is not a work-horse kind of synth, and I only occasionally could find a need for it in my work.

Undependable. I constantly had to calibrate the keyboard do to pitch drift while playing.

All I could get was some lame website.

I really tried to unlock all the "potential" that everyone was saying this keyboard has. In the end, after all was said and done, I returned the keyboard on day 29 after buying it. I relaced it with Sonic Instruments SAMPLE MOOG software for $240.00. And I used the rest of the money as a down payment on a new car. I'm much happier now!!!

The P08 is mostly easy to use.
Layout is logical with a dedicated knob for most common functions
What I find a bit frustrating is that with the small screen the knobs dont give you any visual feedback as to the settings so in this respect its less intuitive than synths with sliders such as my humble SH101.
This is offset at least by the fact when you go to tweak a knob the display tells you the setting of the patch before you started to alter it.
This is good for knobs that alter something like a modulation destination where one touch may take you a long way from your current setting. Without this you could touch the knob and drastically alter a sound and not be able to find your way back.
In the P08s defence Im not sure how you could get around this limitation except with something like a bigger display with a page with all the modulations set out. In fact the software editor gives you this sort of visual information.
Overall, Im finding it easy to work with.

Very well specified in a nice size.
I wont repeat the all specifications but just say I find theres lots of ways to manipulate your basic oscillators sound, plenty of LFOs and envelopes and modulation routings
I love having 8 voices and the built in sequencer.
Maybe not as capable of as broad a range as the PolyEvolver with its wavetables, but still, for an analogue synth its pretty comprehensive. Youd have to compare it to the Alesis Andromeda to get this many modulation options and the Andromeda is way more expensive and fills a different niche.

Well to my ears it sounds lovely
Expressive keyboard with velocity and aftertouch
Every analogue synth has its own character and this is no exception.
Comparisons with the lovely Prophet 5 are fair enough. To me it shares some of the quality but the P05 sounds smoother and silkier, the P08 out of the box is more cutting and abrasive, sounds "brighter" and more overdriven especially in unison mode.
This has a bit to do with the presets which seem to show off its "brassy" sounds a lot. I have coaxed mellower sounds out of it but it doesnt seem to fall naturally into this type of sound for me.
Its an extroverted, upfront, synth for me.

Well heres where I feel a bit let down
Ive been using this for about a month and some of the knobs are already feeling a bit loose and Im very very gentle with my gear.
You sometimes have to spin the knobs quite a lot to get the changes you need and all this tweaking seems to be too much for them.
Its a big problem because it makes me afraid to use the synth Im afraid Ill slowly break it.
I want to be able to tweak away and get into it, not treat it like this super delicate thing. Im already thinking about stashing some spare knobs away. I hope its not too hard to get to them to change them in the future.
I personally would have preferred to pay a more for sturdy knobs. Im thinking of the clunkers on the Moog Voyager or the Prophet 5

Dont know yet
Good reputation for sure

Sounds great, plenty of control options
Love the small size
Very reasonable price, but as I mentioned I would have paid more for more solid knobs. Apart from playing the keyboard, tweaking the knobs is fundamental for me. Playing an instrument is a tactile and physical thing. Its part of the whole experience of using "real" synths instead of software.
I have many synths. I have sold most of my "vintage" analogue gear because I was getting frustrated by reliability issues. Its great to be able to buy a genuine analogue with so many modern features that isnt 20-30 years old.
I would compare it favourably with my Andromeda for sound shaping features such as filters, modulation, and sequencer and it stacks up pretty well. The A6 is in a different price range with 16 voices bigger screen with more info, knobs more sturdy. Its sound is more low key and silky. Prophet 08 has more punch and guts to my ears, not as much squelch and "liquidness".
In this respect you could say it sounds a lot like the "analogue" part of the DSI Evolver.
I bought this on its own merits but I was interested in checking it out because I love the DSI Poly Evolver Keyboard and as I mentioned Im phasing out my vintage gear (except for my Prophet 5 and SH101)
Overall, Im enjoying this synth very much.

Very easy to use, especially with the computer editor which lets you "see" the sound. Good selection of presets, from simple to very complex-sounds like more than 8 voices sometimes! All is clearly laid out, though needs a bit of practice if you are a novice.

Does what it says it does - 8 voices of pure 100% analog sound. MIDI control is feature-rich. Perhaps a HPF would have been nice, but it just feels complete as it is.

I was too young (8) when the Prophet 5 came out, though I remember the ads well. That well-known "vibe" of a classic synth is well captured in the P08, and while it may not "sound" the same as a P5 or P8, it has all the expression that one would want. Deep, harsh, sweet, it is all there. Oh, and you have to listen to it though monitors as the headphone output does not do the instrument justice.

No problems so far.

Dave Smith is supposed to offer great support, though I haven't needed it yet.

Thank you Dave Smith for building an instrument of such grace and beauty for those of us that missed out the first time round! It integrates perfectly with my old and new synths and samplers, but best of all, sounds great!

If you've ever used an analog or virtual analog, this will be a breeze. The layout of the controls is very straightforward, and most functions have a dedicated knob assigned to it. The presets range from quite good to pretty lame, but at least the give a good impression of the various features.

You'll be starting creating your own library of sounds soon enough and that's when the machine starts to shine. I bought the PC editor mainly for librarian purposes and PC editing during sequencing, but it's not necessary to get good sound from the unit.

The manual is sparse but detailed. It might be a bit baffling to people new to synths, but if they read a generic analog synth tutorial they'll be up to speed in no time.

The Prophet '08 features pretty much anything you expect on a modern day synth, but with the beautiful full sounds of the past. The keyboard feels nice and expressive and the sound is absolutely stunning. There aren't any onboard effects, but you get a 100% analog signal path in return. Add a bit of reverb, chorus or delay from an external unit and it gets even better.

You get velocity and aftertouch combined with loads of modulation options and the onboard sequencer which can also be used as modulation source. This makes the unit very, very flexible when it comes to shaping sounds and performing.

The arpeggiator is a bit lacklustre though, with not many options and a lack of playing over various octaves. Also, I personally would have like a third oscillator per voice and/or a suboscillator.

The sounds are absolutely beautiful and organic and lively. The keyboard performance options are very well integrated, making this not only a great sound generator but also a superb performance instrument. When editing sounds it's very easy to assign keyboard pressure or velocity to one or more sound parameters, resulting in very expressive playing.

The unit feels solid enough, although the knobs do feel a bit lightweight and fragile. I would use it for gigs (but I use it only in the studio), but I'd make sure to pack it really well in a sturdy flightcase with loads of damping materials.

The customer support is excellent. I ordered the sound editor and got a code that didn't work. Within 5 minutes after mailing them I got a reply both from Sound Tower and Dave Smith, providing me with a new code which worked fine. They really seem to care about their customers. Another mail I sent earlier to DSI involving registration of the instrument also got a swift reply.

Definitely worth the cash I paid for it, and I would replace it. I'm very happy to be able to own a brand new virgin genuine analog machine straight from the factory with support and warrantee for a fair price.

I own a couple of Virtual Analogs, and Evolver and some analog drumming, but the Prophet '08 really is something else. The sound quality, the way the unit operates and the performance options put it pretty much in a league of its own, only shared by vintage equipment with all the perks and quirks.

Sure, it could have been better. I would have liked more robust knobs. I would have liked some indication of the value of the knobs when opening a new patch. Maybe some more modulation options, like FM or coloured noise. A more elaborate arpeggiator.

But come on. You pay less than $2000 for a unit with superb sound, a great interface and countless possibilities when you compare it to vintage equipment. This IS as good as it gets.

Original OS I believe. Out of the box, a very intuitive keyboard. Well laid out.Editing is very simple. I was tweaking away without the manual and finding my way around quite easily.

Good polyphony for an analog poly synth. Keyboard action is one of the best I've ever played, and I've played a LOT! Very nice integration of aftertouch. You feel a connection to the instrument.
No effects as this would bring it into the digital domain. Step sequencer and arpeggiator are nice. Wish there was a bit more variety in the arpeggiator though. No random note option!

Sound is pure Prophet all the way! This thing can growl and sizzle, yet retain it's warmth. Pretty ballsy too though I must say my Moog Voyager is a bit smoother and has more depth. Something lacking in the overall sonic richness. But still quite nice. Reacts well to playing. Some sounds though, especially pads have a tendency to "cut out". I thought this was a polyphony issue. Be warned in stacked mode, your 8 notes of polyphony are cut in half to 4. But even when playing simple chords, say a low bass note and a 2 note chord in the right, notes still fall out.

I'm strictly a studio player, but I don't think I'd gig this machine.
Seems like they cut corners to keep the price down. That's fair, but the knobs are a little flimsy. If you baby them it should be fine, but a few rough tweaks and I can see problems down the line. On my unit the presets were a little jumpy, changing suddenly if you bump the keyboard or tweak a knob too quickly. Also the LED is covered by thin plastic, not even glass or a firm plastic. A bit shallow on the craftsmanship I think.

Very good. I had a few questions and they got back to me ASAP.

While I do like the Prophet 08 alot, in the end I've decided to send it back. I've been playing for 30 years and owned a lot of gear. I thought the Prophet would bring me back to my youth. It definetely has a niche market. Perhaps DSI did too good a job! This thing sounds OLD! If you want to recreate that 70's sound ala early Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, M. Jarre and the like, look no further. This is the board for you. But I can't get past the dated sound. It makes my tracks sound like they were just discovered in a vault from '75! I would probably only use it for adding a little "flavor" to my tracks here and there, and that does'nt justify the $2000 cost for me. But all in all a nice keyboard.

signal flow is pretty simple, DCOs to filter to amp/adsr. editing patches would be nicer w/o having to look at where you are on the LCD screen. small price to pay for LOTS of modulation options though. presets sound OK, but underwhelming for what it can do.

great polyphony. no audio in, no mono out. sequencer is really cool. modulation abilities are awesome! lots of ways to loosen up the DCO sound w/ osc slop and unison.

before any criticisms, i'll preface that it sounds great, and you should be using this thing in STEREO to really get the most out of it.

i might get chided for this, but doesn't do deep bassline stuff particularly well, imo. this might be a limitation of the curtis chip, or just a unique character trait in exchange for that sizzly metallic sort of sound, but trust me, buy this thing if you're looking for polyphony for leads and awesome pads primarily. you can get great bass sounds, but i'm just saying, don't buy this particularly for that function in your studio. now admittedly this is coming from someone who's owned a voyager/ms20/sh-09, and those are pretty much bass machines, but with all that said, you definitely can make do with proper programming and maybe some compression. don't let the presets fool you, as they are primarily very "sheen-y" often utilitizing all voices in mega-detune unison mode w/ cutoff all the way open, so you get alot of same-y UBERBUZZ sounds. there's a few really good examples of the capabilities of this thing, but overall they can be a bit underwhelming. give it a chance though, and for the love of dave, PROGRAM SOMETHING YOURSELF before passing judgement! at first i was really disappointed, hoping this would be the end-all be-all, but i think w/ some time it will grow on me quite a bit because of it's unique-yet-flexible sound palette. it will produce "analog sounds of the 80s" very well, and w/ a little delay can be absolutely enchanting. you can coax Boards of Canada style pads with Osc slop and modulation. it's scary cool for leads and arpeggios, too. basslines will come out of the woodwork but to get good ones you need to spend time w/ it.

I've owned an Evolver for 5 years or so, no probs. I have the P'08 rack and it's a tank. knobs are same as evolvers but a bit more ''in place'' feeling. DSI makes things to last.

upgrade my os w/ PIC chip on the Evolver and talked to dave about some midi stuff. awesome here.

this thing rules, with only a few minor (workable) caveats. it will be a great complement to studios with other analog gear in them. partners GREAT w/ moog stuff. i retain that it's not a sub-bass machine, but can do everything else very well. i'm getting a Future Retro XS and Revolution to partner with it, and think this will be an optimal setup. it has a few qualities to it that make it better for some applications than others, but this can be said about every good synth. if you are looking for polyphony and VAs don't cut it for you, get this! i think it rivals the Virus TI very well. Prophet 5 meets the Evolver line.

There's a very satisfying simplicity and directness about this synth. It's something to do with the way all the controls are laid out, and the best word to describe that might probably be "ergonomic".

You'll find some interesting innovations and developments of the old sci ways of doing things here re; control routings and modulations , and to me the layering feature is one of the most handy.

I've owned in successive order a revision 2 prophet V, a grand but untenable prophet t8, a prophet 600 , a prophet VS and now an 08. The prophet 08 provides the most crispness , colour and punchiness, the 600 the best cloudy " washes " , the t8 the best ringing & grand tones ( and ringing and grand repair bills to go with them) and the old P5 good at size. This instrument competes with the all of them and has its own attributes. While it does plenty of things that are reminiscent in one way or other of each predecessor, it also does plenty of things any one of the predecessors couldn't. Looking at in this kind of context is probably the best way, and I'd recommend all of them.

This is a real plus, after the trying to sustain a t8 almost killed me ( physically and financially ). Its hard to put a price on having someone at the end of a line you can deal with for a tricky analogue synths, and that's something to consider when making a choice.

I think I've said everything important above, and I've very much enjoyed having this instrument.