Sequential Circuits Prophet T8

A knob and swtich for every function. So editing is obviously very easy. Turn on and play. No menu diving.

Presets are amazing. You can easily record over the ones you don't want and if you want them back later there are sheets in the manual to recreate them one by one. Seriously the patch sheets for all 128 presets are in the manual.

Like all SC products back in the day manual is massive and thorough.

8 voice polyphony with true, routable polyphonic aftertouch and amazing velocity. Weighted, WOODEN keys. Every single function has its own knobs and switches. No menu diving whatsoever. Can layer upper and lower sounds or split keyboard. Different unison modes including stacking all 16 oscs in one. Envelopes and routable mods up the wazoo.

Very rare to find with original piano-like pedals included. Implementation kinda weird. Pedal controls are for sequencer on/off/choosing loop points, switching between various unison modes and controlling a second release time. The option with such nice pedals for volume and sustain, maybe even LFO/vibrato would have been nice.

On board sequencer is a simple scratch pad. You can save 8 sequences up to 670 notes. Have to play sequence in real time. Nice to have melodies and bass lines. Tweaking very responsive.

Expressive? Can I give it a 100? Full, true polyphonic aftertouch that you can use to modulate a myriad of functions from frequency to LFO speed to amplification and much more. It truly is an instrument. If you have the last OS (3.8) it really helps your expressiveness and touch when you play your other synths through MIDI.

It sounds amazing. It sounds like a Prophet. You can get all the sounds of a P5 and 10 plus many others only achievable because of the magic keyboard. When this machine first came out a lot of people slapped around the T8 because it didn't have exactly the same guts as the Prophet 5 did. And claimed it lacked punch. The T8 has plenty of punch and bounce you just have to know how to program it or play it. It has MIDI but you have to really play it if you want to get those values up to the 127 max that people perpetually operate in. The only differences in the signal path between a rev 3.3 Prophet 5 (rev 3 Prophet 10) and a T8 is the software driven envelopes and LFOs.

A similarity it shares with the Prophet 600 but contrary to some comments it is not just a P600 put in a fancy keyboard with fancy knobs. It has much, much more processing power in it to clearly seperate it from the more consumer driven P600 and into performer class territory.

Years later. It is considered fuzzier, warmer and more alive than Prophet 3.3s in direct comparisons.

Those who hate on T8s probably have never played one.

Comparing this to the SSM Prophets is obviously pointless.

I lucked out. I just got mine about a month ago in perfect shape. With the pedals, original manual (and receipt!) an extra battery for the memories and a stock casette from Wine Country.

The Hollywood studio I bought it from said they used it about a half dozen times in four years and never did anything with it. Not even opened it up for a peek inside.

The person who owned it before obviously went through great lengths to have it in top shape and keep it upgraded. The final OS is installed so I don't have to worry about it.

It would be reliable enough to play all the time as you can tune it at the touch of a button but unless I had a high quality road case for it, I wouldn't take it across the street. I'd die if anything happened to it.

SC doesn't exist anymore but Wine Country Sequential exists and takes up more than the slack. You can buy basically any part for the T8 and still buy manuals and stock sound tapes.

Experiences with Wine Country seem to be mixed though. Some people say their experience was completely first class. Apparently they can be a little snobby if you're not completely dedicated or are just looking to polish something up to flip it. And like some boutique stores once they have your money, you're on their schedule as far as when you might see what you ordered. But to have a one stop shop for a 25 year old synth? Gotta give that a nine.

Twenty five years after its release Dave Smith still uses one as his master keyboard and claims it was the finest synth that SC ever produced.

Peter Forrest, author of the "A-Z Analog Synth Books" said if he had to choose only one polysynth to keep forever he would keep the T8. Over the CS80, Jupe 8, Chroma Polaris...anything. Why would he say that?

It's very amazing. It's very regal to play. It's very rare. And if you're an even remotely accomplished piano keyboard player this will easily be you favorite ever.

For the longest time it was rumoured that only 300 of these were made. But that can't be true as I've seen pictures of a few of them with an S/N over 400. Mine's in the 200s. Keyfax claims 800 but I've never seen an S/N out of the 400s.

New, these were very expensive. $6000 US, 5000 GBP. It's not like a ton of people bought these.

If you're very patient you can score one of these for between $2000-$4000 US. Even if it takes years. I would focus on Southern California ads as I doubt that many of these made it out of there with Holywood studios probably buying most of them. That's where I bought mine from. If you need one right now though you can pay a premium. There are three buyers worldwide selling them for $8000 US, $9000 AUD and 4500 Euro respectively. This is an investment. I'm sure the person who sold it to me went to great lengths to pack it as perfectly as he did.

I consider it a great privilege to own one. I will never sell it.

I have the latest software version. I can't say how the presets sound because I bought mine used (from a friend). Editing patches is a breeze. All the knobs, wheels, and buttons are right in front. No menus or digital garbage. The manual is relatively easy to follow. (You gotta love Stanley J. and his SCI manuals!) Certain functions (like split or turning off the omni mode) may require a little research but nothing too intense.

- 2 oscillators (each has square, sine, and saw waves) w/ sync option
- assignable lfo
- osc 2 can be set as an lfo to modulate osc 1
- assignable pressure.mod section
- assignable velocity section
- separate amp and filter envelopes
- classic sequential CEM filter
- polymodulation (unbelievable for tweaking sounds!)
- semi-weighted keyboard w/ velocity and aftertouch
- 128 user patches (good for a Prophet!)
- split capabilities with separate outs
- MIDI :-)

The T8 seems rich and thin at the same time. This thing is great for leads (unison), strings, pads, and sound effects. I still use my Juno-60 for bass sounds, though. The velocity and aftertouch are nice because they are both assignable to different parameters and can be controlled by MIDI.

Mine is in good shape. However, I don't play the keys too much for fear that they'll break. Parts and service aren't cheap for this thing.

www.winecountrysequential.com

I really like the T8. I probably would have never bought one if I hadn't gotten it for such a remarkable price. (I still would rather have a Jupiter 8.) The fact that there were only 350 made and that Dave Smith quoted it as being the finest instrument produced by SCI only make it more valuable to me. Definitely a keeper...

I bought this a couple years ago and I love the way it plays. Yep, endless hours of knob tweaking. Works awesome as a controller. Great Great Keyboard. Easy if you know how to subtract.

Look Below. Great Keyboard. Just rad to play. Analog warmth with
memory locations!! Store then edit at the gig - yahooo!!!!
Another great feature - It will break your back if you lean over to far while putting it into your car, but it only weighs 60 lbs not too bad - but too little to really ask your friend to help with.

Shines. Kick in the Unison pedal for screaming solos realtime.
I have programmed so many great sounds in so short a time (2 years)
You can express yourself very well with this. By the time your fingers warm up from playing the Synth will be purring along. Very refined with undertones of cosmic punch.

Bought working more or less perfectly. I have played it everyday, taken it to gigs etc. It still works more or less perfectly. If you blow the DAC, you are hosed till you find a new one. My keys have started to not be uniform in pressure response, but hey that keeps buts movin and wobblin.

Yeah I did speak to Wine Country. They were very helpfull. I asked
"is it worth this much? Will it break?" they said "Is it worth that
much to you? It may break." If something major happens, I feel I may be screwed.

After having this for awhile I'd say it is kinda like a B3 of synths, A great player, for players. Dave Smith - He has a pic of him playing five of his new evolvers using his t8 - that's rad. A benz or Rolls? To me this thing lacks the bloat or pomp. It is classy and smokes it like a fine Cab. It will knokken deen thumpterfruessen till midnighten.

Software Version "3.4 fin" Patch editing is a breaze. Knobs everywhere, no menu safaries or hidden sound parameters. MIDI implementation is primitive, but usable. Velocity and pressure are both transmitted and received. With enough button presses, you can get it to receive on two channels. Unfortunetly, when the T8 boots it starts in OMNI mode and a few crpytic front panel key presses are required to reset midi modes and channels. You just learn to live with it. This is the only real design problem with the T8.

8 voice polophony, action is supurb, expressive poloyphonic pressure. The built in sequencer is basically pointless. The unison and split/layering features are great.

This thing is off the hook. It is a great all around synth. Very playable as an instrument. It will never make realistic orchestra sounds and such, but its one of the fattest synths on the planet. Very little background noise. Its a sweet synth.

It is rather reliable. I've serviced it but find it easy to maintain. I never need to worry about using it in a gig because I own two. ;)

Sequential Circuits are toast, but Wine Country seem to have many of the parts. So far I have had no problem maintaining my T8s. Some service has been required, but nothing major.

I own thirty vintage analog synths, and my two T8s are my favorite children. This synth is extreamly expressive and playable. The dynamics are great, the poly pressure kicks butt, and the sounds are FAT. It works for any style. It makes very playable "keyboard" sounds (pads, bass, horns, etc..), and unbelievable electronic sounds. Great modulation control. Can't say enough good things about this synth. Buy one if you ever get the chance. You'll never sell it.

The Mercedes Benz of synthesizers. Gorgeous asthetics accompanies all-pro layout and easy access to professional sounds.

Excellent wooden keys with high-end piano feel. Good midi implementation. A true console with no expense spared.

Sequential/high-end sounds all the way, with the following proviso:
NOT a Prophet 5. To live up to the awesome physical appearance and lush weighted keyboard, SHOULD have incorporated Prophet 5 internals. That it doesn't is a crime. Instead you're left with Prophet sounds lacking some of the magic. Not quite the punch, and definitely not the warmth, of an older Prophet. In a mix though, it's still Sequential; see Ashford and Simpson's mid 80's LP "Solid".

Main concern are the wooden keys, seem problematic re: optical contacts. Expect occassional servicing, tedious given it's size, in exchange for the most professional synthesizer conceivable.

As controller - 10
As synthesizer - 7

Completely intuitive to use - all edit controls
are on the front panel, and it's always in edit mode

The keyboard is 6 1/4 octave wooden keys - a pleasure

Simply phenomenol. I took ownership of this synth just recently.
It was manufactured nearly 20 years ago and everything, including
the polyphonic aftertouch isstill working.

The sound is an original analogue sound, but with 21st century control
over it. An instrument well ahead of its time.

Stats: 8 Voice, 2 Oscillators per Voic
128 Memory locations, data storage to any audio format.
Vel and Poly Aftertouch, 2nd-touch release (all on many parameters)
Extensive LFO and Poly-Mod modulation
Single/Split/Unison modes ....

Just incredible. The term 'they don't make them like this anymore'
was invented for this instrument.

Consider:

The original Sequential Circuits sound, plus:
6 /14 octave wooden keys(!) with velocity sens. and
polyphonic aftertouch on a myriad of parameters.
the incredible poly-bod section which has to be heard to be
believed.

I have the entire control of an original Sequential Circuits synth
under my finger tips - phew!

Can't comment as I just took delivery of it, but it seems
very robust and with WineCountry sequential, spare parts
are readily available.

Well - WineCountry seqential - who were actually very helpful
with advice on purchasing this T8 from someone else -
thank you WineCountry Sequential

A unique instrument - literally (only 300 were made) - and I
mean instrument - this is built to be played, and boy does it
play.


Why don't they make them like this anymore?