Prophet '08 Review by Inside Synthesis - Part 1

[@fuzzupuzzu]

one of the most insightful guys ever to do a synth demo , wow I really like appreciate your synth lessons and this demo , I hope u do many more demos in the future , thanks a lot !!

[@CaidicusProductions]

Even 10 years later, this is easily one of the best sounding analogue polysynths on the planet.

[@nathankirklambo1986]

Caid Johnson I agree. I’ve been shopping for a poly synth for years, and I think this is the one I’m going to get. And now they are so much cheaper than many competitors on the used market. I don’t need FX, got plenty of good external processors.

[@therealKINDLE]

You have no Idea how many times I've watched these Videos. I wish... No I Dream for one of these Synthesizers to be mine one day. Problem is, I have an illness that has had me out of work for over 4 years now, & it doesn't look good. Still, I can't complain really. I have an SH-201 which allows me to sculpt -full stop- although I always have to run it through a mixer first to bring up it's pale low end, & then I spend hours.. Days in Post trying to bring it to life. Thank you for this Video

[@ClJNT]

Very good review, please do more. I found your other inside synthesis videos helpful as well, clever stuff.

[@AndrewLeSynt]

this is just the best vid about everything. tnx for that.

[@emptyvesselnz]

just watching this again as I'm seriously considering a Prophet 08, thanks so much for a great in-depth review with plenty of audio examples.

[@HarrisonHoude]

Just got myself the prophet 08. I think it's going to be life changing...

[@insidesynthesis]

SysEx = System Exclusive. It's a way of transferring data to equipment via MIDI. You can upload the preset data to a computer, and then download it back if you want the original presets.

[@doktorhulk]

excellent review of an excellent machine. this sets standard for video reviews. thanks !

[@instrumentalistjade8367]

Wow you are a great teacher

[@insidesynthesis]

You can have different portamento for oscillator 1 and oscillator 2. I don't think I activated it during any of the demonstrations. Pretty much everything was improved when I record, but I do have a habit of sneaking in melodies from '80s songs.

[@marcusmiller849]

this video made me want to own a prophet 08. AND NOW I OWN ONE! UAHUAUHAUHAUHAUHAUHAAUH!!!

[@shreknos]

nice feeling isnt it. sitting here watching this again and looking over and thinking, "what a beast"

[@insidesynthesis]

That part is from my Pro One. I didn't have a Prophet 5, but I wanted vintage sounds during the history bit so I figured a multitracked Pro One would work.

[@insidesynthesis]

Yes - you can reset the synth back to factory presets via SysEx. I'm not sure if there's a way to do it with just the synth itself.

[@sahilcbhatia]

What a brilliant review.

[@etzilla]

this is why I like youtube! Thank you for posting this!

[@rayramon5955]

nevermind i figured that shit out like a boss!!! this synth is a boss!! i recommend it to humans and aliens!!!

[@insidesynthesis]

Yeah - the headphone amp is pretty noisy. I forgot to mention that. I tested it with monitors, and the main outs are pretty clean.

[@gtadead]

fantastic review please make more!

[@motoboy6666]

What happened to this guy? He did the best reviews ever...

[@DanielDavissynthman]

+motoboy6666 I know, right? I'd love to have him back.

[@the80386]

back in those days, only professional folks did the reviews coming straight from the formal mindset of TV. now that youtube became popular, every joe can make video with his smartphone. average quality went down.

[@andresgualtero9132]

Guys I know what happened to the guy that used to make all these videos. He actually moves to China to take care are breed panda bears. and unfortunately because of his demanding job,he does not have time to upload KZbin videos. My cousin still talks to him.

[@jonridley]

jexus did amazing synth reviews too but disappeared as well

[@insidesynthesis]

The Moog Little Phatty uses neither a synth-on-a-chip voice, nor entirely discrete components. Much like the analog synths of the early 80's, it uses a mixture of both - so it costs more to make than a Prophet '08, but it also has a smoother, more robust sound. Same with the Voyager.

[@devmiles]

3:57 ...sjiiiiitttt..that sounds phat . ..warm in the gut sound.

[@insidesynthesis]

About half of the patches were just modified presets; only the other half were original. Unfortunately, I no longer have a Prophet '08 so I don't have the patch settings.

[@wado1942]

That depends on who you ask. I have three synths and each one is good for some stuff and not so much for others.

[@neuropa4au]

Great, thank you very much. If you have a Jupiter 8, I'd love to see a direct comparison, like sound for like sound as you did with the obie. cheers.

[@hafstrat]

Wow. Superb demo. Superb. Thank you for sharing.

[@Bartnick81]

Wow that sounds amazing with this analog feel to it, unlike those many plastic electronic music now.. Do the analog sequencers also contribute to it? I know nothing about them..

[@AlainHubert]

Very good demo. My friend has one. But I find its biggest flaws are the low resolution of parameters, the wobbly knobs, and the annoyingly small red backlit screen. The keyboard feel is amazingly good though. Much better than the 'ol Prophet 5. The sound feels like it has been passed through an equalizer with boosted lows and highs. It does sound much more like an Oberheim OB-Xa than a Sequential Circuit Prophet 5. (I was able to directly compare a rev3 P5 with the P08. Sounds very different.)

[@maccagrabme]

@insidesynthesis Good review. I've yet to see a new analogue that can sound as good as the original, is this down to poor components or can it not be achieved in a cost effective manner nowadays? Surely with modern day techniques, convertors, processors and memory storage, new analogue synths and drum machines should be blowing the old ones out of the water?

[@aeccoin]

I've got a Virus Indigo 2 right now just for a good selection of digital sounds. But I want a good analog synth for my studio. I especially need good pads and evolving sounds, bells and such. I really like the Alesis Andromeda, Roland Juno 60, Jupiter 6 +8, and oberheim ob-8. What would you suggest for an analog synth with those requirements? The only analog synths that are readily available to me is the Dave Smith stuff and moog.

[@neuropa4au]

Awesome review, you really know what you are doing. I loved the sounds & the comparisons to the obie. Does the moog little phatty use discreet components like the minimoog or a synth on a chip?

[@OifelOifel]

really like the prophet 08... sounds really great

[@darklorddisco]

I heartily lol-ed at the comment taken from matrixsynth. Nice touch!

[@insidesynthesis]

I sent back the review unit awhile back, but I think it's #2 or #3 - it's called "Dual Sync" or something.

[@g00thier]

A demo where music is played instead of robot noises. Finally!

[@synth77]

Its got a great sound this is probably the first synth(i've played alot because i'm friends with a music-shop owner) I'm gonna buy,its hasn't gotta that gnarly sound of OB,but know one listen to a record will really notice(live is a different story but i would say a good PA-system before a good synth) By the way what do you think of the mopho in comparison to this.

[@Fabiohammond]

Fantastic video!!! Is there a second part of it? I didn't find it in your videos :-( Fabio

[@JasonBradbury]

I just bought a Prophet 08 (like 3 days ago) and ur videos have been the perfect intro. Ur vids have extremely high production values - so much so that I'm guessing u find them quite labour intensive!? Ur production style is faultless (perfect v.o, shot transitions, on-screen graphics) more akin to traditional TV than KZbin. What I would love to see is more of your inspiring stuff on KZbin (you make this stuff so easy to digest!) - may I suggest you trade production values for more content

[@kidgloves2]

Would love your opinion on the new Prophet-6

[@radiocrash]

@insidesynthesis its interesting you say that i never used this instrument but have been thinking about and i know how close you can get a va to sound analog

[@insidesynthesis]

If you want true analog and reliability, the Prophet '08 is the only multitimbral option at any reasonable cost. But that doesn't mean it's the best sounding option. I think modern VAs can out perform it. I can get sounds closer to an Oberheim off a Virus TI, which might sound like heresy to some people. The P'08 might be true analog, but it uses a budget chip.

[@MoverasTus]

great review!! Just one thing, don't you think narrator's voice is a little bit too high? cause i turn on the volume to listen the synth but then starts the description and it hurts! but i really like this thanks!

[@harrychristner]

does the main output play both layer A and B ? or do you have to run two stereo outs to use both layers? also, same again with the phones out. has anyone found a video on how to actually use the synth? or like a post on a forum? or any info on using it to its ability and say routing ideas/patch ideas?

[@insidesynthesis]

You've never heard that expression? I don't think I'm the first to use it - it essentially is the same as referring to a filter as wet, like a Moog, or dry, like a very digital, linear filter.

[@PieruzekRoman]

Very good demo, I'll get mine today...

[@nicoraibak]

So it uses VCO or DCO???

[@VacTrooper]

Can you pan the voices individually like an old Oberheim synth? In "KORG R3 Terms", the KORG R3 has "Six Virtual Patch Cables." What does the Prophet '08 have against that, in that field?

[@KlooslessMusic]

Fantastic video, thanks!

[@browndwarf5]

Solid review!

[@sacredgeometry]

@insidesynthesis dont worry i agree :) its not heresy its honesty

[@SRDhain]

superb review! I did leave a comment on sonic state, where i also saw this, but it was removed. I think it might have been for using my company name.

[@metabog]

Wowee that sounds amazing.

[@sacredgeometry]

@aeccoin i would say your virus is just as capable of those sounds as any of the ones you listed even the andromeda.

[@verve92]

HUH? A P08 out performed by a VA? Explain this. I have yet to hear a VA that leaves me satisfied emulating analog. BTW was that a stock preset you playe din the beginning of the video?

[@darrengoodenough8064]

I have a prophet 08 any advice very well come

[@bernios3446]

The prophet 08 sounds great until you hear the OB-Xa. Which it can't touch, soundwise. Other than that, an excellent synth. So I hear Behringer will clone the OB-Xa?

[@Vsyevolod]

@maccagrabme The P08 is a very good sounding synthesizer *for its price range*. To my ear, having cut my baby teeth on Moog Modular, Serge, Buchla, and PAIA, I could never feel 'at home' with this baby. Why is it that high quality modular systems on the market today cost $3000 for two oscillators, a filter, and a mixing module? Well these components aren't cheap. If your synth is designed to meet a certain price point, you have to skimp on sound quality a fair amount. Case in point.

[@Phil-1]

interesting review. thanks.

[@watchtheskies]

any chance of putting part 2 on youtube? the sonic state video isn't loading cheers

[@Digiphex]

Did you have to program the OBX sound or is that a preset?

[@rayramon5955]

just got this bad boy... anybody know how to change the wave in the oscillators on this wonderful beast? this is killin me!!!

[@mistara1]

What is the music between 3:00 - 3:12. It is masterpiece!!!

[@JDVbeats]

What a synth!!!

[@ncheriyan]

Wow...I love Sonic State synth reviews...you guys make movie quality material...direction/editing/sound quality compared to any other video reviews, including Gearwire. 2 Thumbs up! Analog ICs are great....not a fan of discrete breadboard /soldered circuits

[@peterborinski]

whats the best synthesizer out there?

[@theeltea]

How come you don't need high end ADCs for the Virus? :-/

[@harrychristner]

what song does he play at roughly 4:00

[@therealKINDLE]

@BigTuna1994 Thank you. I'll survive! :)

[@madichelp0]

Not that i'm asking you to do this, but do you feel confident that you would pass a blindtest with those two?

[@auralplex]

The sound is "almost there" cause it's on You Tube. Use the synth in real life, like I do, and you'll know.

[@jacobbrashears]

That's what I thought until I played an Oberheim. The "legendary" polysynths (OB, MM, P5, JP8, CS80) are truly unbelievable instruments. I agree, it seems like total hype - until you hit a single key on one. The Prophet 08 is really, really, good. Those 5 synths simply sound like something else... from somewhere above heaven.

[@numanuma20]

So all synth players play in the C most of the time?

[@foofeo]

what song is that at 3:03 ?

[@Meteotrance]

dude i love that sound remember me so much the obxa ^^ on Van hallen jump or africa from toto i need more money to buy this wonderfull engine ^^ !!

[@vistacruiser70s]

It's like the sound is "almost there."

[@H4NDCRAFTED]

Peter, that's easy..the Yamaha CS80 :p

[@DeanoCook]

Hexfix93. (4:56) Bryan Erickson from Velvet Acid Christ. One of my idols, check his youtube page.

[@terminatorreal]

4:55 Mr Array, in reply to Hexfix93 lol

[@jansonmorr]

This is an strange poly synth; thin and brassy DCO's with a nice and juicy VCF. Lots of modulation, gate seq, 3EG's, slow and puffy enveloppes.I got one early version with encoders: a pain in the ass, they work really bad so forget any live knob tweaking. price is fine,,, a cheap second hand PE could be a fine item in a good gear setup.

[@scratchnsurf]

prophet '08 + oberheim = prophetheim ?!?!

[@micra6641]

Is that John Malkovich narrating? LOL

[@coleaumanon4324]

are you a machine?

[@bv9434]

Seriously. This guys speech is so weirrrrd

[@jacobbrashears]

6:30 6:50

[@normajoe]

what is this accent?!

[@roginator1]

I love CEM sound 3340 3320 3360 = LOVE

[@midas1048]

wow! the way youre talking is pretty robotic :D

[@josephmills3864]

Why would you do a side by side with an PE 08 and and OB? Just wrong

[@AndyBondo]

Oberheim is better

[@aeccoin]

I've got a Virus Indigo 2 right now just for a good selection of digital sounds. But I want a good analog synth for my studio. I especially need good pads and evolving sounds, bells and such. I really like the Alesis Andromeda, Roland Juno 60, Jupiter 6 +8, and oberheim ob-8. What would you suggest for an analog synth with those requirements? The only analog synths that are readily available to me is the Dave Smith stuff and moog.