DSI Prophet Rev2 16-Voice

FM VERDICT
9.2
A brilliant synth with lots of
hands-on control and a well-
defi ned, powerful, upfront
sound. The P08 improved –
and then some!
MODULATION: The Rev2 has double
the number of modulation slots
compared to the P08. There are 23
sources/53 destinations.
DCOs: Onboard are two DCOs per-
voice with four modulatable wave-
shapes per-oscillator and a sub
oscillator for low-end thickness.
CONNECTIVITY: The Rev2 includes
USB for MIDI, two sets of stereo
outputs for each layer in a split or
stack, a sequencer jack, and more.
SPLITS/LAYERS: The 16-voice Rev2
has two separate 8-voice layers. These
can operate as a stack or as a split.
Each layer has its own effects engine.
Now the sound engine. Well, it’s
the same distinctive-sounding engine
as the Prophet 08 with some
indispensable tweaks! To recap – at
its heart is a two DCO per-voice
engine with 4- or 2-pole mode Curtis
low-pass fi lter (as found in the Mopho
series and Tempest). I was hoping for
an analogue high-pass fi lter this time
(like the Tempest) but that’s not
included; however, there’s a decent
resonant digital high-pass in the
effects section and this can be
modulated (along with the other FX)
which is huge news! Another new
(and very welcome) inclusion is the
sub oscillator which really helps bass
sound creation and can thicken leads
and pads too. Most of my reservations
regarding the P08 (ie no FX, no sub
osc, diffi cult to set up modulation
routings, to name a few) have been
addressed and making sounds is a
whole lot more pleasurable – the
workfl ow is greatly improved and the
Rev2 is generally more intuitive.
Sonically, it’s no surprise the Rev2
sounds much like a P08 at its core
but then it seems to sound a little
warmer and more soulful overall (the
08’s signal path seemed to clip more
easily). You can also go much deeper
with the addition of the sub osc, extra
voices (if you have the 16-voice) and
the modulatable effects; it’s a big
upgrade and sonically it’s much more
appealing. The reservations I had
regarding the P08’s sound (ie that it’s
a little brash and sterile-sounding at
times, and how the fi lter doesn’t do
thick, low fi ltered pads particularly
well due to the lower midrange bump
the resonance brings out) are still
there, but rather than be too hung up
about these, these are characteristics
of this synth that are here to stay, so
let’s embrace them!
Personally, I fi nd the Rev2 to be
much more versatile compared to the
08 and I can see myself adding one
to my live rig, particularly as it’s one
of the only current analogue polys
around with 16 voices and dual
layers, extensive modulation facilities
that are a doddle to set up, plus a
very playable 5-octave splittable
keyboard and dual 8-voice stack
mode which sounds marvellous!
Talking of splits, a little split reference
onscreen would be handy to avoid
embarrassing slips onto the wrong
side of the split during performance!
Once you add in the arpeggiator,
the 64-step poly-sequencer (taken
from the Prophet 6/OB-6), the fact
that the sequencer also does gated
mode (like the 08) plus the fully
bypassable effects (also derived from
the P6/OB-6), the whole package is
very appealing. I really think it’s worth
the extra outlay to grab the 16-voice
version as this gives you a lot of power
when splitting and layering and for
making huge chords or unison stacks.
As mentioned, the Rev2 has a
distinctive edgy character but at the
same time it can do beautiful
atmospherics now, when using the
new effects alongside the per-
oscillator shape mod and the gated
sequencer for effect modulation. Also,
one of my favourite features, ‘pan
spread’, is still onboard and this
spreads all 16 voices out across the
stereo spectrum which makes it
sound huge. Importantly, I can see
DSI shifting a load of these as the
Rev2 will appeal to pop, electronic,
R&B and soul acts who want solid
staple analogue sounds, but also to
sound designers too, who want real
depth that they can explore.
Granted, if you want thick or silky
VCO tone like the P6/OB-6, then only
the P6/OB-6 will do. However, if you
want precise, upfront, modern and
evolving DCO-analogue sounds and
atmospherics with a whole versatile
bag of mod options, splits and layers,
then Rev2 is very appealing and
inspiring, plus right now it’s the only
option (bar Alesis’ discontinued
Andromeda) for a 16-voice
self-contained multitimbral poly.
Basically, it’s everything the P08 was
but much better!
MODULATION:
The Rev2 has double
the number of modulation slots
compared to the P08. There are 23
sources/53 destinations.
D
CO
s
:
Onboard are two DCOs per-
voice with four modulatable wave-
shapes per-oscillator and a sub
oscillator for low-end thickness.
CONNECTIVITY:
The Rev2 includes
USB for MIDI, two sets of stereo
outputs for each layer in a split or
stack, a sequencer jack, and more.
SPLITS/LAYERS:
The 16-voice Rev2
has two separate 8-voice layers. These
can operate as a stack or as a split.
Each layer has its own effects engine.
warmer and more soulful overall (the
08’s signal path seemed to clip more
easily). You can also go much deeper
with the addition of the sub osc, extra
voices (if you have the 16-voice) and
upgrade and sonically it’s much more
regarding the P08’s sound (ie that it’s
a little brash and sterile-sounding at
times, and how the fi lter doesn’t do
well due to the lower midrange bump
there, but rather than be too hung up
MODULATION:
The Rev2 has double
D
CO
s
Onboard are two DCOs per-
CONNECTIVITY:
The Rev2 includes
SPLITS/LAYERS:
The 16-voice Rev2
osc, diffi cult to set up modulation
routings, to name a few) have been
addressed and making sounds is a
whole lot more pleasurable – the
workfl ow is greatly improved and the
Rev2 is generally more intuitive.
Sonically, it’s no surprise the Rev2
sounds much like a P08 at its core
workfl ow is greatly improved and the
Sonically, it’s no surprise the Rev2
DSI Prophet Rev2 16-Voice | Reviews
81
FMU325.rev_dsi.indd 81 31/10/2017 11:22