clusterchord Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 after almost year and a half of fruitless search, i'm happy to report i finally found a mint condition Prophet 5 Rev2. it is well preserved beyond belief, considering its pre-historic age. i'm extatic, just had to share this with fellow analog maniacs here.. http://www.babic.com - music for film/theatre, audio-post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DafDuc Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Congrats. I've got a rev 3.3, wouldn't trade it for the world (original owner and all that). But that warm Rev 2 sound, mmm... Daf I played in an 8 piece horn band. We would often get bored. So...three words: "Tower of Polka." - Calumet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 What are the differences that make Rev 2 warmer than Rev 3.3, gentlemen? "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DafDuc Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Lots of Rev 3 is digital - rev 2 is much less so. I'm far from an expert, though. I'm sure Mr. Cluster (Please, Mr. Cluster? ) would be glad to expand/expound, since he knows why he was looking for one. Daf I played in an 8 piece horn band. We would often get bored. So...three words: "Tower of Polka." - Calumet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthetic Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Ooooh, sweet. Does it play in tune? Hang onto that puppy. I think the sound difference has to do with the components used. The sweeter SSM chips were replaced by more stable CEMs. This made pitch and filter drift less likely, but doesn't sound as warm. (Apparently I've never heard either.) You hear a similar story going from the Oberheim OB-8 to the OB-Xa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Originally posted by synthetic: Ooooh, sweet. Does it play in tune? Hang onto that puppy. I think the sound difference has to do with the components used. The sweeter SSM chips were replaced by more stable CEMs. Correctimundo. The SSM chips have a noticeably warmer sound. The main issue with Curtis chips is not that they are more stable though. SSMs are fine after the normal 10 minute warmup period. The Curtis advantage was that they were far less susceptible to static damage. SSMs are fragile and can be easily destroyed by careless handling, or power supply spikes/surges. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clusterchord Posted June 1, 2005 Author Share Posted June 1, 2005 i tried a rev2 a zillion yrs ago, so must admit i was more driven by listening to recordings with it (Japan, Sylvian/Barbieri, some Tangerine Dream of that era), demos and user testimonials. otoh, i spent substantial ammount of time playing/programming a friend's Rev3. in a few words (imho) Rev3 - punchy, sparkly, cutting, fantastic for killer bass, seq/arp style percussive thing, leads etc. (yazoo, dm, early80s brit sound). my impression was polyphony isn't so important for most what i liked about it. Rev2 - missing link between discrete sound of moogs/ob sems and CEM synths. much more organic, animated, warm, less in-your-face, big on mojo. creamy pads, strings, syncsounds etc. altogether, difference is much greater than obxa/ob8 thing (both CEM). on hardware side of things - ssm chips are sensitive to power malfuncions, they drift more with heat, otoh CEMs are more prone to die if overheating takes place, and aren't exactly immune to spikes either, if somewhat less than ssm. there's no 'digital' in any of them, as far as signal path, unless you count adc and dac used to feed cv information from/to programming panel pots, and digital noise source. Rev2 Strings Rev3-KillerBass http://www.babic.com - music for film/theatre, audio-post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Congratulations Cluster! And don't forget to buy a dedicated power stabilizer for the new baby... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clusterchord Posted June 1, 2005 Author Share Posted June 1, 2005 Originally posted by marino: Congratulations Cluster! And don't forget to buy a dedicated power stabilizer for the new baby... yeah, i have to put one on all vintages. anyway, i'm having the whole power supply rebuilt and updated by Greg Montalbano. That guy is a SCI wizard. he figured out exactly how to make a rev2 more stable and dependable machine (strictly studio use of course). he said that weak and unstable pwr supplies are numero uno source of problems and dead ICs on prophets. the synth is still in the mail, but i uploaded a few pic seller has sent me. you can see the biggest visual difference from Rev3, the zig-zag formation of pots in filter section, instead of straight column.. http://www.babic.com/PICs/REV2c.jpg http://www.babic.com/PICs/REV2a.jpg http://www.babic.com - music for film/theatre, audio-post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrythek Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Wow - that unit looks pristine! I have a Rev2 as well and would never part with it. It's been more than a bit Alzheimic but someday I'll give it the tune-up it deserves. Enjoy it! Regards, Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Wow. That thing is SO cool. I've always lusted after a Prophet 5, along with several other of what I call the "status symbol" poly analogs from yesteryear (JP8, Memorymoog, some Oberheims). The P5 was used on so many great recordings and on so many stages that it is definitely a classic. I came really close to buying a mint P5 on eBay about 6 weeks ago, before I got my DSI PEK. It would have been a similar investment, but I would not have felt comfortable gigging with the P5. I was looking for a gigging synth and found it in the PEK. Unfortunately, I'm not at a point in my synth collecting career to have a bunch of expensive synths at home...but one day I will! Congratulations!!!! Regards, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Congrats, its in prestine shape, so whatever you paid, its not too much. Ok Cluster, now that you've impressed the HELL out of all of us, what did it set you back? Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clusterchord Posted June 2, 2005 Author Share Posted June 2, 2005 Originally posted by MikeT156: Congratulations. ..Ok Cluster, now that you've impressed the HELL out of all of us, what did it set you back?thanks. but, if i tell you, you won't be my friend anymore.. its a long story - this guy had sold another Rev2 6mo ago on AH, that i was too late for, kicking myself in the head all this time for being to slow. recently, he posted on AH he might have 'some' synths for sale again. i contacted him presto, he remembered me and, dig this, tells me he has another Rev2 in mucho nicer shape , and offers it to me for much 'friendlier' price, before going on AH with it. what a guy.. i needed like 5 minutes to decide. http://www.babic.com - music for film/theatre, audio-post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJDM Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Congrats Cluster! I'm jealous. Always wanted a P5 but they quit making them before I could afford one and time went by... Now please make some music and post so we can check out the sound! DJDM.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Fiala Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Sweet!! That baby looks like it's in mint condition - I'm sure you will treasure it. Hey - does your contact have any more of those? Tom F. "It is what it is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clusterchord Posted June 3, 2005 Author Share Posted June 3, 2005 quote:Originally posted by Tom Fiala: Sweet!! That baby looks like it's in mint condition - I'm sure you will treasure it. i know the guy has some Rev3 also, but he is not selling anything else afaik at this moment. i told him to contact me whenever he has something to offer. http://www.babic.com - music for film/theatre, audio-post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted June 3, 2005 Share Posted June 3, 2005 Congrats, Tom. Lovely synth. I'm looking forward to some more mp3's of it. Loved the strings particularly. There's a depth to them that reminds me of a time when people could create an entire evocative soundtrack with just one polysynth. Beautiful. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrafon Posted June 3, 2005 Share Posted June 3, 2005 Ok, this has little (actually...nothing) to do with keyboards or this thread, other than that it is related to the thread title of catching a bird. I am still amazed by this. I was doing some landscape work outside my house, when I see my dog (a lab) take off running. Sure enough, she was chasing a flying bird. Would you believe, she actually caught a flying bird!?!?!?! My wife and I were amazed!!! Of course, then my wife freaked out and I had to run after the dog to make her drop the bird...which she did. Bird was unharmed. But, nature is truly amazing. To bring it all back to keyboards (nature is amazing), maybe that it why a "real" piano will never truly be replicated by a digital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clusterchord Posted June 4, 2005 Author Share Posted June 4, 2005 Originally posted by Tusker: Congrats, Tom. Lovely synth. I'm looking forward to some more mp3's of it. Loved the strings particularly. There's a depth to them that reminds me of a time when people could create an entire evocative soundtrack with just one polysynth. Beautiful.thanks. that's a very nice definition of what i feel about some older vintages. CS80 and JP8 come to mind as well. you could do whole album with any of those three alone.. i'll sure post some mp3 after i get it and soend some time with it. i did just that w OB-Xa i bought in Feb, as you can see on another thread. on a related note, i borrowed a Yamaha CS70M from a friend, definetely a sleeper board, and was floored with some of its sounds - not a CS80 but specific and beautiful in its own way. i'll be posting some mp3s of it sometime next or following week.. http://www.babic.com - music for film/theatre, audio-post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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