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DSI Prophet 08 PE


ArnoldLayne

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Anybody else tried the new version? Mine arrived 5 days ago and fared well this weekend. It was definitely the talk of both Friday and Saturday nights.

 

I'm pretty happy with it.

Prophet 6, '38 Hammond BC, HR40, 2 Leslie 760's, Prophet 08 PE, RD700GX, Ensoniq E-Prime, SCI Pro-One, TX-7, CP80, Arturia VI's
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Dave, I'm considering this upgrade myself, and am curious in what ways it is making a difference after a bit of time with it.

 

Is it mostly helping in creating your own patches, while at home, due to the knobs being easier to control and more intuitive? Or is it mostly helping live, if tweaking knobs on-the-fly (vs. just using controllers set up in a control matrix and mapped to expression, mod wheel, ribbon controller, and the like)?

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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Is it mostly helping in creating your own patches, while at home, due to the knobs being easier to control and more intuitive? Or is it mostly helping live, if tweaking knobs on-the-fly (vs. just using controllers set up in a control matrix and mapped to expression, mod wheel, ribbon controller, and the like)?

Yes. :)

 

It really changes the whole groove of the synth, IMO. The look, every time you touch a knob...it's so much better. The fact that I have one with and one without really drives it home for me.

 

Do it. You won't regret it at all, IMO.

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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I'm still not getting it.

 

I'd like to take advantage of this thread and ask someone who has tried both encoders (endless knobs) and potentiometers (with a finite physical range) to further clarify it for me. dB is a prime candidate of course, but please, everyone who has experienced both is welcome to help me understand.

 

My doubt is simple: WHY exactly do you prefer potentiometers to encoders? I'm so spoiled by the encoders on the Matrix-12, so fast for me to operate, that I find potentiometers limiting on a programmable instrument.

I mean, what could be simpler than grab the encoder, and start tweaking from where the parameter value is set at that given moment?

 

Yeah, I know that pots can be set to different operation modes (jump, relative, etc.) but none comes close to the convenience of encoders.

 

Is it just the different *feel* of pots?

And in this case, installing the "Prophet-style" caps which DSI offers (or has offered at some point) should help, right?

 

Or the fact that the particular encoders used by DSI can be unreliable sometimes?

 

Or something else that I'm still not realizing?

I have a MEK (with encoders) coming, so I'm very curious.

 

Thanks! :)

 

 

 

 

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Thanks. I could probably drive it up to St. Helena on a Saturday (with advance notice) -- though I have the original shipping box.

 

I had been holding off until I could do the same for the Mono Evolver Keyboard, and my understanding is that mod is available too now.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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Marino, if nothing else the PE pots feel less flimsy, and the knob caps sit much closer to the surface, so they feel much firmer when you turn them.

 

As far as the pot thing vs. the encoders themselves, I like the fact that the knobs have a finite throw. My hands just know what to expect.

 

I hope that makes sense....

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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Marino, if nothing else the PE pots feel less flimsy, and the knob caps sit much closer to the surface, so they feel much firmer when you turn them.
Perfectly understood.
As far as the pot thing vs. the encoders themselves, I like the fact that the knobs have a finite throw. My hands just know what to expect.
Mmm, yes. I guess that with the encoders, you have to look at the display the whole time. The Matrix-12 have displays for *each* of its six encoders, so that's different.

I hope that makes sense....

Absolutely.

I''l post my impressions when the MEK arrives.

Thanks a lot! :)

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
I have the encoder version of the Prophet 08, and have played the PE version. I felt more comfortable with the encoders myself, but that may be because that's what I'm used to at this point with that particular synth. I do a lot of patch switching on the Prophet when I play live, so I kinda agree with Marino that having the encoders pick up wherever the value is at a given time makes more sense when I reach for a knob.
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I really can't comment on the advantages or disadvantages of the Pots over the Encoders except that I do not seem to have any issues making live tweeks with the pots.

 

I play in a classic rock band and I have been using my E-Prime to cover all the analogue stuff and it has done surprisingly well.

 

http://www.fox17online.com/videobeta/318ff8d7-df81-4fbb-8994-a35774aeb741/News/Classic-Fix-Jump-by-Van-Halen-07-30-10

 

(hate the song - not the E-Prime or me :)

 

Since adding the Prophet everyone has noticed that it has brought a lot of tones to life. I have it midi'd right to the E-Prime and play it from there. It's on my 3rd tier and I can't reach it.

 

 

http://img15.imagevenue.com/loc542/th_26047_newProphetPE_122_542lo.jpg

 

 

I love it.

 

Thank you Dave Smith!

Prophet 6, '38 Hammond BC, HR40, 2 Leslie 760's, Prophet 08 PE, RD700GX, Ensoniq E-Prime, SCI Pro-One, TX-7, CP80, Arturia VI's
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