dsi prophet rev. 2

[lsj]

would like some opinions comparing the prophet rev.2 versus novation peak.

[Stokely]

Interesting topic, because I was debating this very thing for a while--though I was mainly considering the Summit and not the Peak.   I had settled on the rev2 mainly because it was a fair bit cheaper, but then Sweetwater really surprised me and gave me a great deal on a Summit, so that's what I got.

Ironically I'm considering selling it because I can't seem to kick my Modx out of my rig, it's just too useful!  But I love the Summit.   I have no doubt I would love a Rev 2 as well, in fact that's one of the two "sounds from my youth" that I've always wanted (Oberheims being the other).   I may end up getting a Peak, which would let me use it with a two-keyboard rig.  I find I almost always use the single sounds from the Summit, which basically means I'm playing a Peak (mostly, there are a few differences).

After my research and playing/programming the Summit, I feel that:   it's more versatile than the Rev 2, it has some wavetable and FM capability.   It sounds "analog" enough for my taste as well.   It is very well-built and the fx are very good if you need them.    The Prophet does what it does--I happen to like what it does but it's arguably less versatile.

It's worth noting that my friend got a Rev2 and one of the things he struggled with was the lack of a good librarian.  Novation provides an excellent web-based librarian and a ton of free patches, it makes it very easy to trade out patches and banks without fear of losing anything.

Also I'll note that my target type of sound is relatively simple vintage poly and lead sounds.  Rush, Styx, Loverboy, 80s etc.   When I fired up the Summit, 95% of the patches were "avante garde" evolving atonal things that, while impressive in their programming I'm sure, are not useful to me at all for live gigs.   That said, with all the free patches available and the librarian I mentioned above, it was easy to assemble some bread'n'butter synth sounds for my needs.

[jeffincltnc]

They are very different, but I have always been impressed with the versatility of the Summit and it is a very capable synth for all of the reasons Stoklely described above.  It is also what I think of as being a very modern sounding synth, and perhaps what he calls "avante garde" is kind of the same thing I am saying too.

 

So in addition to agreeing with everything Stokely said, I personally do not like the sound of the Curtis filters in the Rev2 so much.  I find them to be a little harsh and while it is an excellent synth in its own right, the only thing I can say bad about it is that I really don't care much for the sound of a Prophet. 🙂.    But that's not a knock on the instrument, that's what I feel about the character of its sound.

[ProfD]

I'm not a huge fan of the DSI Rev 2 sound either.  I could make it work if necessary.😁

 

Thankfully, we have a variety of poly synths nowadays.  We aren't *stuck* with chasing a Prophet or Obie sound. 

 

IMO, the Novation Summit/Peak, Korg Prologue and ASM Hydrasynth are very cool poly synths with their own sonic character. 😎

[CEB]

Sequential .  The bass on the Peak is weak.  That is where it got its name, a combination of Puny and Weak.   The mod matrix on the Rev2 is killer.   Harsh is good in a Rock band.   And I am just a Sequential fanboy mostly.  So I am biased and not worth reading.

 

PS  Summit is a different deal.  I have no frame of reference in which to talk smack about that synth.