SoundForce has introduced the SFC-5 V2 MIDI controller – a boutique MIDI controller for Prophet-5 virtual instruments, such as the Arturia Prophet V and the U-he Repro-5.
The 2020 V2 model updates the original original V1 model with a 100% sheet metal case, wobble-free metal shaft pots and walnut side panels.
Here’s what they have to say about the SFC-5 V2:
With 32 rotary pots and 28 switches, you can finally control your virtual instrument in an instinctive and fun way. Create better synth sounds easier and improve your overall experience. A couple of extra “user” controls let you control for instance your external FX plugins.
The controller sends out standard MIDI cc messages and can be used with any software that is MIDI-mappable. A web-based control panel app allows the user to change the cc messages number for each control and save or load different configurations.
Heres Jordan Passmore using the SFC-5 V2, in conjunction with vintage hardware:
Pricing and Availability
The SFC-5 V2 is available directly for 299 euros incl VAT in the EU and 247 euros for customers outside the EU. In the US, it’s available from Perfect Circuit for $280 USD.
lol, the sad is that Behringer may release something similar, which can both be used as a standalone Prophet-5 and controller too for similar low price 😛
lol, the sad is that Behringer can’t get the polysynths that it announced three years ago out the door and the last good MIDI controller they did was released 15 years ago.
most of the behringers have midi in for keyboards only and no midi out. i don’t think any of the knobs send or receive midi.
I guess the P5 clone will be different due to that P5 actually has patch memory?
Well when the Behringer Model D came out I looked into it hoping I could use it to control soft synths but it doesn’t have midi on the knobs so you can’t record and play back the midi from the knob tweaks and for this same reason you can’t use it as a midi controller for a software version of the Minimoog… so I went for the SFC-Mini (http://sound-force.nl/?page_id=2387) in the end because that’s the best option for my workflow.
The day Behrigner release the Model D with patch memory and full midi playback control… I’ll bet it will cost about twice as much.
Nice. How about a Moog IIIp or a Buchla?
I like all of Dave’s synths. I had a pair of Prophet-600s and a pair of Korg DW8000s, so the recent similar knob array for the DW perked me up, too. The price & build of the SFC-5 sound appealing. Hybrid approaches that take you out of the box a bit are a good thing. IMO, you “should” have 2 or 3 main instruments plus some support pieces. Prophets are a good choice as one of them. I hope this sells well, because its the kind of respectable bridge that makes a softsynth just plain feel better.
For buchla v please
The patch bay is not midi mappable so that part would not work, still interesting in your opinion ?
Errrrrr… https://www.modemachines.com/professor-v2
This product is from 2017 and is not for sale anymore since a really long time. But custom controllers for virtual synth are indeed not a new idea. Still interesting to me.
I meant the product you are linking to is from 2017.
Yeah mode machines made one a while back but to be honest it was pretty cheaply built and they don’t make it anymore so good luck getting support… the face plate was perspex on top of a regular paper print super grainy… I had to laugh when I received it but back in those days it was the only option out there so good on them for giving it a go but I had to get rid of it in the end the knobs were way too big and too little space between them. I owned it and sold it as soon as I got the SFC-5 v1.
Nicolas has done a remarkable job with all his controllers, the hardware is tight and very usable and has some nifty additional features and his support is first class… not that you’ll need it.
This new version with the build similar to the SFC-1 (http://sound-force.nl/?page_id=2775) will be a real treat.
Thanks a lot Alex! I am happy you enjoyed the controllers 🙂
I’d be interested in knowing how an article offering a 3-years-gone device got posted. Talk about glitch! Look, ma, reverse-butthurt!
I was refering to the link Uno posted, my product is brand new that’s why it’s in the news 🙂
I have the Professor V2 by Mode machines which is obviously very similar and I use a lot but to be honest the build quality of it isn’t great and some of the pots have failed. This looks an interesting alternative and the build quality looks good, would be interested in how it compares but at the price I think i’m more tempted by the Behringer Pro 1 first!