Sequential has announced that, after 7 years on the market, the Prophet 12 Desktop Module is being retired:
“After years of faithful service, the Sequential Prophet 12 Desktop Module is retiring and will be laying down synthetic grooves on a tropical island where the sun never sets and the music never ends.”
The Prophet 12 Desktop Module was originally introduced when Sequential was still operating as Dave Smith Instruments. The Prophet 12 architecture is a digital/analog hybrid, pairing digital oscillators and effects with Curtis low-pass filters and deep patching options.
In the last few years, Sequential’s line has evolved in many ways, including interfaces with much more knobby and immediate designs. As a result, the more streamlined and minimal interface of the Prophet 12 was arguably an outlier.
These are great instruments, and the module versions are actually pretty easy to navigate. If you connect it to a Pro 2, it acts as a near-perfect programmer. I think the Prophet 12 is one of the best things they’ve ever done. The sound is not analog gutsy right out of the gate, but the character section, and deep programmability can make this particularly effective at emulating vintage instruments, if that’s your desire. The FM capabilities make this almost feel having like two TX-81z modules. I have the keyboard version with an unusually good feeling keybed, and it’s one of the most uncompromising modern synths I’ve owned.
Some how never really liked the sounds i would make with it but the interface was very good, hope that will be used in future Sequential instruments to.
I still think this is one of the best sounding devices from Dave Smith!
One of the creamest sounding filters and finest pad machines ever made.
Lacks of low ends but very satisfying in all other departments, particularly in evolving soundscapes.
The FM implentmplementation blends so well too.
I find using the high pass filter to add bass works well on this instrument, and gives it a different vibe than using the Girth parameter. Try cranking the HPF resonance all the way up, and gradually raise the cutoff until your speakers start to rattle. 🙂
I’ll second using the HP filter with rez to put in bass bumps! Yes!
something about discontinued product make them more interesting for some reason….
This is why popular Beanie Babies were always retired early, even if the company had a warehouse full of the little things.
Isn’t this a “Dave Smith Instuments” product……? I’m confused…
buddy, it’s in the article: “The Prophet 12 Desktop Module was originally introduced when Sequential was still operating as Dave Smith Instruments.”
you been outta the synth-news loop for a bit?
The company was renamed Sequential, so Sequential is retiring the P12, even though it still carries the Dave Smith Instruments name.
The keyboard version of the P12 was one of the synths I have been pining for ever since it was introduced. Alas, I was never able to afford it. I had high hopes that someday, I would be able to put aside enough money for it. That day never came. Then it was discontinued and I was crushed. Now this, the last vestige of it is gone and I still can’t afford one. Sigh…
Prefer modules and this form factor is great, it nice if you like a deep programmable synth instead of knobs per function what everyone else wants today. Its’ ideal if you want to add more stuff (in a rack) without needing to add another room or a lot of space for keys you don’t need . A pity, the newer desktop models are much wider. In an interview, after intro of P6 and such, Dave mentioned this one was (one of) is most favorites, but when the P12 went, P12 desktop version days seemed counted. There was no way they could add MPE on this one they said. that’s really too bad. Next one to retire in line are is P6 and OB6 7 which just got MPE (?). Perhaps well see more digital again now that Sequential has completed most of their analog reproductions..