Sequential Prophet X Series

Sequential’s Prophet X series is a clear example of their affinity for innovation and synth design prowess. Whilst there have been many sample-based instruments out there like the Emulator, the Mirage & Sequential’s own Prophet 2000 - none of them can touch the Prophet X in terms of sound quality, versatility and ease of use. As far as modern synths that utilise samples go, the Prophet X has a truly unique voice that is hard to beat.

Samples & Synthesis Combined

The Prophet X series makes its mark in Sequential’s roster of synthesizers with its hybrid samples & synthesis sound engine, which fuses detailed samples with warm analogue filters & flexible digital oscillators. Getting around the Prophet X & Prophet XL’s fresh take on generating sounds is a breeze, thanks to its subtractive synth-style workflow, intelligent design and knob-laden interface.

Pristine Sample Engine

A huge part of what makes the Prophet X series special is its powerful sampling capabilities, with 2 (in 8 & 16-voice mode) or 4 (in Stack or Split mode) digitally sampled stereo instruments per voice. The Prophet X comes pre-loaded with a whopping 150GB of 16-bit/48kHz samples, made by acclaimed sample creator 8Dio. These high-quality multi-samples utilise 8Dio’s proprietary “deep sampling” techniques and provide you with a wide variety of inspiring electronic/acoustic instruments & atmospheric effects to use as a foundation for your sound design.

Once you’ve selected which instruments you want to use, you can then use the Prophet X’s array of editing tools to manipulate and sculpt them, such as Forward/Reverse playback & looping (with crossfade capability), per sample low-pass or high-pass filtering via the Tone control, Sample Stretch (which maps a selected sample across a MIDI key range) and the ability to bypass the analogue filter section.

If the expansive range of samples within the Prophet X isn’t enough, fear not, as there’s also 50GB of memory that’s dedicated to 3rd party & user sample libraries. 8 Dio have developed purchasable add-ons since the Prophet X’s launch, which focus on highly sought-after vintage keyboards such as the Sequential Prophet 5 & T8, the Moog Minimoog Model D, the Oberheim OB-X and more. If you’ve ever wanted to blend a Roland Jupiter 4 with an old grand piano or play an ARP 2600 polyphonically & with aftertouch, now you can! The sonic possibilities that the Prophet X’s sampling functionality presents is absolutely astounding.

Rich Synth Engine

Synthesis-wise, the Prophet X features 2 high-resolution digital oscillators per voice, giving you access to the rich timbre of a classic Prophet synth. Both oscillators contain 4 waveforms (Sine, Sawtooth, Pulse & Super Saw) and each wave can be altered for additional timbral variety with the Shape Mod knob. When the Prophet-X is in 8-voice mode, you can individually pan the digital oscillators & the sample instruments across the stereo field in the Mixer

The synth engine’s oscillators span an impressive 9-octave range and can be disconnected from the keyboard for effects that are reminiscent of the Prophet 5’s Poly-Mod. An advantage of the Prophet X’s oscillators is their rock-solid tuning stability, which is essential for FM/cross-modulation and for live performance. To loosen up the oscillators and give them a fat vintage sound, you can crank up the Slop control - which ranges from subtle pitch drift to “this synth needs fixing”. Other oscillator features include Hard Sync, Wave Reset (which restarts the wave cycle every time a key is played) and independent Glide (which ranges from nigh-on instant to a sluggish 5 seconds per octave).

Juicy Stereo Filters

Imparting an old-school Prophet-5 sonic character are the 16 SSI2144 analogue filters, which can be used in stereo when in 8-voice mode. This glorious 4-pole low-pass filter is the modern equivalent of the SSM2044 that’s found in the sought-after Rev2 & Rev2 Prophet 5 models and is a great way to sculpt, warm up and add fullness to your patches. If you want to push the input level to the filter and add harmonic saturation, you can turn up the dedicated Drive control.

Timbral Flexibility

Sequential have bestowed the ProphetX with true bi-timbrality, with two Layers within a patch that can be used in either Split or Stack mode. Each Layer has its own stereo output, operates on a separate MIDI channel and has its own FX, Arp/Sequence & Unison settings - giving you two totally independent synths in one if you so choose.

There are a few different voice modes that give you varying amounts of polyphony & stereo capability, including 32-voice paraphonic (perfect for piano-oriented patches), 16-voice mono/stereo (works well for patches that use Split or Stack) and true stereo 8-voice (for optimal richness & depth).

Modulation

The Prophet X’s user-assignable 16-slot modulation matrix provides you with modular-esque sound shaping, allowing you to direct 28 sources to 92 destinations. This is in addition to the 11 dedicated slots for sources such as the mod wheel, aftertouch, velocity, the 2 auxiliary envelopes and all 4 LFOs. The BPM-syncable LFOs deliver a tonne of flexibility, with a wide frequency range that goes into audible range and five different waveforms.

While the mod matrix is a deep and powerful tool for adding movement to your sounds, using it is a breeze. Creating a routing is quick and easy, all you need to do is press the Assign Source button & twist a knob/press a button, then do the same with the Assign Destination button.

Performance Features

For instant inspiration and idea generation, you can switch on the Prophet X’s onboard polyphonic step sequencer and arpeggiator. Both the sequencer and arpeggiator can be clocked to the Prophet X’s internal clock or an external one.

The sequencer allows you to punch in up to 64 steps and you can program in rests & ties. Once your sequence is running, you can play over the top with the remaining voices and transpose it. If you made a mistake during the recording, you can edit individual notes and their velocities afterwards. The inspiring arpeggiator boasts re-latching (freeing up your hands to adjust the controls), note repeats, up to a 3-octave range and a variety of play modes.

Dual FX Engine

Both Layer A and Layer B feature their own dual digital effects engine. These studio-quality effects are on hand to add spatial depth & texture to your sounds. You’ve got a selection of reverbs, delays, modulations, an analogue-style distortion & a high-pass filter at your disposal and every parameter can be modulated (assigning aftertouch to a delay’s feedback and time is a tonne of fun). Time-based effects like the Stereo & BBD Delay can be synced to the clock, which sounds fantastic when used in tandem with the arpeggiator for complex offset rhythms.

Premium Hardware

Housed inside a robust chassis with a top-notch five-octave Fatar keyboard, 3 pristine OLED displays and a wealth of connectivity options, there’s no doubting that the Prophet X is a premium instrument. Whether you’re using it as a studio centrepiece or on the road, the Sequential Prophet X is guaranteed to deliver an expressive and evocative playing experience.

Buy a Sequential Prophet X or Prophet XL from GAK today and experience the revolutionary samples & synthesis sound engine for yourself.