Dave Smith Instruments has announced the Prophet ’08 PE (Potentiometer Edition).
Released in August 2007, the standard Prophet ’08 is an eight-voice, polyphonic synthesizer with a 100% analog
audio path. It primarily uses rotary encoders (otherwise known as endless knobs) for its front panel controls. On the new Prophet ’08 PE, 38 of the 52 rotary controls are potentiometers (AKA “pots”).
“We have received numerous requests for a version with controls more like those used on the vintage Prophets, particularly for the more performance-oriented parameters like filter cutoff and resonance,” said designer Dave Smith. “With the Prophet ’08 PE, we feel like we’ve achieved a good balance between the advantages offered by both pots and rotary encoders.” (Scroll down for specs and a
complete list of parameters and their control type.) The features and functionality of the non-pot and pot versions are essentially the same. The difference is strictly in the controls themselves. Encoders are “endless”—they have no minimum or maximum limit. The advantage to that is that when you edit a preset parameter, the change begins at the preset value and increases or decreases, depending
upon the direction turned. Pots typically have about 270° of travel and have definite limits. The advantage to that is that you know, by feel, where the minimum and maximum limits are and you can sweep through the entire value range in less than one full turn. The only obvious visual difference between the standard and PE versions is that the pots have lined knobs.
The Prophet ’08 PE melds the best of the “old school” with the modern features and affordability of a new genera-
tion of analog polysynths.
The Prophet ’08 PE is available now with an MSRP of $2,309.00 and an MAP (minimum advertised price) of $2,099.00.
Specifications
100% analog audio path
5-octave keyboard with semi-weighted action, velocity, and aftertouch
Spring-loaded pitch wheel and assignable mod wheel
256 fully editable Programs (2 banks of 128) with 2 Layers (2 separate sounds) per Program
16 x 4 gated step sequencer
Arpeggiator
2 digitally controlled analog oscillators (DCOs) per voice with selectable sawtooth, triangle,
saw/triangle mix, and pulse waves (with pulse-width modulation), and hard sync
White noise generator
1 Analog Curtis low-pass filter per voice, selectable 2- and 4-pole operation (self-resonating in
4-pole mode)
3 DADSR Envelope Generators: filter, amplifier, and assignable; Envelope 3 can loop
4 LFOs
Glide (portamento): separate rates per oscillator
Analog VCAs
Dimensions: 12.1” (30.73 cm) W x 34.8” (88.39 cm) L x 3.875” (9.84 cm) H (2.25” at front
edge; the feet account for 0.25” of the total height)
Weight: ~22 lbs. (9.98 kg)
Ins and Outs
MIDI In, Out, Thru, and Poly Chain
Main stereo audio output: 1/4” unbalanced
Output B stereo audio output: 1/4” unbalanced
Sustain pedal input: accepts normally on or normally off momentary footswitch
Pedal/CV input: responds to expression pedals or control voltages ranging from 0 to 5 VDC
(protected against higher or negative voltages)
Headphone output: 1/4” stereo phone jack
Includes power supply for 110V – 240V AC operation (13-15 VDC, 400 mA) and operation
manual.