The return of a legend, or the beginning of a new era?

The Prophet '08 from Dave Smith Instruments is an eight-voice synthesizer with a 100% analog signal path. While the Prophet '08's overall sonic character will be familiar to anyone who knows Dave's work from the '70s and '80s, it is much more than just a vintage reissue with a few new bells and whistles. Dave has always said that he is only interested in moving forward. The Prophet '08 is the product of evolution, not nostalgia.

Of course, the analog synthesizer includes features we now take for granted, like velocity and aftertouch. Add to that performance features like an arpeggiator, gated step sequencer, and the ability to split and layer sounds. The modulation possibilities are much deeper than anything Sequential ever produced, making it capable of producing sounds the "classics" simply could not.

Dave Smith Instruments Prophet '08 Synthesizer Features:

Two analog oscillators per voice
Classic Curtis analog low-pass filters
Extensive modulation routing capabilities.
Four-on-four splits and layers with separate stereo outputs for each layer
Arpeggiator, gated 16 x 4 step sequencer, and LFOs all syncable

Dave Smith Instruments Prophet '08 Synthesizer Specifications:

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) in each 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 Envelope Generators: filter, VCA, and assignable (four-stage ADSR + delay); Envelope 3 can loop.
4 LFOs
Glide (portamento): separate rates per oscillator.
Analog VCAs

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.