Korg Prologue 8/16 Voice Analog Poly Synth

Yes nearly bought a Preen a while back, glad I didn’t as I would definitely prefer Digitone now.
Not as powerful, but better interface from what I can tell.
I tend to use software for all advanced FM duties these days, oh and a Nord Modular, and shit almost forgot Eurorack system

That is true, if I work with my Preen FM, I should know, what I am up to. This interface is way better then on a DX7, but it’s a bit too much of menu clicking for experimenting with FM. But over time I have developed some muscle memory :wink:

I kind of think that this whole resurrection of analog instruments has peaked now.

For the classic super synth, go with Prophet 6 or OB-6. For all the features that modern technology can offer, go with the Rev2, Prophet12 or Analog Keys. You wanna go full mono? Hit the Sub37.

And all kinds of options in between, around and beyond these just offered. We have choice. We don’t need more. We’re done in this segment.

If it’s one thing I like about the Digitone, it’s that it just goes shamelessly for the metal, almost like a statement in itself - enough. There are so many great analog options out there now. It’s time to bring on the digital now.

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True, there are not enough digital synths with new ideas in the wild. Well, let’s wait what the Quantum and the GR-1 have under the hood, but there is more potential for new ideas, for sure. Even the Quantum does not come with “new” stuff, like the wavetable-synthesis, when introduced by W. Palm in the late 70ties.

But I think, there is more headroom in the analogue department. Prophet 6 or OB-6 are expensive, compared to what folks like Behringer can do. It could be that others follow. There is no need to built through the hole soldered boards. SMD can give us better technology, quality, and less cost. I expect the peak could be, if we see synths like a CS-80, a Matrix-12 or similar complex analogue synths for 1k to 2k EUR.

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I wonder if everyone at NAMM got sick and tired of that little warble on the first day. It seems to be the default for synths now, the way that something like "Smoke on The Water " was(is?) in guitar shops.

Good hybrids are the best design imo.
Advanced digital oscillators with all the madness that only digital can provide, combined with the magic of analog filters, vca’s etc. can’t be beaten imo

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Never. I share your opinion about the synth :wink:

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some lovely presets shown via promo vids for the Prologue, although if i had to choose compared to the Deepmind 12, not quite sure, maybe the DM as the modulation matrix seems way cool, and the custom chord voicings assignable to single keys would be very useful to me. All hypothetical anyway as i am not buying anything for a while.

purchased the Jomox mBase 11 a few months ago, still have yet to integrate this into the setup. And the learning journey of truly, seamlessly, easily using the Octatrack has only just been partially completed after months of daily use.

True, good point, top quality analog synthesis is still beyond many musician’s financial reach (including my own).

Since I first played a Prophet 6 two years ago or so, I’ve felt that this is the one for me, if I ever could afford it. I’m playing a Sub37 now and as mono synths go, I wouldn’t want anything else.

But I do miss polyphony, and the lovely, dreamy tones of the Prophet that just takes me elsewhere, both as a keyboard player and just as someone who enjoys music on its own.

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Probably. I‘m already sick of it and I did actually like the series and the theme. I guess it’s like „smoke on the water“ someone who he’s never touched a instrument can play it.The strangerthings is basically just a simple arp that goes up and down, something most synths can do.

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me too

Which is funny, because the filters on the DN and the DT sound like they’ve been modelled to sound warm and analogue. :slight_smile:

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Have you tried Repro-5? Sure, you don’t get the physical control, but damn does it sound lovely and damn does is respond nicely to velocity and aftertouch…

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love how plenty of people moaning about a single LFO & limited mod destinations are living in a world where a s/h Juno 60 is now
going for £1400 ,because err, vintage. :slight_smile: Don’t get me wrong - the Ju-60 is great, but : single DCO, single LFO… hardly a sound
designers dream.

But - here’s the thing - the Juno is classic instrument : you dial up a new patch in minutes, it sounds great, you record it, you get stuff done.

I think Korg have decided to make an instrument here. I don’t think I’ll be buying a Prologue, but I’ve heard some great stuff on the demos…
Sometimes simplicity is the key. You don’t get saxophone players wanting the damn things to be re-invented with more features every year do you ?

There’s a lot to be said about a great instrument, rather than a super-deep programming rabbit-hole machine. Both have their place.

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I have not. I like the immediate contact with the instrument without computers attached to it.

Having said that, I’m re-evaluating a few things right now, since I’ve recently got a steady, paying gig for music making and have to stop being theoretical about gear and workflow, and get straight to the point of being practical.

So I might just check this out. Thanks for the advise, it’s much appreciated.

That’s the intention? I don’t think they’re coming close. And I think that’s a good thing. The Digitakt in particular has a great character to it, much of it from the filters, but the bitrate reduction and the overdrive add a lot to it, too. In fact, this combination is what makes it so interesting. As I record Moog stuff into the Digitakt, it warps the Sub37 into new territories that work so well with the original sound source, a place it could never reach, but also a place the Digitakt couldn’t take it to, if it wasn’t there in the first place.

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It’s what it sounds like to me. Sure, it doesn’t have a classic Moogish ladder or liquid Rolandesque character, but it’s also not as unabashedly digital as the filter in a D-50, the Microwave II, or most 90s samplers.

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Very true. The old Electribes comes to mind. They had a lot going for them. Their filters weren’t it, though.

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Hey there, really glad I read up a bit on this first. I got bitten with the initial demos for the Korg P, now reading this there appears to be more on offer for the price.

Now my question: opportunity for DSI Mono Evolver 2nd hand, or buy new rev 2 dsi 8 voice?

Guess I am weighing up old versus new - mono versus poly. Have the AK so guess got all the quirky I need too.

I would say, both of the DSI synths are very versatile. Now it’s about the sounds you are after.

The Prologue and the Rev2 deliver standard poly sounds, for sure. The Prologue might be on the experimental side additionally, if this particular open source “multi-engine” proves to be useful. Both are bitimbral and equally useful for live performance. The Rev 2 has more modulation options. Prices are similar …

For designing sounds this “multi-engine” of the Prologue might be as interesting as the modulation options of the Rev2.

A very “modern” and flexible engine is available in the Prophet 12. Those 4 oscillators deliver a beefy sound …

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