It’s that time of the year for me to buy new gear! I need a polyphonic synth in my life and there are two I’ve been eyeing:
Vermona Perfourmer MKII
DSI OB-6
Both sound amazing, but both have different vibes. Which one would you prefer?
Maybe not too helpful what comes now … but it’s not only about many voices it’s also about what you want to achieve. Vibe <–> music project are related 
Now … what do you think you will make …
Ha! I wanted to also mention that we can’t say, “It depends on what you’re making” in this thread.
But if you really want to know, I could go anywhere, anytime, all at once.
You shouldn’t see the perfourmer as a polyphonic synth, but as a 4 x monophonic synths which can be played polyphonically.
The OB-6 is a real polyphonic synth.
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I’ve had the Perfourmer mk2 and really liked it but ended up selling it.
I’d get the OB-6 for poly duties.
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Great 
TBH if you like the sound and the user experience of one over the other, get what you like more.
If you like both and can’t decide, get both or flip a coin.
IMO a synth is a tool and as most tools they can be optimal for one project and not good at all for another. There are projects where I always would prefer to use a Moog and others I wouldn’t. That’s why I asked. For me there would be not a “all you can think about” approach. Maybe that’s the reason that there are a lot of quite different synths in my studio
OB-6 all day.
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I have both, and if you want a polysynth do the OB-6. As others have said you can’t really consider the perfourmer a polysynth. OB-6 is a really good choice for a first polysynth, sounds good and more versatile than you would think at first. But I think if I had no polysynths and wasn’t planning on having a studio full of options I might choose the 16-voice Rev-2 over the ob-6.
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Sequential Take 5.
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If it’s not only polysynth but also sound design you are after, I would recommend to check out the PolyBrute from Arturia.
OB-6 is great, if Oberheim’s sound is wanted, but that’s it … it’s a classic concept after all
The Sequential Rev2 strikes an excellent balance between instant-gratification, playability (with splits & layers) and sound design (four LFOs and three envelopes and a sequencer that can drive modulations as well as notes). The more expensive Sequentials sometimes sound sweeter, but I think they’re less flexible. Worth a look-in, and also worth comparing with the Novation Summit. I regret selling my Rev2.
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Thanks for all the info. Yeah, I own a Matriarch, so in regards to exploration, the Matriarch has that covered. That OB6 sounds unique. I don’t think anything else can copy that.
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OB6 for classic analog poly sounds.
There are also a lot of nice digital options out there that deserve a look. Prophet X being one of them.
The OB6 is a great sounding synth. I had a module version a while back, and I am somewhat regretful about selling it.
Not to complicate matters, but you might also want to look at the Arturia Polybrute and the Sequential Trigon 6. One of these days I’d love to pick up a Trigon - in every demo I’ve heard has made it sound incredible.
I am stripping down my studio aggressively.
I have a Grandmother, Subharmonicon and DFAM. Some effects pedals and a great interface.
What I am looking for, and have been looking for desperately, is a hardware polysynth. I want something I can use to jam on to find inspiration and write, but also great for recording final layers.
Its hard, there’s alot out there, but what will be a great all around I won’t regret and can keep for years to come? Would prefer something analog since I got plenty of thing to cover me digitally on the DAW side.
Been looking at:
- Prophet 6
- Prophet 5
- Muse
- Take 5
Price range is 1500 - 3500
Thoughts?
The Muse looks amazing.
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I was debating between prophet 6 and super 6 and I will buy the super 6.
Some less popular options to check out:
If you’re looking for something that sounds rather vintage, don’t sleep on GS Music E7. It’s considerably less expensive than most synths you’ve listed, but the build quality and interface are excellent. The raw oscillator sound is especially rich, lots of movement without using any LFO or modulation source. Only available as module though. And it has a ladder filter comparable to your Moogs, so no fresh air in that regard.
You might also consider waiting for Dreadbox Artemis. It’s comparatively cheap but will surely have the rich Dreadbox sound with an excellent filter that so many people love. It also has sliders, which some prefer. FX by Sinevibes should also be great. Both ADSR envelopes unfortunately share a pair of sliders though.
It’s also always worth thinking about Prophet Rev2. It’s cheaper than the other Prophets but has a lot more voices and modulation options. Also has a display that’s less cryptic than Prophet 6. And it’s multitimbral with splits, dual layers and individual outputs. Worth giving it a listen and see if you can spot differences to eg Prophet 6.
If you’re willing to go 500€ above your limit, Melbourne Nina and Arturia Polybrute 12 also come into play. For the extra money, both will give you lots of unique control options that make using them something special. You might want to look into these as well if you can afford it. I only have experience with Nina but can say it runs circles around every other synth I’ve ever used due to its motorized knobs, morph function, loads of in- and outputs.
And definitely check out the UDO synths!
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Question: Do you prefer Moog or Sequential sound over others?
If yes, I would go Sequential to add to the palette of timbres.
If not, I would recommend to check out Polybrute, because it’s much more about sound-design and creative live performance compared to many “modernized classics”.
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Prophet 10 Rev 4 is a great all-rounder. But as you have said, there are many alternatives and none is perfect.
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