I currently use the DT2 and DN2. I control the S1 and Microfreak via Digitones midi tracks.
I’m looking to add a multitimbral analogue synth one day. Maybe next year.
I’m torn between wanting a Prophet Rev 2 with it’s bi timbral abilities and the A4. The A4 is pulling me in because I’m an Elektron fanboy. But if I already have the Elektron sequencers, would it be worth going for the Rev2?
Has anyone had experience with both synths and can comment on the sound differences?
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I have a Rev2 and love it but you should know a couple of things:
- Sounds awful with the filter fully open. Noisy, fuzzy. When you open up the resonance, it sounds shrill.
- It takes a lot of work to make it sound analog. (Or just any sound, takes some work to bring it to life).
On the other hand, it has some sound editing capabilities that a lot of synths don’t.
Here’s a some videos which show various “hacks” on the Rev2:
“Vintage voice modeling”
Unison voices + gate sequencing
Filter generation (Not using the oscillators for fully analog sound):
Voice component modeling:
FM Synthesis:
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Completely different, I would personally rather have the Rev2. 8/16 voices polyphony is about as different from the Analog Four as you can get.
number of voices you need and style of music you make are considerations here forsure. i sold my rev2 - sounds like you’d expect and is deep, but wasn’t really a joy for me to use for whatever reason. i thought the p6 sounded several leagues better.
a4 is a keeper for life though. i use a modular with it and it couldn’t be more of a dream. a4 cv sequences the modular and the vcos are sent into the track to use the a4 filters/od/env with it. honestly feel like ill never exhaust the possibilities and the core sound is so good for the kind of techno i make. has the best envelopes ive ever used in any format. i also got it for $400, which is crazy to me. huge recommendation for a4
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I really disagree with the statement that the rev2 doesn’t sound analog. It’s an analog synth. It doesn’t sound like a roland or a moog but I think that’s the appeal of owning different synths for their different sonic characters.
I sold my rev2 and replaced it with a Mopho keys because I didn’t need that much polyphony or another full sized keyboard but still wanted that prophet sound. The only thing i miss is how beautiful the rev2 looked. I think the Mopho sounds a bit better because of the feedback circuit and it has an input to use w other oscillators… but you’re not asking about the Mopho.
The A4 on the other hand will go with me to my grave. Perfect companion to the digitone. You have the dn2 so maybe there’s some overlap but I can’t speak to that because I have the og.
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I have the Rev 2. I know it has more polyphony than my A4, but I don’t typically reach for the DSI. I’ve made some good patches for it, but it never seems to make it onto a song. I really prefer the compositional workflow of the A4 where I can build up a track over several sessions without having to open a DAW. They are both DCO synths, but the A4 feels like it has a tighter low end, where the Rev 2 feels more flabby.
It really depends on what you want to accomplish with it. If you want a string synth, that’s where the DSI excels. It can do that thin, nasal string sound well, and you can build in plenty of modulation. It can also do really great plucks and good EP-style sounds. You’ll just want an external delay/reverb. If you want bass or lead, I think the A4 is more compelling. There’s a lot more sound sculpting possibilities with the dual filters, filter drive, and second page oscillator functions (and in a pinch, it can do good string sounds too as a four voice)
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Rev 2 imo strikes a good balance of being easy to program while also being very deep. It still sounds great out of the gate without much effort. A4 is a lot harder to make sound good and a lot less performable imo. It’s super deep and a sound designers dream if you work the sequencer for sound design.
Considering you already have your Elektron sequencer, I’d go for Rev2. It’s great value für the used prices and has extra outputs for making use of multi timbrality. Go check the Rev2 thread for some sounds and use cases. If you’re not an analog purist, chances are its sound will blow you away. Bit brasst is the only negative I can say.
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Check out the Redshift 6. It might fit your needs. The only issue for me personally is that they haven’t implemented changing presets via PC yet, but it’s on the way according to devs. Check out this thread for more info:
Depends on your style of music and your needs in terms of having a keyboard or not.
Rev2 is great for brassy sounds and you’ll never create them with an Elektron box.
If you want the desktop version then I guess you’re not looking for a keyboard but a keyboard if you don’t have one is always nice. I switched from the Mopho SE to the Rev2 because I really need 5 octaves. Bear in mind, I don’t know how to play the piano at all but you can learn to play chords rather quickly. I also use it connected to my mac and use some piano libraries or when I want to play some virtual instruments (but as a midi keyboard it’s really far from being the best, it wasn’t really meant for that). I also use it to play my Digitone too but never the other way around. I like to play it live, not programming it from another box.
If 5 voices are enough, the Take5 is a good option too.
A4 is great but really not the same sound.
A few examples
Rev2:
A4:
(used the A4 filters for the DFAM and to control it, A4 can do a lot of things)
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I really enjoy the Rev2, using the gate sequencer to simulate old analog voices opens it big time, but you also get some sharpness to create crazy sounds.
It’s very fast to program, the modulation assignment should be a standard.
The A4 is a very different beast, It doesn’t get similar traditional analog pads, it’s not where it shines as you get only 4 voices… It takes more time to learn, but it’s very solid, and if you accept it’s limitations, you can go very far!
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Like the others already said, it heavily depends on the sounds you want to make. If you mainly want lush pads, I’d get a Behringer Deepmind 12 instead… It’s cheap and sounds great.
And then the A4 for fun.
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The guy who makes those patches is an amazing sound designer. I have his patches for the microfreak. I actually bought the MF just so I could get the patches.
The artist has told me that he’s working on an A4 set and this makes me lean towards the A4 even more.
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Oh, thanks for the info! I had the A4 once for a while and always think about getting one again…
For what it’s worth, I sold my A4 because it was too much mental overhead next to my other Elektron boxes. (DN, ST, OT) Can sound absolutely fantastic though and in another lifetime I might have centered a setup around it with all its cv capabilities.
Coincidentally I’m looking at getting a Rev2 as a workhorse almost knob per function analog synth in the future. I think the Rev2 sounds fantastic and seems to be more capable at easily getting all your bread and butter sounds.
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I don’t have the rev2, but a A4 and AK, DN, DeepMind and other stuff.
And for what you are saying, you are asking yourself a question on two really different synth : A4/Rev2.
I would suggest to look for a used A4 + a used DeepMind could better suit your need than a single Rev2 for price/capability.
DeepMind is a good synth, it could do analog stuff, Electric Piano and it has tons of effect and modulation capability. If you add a used A4 you have a really large territory of action with the 4 mono track of the A4. And A4 is not that complicated if you are used to Elektron, still it’s the deepest synth I own.
Rev2 is quite high in price, it sound good, but it’s an investment valuable if you are used to play keyboard with chord and I would see it a bit like a DM with a different sound character and pro/con. It’s definitely more a polyphonic analog than what A4 will provide.
And DM6/12 is really undervalued, perfect UI and modulation matrix is just awesome, but unfortunately it’s monotimbral 
Rev2 is very capable, and bitimbral.
I got the 16 voices module, but 8 is pretty good too.
It’s a great complement to DNII!
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For the price of the Rev2, you can make it at least bi-timbral by buying another unit 
Well, if that’s your reason, you should get a Rev2, since he already has a pack for that (which sounds completely amazing):
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Okay, seriously though, what the absolute f*** happened with the Prophet Rev 2 prices?
I remember back when Dave Smith announced this thing and he was proud that it cost less than the '08. Now, I of course understand that everything has become more expensive since COVID, but I’d have expected the price to have gone up to maybe 1800€ by now, however the Rev 2 nearly DOUBLED in price. The 8 voice version is 2699€ as of right now. Absolutely nuts, the only time I’ve seen price increases like this before was on discontinued, coveted synths… And on Döner Kebab.
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Having owned both, I would go with the Rev 2.
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