My Prophet Five wanders in and out of tune at will. It does strange and annoying things from time to time. It's heavy and awkward to lift. It's blown up on me onstage on one memorable occasion, so I keep it in the studio mostly. It's only five note polyphonic, and lacks effects, arpeggiators touchscreens, coffee making facilities, you name it.

But it sounds fantastic, it looks fantastic, it feels fantastic and as a creative tool, it's fantastic. I love it and wouldn't exchange it for the world.

All the best,

Doug

The Prophet-5 is a true synthesizer. A musicians instrument. Hard, quality wood. Sturdy knobs. Stenciled metal. It's grand. Though it's far from perfect, are we comparing this fabulous vintage instrument to the plastic beatboxes of today that create instant music at the touch of a pre-programmed button? C'mon guys! Treat the P5 as you would a good woman! Get to know it. Treat it well. Appreciate what it does best and deal with the things that it doesn't. Tweak those knobs! That's what they're there for! Get your hands dirty! And you'll find a treasure of thick bass sounds, gritty leads, warm pads, bright brass, haunting flutes. And play some real music!

And for those unfortunate ones who have ended up with a not-so-taken-care of P5, don't blame the synth, blame the previous ownwers who abused them or didn't take care of them.

This synth doesn't make coffee, but it sure as hell merits a 5 based simply on the concept of sound and music as meant to be played.

Maybe rev1/2,, My old rev 3.1 or something sounded blah in comparison, I traded mine plus $700 for a xpander and I've never regretted it a bit.. The xpander is god like, where as a prophet is mearly very good but not great..

Just my 2 cents, Nubey

In my opinion, the Prophet 5 draws criticism from its lack of "toys" that the younger synth generation has been weened on: arpeggiators, sequencers, multitimbralism, endless MIDI spec and the like. The Prophet 5 is remarkably free of superfluous frills such as these. The Prophet is about sound and feel.

Quite simply, the Prophet 5 is a PLAYER's board.

Most people nowadays should probably steer clear of the Prophet 5 if they are doing dance/techno music. It's not that kind of machine. Do yourself a favor and stick with the modern VA synths, because the Prophet 5 isn't really about dance music.

The main feature of the Prophet 5 that appeals to me is its irrepresible character, glassy smoothness and presence that defines the Prophet sound. Coupled with the polymod section, the pitch bend and mod wheel the Prophet 5 is a VERY expressive, emotional synth. On the other hand, the Prophet 5 can be vicious, rough and gritty if you want it to. Incredibly versatile.

Overall, there are no bad points to the Prophet 5--it's a classic for a reason. If you know what you are getting into it's one of the most rewarding synths out there. Make sure to try one out before succumbing to the "hype"--this machine isn't for everyone. It's elite.