I have had a love / hate relationship with you videos. I just get picky when you insult synths I love. But this video is AMAZING! Right on point at every point. I loved the musicl interludes. I just want to thank you for taking the time to inform and demonstrate. I think you have a new fan!
Hi Frank, Thanks for your comments and I'm very happy to hear that we finally have synchronised viewpoints on a particular synthesiser :) I never knowingly *insult* any synthesiser, if I am critical it is because I feel there is sufficient reason to state my criticism. I do not expect anyone to agree with everything I say, we are all different and have different likes and dislikes, but I prefer to say what I think than do what most youtubers do which is to love every product they get their hands on. People hate to hear criticism of the things they love, and on social media some people are happy to unleash their hatred on each other in ways that would shame society. My being honest about the products I use comes at a price, I receive everything from pressure to retract my comments through to personal insults and verbal abuse. But if I were to cave and say everything was fantastic I would not be being honest to myself or to anyone who watches my videos. Thanks again for your comments and for your understanding.
I am revisiting ProphetX videos after some years and am re-discovering my GAS for it. With regards to this video - having listened to your music made on various instruments, IMO ProphetX gives your music a different dimension, it simply sounds better to my ears. I hope you still have it !
I think you are spot on with this review, Tim. I owned the PX for about a year. It sounded great, but the many limitations you describe (particularly on the sampling side) led me to sell. As you say, the Iridium (which I have owned for several months now) is a fabulous example of a hardware-based synth that does a magnificent job in its ability to sample and manipulate samples in a seamless workflow. You’re earlier deep dive on the 8dio samples also revealed some of the disappointments with the instrument. Thanks for your work!
I know most people don’t choose gear by listening to it. Or playing it. Most electronic music people are obsessed with perceived limitations of an instrument. I don’t know a single brilliant musician who thinks a guitar, or a Juno 60, are too simple. They play great music on great sounding tools. If you send your own samples to the PX using the freeware sample librarian available online (not the 8DIO one), it’s easy. I sent a huge library of my own stuff, and the sound of the PX crushes anything else. It’s that stereo Rossum filter per voice. Since the late 70s i’ve owned and used most of the famous synths over the years, and imo the sound of the stereo Rossum filter in the PX demolishes everything else, sonically speaking. Certainly it demolishes the sound of Waldorf’s filters. I dropped stereo samples of the waveforms from my old Jupiter-8 in, and it sounds *insane.* If I want crazy weird sound design, i’ll use a soft-synth like Pigments (much cheaper than buying a high-end Waldorf, and sounds very similar). If I want a beautiful sounding poly-synth that makes you want to cry it sounds so good, that’s when I reach for a physical poly synth. And the PX is the best of all of them. (Opinion)
You're quite right about commitment to software maintenance. In the IT world, reputable hardware vendors (esp for high-end/expensive infrastructure equipment) have a clearly stated support lifecycle, eg functional/security updates for x years, security updates only for x+y years, no more updates or support after year z. At least then you know what you're getting; the more expensive the kit, the longer the support lifecycle (which also adds to the upfront cost). The difference is that music tech manufacturers ship in low volumes, into a niche (and fairly fickle) market, not a vast and growing global market like Cisco or IBM; software development and maintenance isn't cheap for anyone - not if you want quality for long periods. RME's MADI/ADAT etc PCI[e] and other interfaces only have a few dozens of £/$/€ components on them, but they're very expensive. RME knows that their cards are mission-critical for studios and absolutely must work, for years, and they're still making drivers for products from the early 2000s and their stability is legendary. That money pays the (few) software engineers that are skilled enough to do the job, the kit keeps both its value and its utility, and RME keeps its reputation. The economics are rather different for instruments though. They're not mission-critical (except perhaps to a single person, unlike a TV studio), but the relative outlay for that musician is much higher (than for a studio). So the expectation of the musician is that the product should last forever, but the manufacturer simply can't afford perpetually pay for software development long after they saw any revenue (unless they can persuade the user to pay some kind of support/subscription, and good luck with that). The result is disappointment, frustration, and waste, as you stated. What manufacturers don't seem to realise is how willing the community would be to take over at the end of a product's natural life, if only they would open source (ie make public) their specifications/code. Good quality kit has a long tail: people will still be using it decades after the last manufacture, and they'd maintain it if they could. As an example, there's still an online petition (www.ipetitions.com/petition/rfx-32/) to fix the the Emulator IV series (EOS), due to a bug affecting the RFX card (which was a very expensive add-on). There are plenty of people who would relish the challenge of debugging the EIV's internals, even though it's been out of production for two decades. The problem is that no-one has the EOS source code, and don't expect Apple to release it even if they could find it (IIRC they bought Creative, who'd previously acquired E-MU). You alluded to the increasingly vague boundary between hardware and software (sewing machines need patches, ha ha) - more and more physical products don't work without it (or worse, a connection to the cloud). If we want to stem the disgraceful tide of e-waste we produce, the "right to repair" has to recognise this, via legislation mandating that kit specifications, and operational source code, *must* be made public at the end of support. It's one thing to junk something that's not worth fixing; quite another to be forced to junk it because it's been made unfixable. That was a bit of a rant, sorry!
They have been trying to convert all products into services, with varying degrees of success, for several decades now. When your existence becomes a service you won't be able to fight against usury anymore.
Good to hear comparisons with Quantum. I finally pulled the trigger on one. It's an astonishing bit of kit. They knocked the ball out of the park on that one. Once you dig in it doesn't even feel expensive given what you get. It's all the benefits of hardware and software combined in a beautifully engineered package.
Lemee sprinkle a little salt on this feast; does the screen randomly fall out of the synth if you move it around a lot or ship it like on the Quantum or Irridium?
Open Sourcing an editor app would help keep it from becoming a victim of obsolete drivers etc. If sequential properly documents the protocols, there could be hope, but I get the feeling their sampling partner might be against it.
Very interesting Tim. I have been thinking about the Prophet 12 very seriously but now after some serious consideration I am thinking maybe the XL is the way forward for me. But the thing that is really special about this is the analog filters. Iridium desktop and keyboard are amazing yes but they don't have the analog filters, There is something rather special about digital oscillators and analog filters. Its got a certain sound that all digital filters cannot do alone.
Thanks for clearly stating that synth companies should deliver the full package including the necessary editor software themselves. I completely agree. Wish there was a desktop version on the Prophet X!
I have the Waldorf Iridium Keyboard version and I love it. I fee like I have just barely scratched the surface of its full power. It does so much so well. I am so happy that I have it. I think the Prophet synths seem good and as with all most all synths there is always something that isn’t well thought out. I always appreciate your opinion and honest. I would much rather know the negatives before a big purchase, synths are not cheap. I feel like you really know so much more than most end-users and or other synth players. But I feel like I am constantly learning and it is challenging and fun. Thank you for this video. I am glad to have seen this video. All of your videos are very informative and have more depth than most You Tube content. Thank you
It was created to be, and is, a fantastic synth - not a sampling workstation. I think anyone buying it who expects it to be a great sampling workstation will be somewhat disappointed and frustrated. Tim touches directly upon a number of reasons why that is the case.
I was in a well known music store today Demoing the Prophet X, Quantum and Polybrute. I love sequential and have an OB6 and will get the Prophet 6 later.... But for me the Quantum as a synth devouring complex soundscapes wins over the PX, and partnered with the Polybrute just incredible... I have a lot more synths than I probably should but we only live once....
Great review. I own a Prophet X as well and my feels are imilar about this unique synth in many points. But the conclusion, that Sequential should build a new Prophet X Rev2 is something I won't underscribe. The main gripe is the unfinished and underdeveloped Sample software, and this is something a Rev2 would not solve. You mention Elektron as a good example, but they have not changed the insides of their 10 year olds Ocatracks, Analog Rhythms and Analog Fours, they just updated and developed their Operating Systems until today and released MK2s with exact the same processors inside, but updated knobs, casings and better displays (in this regard, that's like the Prophet XL is somehow a "better" version of the Prophet X with upgraded keys). So what we would need is not a successor to the Prophet X (like the Rev2 is a successor to the Prophet 08), Sequential just need to get together with their partners and develop the full potential this synth's hardware and software already possesses. Imagine the Prophet X still being hot 10 years later thanks to extensive and continous "Elektron styled" product care?
CHEERS for the comprehensive and beautifully shot video. Some of the 8DIO and 3rd party synth wave samples are sampled with Oscillator sync, i believe. Though no Portamento is available for the Instruments (non-digital oscillators), you can use Envelope 3 or 4 to approximate it in a pitch envelope. Your nylon guitar multisample sounds GREAT! PS. "thanks, snicker" is an anagram you wondered about.
As an engineer for whom research is paramount to my workflow and studio architecture I must thank you for the amount of effort you put forth in all of your videos. When one is considering devices of this nature, this degree of detail and insight is absolutely priceless. Thank you!
Thanks to guys like Tim, I can actually exclude getting the synths that don't fit my idea of making music. I love synths but I am much more into a band music than playing synths exclusively. So my synths have to complement and cut into the sound of a band, both at the same time. I watch Tim and others like Nick just for that purpose. Of course they're both very presentable in their own way and they're really fun to watch.
I have just got a near new XL for £2250! I can’t wait. It will be my main synth and controller to go with my integra 7, MODX, Poly D, DeepMind 12, vc340 etc..... 😂 can’t wait to try my expressive touché with it but best of all, I can sample anything through my MPCX and put it through this! Incredible 😍
I’ve had mine for 2 years, and i will never sell my Prophet X. Dropped a bunch of my own waves into it, and now it’s the only polyphonic synth i need. I have barely touched any other polysynths (even softsynths) since i got it, because the sound is so good.
Great video… I’ve been eyeing up the Prophet X and this has convinced me to stick with Arturia Pigments for now and maybe look at getting the Iridium Keyboard after some more research.
As far as I can tell this is my dream synth and I want to buy one but I just saw a few forums where people were talking about it freezing. Have you ever had yours freeze? I want to buy one but now I'm a little worried considering it's almost $4000, they had a video of a prophet X freezing in a performance. Has there been recent firmware updates to deal with this?
My first Prophet X did have serious problems and one day refused to boot. Trying to get the fault resolved was a stressful experience, I think it would have been a lot easier if I was based in the US. I think the firmware has improved a lot since then, but an instrument like this that welds together two different technologies from two different companies is going to have its own set of challenges and complexities.
@@TimShoebridge Hey Tim, thanks so much for your reply. The combination of analog and digital synthesis is tempting. I wonder if having a huge sample library of 150 gigs has anything to do with it as well. Thanks for your input, I think I am leaning more towards the Prophet 10 reissue at the moment or the OB-x8. I really love the 80s sound.
What are your thoughts on the REV 2? I'm searching the market for a good set of 61 keys with aftertouch to pair though midi with my iridium desktop. I though it would be interesting to include some warm analog synth patches to my mixes and run samples to the iridium.
Yes the idea of contrasting the Iridium with an all-out warm analogue synth is a great idea. But whether the rev2 is that ideal synth or not is something I don't know. I don't own a rev2 and I only tried one briefly. It was a long time ago and I had the opportunity to try out three desktops from sequential at the same time: Rev2, P6, OB6. The idea was to keep just one of them 😂. I ended up keeping two: the P6 and OB6. They had a wonderful warmth and presence that I fell in love with. In comparison the Rev2 sounded sterile and lacking character. It's got DCO's hasn't it? I'm sure it's a wonderful synth in the right hands, I hear of so many people who love it and will never part with it, but for me with the limited time I had it did not stand up to the others and was an easy decision to send back. But it's a very personal choice at the end of the day.
At about 11:30 in the Filter Demonstration, are you playing in mono or stereo? I am trying to figure out why I can't achieve that cool 'strobe' like effect you are getting when you cutoff the LFO 1s to the right and to the left. When I set all the controls as you have in the filter demonstration, at best the sound I get is more like triggering a mute sound on and off quickly. The only thing I can factor is that I am plugging the XL mono directly to a JBL keyboard amp.
I'm so glad to see you talking about the prophet X again. I was really bummed that you didn't keep it the first time and Cosma didn't keep his either. you both do such cool videos and I respect you a lot. but I really like the X and I felt that maybe once you got it home it just wasn't a good synth so you didn't keep it, anyway, I'm glad to hear all your thoughts on it. I was very excited to see this video pop up in my feed!
Great video TIm thanks. The Prophet X sample instruments always sound wonderful to me when listening to reviews on headphones, do the equivalent Iridium samples sound so good in your opinion? For example pianos, brass, guitars etc
Hey thanks. Technically speaking there is a very small difference - 44.1KHz for the Iridium and 48KHz for the PX - it's a barely noticeable difference under studio conditions (my ears aren't good enough to hear it) and certainly would not be noticeable with streamed audio
Two things..Did they ever do any firmware updates so we can do more with samples??If not they seriously messed up so much capability and options..I wonder if there's a way to show the sample editing on a computer screen/monitor..
Really well made review Tim, understandable where your gripes with the sample handling come from, its very limiting in what you can do indeed. Still an awesome synth with a missed potential.
That outro song made me think that my ringtone, old snake from mgs4 was playing for a second. The x still seems quite powerful and I appreciate your critiques for sure excellent food for thought with the sampling being the main feature in my eyes
@@TimShoebridge he he. lol Tim. I have one on order but know you would do a decent appraisal so I wait in anticipation. The one on order ain't gonna be around till end of January so I am told. Which means my paper-round money might be able to pay for it by the time it is available. I am a quarter of the way there and have just gotten the free paper on Thursday nights. 4,399 papers to deliver and I gets an extra quid. I should have stayed in the chuffing mob lol. Also, have you thought of doing a midi keys comparison..........................many go into music production and do not have a clue about the way midi keys have advanced in recent years. I am also after a studiologic sl88 and am talking with Birmingham for another free paper delivery. They have it on Thursday nights too. So trying to negotiate they change it to friday so I have a good chance of getting all 10,582 papers done by Monday morning at a penny a throw. Standby world, gonna take you by storm in about, erm, fifteen years. Lataz Tim....................an smile you miserable bar steward. Great demos.
Thanks Mark. No I decided in the end that the amount of support that might be required would negate any benefits of releasing a library. 8DIO have a streamlined and secure process available to them, the rest of us do not. I don't personally think the sampling side of the PX was ever designed with third parties in mind.
You actually can use slop on samples in the mod matrix as well, but already a mod value of 1 makes them drift way too big, like it's a bug, not a feature. I really wish Sequential could tame this parameter in combination with samples.
Great review. Sounds so great in your hands, but is it neither fish nor flesh? Is it a great synth or a great sampler, both or neither. A Sequential Kronos?
Can you help me? I've been trying for several days to install the A2600 add on without success. I followed their video instructions to the letter, but it didn't work, and 8Dio has been unhelpful. Can you tell me if the files in the 15 Synth folder are supposed to be extracted before I move the PX folder to my USB drive? Or is extracting the files a function my Prophet is supposed to perform? I keep receiving a 15 Synth folder full of zipped files that I cannot extract because they demand a password. Thank you in advance!
All those zip files must be left alone, the PX will unzip them itself. Just copy the entire "PX" folder and everything it contains to your USB drive, don't do anything to the contents and leave all zip files and folder names intact.
@@TimShoebridge Thank you so much for your reply! I tried that multiple times, but it doesn't work. Have contacted Sequential; maybe something is wrong with my Prophet.
@@logangourmet Ah sorry to hear that. Only things I can suggest are (1) check the current firmware you are running and (2) check the USB drive format and compatibility. Good luck with your issue 👍👍
First I have to say Thank you for your time, effort, and dedication to this post! Phenomenal. Second the music is 💥🔥SO FIRE🔥💥...I'd buy the album if there was one 💯. For now I'll just follow your sound cloud🎶😎! Sadly however, I feel like I've just heard my best friend's eulogy. I love the idea of the PX and I'm never disappointed with the sound, its extremely impressive. But there is a level of impracticality that puts it just out of reach for me, and because there are highly capable products, like the Iridium, available to me for so much less, I can use that differential in a better way.
Tim- I had already decided to pick up a Prophet 6, and now I have an opportunity to buy a used Prophet X for not much more. Is there something I am going to feel missing in the X, some "in your bones" analogue goodness that is effortless in the Prophet 6 but not there in the X? I have many synths, am mainly going for thick pads with this purchase. Thank you for your thoughts.
Hi, The only thing that is analogue about a PX is the filter. It's strengths are digital sample playback and it has excellent stereo capability. The PX and P6 are very different, to my mind I'm not sure one replaces the other, but they could compliment each other very well...
love the depth of your reviews and was wondering if in your opinion the PX could cover most of the Waldorf Q timbers as it seems to on some of these videos.
This review is somewhat confusing. A lot of time is spent on explaining what the synth doesn't do well, and that it was also never meant to do well. The PX is clearly not a sampler. It doesn't even have audio in.
I had the PX for three weeks before returning it to the store. It can certainly sound fantastic, and I really wanted it to be the best synth ever. I played it for hours every day. However, in the end it felt rushed to me. The interface is inconsistent, confusing and sometimes frustrating. I never had that experience with any other synth. Just take a look at how to switch between instruments and effects on the two smaller screens. Same functionality, totally different implementation. It's a mess. The sample playback is prone to clicks and pops that definitely shouldn't be there. Modulating sample start/end/looping is disappointing (and too often produces the mentioned clicks and pops). The 8DIO sample library is not that good either. It's very redundant. There are a few highlights like the VS samples, the tonal percussion and the synth waves. The rest is too much into workstation territory. Sorry about the rant, but it's such a shame Sequential didn't take the extra time to turn a really good concept into a really good product.
i had a PXL, and the only thing i didn't like about it was the actual AC plug slot in the keyboard itself. it felt very loose(would wiggle almost), and unstable. almost like you could pull it out if you yanked too hard on the power cord. did you have this problem on yours?
Coming soon: FOR SALE Ex-Tim Shoebridge Prophet X. Seroiusly, Akai, Emu, Ensoniq, Yamaha and Roland "invented the wheel" in sampling terms, in the 20th century. Fantastic review and wishing everyone Happy Christmas.
Haha. Ironically, my first ever Prophet X (which I bought almost 2 years ago but which developed a fault soon after) was actually Ex-Nick Batt ! It has his name and address still on the box...
Have you tried a 1010 black box + novation launchkey ? It does everything I've ever thought about doing with samples and can be had for $600-700US. No affiliation, that combo of devices just puts out *music* (it has a sequencer built-in). The launchkey (or other midi controller) just gives you an interface for velocity-sensitive pads, keys and some knobs you can link to modulation parameters (using midi learn!). Sounds are good, nice tracks! Thanks for the video.
@@TimShoebridge I think you will really find this a powerful device, one awesome thing is you can automatically multi-sample any midi synth per pad! Loopop has a nice demo video. Since it came out they've added several key new features and updates too. Would love to hear what you think of it! best, Scott
I think 💭 this is helpful In deciding if you want to go large and buy a prophet x. I will say that the prophet x is a hybrid sample player synth it’s all about massive library and great record ready sounds the thing I’d point out is it’s not a sampler it’s a sample player - I don’t think they really want you putting your own sounds in - they want you buying sounds - I suspect that if Dave smith wanted to - other functions could be un locked 🔒 Dave smith is a business after all and part of that I assume is buying more sounds I don’t agree with the suggested short falls. It is what it is and what it is is a very expensive piece of kit for someone who just wants to play record ready lush sounds - if you like fiddling with yer samples get a sampler
I don’t think it’s a cash grab on Dave’s part. I think it’s more that the synth was specifically designed as a synth, not a sampler workstation. He’s probably not interested in making a sampling workstation. He’s a synth guy. If you’re Dave Smith you have the luxury of deciding what you want to make.
Hi Tim. Thank you for your videos, really Great stuff you create. I have a question about your X-touch in the bsckground, what kind of stand do you use for it? Cheers
You are AMAZINGLY though rough and provide a STELLAR in depth foundation for Prophet X/XL owners☆☆☆☆ Thx you! Any thoughts on the Akai MPC X improving the sample velocity layering ? Love and Respect from Southern California 🌴🌞❤❤❤❤❤❤🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂 Also- Waldorf QUANTUM v Sequential PROPHET XL .... which synth is best to pair with the Akai MPC X? Thx again for your amazing videos and music (your Covid- Loss Vid moved me to tears).
Thank you very much :) I tried an MPC Touch ages ago, a great concept for someone like myself who uses a DAW a lot but too many technical difficulties and I gave up. I am tempted by the X but have not had a chance to try one out yet....
@@TimShoebridge I find your videos informative and your music intriguing! I look forward to your review of you do☆ Just Subscribed ( your in depth review of the Prophet x/ xl made me a believer)! I'll take the plunge and invest in the Mpc X🤘🔥 Thx again Tin for your invaluable advice, tips and reviews, but most of all your music🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂Cheers❤
I do agree with what your saying Tim, it seems to me that 8DIO have started something with Sequential, but it seems to have possibly dried up. No new sounds for a year, a sample editor which is very, very basic and crippled by lack of functionality on a instrument which is capable of so much. 8DIO are bringing out a lot of new stuff, but nothing for the X/XL. Have 9DIO fallen out of love with the Prophet or are they working on something new?. I emailed them and they said that they are working on something new for the PX/PXL, I don't know if Covid-19 has anything to do with it, I have not given up hope, but at least there is the good faithful PXToolkit to fall back on......BTW Tim. When are you releasing the Sample Packs for the PX/PXL.
I have four sample packs ready to go but need to put together a brief video that goes through the sounds. Hopefully will get this done in the next couple of days. But to be honest I am a little nervous of selling packs that must go into bank X and into slot Y... it all sounds like it could end up being a support nightmare for me, but I've come this far so what the heck, let's see what happens.....! PS. Re. 8DIO, I actually had the pleasure and honour of a video call with them some time ago, nothing to do with the PX which I did not own at the time. They came across as really nice and genuine people, extremely professional and very passionate about everything they do. So as much as it looks on the face of it like disinterest with the PX I really can't relate that to the people I spoke to at all. So my only conclusion is that they are totally stretched, they are a very small company and possibly they did not realise what they were getting themselves into with the PX. And now there are other tools out there for user libraries maybe they think the pressure is relieved a bit. That's just my wild speculation, I had no conversation with them about the PX at that time.
Ok thanks Tim that's interesting, well hopefully we will see some new stuff from them in coming months. I know how long it can take to record and edit samples, and putting these multi sample packs together must take them quite a bit of time. Considering I have only used one user sample bank on my PX i have plenty of slots spare.
Tim may I ask your advice on the sequencer? I’m having so much trouble trying to understand it. Is it possible to change the note length or rests inbetween notes? Or is it just a straight up 64 note without any gaps? Cheers!
i tried this synth in the store and found the presets and overall samples very weird and dark. Its like a synth made specifically for vampires walking around alleys, tabletop roleplaying sessions, and early 90s sci fi movies. I find it odd that the synth has a big sample library logo on it especially with such unvaried creepy samples.
Yes sequential failed with the Jerry basserman demos which did this beast no justice. Yes there have been no good demos of this board. Yes the white screen sucks, yes the board freezing sucks. But the part that you miss is what it does do is amazing. This board is met to be played not met to be talked about. sequential and 8dio are to blame for this for not marketing this for the beast it is. Your review was heavy in talking as if this was a college dissertation on the iridium and quantum which have nothing to do with the monster that is the prophet x which is a players synth, this board is met to be played. I blame that on the creators. Had they marketed it differently, players would have played it. However, I can tell that you did not understand the prophet x by your demo. You criticized the instruments as most do because they don’t understand that the magic is in combination “not” singularity on the prophet. Combine a piano with a piano for instance. For example you spent little time on the stuff that actually makes it sound good, for example the board comes alive when you master mixing layer A and B and learning how to use 16 voice mode. This board should be thought of as a Mixture of a Yamaha Montage and Nord Stage 3 on steroids with analog filters mixed with sounds from Kontackt and Omnisphere. In fact it literally controls Omnisphere lol. Yet your critique like nearly every other one on UA-cam has focused on the wrong thing namely comparisons to the iridium or playing one sample at a time which misses the entire essence and magic of the board. The things that you can do with lfo to dco, vca to osc Modulation in this beast make it unique. You did not focus on these because you don’t understand the main way to use this beast. You can modulate a sample to a sample. Name another board that can do what the prophet does please? The fact that this monster is misunderstood is what makes it the best board out because only the top wizards who actually took the Time to unravel it know it’s powers which blow away anything out. It can literally be an OBX or Juno 60. Please go and really learn it’s powers then do a second review and you will see the magic. The prophet x is best understood by people who specialize in actually playing musical instruments live. For example a person that could have done a good review with this synth would be mike Patrick or greg Philingas (accidentally spelled his name wrong but the guy who played for Michael jackson) you can not play the prophet X as you did with one sample at a time. You need to combine them And play with the modulation to understand the magic. Peace and blessings man
@@dewaldomusic absolutely understand it, literally playing it right now. If any thing the prophet X has taught me that we live in a world of followers and not leaders. I’m quite happy with the prophet x being a secret weapon for those like you and me who get it. Prince had a unique sound and a unique purple guitar. I’ve got a unique instrument crafted by Dave Smith, I’ll let every one else keep talking about it while I master it silently then blow the world away. I’m happy silent 🤫
Not sure why you deleted my comment from a couple years back, even though it was totally polite and simply pointed out a few things that make the PX special. Weird thing to do; do you really require complete agreement from your comments section? Unsubbing ✌️
I haven't deleted any comments. UA-cam can and does filter out comments occasionally based on its own rules and algorithm but I've never heard of it doing so after 2 years! I can see you have made three comments on this video but they were all in reply to other people's prior comments. When you do this, if that person removes their own comment, then any replies will also be removed too. 🤷♂️
"the PX is never gonna match the level of perfection you have in Quantum/Iridium" Really? Of course they're more flexible but it takes time to program and you surely can't do anything on those, too, plus then there is the white screen problem, occasional loud sound bursts and such. I fully agree that you have to play your instrument in a way it makes the best out of it but perfection?
You're confusing sample manipulation and assignment capabilities with firmware bugs and hardware faults. The PX also has its fair share of firmware faults, especially surrounding MIDI, which have never been fixed. I decided not to mention the various bugs I've had to deal with as the video already had enough negativity surrounding sample import and processing. So yes, really. If you want a high degree of control over how samples are assigned across the keyboard and played, if you want a high degree of control on importing them, organising them, sharing them across presets, if you want a high degree of control over manipulating samples and how they are played back, then buy one of the Waldorf synths and not a Prophet X. That's the "perfection" I talked about. As for the bugs, the Waldorf synths are still supported, bugs will be fixed, new firmware will add USB mass storage support for samples as well as MPE support. The PX is basically dead at this point.
I have had a love / hate relationship with you videos. I just get picky when you insult synths I love. But this video is AMAZING! Right on point at every point. I loved the musicl interludes. I just want to thank you for taking the time to inform and demonstrate. I think you have a new fan!
Hi Frank, Thanks for your comments and I'm very happy to hear that we finally have synchronised viewpoints on a particular synthesiser :) I never knowingly *insult* any synthesiser, if I am critical it is because I feel there is sufficient reason to state my criticism. I do not expect anyone to agree with everything I say, we are all different and have different likes and dislikes, but I prefer to say what I think than do what most youtubers do which is to love every product they get their hands on.
People hate to hear criticism of the things they love, and on social media some people are happy to unleash their hatred on each other in ways that would shame society. My being honest about the products I use comes at a price, I receive everything from pressure to retract my comments through to personal insults and verbal abuse. But if I were to cave and say everything was fantastic I would not be being honest to myself or to anyone who watches my videos.
Thanks again for your comments and for your understanding.
Oh man, dont look at the Bad Gear videos then! ;)
I could listen to tim shoebridge read the back of cereal boxes
Yes, he has very pleasant demeanor and voice
Hi-Fi(bre) ?.... ;)
😂
I am revisiting ProphetX videos after some years and am re-discovering my GAS for it. With regards to this video - having listened to your music made on various instruments, IMO ProphetX gives your music a different dimension, it simply sounds better to my ears. I hope you still have it !
I agree. People don’t buy gear with their ears.
Man, I just gotta say that your beats are consistently fire. Nice to see a synth show host with some obvious musicality.
I think you are spot on with this review, Tim. I owned the PX for about a year. It sounded great, but the many limitations you describe (particularly on the sampling side) led me to sell. As you say, the Iridium (which I have owned for several months now) is a fabulous example of a hardware-based synth that does a magnificent job in its ability to sample and manipulate samples in a seamless workflow. You’re earlier deep dive on the 8dio samples also revealed some of the disappointments with the instrument. Thanks for your work!
I know most people don’t choose gear by listening to it. Or playing it. Most electronic music people are obsessed with perceived limitations of an instrument. I don’t know a single brilliant musician who thinks a guitar, or a Juno 60, are too simple. They play great music on great sounding tools.
If you send your own samples to the PX using the freeware sample librarian available online (not the 8DIO one), it’s easy. I sent a huge library of my own stuff, and the sound of the PX crushes anything else. It’s that stereo Rossum filter per voice.
Since the late 70s i’ve owned and used most of the famous synths over the years, and imo the sound of the stereo Rossum filter in the PX demolishes everything else, sonically speaking. Certainly it demolishes the sound of Waldorf’s filters. I dropped stereo samples of the waveforms from my old Jupiter-8 in, and it sounds *insane.*
If I want crazy weird sound design, i’ll use a soft-synth like Pigments (much cheaper than buying a high-end Waldorf, and sounds very similar). If I want a beautiful sounding poly-synth that makes you want to cry it sounds so good, that’s when I reach for a physical poly synth. And the PX is the best of all of them. (Opinion)
You're quite right about commitment to software maintenance. In the IT world, reputable hardware vendors (esp for high-end/expensive infrastructure equipment) have a clearly stated support lifecycle, eg functional/security updates for x years, security updates only for x+y years, no more updates or support after year z. At least then you know what you're getting; the more expensive the kit, the longer the support lifecycle (which also adds to the upfront cost).
The difference is that music tech manufacturers ship in low volumes, into a niche (and fairly fickle) market, not a vast and growing global market like Cisco or IBM; software development and maintenance isn't cheap for anyone - not if you want quality for long periods. RME's MADI/ADAT etc PCI[e] and other interfaces only have a few dozens of £/$/€ components on them, but they're very expensive. RME knows that their cards are mission-critical for studios and absolutely must work, for years, and they're still making drivers for products from the early 2000s and their stability is legendary. That money pays the (few) software engineers that are skilled enough to do the job, the kit keeps both its value and its utility, and RME keeps its reputation.
The economics are rather different for instruments though. They're not mission-critical (except perhaps to a single person, unlike a TV studio), but the relative outlay for that musician is much higher (than for a studio). So the expectation of the musician is that the product should last forever, but the manufacturer simply can't afford perpetually pay for software development long after they saw any revenue (unless they can persuade the user to pay some kind of support/subscription, and good luck with that). The result is disappointment, frustration, and waste, as you stated.
What manufacturers don't seem to realise is how willing the community would be to take over at the end of a product's natural life, if only they would open source (ie make public) their specifications/code. Good quality kit has a long tail: people will still be using it decades after the last manufacture, and they'd maintain it if they could.
As an example, there's still an online petition (www.ipetitions.com/petition/rfx-32/) to fix the the Emulator IV series (EOS), due to a bug affecting the RFX card (which was a very expensive add-on). There are plenty of people who would relish the challenge of debugging the EIV's internals, even though it's been out of production for two decades. The problem is that no-one has the EOS source code, and don't expect Apple to release it even if they could find it (IIRC they bought Creative, who'd previously acquired E-MU).
You alluded to the increasingly vague boundary between hardware and software (sewing machines need patches, ha ha) - more and more physical products don't work without it (or worse, a connection to the cloud). If we want to stem the disgraceful tide of e-waste we produce, the "right to repair" has to recognise this, via legislation mandating that kit specifications, and operational source code, *must* be made public at the end of support.
It's one thing to junk something that's not worth fixing; quite another to be forced to junk it because it's been made unfixable.
That was a bit of a rant, sorry!
I’m now ‘slightly concerned’ that I may soon no longer be able to download the up to date Bluetooth drivers for my electric toothbrush ...
Talking about hitting the nail on its head! Good rant, Steve!!!
They have been trying to convert all products into services, with varying degrees of success, for several decades now. When your existence becomes a service you won't be able to fight against usury anymore.
Apple didn’t buy Creative. They paid for a licence for their MP3 player user interface
Good to hear comparisons with Quantum. I finally pulled the trigger on one. It's an astonishing bit of kit. They knocked the ball out of the park on that one. Once you dig in it doesn't even feel expensive given what you get. It's all the benefits of hardware and software combined in a beautifully engineered package.
Lemee sprinkle a little salt on this feast; does the screen randomly fall out of the synth if you move it around a lot or ship it like on the Quantum or Irridium?
Ah... we all go Prophet 5 REV 4 and the Timster does a cheeky one and goes Prophet X on us... looking forward to watching this!
Open Sourcing an editor app would help keep it from becoming a victim of obsolete drivers etc. If sequential properly documents the protocols, there could be hope, but I get the feeling their sampling partner might be against it.
Thank you Tim for creating positive and valuable moments in 2020. Looking forward to more of your wonderful creations in 2021. Gratefully.
Very interesting Tim. I have been thinking about the Prophet 12 very seriously but now after some serious consideration I am thinking maybe the XL is the way forward for me. But the thing that is really special about this is the analog filters. Iridium desktop and keyboard are amazing yes but they don't have the analog filters, There is something rather special about digital oscillators and analog filters. Its got a certain sound that all digital filters cannot do alone.
The clear issue here is that the musical clips are so good that I forgot what he was talking about.
Haha! Thank you for that very kind comment Ken :)
@@TimShoebridge been watching this whole thing. Excellent video man... really great thanks for this.
Thanks for clearly stating that synth companies should deliver the full package including the necessary editor software themselves. I completely agree.
Wish there was a desktop version on the Prophet X!
I have the Waldorf Iridium Keyboard version and I love it. I fee like I have just barely scratched the surface of its full power. It does so much so well. I am so happy that I have it. I think the Prophet synths seem good and as with all most all synths there is always something that isn’t well thought out.
I always appreciate your opinion and honest. I would much rather know the negatives before a big purchase, synths are not cheap. I feel like you really know so much more than most end-users and or other synth players. But I feel like I am constantly learning and it is challenging and fun.
Thank you for this video. I am glad to have seen this video. All of your videos are very informative and have more depth than most You Tube content. Thank you
User sample support is why I sold this instrument. It appears they still haven't moved the software forward after 2 years.
Enjoyed the Demo track Tim :)
It was created to be, and is, a fantastic synth - not a sampling workstation. I think anyone buying it who expects it to be a great sampling workstation will be somewhat disappointed and frustrated. Tim touches directly upon a number of reasons why that is the case.
Really? I was holding back on buying this because I’m not interested in a workstation (which the huge 8dios library suggested to me).
This is such a brilliant video, thanks for putting this together.
Limitations are a source of creativity.
Not when you're as limited as I am!!!
I was in a well known music store today Demoing the Prophet X, Quantum and Polybrute. I love sequential and have an OB6 and will get the Prophet 6 later.... But for me the Quantum as a synth devouring complex soundscapes wins over the PX, and partnered with the Polybrute just incredible... I have a lot more synths than I probably should but we only live once....
Great review. I own a Prophet X as well and my feels are imilar about this unique synth in many points. But the conclusion, that Sequential should build a new Prophet X Rev2 is something I won't underscribe. The main gripe is the unfinished and underdeveloped Sample software, and this is something a Rev2 would not solve.
You mention Elektron as a good example, but they have not changed the insides of their 10 year olds Ocatracks, Analog Rhythms and Analog Fours, they just updated and developed their Operating Systems until today and released MK2s with exact the same processors inside, but updated knobs, casings and better displays (in this regard, that's like the Prophet XL is somehow a "better" version of the Prophet X with upgraded keys). So what we would need is not a successor to the Prophet X (like the Rev2 is a successor to the Prophet 08), Sequential just need to get together with their partners and develop the full potential this synth's hardware and software already possesses.
Imagine the Prophet X still being hot 10 years later thanks to extensive and continous "Elektron styled" product care?
CHEERS for the comprehensive and beautifully shot video. Some of the 8DIO and 3rd party synth wave samples are sampled with Oscillator sync, i believe. Though no Portamento is available for the Instruments (non-digital oscillators), you can use Envelope 3 or 4 to approximate it in a pitch envelope. Your nylon guitar multisample sounds GREAT! PS. "thanks, snicker" is an anagram you wondered about.
As an engineer for whom research is paramount to my workflow and studio architecture I must thank you for the amount of effort you put forth in all of your videos. When one is considering devices of this nature, this degree of detail and insight is absolutely priceless. Thank you!
How does it compare to the quantum and iridium in terms of what you gravitate to more often?
Thanks to guys like Tim, I can actually exclude getting the synths that don't fit my idea of making music.
I love synths but I am much more into a band music than playing synths exclusively.
So my synths have to complement and cut into the sound of a band, both at the same time.
I watch Tim and others like Nick just for that purpose.
Of course they're both very presentable in their own way and they're really fun to watch.
Thank you, this was very helpful in understanding this synth.
I have just got a near new XL for £2250! I can’t wait. It will be my main synth and controller to go with my integra 7, MODX, Poly D, DeepMind 12, vc340 etc..... 😂 can’t wait to try my expressive touché with it but best of all, I can sample anything through my MPCX and put it through this! Incredible 😍
Was it a keeper?
I’ve had mine for 2 years, and i will never sell my Prophet X. Dropped a bunch of my own waves into it, and now it’s the only polyphonic synth i need. I have barely touched any other polysynths (even softsynths) since i got it, because the sound is so good.
Great video… I’ve been eyeing up the Prophet X and this has convinced me to stick with Arturia Pigments for now and maybe look at getting the Iridium Keyboard after some more research.
I sold mine because of the user sample and some bugs ....
A fantastic idea but so frustrating.
I'm interested to know if the software has improved at all in the two years since you made this video. Did 8Dio ever improve it?
As far as I can tell this is my dream synth and I want to buy one but I just saw a few forums where people were talking about it freezing. Have you ever had yours freeze? I want to buy one but now I'm a little worried considering it's almost $4000, they had a video of a prophet X freezing in a performance. Has there been recent firmware updates to deal with this?
My first Prophet X did have serious problems and one day refused to boot. Trying to get the fault resolved was a stressful experience, I think it would have been a lot easier if I was based in the US. I think the firmware has improved a lot since then, but an instrument like this that welds together two different technologies from two different companies is going to have its own set of challenges and complexities.
@@TimShoebridge Hey Tim, thanks so much for your reply. The combination of analog and digital synthesis is tempting. I wonder if having a huge sample library of 150 gigs has anything to do with it as well. Thanks for your input, I think I am leaning more towards the Prophet 10 reissue at the moment or the OB-x8. I really love the 80s sound.
What are your thoughts on the REV 2? I'm searching the market for a good set of 61 keys with aftertouch to pair though midi with my iridium desktop. I though it would be interesting to include some warm analog synth patches to my mixes and run samples to the iridium.
Yes the idea of contrasting the Iridium with an all-out warm analogue synth is a great idea. But whether the rev2 is that ideal synth or not is something I don't know.
I don't own a rev2 and I only tried one briefly. It was a long time ago and I had the opportunity to try out three desktops from sequential at the same time: Rev2, P6, OB6. The idea was to keep just one of them 😂. I ended up keeping two: the P6 and OB6. They had a wonderful warmth and presence that I fell in love with. In comparison the Rev2 sounded sterile and lacking character. It's got DCO's hasn't it? I'm sure it's a wonderful synth in the right hands, I hear of so many people who love it and will never part with it, but for me with the limited time I had it did not stand up to the others and was an easy decision to send back. But it's a very personal choice at the end of the day.
At about 11:30 in the Filter Demonstration, are you playing in mono or stereo? I am trying to figure out why I can't achieve that cool 'strobe' like effect you are getting when you cutoff the LFO 1s to the right and to the left. When I set all the controls as you have in the filter demonstration, at best the sound I get is more like triggering a mute sound on and off quickly. The only thing I can factor is that I am plugging the XL mono directly to a JBL keyboard amp.
The final point about software nailed it for me, especially as Sequential are stopping production.
I'm so glad to see you talking about the prophet X again. I was really bummed that you didn't keep it the first time and Cosma didn't keep his either. you both do such cool videos and I respect you a lot. but I really like the X and I felt that maybe once you got it home it just wasn't a good synth so you didn't keep it, anyway, I'm glad to hear all your thoughts on it. I was very excited to see this video pop up in my feed!
I was going to get one but the high price put me off. And I already have a vsnth xt OT and I will get an mpcX at some point
Great video, thanks!
Great video TIm thanks. The Prophet X sample instruments always sound wonderful to me when listening to reviews on headphones, do the equivalent Iridium samples sound so good in your opinion? For example pianos, brass, guitars etc
Hey thanks. Technically speaking there is a very small difference - 44.1KHz for the Iridium and 48KHz for the PX - it's a barely noticeable difference under studio conditions (my ears aren't good enough to hear it) and certainly would not be noticeable with streamed audio
Two things..Did they ever do any firmware updates so we can do more with samples??If not they seriously messed up so much capability and options..I wonder if there's a way to show the sample editing on a computer screen/monitor..
Great synth, but mine keeps freezing and I've only had it for 2 months.
Slop 1 & 2 plus Slop 3 and Slop 4 are available as mod sources on the matrix. So what‘s the problem to apply them to sampled sounds?
Really well made review Tim, understandable where your gripes with the sample handling come from, its very limiting in what you can do indeed. Still an awesome synth with a missed potential.
That outro song made me think that my ringtone, old snake from mgs4 was playing for a second. The x still seems quite powerful and I appreciate your critiques for sure excellent food for thought with the sampling being the main feature in my eyes
Tim, have you a Polybrute review in the near future?
I need to get my hands on one first :(
@@TimShoebridge he he. lol Tim. I have one on order but know you would do a decent appraisal so I wait in anticipation. The one on order ain't gonna be around till end of January so I am told. Which means my paper-round money might be able to pay for it by the time it is available. I am a quarter of the way there and have just gotten the free paper on Thursday nights. 4,399 papers to deliver and I gets an extra quid. I should have stayed in the chuffing mob lol. Also, have you thought of doing a midi keys comparison..........................many go into music production and do not have a clue about the way midi keys have advanced in recent years. I am also after a studiologic sl88 and am talking with Birmingham for another free paper delivery. They have it on Thursday nights too. So trying to negotiate they change it to friday so I have a good chance of getting all 10,582 papers done by Monday morning at a penny a throw. Standby world, gonna take you by storm in about, erm, fifteen years. Lataz Tim....................an smile you miserable bar steward. Great demos.
ua-cam.com/video/rou0WVK76Hc/v-deo.html
Hi Tim, great overview. Did you release your sample packs for sale?
Thanks Mark. No I decided in the end that the amount of support that might be required would negate any benefits of releasing a library. 8DIO have a streamlined and secure process available to them, the rest of us do not. I don't personally think the sampling side of the PX was ever designed with third parties in mind.
You actually can use slop on samples in the mod matrix as well, but already a mod value of 1 makes them drift way too big, like it's a bug, not a feature. I really wish Sequential could tame this parameter in combination with samples.
Great review. Sounds so great in your hands, but is it neither fish nor flesh? Is it a great synth or a great sampler, both or neither. A Sequential Kronos?
Can you help me? I've been trying for several days to install the A2600 add on without success. I followed their video instructions to the letter, but it didn't work, and 8Dio has been unhelpful. Can you tell me if the files in the 15 Synth folder are supposed to be extracted before I move the PX folder to my USB drive? Or is extracting the files a function my Prophet is supposed to perform? I keep receiving a 15 Synth folder full of zipped files that I cannot extract because they demand a password. Thank you in advance!
All those zip files must be left alone, the PX will unzip them itself. Just copy the entire "PX" folder and everything it contains to your USB drive, don't do anything to the contents and leave all zip files and folder names intact.
@@TimShoebridge Thank you so much for your reply! I tried that multiple times, but it doesn't work. Have contacted Sequential; maybe something is wrong with my Prophet.
@@logangourmet Ah sorry to hear that. Only things I can suggest are (1) check the current firmware you are running and (2) check the USB drive format and compatibility. Good luck with your issue 👍👍
First I have to say Thank you for your time, effort, and dedication to this post! Phenomenal. Second the music is 💥🔥SO FIRE🔥💥...I'd buy the album if there was one 💯. For now I'll just follow your sound cloud🎶😎! Sadly however, I feel like I've just heard my best friend's eulogy. I love the idea of the PX and I'm never disappointed with the sound, its extremely impressive. But there is a level of impracticality that puts it just out of reach for me, and because there are highly capable products, like the Iridium, available to me for so much less, I can use that differential in a better way.
Tim- I had already decided to pick up a Prophet 6, and now I have an opportunity to buy a used Prophet X for not much more. Is there something I am going to feel missing in the X, some "in your bones" analogue goodness that is effortless in the Prophet 6 but not there in the X? I have many synths, am mainly going for thick pads with this purchase. Thank you for your thoughts.
Hi, The only thing that is analogue about a PX is the filter. It's strengths are digital sample playback and it has excellent stereo capability. The PX and P6 are very different, to my mind I'm not sure one replaces the other, but they could compliment each other very well...
So true about the samples who would ever want a synthesizer that allow you to manipulate them???
love the depth of your reviews and was wondering if in your opinion the PX could cover most of the Waldorf Q timbers as it seems to on some of these videos.
This review is somewhat confusing. A lot of time is spent on explaining what the synth doesn't do well, and that it was also never meant to do well. The PX is clearly not a sampler. It doesn't even have audio in.
6:17 I was like “what song is that?” And then I realized that the melody is similar to Daft Punk’s Da Funk.
I had the PX for three weeks before returning it to the store. It can certainly sound fantastic, and I really wanted it to be the best synth ever. I played it for hours every day. However, in the end it felt rushed to me. The interface is inconsistent, confusing and sometimes frustrating. I never had that experience with any other synth. Just take a look at how to switch between instruments and effects on the two smaller screens. Same functionality, totally different implementation. It's a mess. The sample playback is prone to clicks and pops that definitely shouldn't be there. Modulating sample start/end/looping is disappointing (and too often produces the mentioned clicks and pops). The 8DIO sample library is not that good either. It's very redundant. There are a few highlights like the VS samples, the tonal percussion and the synth waves. The rest is too much into workstation territory. Sorry about the rant, but it's such a shame Sequential didn't take the extra time to turn a really good concept into a really good product.
i had a PXL, and the only thing i didn't like about it was the actual AC plug slot in the keyboard itself. it felt very loose(would wiggle almost), and unstable. almost like you could pull it out if you yanked too hard on the power cord. did you have this problem on yours?
@@xiaoxia5 No, I did not. The build quality was excellent.
What's about Polybrute Tim?
Coming soon: FOR SALE Ex-Tim Shoebridge Prophet X. Seroiusly, Akai, Emu, Ensoniq, Yamaha and Roland "invented the wheel" in sampling terms, in the 20th century. Fantastic review and wishing everyone Happy Christmas.
Haha. Ironically, my first ever Prophet X (which I bought almost 2 years ago but which developed a fault soon after) was actually Ex-Nick Batt ! It has his name and address still on the box...
Have you tried a 1010 black box + novation launchkey ? It does everything I've ever thought about doing with samples and can be had for $600-700US. No affiliation, that combo of devices just puts out *music* (it has a sequencer built-in). The launchkey (or other midi controller) just gives you an interface for velocity-sensitive pads, keys and some knobs you can link to modulation parameters (using midi learn!).
Sounds are good, nice tracks! Thanks for the video.
The 1010 is not an instrument I'm familiar with. I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip.
@@TimShoebridge I think you will really find this a powerful device, one awesome thing is you can automatically multi-sample any midi synth per pad! Loopop has a nice demo video. Since it came out they've added several key new features and updates too. Would love to hear what you think of it! best, Scott
The late Jerry Pournelle had a term for such technology. "Frustratingly excellent".
I think 💭 this is helpful In deciding if you want to go large and buy a prophet x. I will say that the prophet x is a hybrid sample player synth it’s all about massive library and great record ready sounds the thing I’d point out is it’s not a sampler it’s a sample player - I don’t think they really want you putting your own sounds in - they want you buying sounds - I suspect that if Dave smith wanted to - other functions could be un locked 🔒 Dave smith is a business after all and part of that I assume is buying more sounds I don’t agree with the suggested short falls. It is what it is and what it is is a very expensive piece of kit for someone who just wants to play record ready lush sounds - if you like fiddling with yer samples get a sampler
I don’t think it’s a cash grab on Dave’s part. I think it’s more that the synth was specifically designed as a synth, not a sampler workstation. He’s probably not interested in making a sampling workstation. He’s a synth guy. If you’re Dave Smith you have the luxury of deciding what you want to make.
Hi Tim. Thank you for your videos, really Great stuff you create. I have a question about your X-touch in the bsckground, what kind of stand do you use for it? Cheers
Hi Michael, you're very welcome. It's a general purpose stand by a company called reloop.
@@timshoebridgephotography3094 Thank you Tim, I will check them out 🍻
You are AMAZINGLY though rough and provide a STELLAR in depth foundation for Prophet X/XL owners☆☆☆☆ Thx you! Any thoughts on the Akai MPC X improving the sample velocity layering ? Love and Respect from Southern California 🌴🌞❤❤❤❤❤❤🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂 Also- Waldorf QUANTUM v Sequential PROPHET XL .... which synth is best to pair with the Akai MPC X? Thx again for your amazing videos and music (your Covid- Loss Vid moved me to tears).
Thank you very much :) I tried an MPC Touch ages ago, a great concept for someone like myself who uses a DAW a lot but too many technical difficulties and I gave up. I am tempted by the X but have not had a chance to try one out yet....
@@TimShoebridge I find your videos informative and your music intriguing! I look forward to your review of you do☆ Just Subscribed ( your in depth review of the Prophet x/ xl made me a believer)! I'll take the plunge and invest in the Mpc X🤘🔥 Thx again Tin for your invaluable advice, tips and reviews, but most of all your music🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂Cheers❤
Hi Tim - have you kept your Prophet X?
No. But it was a very difficult decision. I wanted to develop sample libraries for it but it just wasn't viable in the end.
@@TimShoebridge Hey Tim, what in the end wasn't viable? Your nylon strings sound so good!
I do agree with what your saying Tim, it seems to me that 8DIO have started something with Sequential, but it seems to have possibly dried up. No new sounds for a year, a sample editor which is very, very basic and crippled by lack of functionality on a instrument which is capable of so much. 8DIO are bringing out a lot of new stuff, but nothing for the X/XL. Have 9DIO fallen out of love with the Prophet or are they working on something new?. I emailed them and they said that they are working on something new for the PX/PXL, I don't know if Covid-19 has anything to do with it, I have not given up hope, but at least there is the good faithful PXToolkit to fall back on......BTW Tim. When are you releasing the Sample Packs for the PX/PXL.
I have four sample packs ready to go but need to put together a brief video that goes through the sounds. Hopefully will get this done in the next couple of days. But to be honest I am a little nervous of selling packs that must go into bank X and into slot Y... it all sounds like it could end up being a support nightmare for me, but I've come this far so what the heck, let's see what happens.....!
PS. Re. 8DIO, I actually had the pleasure and honour of a video call with them some time ago, nothing to do with the PX which I did not own at the time. They came across as really nice and genuine people, extremely professional and very passionate about everything they do. So as much as it looks on the face of it like disinterest with the PX I really can't relate that to the people I spoke to at all. So my only conclusion is that they are totally stretched, they are a very small company and possibly they did not realise what they were getting themselves into with the PX. And now there are other tools out there for user libraries maybe they think the pressure is relieved a bit. That's just my wild speculation, I had no conversation with them about the PX at that time.
Ok thanks Tim that's interesting, well hopefully we will see some new stuff from them in coming months. I know how long it can take to record and edit samples, and putting these multi sample packs together must take them quite a bit of time. Considering I have only used one user sample bank on my PX i have plenty of slots spare.
Do you have a vintage 2600?
I wish! :) No, 8DIO sampled a 2600 for one of their add-on packs
Tim may I ask your advice on the sequencer? I’m having so much trouble trying to understand it. Is it possible to change the note length or rests inbetween notes? Or is it just a straight up 64 note without any gaps?
Cheers!
Noted! ; )
"I wont show you all the looping/sampling options." lol. Why not? it is sampler/sample player after all.
Do some more Behringer System 100 Videos
A video featuring the A110 is coming soon...
I have a ProphetX. Love the sound but the UI is a mess.
It sounds digital.
Keeping a windows 10 PC from 2020? No way! It might be infected with a virus!
i tried this synth in the store and found the presets and overall samples very weird and dark. Its like a synth made specifically for vampires walking around alleys, tabletop roleplaying sessions, and early 90s sci fi movies. I find it odd that the synth has a big sample library logo on it especially with such unvaried creepy samples.
Yes sequential failed with the Jerry basserman demos which did this beast no justice. Yes there have been no good demos of this board. Yes the white screen sucks, yes the board freezing sucks. But the part that you miss is what it does do is amazing. This board is met to be played not met to be talked about. sequential and 8dio are to blame for this for not marketing this for the beast it is. Your review was heavy in talking as if this was a college dissertation on the iridium and quantum which have nothing to do with the monster that is the prophet x which is a players synth, this board is met to be played. I blame that on the creators. Had they marketed it differently, players would have played it. However, I can tell that you did not understand the prophet x by your demo. You criticized the instruments as most do because they don’t understand that the magic is in combination “not” singularity on the prophet. Combine a piano with a piano for instance. For example you spent little time on the stuff that actually makes it sound good, for example the board comes alive when you master mixing layer A and B and learning how to use 16 voice mode. This board should be thought of as a Mixture of a Yamaha Montage and Nord Stage 3 on steroids with analog filters mixed with sounds from Kontackt and Omnisphere. In fact it literally controls Omnisphere lol. Yet your critique like nearly every other one on UA-cam has focused on the wrong thing namely comparisons to the iridium or playing one sample at a time which misses the entire essence and magic of the board. The things that you can do with lfo to dco, vca to osc Modulation in this beast make it unique. You did not focus on these because you don’t understand the main way to use this beast. You can modulate a sample to a sample. Name another board that can do what the prophet does please? The fact that this monster is misunderstood is what makes it the best board out because only the top wizards who actually took the Time to unravel it know it’s powers which blow away anything out. It can literally be an OBX or Juno 60. Please go and really learn it’s powers then do a second review and you will see the magic. The prophet x is best understood by people who specialize in actually playing musical instruments live. For example a person that could have done a good review with this synth would be mike Patrick or greg Philingas (accidentally spelled his name wrong but the guy who played for Michael jackson) you can not play the prophet X as you did with one sample at a time. You need to combine them
And play with the modulation to understand the magic. Peace and blessings man
Thank you, finally someone who understands the PX….
@@dewaldomusic absolutely understand it, literally playing it right now. If any thing the prophet X has taught me that we live in a world of followers and not leaders. I’m quite happy with the prophet x being a secret weapon for those like you and me who get it. Prince had a unique sound and a unique purple guitar. I’ve got a unique instrument crafted by Dave Smith, I’ll let every one else keep talking about it while I master it silently then blow the world away. I’m happy silent 🤫
Hello, I would appreciate it very much if you can include subtitles in Spanish to understand this excellent analysis, please thank you 🙂
I vote for the Prophet X update be named the Prophet XXX. Even better if they create a ultra limited "Vin Diesel" version.
Something doesn't sound right... and for the price, the instrument should have 2x the polyphony. Note stealing is quite painful in many cases.
Not sure why you deleted my comment from a couple years back, even though it was totally polite and simply pointed out a few things that make the PX special. Weird thing to do; do you really require complete agreement from your comments section? Unsubbing ✌️
I haven't deleted any comments. UA-cam can and does filter out comments occasionally based on its own rules and algorithm but I've never heard of it doing so after 2 years! I can see you have made three comments on this video but they were all in reply to other people's prior comments. When you do this, if that person removes their own comment, then any replies will also be removed too. 🤷♂️
"the PX is never gonna match the level of perfection you have in Quantum/Iridium" Really? Of course they're more flexible but it takes time to program and you surely can't do anything on those, too, plus then there is the white screen problem, occasional loud sound bursts and such. I fully agree that you have to play your instrument in a way it makes the best out of it but perfection?
You're confusing sample manipulation and assignment capabilities with firmware bugs and hardware faults. The PX also has its fair share of firmware faults, especially surrounding MIDI, which have never been fixed. I decided not to mention the various bugs I've had to deal with as the video already had enough negativity surrounding sample import and processing.
So yes, really. If you want a high degree of control over how samples are assigned across the keyboard and played, if you want a high degree of control on importing them, organising them, sharing them across presets, if you want a high degree of control over manipulating samples and how they are played back, then buy one of the Waldorf synths and not a Prophet X. That's the "perfection" I talked about. As for the bugs, the Waldorf synths are still supported, bugs will be fixed, new firmware will add USB mass storage support for samples as well as MPE support. The PX is basically dead at this point.
This video is SO depressing!!!!!!!!
dry
That filter sounds like shit. Dealbreaker for me but everything else about this synth looks amazing.