I had a deepmind for a while, and the noise floor was higher than me!!! I tossed it after only a couple of months. Never missed it once! I love my Take 5. Perfect mate to my Subsequent37, and Profit 12.😁😎
I have had a vintage Prophet 5 for many years now and I'm really impressed how close the Take 5 sounds. No other Sequential synth is nearly that close (except for the Prophet 5 Rev 4 of course).
Jorb. I got one a couple days ago and youre right. Its been less than a week and this synth has earned its place in my heart and more importantly my studio lol
for my main project I play the take 5 with the moog sub 25 and I have never been happier. I think you're nailing it on the head. Can't wait to stand before it again.
Some excellent points I highly agree with - that there's a big difference between 4 note polyphony vs 5 (if you play keyboards with two hands, that is. ) and also that the Sequential Take 5 is not a beginners' synth! Sure, if you could afford it, it would be nice to have but honestly if its someone's first synth they're sure as shit not going to even appreciate the differences compared to say a minilogue which could be even better for them (or a Prologue if they want more keys) because of its simplicity. Totally agree with you that people make inferences based on price which are just ....not true. The prophet is a classic, it seels at the price of a remake of a famous classic, most musicians can't afford that but Dave Smith could sell it at this price because it commands it and they went out of their way to keep many things identical and true to the original. But then there's the take 5 which seems to take more advantage of the advances in analog synth design / manufacturing (like we see with the super high value from Behringer), in the Take 5 which isn't even a cheap synth in my book. Ten to 15 years ago you'd have to pay that much for the Pro -1, their monophonic model.
Your commentary and tutorial are spot on! I can see why your channel has been growing so much over the past year. You are an excellent communicator and come off as a relatable and warm person (the kind of guy that you could have an hour long chat with before a concert started). I currently own a pretty broad range of synths (including Dave's Prophet 08PE and a Prophet 12 keyboard) . My initial impressions of the Take 5 were mostly neutral, in large part because of its form factor. Your video from back in November (along with a few other demos) almost got me to pull the trigger last year. Through some act of fate or maybe even a premonition? I ordered one on May 30th, the night before Dave Smith died. It arrived 2 days later. I already knew that the Take 5 would become a special instrument to me since it would be the last Synth that DS designed. After extensively playing and programming this keyboard for 2 month, I can confirm that this is a brilliant and undervalued instrument (removing any positive bias imparted by it being a defacto homage to Dave Smith). It is often hard to put into words what makes one instrument more "special" than another. I certainly have other synths that have more complex modulation capabilities and others that probably sound better. However, this is the kind of synth that I can take off of my rack, set on my coffee table and play for hours. It is so well designed that it becomes an instrument that you want to program, play, and make music with. Last story - another (unnamed) synth expert, that I follow, has been doing beta testing and programming for a number of important new synths. He posted on his website these 20 minute demos of the Take 5 as well as the new OBX-8. Back in July, I downloaded both of these demos and put them on a loop while I did some work in my home office. At one point I stopped what I was doing and said to myself "Damn, that new OBX-8 sounds amazing" . Then I looked at my screen and saw that it was the Take 5 demo!
I got mine about a year ago & totally love it. I think it would be an absolutely wonderful "first synth" for someone especially considering it can be resold at a respectable price if it doesn't fit the user or if they want to upgrade eventually. For me, it was a gateway drug into Sequential stuff, which over the years I avoided because of cost. Now I have a Take 5, a Pro 3 and soon a Prophet Rev2 16. If they "retire" the Rev2 line in the near future, I wonder if they'd do a Take 10... sort of the "budget" version of the P10 or P8. Because outside of occasionally wanting more voices when doing longer release patches, there's nothing more I could realistically ask for at its price point, considering the quality and sound. If you're on the fence about getting one, and you'd take the word of a random dude in a comments section to convince you, let me tell you: it's SO great, especially if you've never played Sequential/DSI stuff before. My name's Adam & I love gear.
If I had the money, I definitely would get one, but it is out of my price range....it is my favorite synth that Sequential currently makes (I always buy cheaper synths instead of fewer more expensive ones....my problem I know)>
I got to play with the T5 at Synthplex in Burbank last year, it is a truly epic synth. The sound palette at that price point is incredible, and almost untouchable. Thanks 4 posting!
I said it before and I’ll say it again, I have the Prophet-6 and I love it, but this thing just blows me away every time. A VCO Poly Synth packed with this many features is unbeatable in this price range. Sequential are hands down the best. You’re taken care of for life with the $25 out of warranty repair wether you bought it new or used, and just the other week I was looking for some small parts so I sent them an email and they sent them to me for FREE! The products, company and customer service are the best in the business, and you’ll be inspired by the instrument every time you use it. Get one!
Great video man. I love this thing, got it when it was a little less expensive. I only have 2 polys though, and this is one (I owned a P6 for quite a while). I like it because it's easy to make rich pad and chord sounds on quickly that have more movement than I could get on the P6. I rarely use the presets, just turn on and program. Programming is easy, and you can get complex sounds going quickly. I also love the Sin wave osc on it. Final thought - it fits into a mix so easily instead of trying to take it over like some poly synths do.
I just picked up a used unit yesterday for an insane deal at $800, crazy coincidence you'd upload this video today... it was meant to be!! Excellent work, as always. Great video 🙂
In the Sequential Take 5, I see parallels to the Moog Little Phatty. A budget model in the line, and the last instrument released by a legendary brand before the brand's creator died. As a Prophet-5 rev. 4 owner, I was impressed with the Take 5, to the point where if the Prophet-5 becomes my main synth sound, I'll buy the Take 5 for live use.
I got one about a year and a half ago and it's become my go-to synth. It's really the best of so many different worlds. I'm surprised that it isn't more popular.
I can’t say enough how much I love the Take 5! I had a Rev2 8 voice (keyboard) and sold it to get the Take 5, I do not regret it one bit. The layout of the Take 5 is so much better than the Rev2, and it’s made all the difference. What do I mean by that? First, the Rev2 doesn’t have individual osc levels, it has a single blend knob. Some may find that minor, but I never liked it and much prefer the individual osc leveling on the T5. The filter cutoff on the Rev2 is the same size as every other knob, and I would sometimes forget where it was, whereas with the T5 it’s front and center. The Rev2 could achieve some more vintage type sounds through “voice component modeling” (a genius technique you can search UA-cam for), but the VCOs of the T5 with the vintage knob achieve this in a much more organic and straightforward way. Also, a dedicated reverb effect channel is a big improvement, I love not having to choose between delay OR reverb like I did with the Rev2. The Take 5 is a really terrific synth and I do think more folks would benefit from giving it another look.
I did the same, cept I got the t5 while still having Rev2 and quickly decided to sell Rev2. Something about the filter just sounds better and I enjoy programming T5 much more. Agree about blend knob and Vintage knob
I have a 16 voice REV2 that I would NEVER sell to buy a Take 5 and considering, there isn't a big price difference between the two. My REV2 is basically two eight voice synths in one box each with a polyphonic sequencer four LFO's and the list goes on.
@@straighttalk2069 I think that’s awesome, Sequential doesn’t make a bad synth! Had I been working with a 16 voice at the time, I may have felt the same way. But for me, going from 8 to 5 was well worth it based on what I gained from the T5’s layout, sound… everything. But that’s not to say the Rev2 is a bad synth, it’s a powerhouse.
Regarding cost… when I was a wee lad (lo, these 4,096 years ago), the choice was between “real synthesizers” (my folks rented a Juno-106 for me before purchasing a D-50 for me) vs what-we-now-call-an-arranger-keyboard (my folks actually bought the Yamaha PSR-21 - may its monophonic remains be remembered for the better). Ironically, top-o’-the-line arranger keyboards (e.g Genos & Pa5X) go for the price of a top-end synth! This was also true at the time (e.g a top-o’-the-line Yamaha button-pusher could cost as much as a new Sequential synth, &c), though “dream” synths like the NED Synclavier or CMI Fairlight still cost (at the time) as much as a fancy house _plus_ the DeLorean to justify it! 😂 Anyway, all that to say that when we have things these days like the Nymphes, Mini-Brute, and Prologue for a tiny fraction of what less-featured synths of the day would have cost (isn’t it interesting that $2kUSD is still considered “costly” for a synth… and yet, a cup of coffee and a a loaf of bread are both around $5USD?; both at least 10x what they were in the early/mid ‘80s?), we should all be very happy with the creative avenues opened to us!
I tested out a Take 5 for a while, and as a longtime Prophet 6 enthusiast, I was blown away by the sound quality. The FX are better than the P6 and so are the filters. I think the reason it's been overlooked is that it doesn't look nearly as good as it sounds. It looks kind of cold and digital, gray on gray, which is the total opposite of the sound. And the different sized knobs with the light gray tips almost look like warts to me...unfortunately. But the sound is THERE
Agreed that the marketing and physical appearance are a big part of the success - or lack thereof - of any synth. Definitely does not give you that “organic woody”. Am I allowed to say that? 😅 That said, the Pro 3 - another absolute monster of an instrument - also suffers from the same… look. I haven’t bought the wood end-cheeks yet (only half kidding) but I _did_ replace all the grey plastic knobs with several different sets of heavy metal knurled knobs. Even found a nice big jog wheel for the filter knob. For ~100USD, it really dressed the thing up!
I had a prophet rev 2, I sold it to try something different and got a prologue 16. While I absolutely love the prologue (it is deceptively deep) i find myself missing the 24 db/octave filter. Certain sounds you NEED a 4 pole filter. Ive been thinking about adding a take 5 to my collection. Its like a mini rev 2 with VCOs. I’m not sure why people aren’t comparing the two of them or even talking about that! So i appreciate you mentioning it. two of the things you did in this video: using the mod wheel to create a bandpass filter and modulating the delay feedback with aftertouch got me weak. Especially since the tape delay sounds so good. I want one more than ever 🫡
I just moved up to the Take 5 from a Microkorg and I'm extremely happy with it. I love not having to menu dive and it just has enough angle on the interface to make everything easy to see. The presets are great and the full size keys and velocity sensitivity are adding an extra dimension that I've never had.
In with you Michael. Microkorg was my first synth. Added Behringer Pro 1 for about and year and learned a ton. I HATE menu diving the Microkorg but i do love some of its sounds. Methinks the Take 5 will be my next jump.
Having spent a few days with my new Take 5 all I can say is for $1,349 Wow! Lousy name, awesome Prophet sound! Your review tipped the scale for me Jorb.
I didn't buy because, I have a Pro 3 with the same knobs and the filter knob has already been replaced. The quality of the knobs is pretty poor and make the synth look cheap. The overall build quality is pretty poor compared to other Sequential synths. As an example, I also have a Prophet 08 and a Prophet REV2, the Prophet 08 is build like a tank and after 13 years still no problems, the REV2 is not as sturdy as the prophet 08, the knobs are loose, not all the knobs have the same quality (different knobs) and although it is bigger, it is not as heavy as the Prophet 08. There is also a difference in built quality with the Pro 3 and the Take 5, but the knobs have the same poor quality. I do love the sound and might still buy it, but I'm not sure yet.
Great video.I really like that you included some of how you go about using the Mod matrix, you made it seem very intuitive! I had a Rev2 and sold it because size and weight, and I played one of these today and was so enthralled. Nice breakdown!
Cheers, Jorb! Useful vid! DM12 loud ground noise - yep me too - but only when I have something connected to the USB-B port. Disconnect USB-B and it gets blissfully quiet!
On mine I’ve got it a huge one only on the Phone line. I can hear every lights dimming, blinking, each fans…… I was even playing with the fan speed to wake up only the first one who starts at 34 (or 36 I don’t remember) and then around 50 something, the second one starts….. then I play with them to harmonize them….😅 Around 155 it’s useless to crank up the value they’re already at full speed. (I’m using a pair of Shure SE846)
I really wanted a Prophet 5, and actually came super close to buying the module. It was in my cart, and a levelheaded person convinced me not to splurge. I bought this instead, and have been totally satisfied. In fact, a lot of my lust for the P5 has gone away. It isn't a Prophet 5. But it does everything you would ever want one of those for, and it's a lot more practical to own. As amazing as the P5 is, it's not very convenient, lol. Great review, I agree with almost every point, and seeing what you did with yours inspires me to go play mine.
Old school is simplest (Prophet 5, 10). New school with more digital effects, more compact keys (Prophet 6, Oberheim 6, Trigon 6). New school hybrid with more features and different oscillators (Rev 2 8/16, Polyevolver). Kitchen sink, pull out all the stops (Prophet 12). Really compact, tons of features, portable (Take 5, TEO-5). The trade-off is usually Tone vs Flexibility.
Hey Jorb! Loved the video, as I do most of your videos. I’m also very close to picking up a Take 5! One piece of constructive feedback I have is that I think this video could have been even more engaging if you flipped through a couple of different sounds over the course of the walkthrough. Obviously you don’t want to go too crazy so that people can actually hear what you’re tweaking, but I found myself a little tired of the same sound after ~30 minutes. Thanks for all the awesome content!
No way! I literally just ordered one earlier today. Sold a few smaller synths to pay for it and was feeling a bit anxious. Now my purchase feels more validated, haha.
Thanks so much for this! Laughed when you flashed the minilogue, owning one makes it hard to justify buying most middle-priced synths when the mini sounds so good haha. To anyone who didn't already have a 4 voice analog synth, the Take 5 seems like the obvious workhorse! I'm torn between saving for the REV-2 or the Prophet 10. More polyphony or fatter oscillators 🤔
The REV2 16 is one of the synths in my collection. Let me ask you: do you make big, full spectrum sounds with lots of movement? If so, the Rev2 is the best synth you can get. Sure, the Novation Summit does the job as well, but the Rev2 wins against it soley because how quick and easy programming is, which is VITAL to immersing yourself in making a complex sound which often is time consuming. Any menu diving, and you’re uninspired, and irritated. Are you a film scorer? Do you make ambient music? Than get the Rev2 for sure. Are your synth sounds mostly pads, leads, plucks, etc? Keep saving for the P5/10. How many LFO’s do you typically have on a patch? I have a bunch in my studio, and I primarily produce modern HipHop/RnB/Pop, but the Rev2 is my secret weapon for rhythmic background pads or textures. I am saving for a used P10 or P6 to compliment the OB-6 so I’m in the same boat as you lol
@@Aroverlord ahh I think you just convinced me that I need both 😂 Fat, full sounds with lots of movement are probably my most-used, but they’re always framed in the context of pads and plucks and peppered with leads. I also do lots of ambient music and a little scoring on the side when I can, and so far I haven’t needed more than 3-4 LFOs. I use my synths as live instruments too, which both choices seem to excel at. I totally feel you about menu diving! My poor Hydrasynth hasn’t been getting any love because there’s usually 1-4 buttons between you and any knob you want to turn. It’s made me realize how important knob-per-function is to me haha. This has been super helpful btw, thank you 😊 🙏 Knowing I’ll eventually want both, I think I need to save for the 61 key rev2 first and the p10 desktop can be my on my “someday” list. Best of luck on the save for yours!
really glad they expanded the pro3 platform into a P5 style offering. Pro3 is a wonderfully unique pallet, that isn't really offered in a lot of other hardware. So it was especially cool to see them expand that into a poly, with some variation in concept and design.
I totally forgot about this synth! With the recent news of Behringer's Pro 800 dropping this popped up in my feed and I also saw they just updated Take 5 firmware with 128 more patches and a few more effects (lofi sounds awesome). The Take 5 is very tempting now.
Hey only took me a year to get 1 after my last comment, scored an almost new, even still has LCD screen protector intact, only cost $880 USD. Sits below my Pro 3, nice combo, great controls, sounds thick too.
I sort of look at the Take 5 as the successor to the MophoX4. In some ways it feels like Sequential's Juno to their Jupiter (Prophet). It's more a synth to compliment something else. Like if you are a guitarist and want a small poly synth on the side or if you just want a small poly synth in your set up, it works really well. As I have a Prophet 6 already, I'm not sure if I'd get one but the price point is just economical enough that it might be nice to just have on hand as part of the arsenal.
For the squeaky filter knob, contact Sequential and they’ll send a replacement pot. It’s a easy fix since no soldering needed. I’m satisfied with my T5 and I added wood sides and replacement knobs to make it feel a little closer to a Prophet. Even with the changes, I’m still less than half the cost of a P6. It gives me some time to save up for a flagship synth and I don’t feel like I’m in a rush.
How do you replace the squeaky knob without any soldering required? Please could you explain this? Is it the actual pot that is squeaking or is it just the knob cap? Thanks
Would you be able to share where you found wood sides for yours? I've wanted to upgrade the cheeks on mine but haven't been able to find any wood upgrades. Thanks!
Take 5 is a cool name: It references the jazz classic, it suggests a chill break, it is 49 keys minus 5 equalling 44 and it has crazy good sound. If you've got bigger synths, maybe this isn't what you want, but if you are moving up to this as I was, it's a VERY nice move. You can even set up some nice oscillating textures and "hold" them while you go Take 5 and eat a sandwich.
I purchased the Take 5 based on pure reviews to begin my music production journey. I have little synth or music theory knowledge. The more I learn about synths and play around with it the more I love my Take 5.
I recently picked one up and it’s amazing! Such a rich analog sound with modern controls and effects. I used to have the Minilogue XD. It was fine but not very inspiring to me. Felt very vanilla and the sounds were not any better than I could get from a DAW synth plugin. However, the Take 5 is in a totally different league in my opinion. Even just the Initialized patch has such an inspiring sound. The layout interface is actually a lot of fun and encourages creativity. This one of 5 synths that I own now and probably my favorite all rounder. The mod matrix surprised me at how much fun this thing can be. I love using the noise to modulate the pitch of OSC. And the per voice LFO makes this thing come alive! Great review. As others have said, once you actually get your hands on one it really shines.
Thanks for this vid man. Appreciate it. Truth, the Take5 is my 1st synth ever. Been a guitarist for over 25 years and the synth bug bit me. I choose Sequential only due to seeing a doc of Dave Smith (before he passed away) and the history of Sequential Circuit. And then seeing the Take5 at the music store I work at. I was all prepared to pick of the Moog Matriarch, but on the opposite side of the room, there was the Take5. With very lil keyboard knowledge, I was enchanted by the Take5. Almost 3 months in, I don’t regret it. And I feel the Take5, I couldn’t ask for a better “starter” synth, as it is made for seasoned pros, needing some magic in a smaller package. 🤘🏼
It’s a great synth. The raw sound is beautiful. Excellent modulations. The work flow is excellent. Great build quality. Great keybed. The inputs/outputs are a bit of a let down. And there’s not enough slots for patches.
The phaser on the pro 3 is awesome imo, but I definitely reach for the BBD on it the most. Also I love the rotating speaker sound, but it's a rare use case lol
Saw you in the chat of the Emily Hopkins episode of the JHS Show. All I needed was an appearance by Noir Et Blanc Vie and every gear channel I watch would have been represented in one video
I bought my first synth last year, and the marketing on this was such that I didn't even consider it. Positioning the T5 as a "beginner synth" yet pricing it at 2x MSRP of the Minilogue XD (or almost 4x MSRP of the MicroFreak) is a tough sell. I think these would have sold a lot better if they'd been marketed as the "Prophet Mini" or something similar; a smaller descendant of a legendary, premium synth. Which is actually what it seems to be. The T5 will almost certainly be my next synth purchase regardless
Great review! Big fan of the Pro3 and was a little disappointed that the Take 5's sequencer seems pretty limited in comparison. No doubt it does sound great though!
This synth sounds really beautiful! I think one of the reasons that it may not be selling as much or be as popular as it could be, is that in large part there are two distinct groups of consumers. Those with large amounts of disposable income and those with very small amounts of disposable income. This synth is too expensive for poor people and people with enough disposable income will opt for a more significant sequential synthesizer. I want this synth but I cannot justify spending the money on it so I will opt for something that is less expensive such as a Korg minilogue. Not the same thing at all but provides me with access to analog synthesis at a more affordable price. Just an opinion
You've got a good point here, which Jorb also touched upon in the video: The price tag is unfortunately bang in the middle between "cheap enough" and "exclusively expensive". It's just out of the comfort zone for either audience.
I went the way of the Hydrasynth, but I was on the fence about the Take 5 more than I have been about any other synth of theirs. In the end, highly sculptable digital sound is fine for me, especially at 8 notes of polyphony (plus, at half the cost and with polyaftertouch keys on the Explorer). This is definitely on my short list of analog polysynths for me though. Also yeah, it's a bit harsh to listen to it dry with unoptimized patches and decide "oh this isn't for me." No synth is a magic shortcut to great sound, and anything that is won't have the tweakability that people mean when they call something a synth rather than just some sample-based workstation thing. I have no doubt that a lot of great music will be made on this thing.
Take 5 dry set to init is actually gorgeous. Super deep and warm. Compare the dry init patch of the t5 to the anything on the hydra. It’s a different world. Doesn’t even compare. The hydra is indistinguishable from a vst soft synth. The take 5 sounds like a more complex prophet 5 with a sine wave and more malleable fm, effects, overdrive, and mod matrix The price difference actually makes perfect sense when you hear the sound difference
@@maxhult830 HS should never be compared to a T5, I owned 1 and really found it hard to get along with my analog gear. This isn't the fault of the synth but the pairing imo. The HS can sound brittle, cold and a little lifeless, ie too sterile, but that's what makes it appealing to others. These synth are just too different to be compared, imo.
@@DankePlace Well spoken... I couldn't agree more, with every point. The ones "let down", "frowning upon" or whatever, by the HS are those expecting something different from what it is. I was just reacting to the "Indistingiushable from a VST".
so hard to chose between the take 5 and ob 6 (with price consideration) : i like bass 80s sound with fast attack, thick... and well what would you do ? I had a lot of vintage synths but now just a Korg ARP and would like polyphonic one. I remember testing an ob6 and found it very cool , but then i hear this take 5 and sounds awesome to me, but will i be limited with the take 5 compared to ob 6 ?
Mod matrix on the take 5 is what I'm more used to for patching, helps a lot to make my decision, and probably makes it *more* flexible. Just with a programming approach that needs some extra time
Well made video well articulated dialogue. I was also wondering why the take 5 wasn’t everywhere. I’m ordering one now. I’ve played it at perfect circuit. Love it. I assumed everyone would be buzzing about it. Thank you for thee video.
hey when i bought my deepmind12 used i had the ground humm, i asked support they said its not fixeable but someone in the behringer forums said to tighten the screws on the pcb bc its a grounding issue and the screws are used for grounding. i opened it up and tightened the screws and the humm was 99% gone. maybe u can give it a shot. others on the gearspace forum have reported it worked for them as well.
Great review, saw this also as an 'affordable' Sequential analog, but, didn't see many reviews. This is a great overview, and an good explainer of all the other options and why you might pick them. If I wasn't being sent out internationally for work I'd think of saving up for this to be a first analog keyboard synth. Got a Moog Werkstat-01 so maybe this would be a good side-grade rather than just go to a Grandmother or Subsequent.
Have enjoyed the synthesizer big time. Only issue is the Key-bed could have more padding--amendment regarding the key Bed. One of my keys middle G was banging, so I thought it was just the keybed. Turns out that I just had a improperly seated key easy to open up and fix. The Keybed it is actually phenomenal.
Thanks for doing this. Really trying to get this in my life since I've not heard a bad demo yet. I don't like phasers and flangers at all so I'm with you.
Hey Jorb! I dig your channel & all the great content you share. For your Deepmind ground hum- try turning the fan off in the settings! Its a great synth, but in traditional behringer fashion- seems to be failing waaay before it should. Jx-3p's out there still running solid! I'm also looking to replace mine with something more durable. this might be my first sequential.
The one thing that bugs me - even though I understand why they did it - is that all the controls have a maximum 10-bit (1024 steps) of resolution. I don’t know how they handled this on the Prophet 5, but I wish the value sample came _after_ the pot value, instead of sampled from the pot and then applied to the filter, sent out to MIDI (NRPN), &c. The upshot is that slow filter sweeps - or really, any slow value change, though the filter sweeps are particularly audible - have fairly obvious stepping. This is definitely mitigated with the VCF or any other modulated control, but any _automated_ control (e.g sweeping the filter from your DAW) will reveal this deficit. And, of course, in fairness it’s a _lot_ less obvious at 10-bit resolution than it would have been at standard MIDI 7-bit (128 steps) resolution!
Forgot to mention the mention the open-source logue SDK when talking about the prologue, probably its most defining selling point imo. An 8 voice synth with 2 VCOs per voice+the digital multi engine which can be all sorts of things, plus custom effects that can be loaded in, created by the user or various 3rd parties. The modulation is pretty simple but for ~$800 you can get a massive variety of sounds with it regardless. P.S. I was hoping to hear what that overdrive sounds like but it never had its moment to shine :(
I do apologize for missing the overdrive, I definitely use it. Yeah the multi engine is a really interesting part of the prologue, would love to try one
Severely underrated. If people would try this out for 2 days, it would easily be the most popular synth around. Instead the peak somehow is the most ubiquitous synth around
Actually, I owned the Peak for a while and thought that the modulation matrix and digital sound sources made it really interesting. It’s a well-designed synth. It’s a shame the filter sounds kinda meh, though. And the digital LFOs don’t seem to do subtle modulation well, IMO. I think the Summit’s dual timbrality can help make up for the lack of depth in the filter, but I found the Peak kinda hard to use in a mix. It can do dirty and distorted very well, but with a lot of more classic leads, I had a hard time cutting through the mix. I think stacking another resonant peak where you’re missing the oomph will help a lot, though. Summit I think is a solid synth.
I have a P6 and a Rev2; despite its interesting features, I just don‘t like the basic sound of the T5. To my ears it sounds too tight/direct/straight/harsh/whatever, not as silky, not as analog as the P6, let alone the P5. It doesn‘t ‘breathe‘.
Thank you for this review, Jorb. Just imagine I have the option of buying a synthesizer doing 2018 I might have to get the two I bought that year, the Korg ARP Odyssey duplicate and an early Oberheim Matrix 1000. I could see this model filling the void of both the others, especially since the Odyssey has no patch memory and you can access the mod matrix much more easily from the front panel here than you could using the Oberheim module without an editor. Today in July 2023 when I am commenting, I am very attached to both and can’t see myself parting with either, even to make way for a Take Five. Talk of Korg, one thing I’d like to watch would be a comparison between Take Five and the ARP 2600. If it’s doable to emulate each of the different traditional modulation options of the 2600 on this synthesizer, I can easily imagine how it would appeal to somebody who couldn’t afford the 2600.
For me the cheapest way to get on my hands on the new OBERHEIM OB-X8 it was to get a Matrix 6, Lol BTW the Take 5 sounds awesome too like my Matrix 6. Thanks Jorb for your videos. 15:50 nice I love Synth Brass ❤️
@@jasonmoyer Thx Jason, the more i hear demos the more i like. I m gonna get one. And i had lots of big vintage analogs synth in the past, but this one i think is among the great ones new ones.
As one who has owned both T5 and P10 (module), as well as the P6 (module) and OB6… I kept the T5. It is the easiest to use, with the P6 being similar in that regard. The others were used too infrequently to justify keeping. The P10 was just not practical at all- a boutique studio tool, and not much else given my limited skills. I miss my OB-6, but it’s not the “own only one synth” type machine. It’s the special sauce. But if I could only own one, it would be the P6 keyboard, which I never bought. So T5 it is. For now lol
Really good overview. It's possible I missed you bringing this up but there is one thing the original P5 has that I don't think any of the new Sequential synths have are the oscillator waveform switches. Having a continuously variable osc wave shape that is modulatable, is nice, especially if you wnat to modulate that in your sound patch. But much like your review of the Juno 106 vs the Nymphes, there are waveforms you get by combining them like on a 106 or a P5 that continuously variable oscillators can't get. I'm not sure if it's important to most people, but just something to consider. Like you, I'm surprised that it isn't more popular, but maybe it's price point vs. competative brands/gear is just too high. Even as a Sequential "budget" offering, it has quality enough control surface and keybed to justify the price, but the competition gear sounds pretty good and is often cheaper. Similar problem Moog has IMO. Their stuff sounds great, but does it sound 4x the price as great? Rev 2 vs Moog One....
I cant remember if I mention that in this video or just the first one, but having options for simultaneous waveforms is a really big difference in what sounds you can get out of a synth.
I have a Minilogue XD and a Sequential Rev2 (16 voice) but don't find myself inspired to play them often so my inclination lately is to replace these with a Take5. Reasons: - I want polysynth with a classic sound that has a primarily analog sound engine, good build quality, but more compact form factor. - I am not a keyboardist but keys feel like a more natural UI so having an integral keyboard makes sense. - The Minilogue XD sound and form factor are great but for 4-voices, I gravitate to my JU-06A even though the Minilogue XD has an analogue engine, is probably more powerful, and a roomier form factor. This also dissuades me from considering the Prolgue. - The Rev2 is amazing but is a way deeper and bigger synth than I have use for. The Take5 seems to hit the sweet spot. As somebody with a Juno-106, a Deepmind, and a Sequential 6-Track, how much of a gap do you feel with 5 voices versus 6 (or more)?
Hard to believe it's not a highly popular synth, wonder if this has to do with the economy or inflation. Even beyond the sheer sound the power and design of this little beast makes so much sense and yeah definitely candidate for being the single keyboard at a gig. A bunch of unique or welcome features like the keyboard split, the variable oscillator, and vintage knob. The five voice forces you to play properly minimal synth parts instead of playing like you'd play on a piano. Super easy to use by just looking at the panel. Absolutely killer onboard effect section too. It's the near perfect poly analog. I'd only add make the distortion on the filter more noticeable and have a real time "unquantized" live recording mode as found on Volca Keys but that's not even a thing.
I REALLY wanted to like it. I'm a big Dave Smith fan. I have all 3 evolvers, Pro 3, Pro 12 desktop, Pro 2 (I sold that), Tetra and the Prophet 5 v4. I got this and was really underwhelmed. I didn't really enjoy it at all, and much preferred all these other synths, and the Prophet 6. That was just my experience with it, I was expecting to like it way more! It just didn't do anything for me, through I'm very glad it exists and I hope others are loving it!
I guess a 44 key 5 voice synth for that price didnt feel like a good choice for a lot of people who were in the market for a synth- here is quite some options these days in all price ranges. Sequential themselves offer the Rev II which is only slightly more expensive, but offers 61 keys, which I would say is defintely preferable. Without going into details, at first glance the Rev II seems like the more sensible choice. iirc the Prophet 5 and 10 were on sale for a while couple months ago also, so if you had extra money laying around, why pay 1500 for a take 5 if you can get a classic reissue like the Prophet 5 for 3 grand. I'd consider both amounts a lot, but the prophet 5 will always be considered the "real" thing and likely never lose its value, apart from the first months/years when it's still on sale new and used ones will be sold at a minor discount.
Hey Jorb It’s Morbin’ time The Take5 might not be everywhere because some of us are having choice paralysis: there’s T5, Hydrasynth, newly updated Argons and Cobalts, Peak, etc
@@rishpanjeet7479 so glad you made the right choice. its deeper than you think. remember to stack modulation for stronger depth. like 2-5 mod slot all with max depth using osc2 to modulate octave 1. or using dc to push filter drive past what it goes with just the front panel "Drive" knob. also recursive modulation on filters and lfos, looping envelopes with modulated env stages, pushing the new "vintage" mod destination with an audio rate lfo or osc2. so much to discover and the most beautiful sounds you will find outside of like the waldorf M
Re: your commentary at the end: I have a Minilogue and like how hands-on it is, but it doesn't sound as warm as this (adding EQ, chorus, etc to the Minilogue can only go so far). Given that, would you then recommend this for a beginner still learning subtractive synthesis over the Minilogue? I really like the Prophet 6 sound but can't afford one.
Good video 👍 With this synth (just like certain products from Roland and Behringer) the question isn't "How well does it match an xxxxx in a blind A/B test?", the question is "Is this a good synth in its own right?" I think you've answered that question.
The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare : skl.sh/jorb07221
RiP Dave Smith!! Shout out to all the Jorbivores
Ngl, this is the front runner for what I call the viewers 😂😭
I’ve been Jorbivorous for a while now. It does tend to give you GAS.
@@kliffklass Facts!
I had a deepmind for a while, and the noise floor was higher than me!!! I tossed it after only a couple of months. Never missed it once! I love my Take 5. Perfect mate to my Subsequent37, and Profit 12.😁😎
I have had a vintage Prophet 5 for many years now and I'm really impressed how close the Take 5 sounds. No other Sequential synth is nearly that close (except for the Prophet 5 Rev 4 of course).
Jorb. I got one a couple days ago and youre right. Its been less than a week and this synth has earned its place in my heart and more importantly my studio lol
Happy to hear it, I really love it
for my main project I play the take 5 with the moog sub 25 and I have never been happier. I think you're nailing it on the head. Can't wait to stand before it again.
Some excellent points I highly agree with - that there's a big difference between 4 note polyphony vs 5 (if you play keyboards with two hands, that is. ) and also that the Sequential Take 5 is not a beginners' synth! Sure, if you could afford it, it would be nice to have but honestly if its someone's first synth they're sure as shit not going to even appreciate the differences compared to say a minilogue which could be even better for them (or a Prologue if they want more keys) because of its simplicity. Totally agree with you that people make inferences based on price which are just ....not true. The prophet is a classic, it seels at the price of a remake of a famous classic, most musicians can't afford that but Dave Smith could sell it at this price because it commands it and they went out of their way to keep many things identical and true to the original. But then there's the take 5 which seems to take more advantage of the advances in analog synth design / manufacturing (like we see with the super high value from Behringer), in the Take 5 which isn't even a cheap synth in my book. Ten to 15 years ago you'd have to pay that much for the Pro -1, their monophonic model.
Your commentary and tutorial are spot on! I can see why your channel has been growing so much over the past year. You are an excellent communicator and come off as a relatable and warm person (the kind of guy that you could have an hour long chat with before a concert started). I currently own a pretty broad range of synths (including Dave's Prophet 08PE and a Prophet 12 keyboard) . My initial impressions of the Take 5 were mostly neutral, in large part because of its form factor. Your video from back in November (along with a few other demos) almost got me to pull the trigger last year. Through some act of fate or maybe even a premonition? I ordered one on May 30th, the night before Dave Smith died. It arrived 2 days later. I already knew that the Take 5 would become a special instrument to me since it would be the last Synth that DS designed. After extensively playing and programming this keyboard for 2 month, I can confirm that this is a brilliant and undervalued instrument (removing any positive bias imparted by it being a defacto homage to Dave Smith). It is often hard to put into words what makes one instrument more "special" than another. I certainly have other synths that have more complex modulation capabilities and others that probably sound better. However, this is the kind of synth that I can take off of my rack, set on my coffee table and play for hours. It is so well designed that it becomes an instrument that you want to program, play, and make music with. Last story - another (unnamed) synth expert, that I follow, has been doing beta testing and programming for a number of important new synths. He posted on his website these 20 minute demos of the Take 5 as well as the new OBX-8. Back in July, I downloaded both of these demos and put them on a loop while I did some work in my home office. At one point I stopped what I was doing and said to myself "Damn, that new OBX-8 sounds amazing" . Then I looked at my screen and saw that it was the Take 5 demo!
Received my Take 5 about two weeks . I’m blown away 🔊
Excellent video work !
Cheers, thank you!
I absolutely love the heck out of my Take 5. Thanks for showcasing it so well. Great video!
🙏🙏
I got mine about a year ago & totally love it. I think it would be an absolutely wonderful "first synth" for someone especially considering it can be resold at a respectable price if it doesn't fit the user or if they want to upgrade eventually.
For me, it was a gateway drug into Sequential stuff, which over the years I avoided because of cost. Now I have a Take 5, a Pro 3 and soon a Prophet Rev2 16.
If they "retire" the Rev2 line in the near future, I wonder if they'd do a Take 10... sort of the "budget" version of the P10 or P8.
Because outside of occasionally wanting more voices when doing longer release patches, there's nothing more I could realistically ask for at its price point, considering the quality and sound.
If you're on the fence about getting one, and you'd take the word of a random dude in a comments section to convince you, let me tell you: it's SO great, especially if you've never played Sequential/DSI stuff before.
My name's Adam & I love gear.
If I had the money, I definitely would get one, but it is out of my price range....it is my favorite synth that Sequential currently makes (I always buy cheaper synths instead of fewer more expensive ones....my problem I know)>
For Sale: 1 Kidney, home use only, never gigged / ~£1100.
Listings like this, but then the kidney shows up and it's clearly been gigged. Lmao
@@JorbLovesGear Actual cigarette burns.
I have slightly used paint, in the shape of a house.
@@DankePlace my house has no paint 😭
I got to play with the T5 at Synthplex in Burbank last year, it is a truly epic synth. The sound palette at that price point is incredible, and almost untouchable. Thanks 4 posting!
I said it before and I’ll say it again, I have the Prophet-6 and I love it, but this thing just blows me away every time. A VCO Poly Synth packed with this many features is unbeatable in this price range. Sequential are hands down the best. You’re taken care of for life with the $25 out of warranty repair wether you bought it new or used, and just the other week I was looking for some small parts so I sent them an email and they sent them to me for FREE! The products, company and customer service are the best in the business, and you’ll be inspired by the instrument every time you use it. Get one!
Great video man. I love this thing, got it when it was a little less expensive. I only have 2 polys though, and this is one (I owned a P6 for quite a while). I like it because it's easy to make rich pad and chord sounds on quickly that have more movement than I could get on the P6. I rarely use the presets, just turn on and program. Programming is easy, and you can get complex sounds going quickly. I also love the Sin wave osc on it. Final thought - it fits into a mix so easily instead of trying to take it over like some poly synths do.
I love the FX-as-mod-destination trick on the "wailin" preset. Integrating the effects like that really creates some interesting possibilities.
I just picked up a used unit yesterday for an insane deal at $800, crazy coincidence you'd upload this video today... it was meant to be!! Excellent work, as always. Great video 🙂
If you sell me yours, I can post the same comment but that I got an insane deal for 1 used for $500
:p
Holy, amazing deal.
@@DankePlacehahahah, I'll think it over!!
@@Fawdz You got a great deal, enjoy!!!
@@mikel5163 honestly, just haggled on Reverb for a deal I liked! the seller was super generous and just wanted to help me out!
In the Sequential Take 5, I see parallels to the Moog Little Phatty. A budget model in the line, and the last instrument released by a legendary brand before the brand's creator died. As a Prophet-5 rev. 4 owner, I was impressed with the Take 5, to the point where if the Prophet-5 becomes my main synth sound, I'll buy the Take 5 for live use.
The channels blowing up man! Happy for you, content is excellent as always!
🙏🙏🙏
I got one about a year and a half ago and it's become my go-to synth. It's really the best of so many different worlds. I'm surprised that it isn't more popular.
I agree. This is the best entry level analog synth on the market. I hate the name, but love the instrument! 👌
Your pockets must be this deep to enter
I can’t say enough how much I love the Take 5! I had a Rev2 8 voice (keyboard) and sold it to get the Take 5, I do not regret it one bit. The layout of the Take 5 is so much better than the Rev2, and it’s made all the difference. What do I mean by that? First, the Rev2 doesn’t have individual osc levels, it has a single blend knob. Some may find that minor, but I never liked it and much prefer the individual osc leveling on the T5. The filter cutoff on the Rev2 is the same size as every other knob, and I would sometimes forget where it was, whereas with the T5 it’s front and center. The Rev2 could achieve some more vintage type sounds through “voice component modeling” (a genius technique you can search UA-cam for), but the VCOs of the T5 with the vintage knob achieve this in a much more organic and straightforward way. Also, a dedicated reverb effect channel is a big improvement, I love not having to choose between delay OR reverb like I did with the Rev2. The Take 5 is a really terrific synth and I do think more folks would benefit from giving it another look.
I did the same, cept I got the t5 while still having Rev2 and quickly decided to sell Rev2. Something about the filter just sounds better and I enjoy programming T5 much more. Agree about blend knob and Vintage knob
Couldn't agree more
I have a 16 voice REV2 that I would NEVER sell to buy a Take 5 and considering, there isn't a big price difference between the two.
My REV2 is basically two eight voice synths in one box each with a polyphonic sequencer four LFO's and the list goes on.
@@straighttalk2069 I think that’s awesome, Sequential doesn’t make a bad synth! Had I been working with a 16 voice at the time, I may have felt the same way. But for me, going from 8 to 5 was well worth it based on what I gained from the T5’s layout, sound… everything. But that’s not to say the Rev2 is a bad synth, it’s a powerhouse.
Regarding cost… when I was a wee lad (lo, these 4,096 years ago), the choice was between “real synthesizers” (my folks rented a Juno-106 for me before purchasing a D-50 for me) vs what-we-now-call-an-arranger-keyboard (my folks actually bought the Yamaha PSR-21 - may its monophonic remains be remembered for the better). Ironically, top-o’-the-line arranger keyboards (e.g Genos & Pa5X) go for the price of a top-end synth! This was also true at the time (e.g a top-o’-the-line Yamaha button-pusher could cost as much as a new Sequential synth, &c), though “dream” synths like the NED Synclavier or CMI Fairlight still cost (at the time) as much as a fancy house _plus_ the DeLorean to justify it! 😂 Anyway, all that to say that when we have things these days like the Nymphes, Mini-Brute, and Prologue for a tiny fraction of what less-featured synths of the day would have cost (isn’t it interesting that $2kUSD is still considered “costly” for a synth… and yet, a cup of coffee and a a loaf of bread are both around $5USD?; both at least 10x what they were in the early/mid ‘80s?), we should all be very happy with the creative avenues opened to us!
I tested out a Take 5 for a while, and as a longtime Prophet 6 enthusiast, I was blown away by the sound quality. The FX are better than the P6 and so are the filters. I think the reason it's been overlooked is that it doesn't look nearly as good as it sounds. It looks kind of cold and digital, gray on gray, which is the total opposite of the sound. And the different sized knobs with the light gray tips almost look like warts to me...unfortunately. But the sound is THERE
Agreed that the marketing and physical appearance are a big part of the success - or lack thereof - of any synth. Definitely does not give you that “organic woody”. Am I allowed to say that? 😅
That said, the Pro 3 - another absolute monster of an instrument - also suffers from the same… look. I haven’t bought the wood end-cheeks yet (only half kidding) but I _did_ replace all the grey plastic knobs with several different sets of heavy metal knurled knobs. Even found a nice big jog wheel for the filter knob. For ~100USD, it really dressed the thing up!
@@mrdavies7894 got any pictures?
I had a prophet rev 2, I sold it to try something different and got a prologue 16. While I absolutely love the prologue (it is deceptively deep) i find myself missing the 24 db/octave filter. Certain sounds you NEED a 4 pole filter. Ive been thinking about adding a take 5 to my collection. Its like a mini rev 2 with VCOs. I’m not sure why people aren’t comparing the two of them or even talking about that! So i appreciate you mentioning it. two of the things you did in this video: using the mod wheel to create a bandpass filter and modulating the delay feedback with aftertouch got me weak. Especially since the tape delay sounds so good. I want one more than ever 🫡
You had me at Everything in its Right Place. Haha. Have one on the way and pumped that that sound is possible.
I just moved up to the Take 5 from a Microkorg and I'm extremely happy with it. I love not having to menu dive and it just has enough angle on the interface to make everything easy to see. The presets are great and the full size keys and velocity sensitivity are adding an extra dimension that I've never had.
In with you Michael. Microkorg was my first synth. Added Behringer Pro 1 for about and year and learned a ton. I HATE menu diving the Microkorg but i do love some of its sounds. Methinks the Take 5 will be my next jump.
Having spent a few days with my new Take 5 all I can say is for $1,349 Wow! Lousy name, awesome Prophet sound! Your review tipped the scale for me Jorb.
🙏 Happy to spread the word
If they had named this the Prophet Mini or literally anything with “Prophet” in the name, I do think it would be a way bigger seller.
My thoughts exactly, it’s the name “ take 5 “ awful name for a synth
@@valley_robot it's a great name.
just not "buy-baity" enough, marketing wise
I didn't buy because, I have a Pro 3 with the same knobs and the filter knob has already been replaced. The quality of the knobs is pretty poor and make the synth look cheap. The overall build quality is pretty poor compared to other Sequential synths. As an example, I also have a Prophet 08 and a Prophet REV2, the Prophet 08 is build like a tank and after 13 years still no problems, the REV2 is not as sturdy as the prophet 08, the knobs are loose, not all the knobs have the same quality (different knobs) and although it is bigger, it is not as heavy as the Prophet 08. There is also a difference in built quality with the Pro 3 and the Take 5, but the knobs have the same poor quality. I do love the sound and might still buy it, but I'm not sure yet.
Apostle would be a more appropriate name.
The name sounds like a multipack of cheap chocolate bars
Great video.I really like that you included some of how you go about using the Mod matrix, you made it seem very intuitive! I had a Rev2 and sold it because size and weight, and I played one of these today and was so enthralled. Nice breakdown!
Cheers, Jorb! Useful vid! DM12 loud ground noise - yep me too - but only when I have something connected to the USB-B port. Disconnect USB-B and it gets blissfully quiet!
On mine I’ve got it a huge one only on the Phone line. I can hear every lights dimming, blinking, each fans……
I was even playing with the fan speed to wake up only the first one who starts at 34 (or 36 I don’t remember) and then around 50 something, the second one starts….. then I play with them to harmonize them….😅
Around 155 it’s useless to crank up the value they’re already at full speed.
(I’m using a pair of Shure SE846)
I really wanted a Prophet 5, and actually came super close to buying the module. It was in my cart, and a levelheaded person convinced me not to splurge. I bought this instead, and have been totally satisfied. In fact, a lot of my lust for the P5 has gone away. It isn't a Prophet 5. But it does everything you would ever want one of those for, and it's a lot more practical to own. As amazing as the P5 is, it's not very convenient, lol. Great review, I agree with almost every point, and seeing what you did with yours inspires me to go play mine.
Also regarding the name, I interpreted it as their 5th "take" on a VCO-based synth with 5 voices. Like a "rev5" if you will
hey woah the fifth take, i didnt thank about that lmao.
A levelheaded person who you'll despise 20 years from now when you look at used prices and your eyes fill with water.
Old school is simplest (Prophet 5, 10). New school with more digital effects, more compact keys (Prophet 6, Oberheim 6, Trigon 6). New school hybrid with more features and different oscillators (Rev 2 8/16, Polyevolver). Kitchen sink, pull out all the stops (Prophet 12). Really compact, tons of features, portable (Take 5, TEO-5). The trade-off is usually Tone vs Flexibility.
Thanks! The squeaky knob, can’t get more analog than that ;) Great gear appreciation vid!
I Have Mine For A Few Months Now Just Love The Way It Sounds Spot On Son
🙏🙏
This is by far the best evaluation I have seen, really thinking about adding this synth to my set up, cheers!
🙏🙏🙏🙏
Hey Jorb! Loved the video, as I do most of your videos. I’m also very close to picking up a Take 5!
One piece of constructive feedback I have is that I think this video could have been even more engaging if you flipped through a couple of different sounds over the course of the walkthrough. Obviously you don’t want to go too crazy so that people can actually hear what you’re tweaking, but I found myself a little tired of the same sound after ~30 minutes.
Thanks for all the awesome content!
Throw in the Novation Peak, too. :) If the Take5 were available as desktop module, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
No way! I literally just ordered one earlier today. Sold a few smaller synths to pay for it and was feeling a bit anxious. Now my purchase feels more validated, haha.
Thanks for going through the explanations on the envelope and mod matrix. You probably saved me a month of time.
Thanks so much for this! Laughed when you flashed the minilogue, owning one makes it hard to justify buying most middle-priced synths when the mini sounds so good haha. To anyone who didn't already have a 4 voice analog synth, the Take 5 seems like the obvious workhorse! I'm torn between saving for the REV-2 or the Prophet 10. More polyphony or fatter oscillators 🤔
The REV2 16 is one of the synths in my collection. Let me ask you: do you make big, full spectrum sounds with lots of movement? If so, the Rev2 is the best synth you can get. Sure, the Novation Summit does the job as well, but the Rev2 wins against it soley because how quick and easy programming is, which is VITAL to immersing yourself in making a complex sound which often is time consuming. Any menu diving, and you’re uninspired, and irritated. Are you a film scorer? Do you make ambient music? Than get the Rev2 for sure. Are your synth sounds mostly pads, leads, plucks, etc? Keep saving for the P5/10. How many LFO’s do you typically have on a patch? I have a bunch in my studio, and I primarily produce modern HipHop/RnB/Pop, but the Rev2 is my secret weapon for rhythmic background pads or textures. I am saving for a used P10 or P6 to compliment the OB-6 so I’m in the same
boat as you lol
@@Aroverlord ahh I think you just convinced me that I need both 😂 Fat, full sounds with lots of movement are probably my most-used, but they’re always framed in the context of pads and plucks and peppered with leads. I also do lots of ambient music and a little scoring on the side when I can, and so far I haven’t needed more than 3-4 LFOs. I use my synths as live instruments too, which both choices seem to excel at.
I totally feel you about menu diving! My poor Hydrasynth hasn’t been getting any love because there’s usually 1-4 buttons between you and any knob you want to turn. It’s made me realize how important knob-per-function is to me haha.
This has been super helpful btw, thank you 😊 🙏 Knowing I’ll eventually want both, I think I need to save for the 61 key rev2 first and the p10 desktop can be my on my “someday” list. Best of luck on the save for yours!
really glad they expanded the pro3 platform into a P5 style offering. Pro3 is a wonderfully unique pallet, that isn't really offered in a lot of other hardware. So it was especially cool to see them expand that into a poly, with some variation in concept and design.
I’m getting one of these this summer. Can’t wait!
I totally forgot about this synth! With the recent news of Behringer's Pro 800 dropping this popped up in my feed and I also saw they just updated Take 5 firmware with 128 more patches and a few more effects (lofi sounds awesome). The Take 5 is very tempting now.
Great review @jorb I’ve been considering this as an analog companion to my Dominion 1. Great little big synth.
I’m sold. My very next synth will absolutely be the Sequential Take 5 👍🏻
I'll def keep an eye on used prices, though I'm def holding out for a Summit.
Hey only took me a year to get 1 after my last comment, scored an almost new, even still has LCD screen protector intact, only cost $880 USD.
Sits below my Pro 3, nice combo, great controls, sounds thick too.
I sort of look at the Take 5 as the successor to the MophoX4. In some ways it feels like Sequential's Juno to their Jupiter (Prophet). It's more a synth to compliment something else. Like if you are a guitarist and want a small poly synth on the side or if you just want a small poly synth in your set up, it works really well.
As I have a Prophet 6 already, I'm not sure if I'd get one but the price point is just economical enough that it might be nice to just have on hand as part of the arsenal.
For the squeaky filter knob, contact Sequential and they’ll send a replacement pot. It’s a easy fix since no soldering needed.
I’m satisfied with my T5 and I added wood sides and replacement knobs to make it feel a little closer to a Prophet. Even with the changes, I’m still less than half the cost of a P6. It gives me some time to save up for a flagship synth and I don’t feel like I’m in a rush.
I would love to see a picture of that. I was thinking about replacement end cheeks and knobs myself.
How do you replace the squeaky knob without any soldering required? Please could you explain this? Is it the actual pot that is squeaking or is it just the knob cap? Thanks
@@theredfaceofficial Replacement pot
Would you be able to share where you found wood sides for yours? I've wanted to upgrade the cheeks on mine but haven't been able to find any wood upgrades. Thanks!
What knobs did you use? I remember reading something on the forum that the Rev2/P6 knobs have a different depth so wouldn't work.
This is a great demonstration. If anyone likes the sound of the synth judging from the video, know that the real thing will give you a buzz x10.
Take 5 is a cool name: It references the jazz classic, it suggests a chill break, it is 49 keys minus 5 equalling 44 and it has crazy good sound.
If you've got bigger synths, maybe this isn't what you want, but if you are moving up to this as I was, it's a VERY nice move.
You can even set up some nice oscillating textures and "hold" them while you go Take 5 and eat a sandwich.
I purchased the Take 5 based on pure reviews to begin my music production journey. I have little synth or music theory knowledge. The more I learn about synths and play around with it the more I love my Take 5.
I really really think it rules
I recently picked one up and it’s amazing! Such a rich analog sound with modern controls and effects. I used to have the Minilogue XD. It was fine but not very inspiring to me. Felt very vanilla and the sounds were not any better than I could get from a DAW synth plugin. However, the Take 5 is in a totally different league in my opinion. Even just the Initialized patch has such an inspiring sound. The layout interface is actually a lot of fun and encourages creativity.
This one of 5 synths that I own now and probably my favorite all rounder. The mod matrix surprised me at how much fun this thing can be. I love using the noise to modulate the pitch of OSC. And the per voice LFO makes this thing come alive!
Great review. As others have said, once you actually get your hands on one it really shines.
Thanks for this vid man. Appreciate it. Truth, the Take5 is my 1st synth ever. Been a guitarist for over 25 years and the synth bug bit me. I choose Sequential only due to seeing a doc of Dave Smith (before he passed away) and the history of Sequential Circuit. And then seeing the Take5 at the music store I work at. I was all prepared to pick of the Moog Matriarch, but on the opposite side of the room, there was the Take5. With very lil keyboard knowledge, I was enchanted by the Take5. Almost 3 months in, I don’t regret it. And I feel the Take5, I couldn’t ask for a better “starter” synth, as it is made for seasoned pros, needing some magic in a smaller package. 🤘🏼
It’s a great synth. The raw sound is beautiful. Excellent modulations. The work flow is excellent. Great build quality. Great keybed. The inputs/outputs are a bit of a let down. And there’s not enough slots for patches.
New update beta 8 banks for patches, how many that means, I don't know
The phaser on the pro 3 is awesome imo, but I definitely reach for the BBD on it the most. Also I love the rotating speaker sound, but it's a rare use case lol
Saw you in the chat of the Emily Hopkins episode of the JHS Show. All I needed was an appearance by Noir Et Blanc Vie and every gear channel I watch would have been represented in one video
😅😅🙏I'm a big time pedal guy, had to be in there
Selling the Take 5! sounds fabulous
Great Video Jorb! it's one of the few Sequential synths I own, but it is now on the hit list thanks to this :)
THE RADIOHEAD INTRO WAS EVERYTHING
🙏🙏
… everything. In it’s right plaaaäaãace.
I bought my first synth last year, and the marketing on this was such that I didn't even consider it. Positioning the T5 as a "beginner synth" yet pricing it at 2x MSRP of the Minilogue XD (or almost 4x MSRP of the MicroFreak) is a tough sell. I think these would have sold a lot better if they'd been marketed as the "Prophet Mini" or something similar; a smaller descendant of a legendary, premium synth. Which is actually what it seems to be. The T5 will almost certainly be my next synth purchase regardless
It's a great synth. As said. Before the price. It's in a weird space. Maybe over time people will see the value
Great review! Big fan of the Pro3 and was a little disappointed that the Take 5's sequencer seems pretty limited in comparison. No doubt it does sound great though!
This synth sounds really beautiful! I think one of the reasons that it may not be selling as much or be as popular as it could be, is that in large part there are two distinct groups of consumers. Those with large amounts of disposable income and those with very small amounts of disposable income. This synth is too expensive for poor people and people with enough disposable income will opt for a more significant sequential synthesizer.
I want this synth but I cannot justify spending the money on it so I will opt for something that is less expensive such as a Korg minilogue. Not the same thing at all but provides me with access to analog synthesis at a more affordable price.
Just an opinion
You've got a good point here, which Jorb also touched upon in the video: The price tag is unfortunately bang in the middle between "cheap enough" and "exclusively expensive". It's just out of the comfort zone for either audience.
I went the way of the Hydrasynth, but I was on the fence about the Take 5 more than I have been about any other synth of theirs. In the end, highly sculptable digital sound is fine for me, especially at 8 notes of polyphony (plus, at half the cost and with polyaftertouch keys on the Explorer). This is definitely on my short list of analog polysynths for me though.
Also yeah, it's a bit harsh to listen to it dry with unoptimized patches and decide "oh this isn't for me." No synth is a magic shortcut to great sound, and anything that is won't have the tweakability that people mean when they call something a synth rather than just some sample-based workstation thing. I have no doubt that a lot of great music will be made on this thing.
Take 5 dry set to init is actually gorgeous. Super deep and warm. Compare the dry init patch of the t5 to the anything on the hydra. It’s a different world. Doesn’t even compare. The hydra is indistinguishable from a vst soft synth. The take 5 sounds like a more complex prophet 5 with a sine wave and more malleable fm, effects, overdrive, and mod matrix
The price difference actually makes perfect sense when you hear the sound difference
@@christdolphin69 I agree with your points here, but you don't need to exaggerate... "The hydra is indistinguishable from a vst soft synth" errhhh...
@@maxhult830 HS should never be compared to a T5, I owned 1 and really found it hard to get along with my analog gear.
This isn't the fault of the synth but the pairing imo.
The HS can sound brittle, cold and a little lifeless, ie too sterile, but that's what makes it appealing to others.
These synth are just too different to be compared, imo.
I have a Hydrasynth as well...Absolute beast of a machine and will become a classic some day.
@@DankePlace Well spoken... I couldn't agree more, with every point. The ones "let down", "frowning upon" or whatever, by the HS are those expecting something different from what it is. I was just reacting to the "Indistingiushable from a VST".
The R2D2 cameo at 6:27 made me very happy.
so hard to chose between the take 5 and ob 6 (with price consideration) : i like bass 80s sound with fast attack, thick... and well what would you do ? I had a lot of vintage synths but now just a Korg ARP and would like polyphonic one. I remember testing an ob6 and found it very cool , but then i hear this take 5 and sounds awesome to me, but will i be limited with the take 5 compared to ob 6 ?
Mod matrix on the take 5 is what I'm more used to for patching, helps a lot to make my decision, and probably makes it *more* flexible. Just with a programming approach that needs some extra time
Great Vid with awesome musical examples to boot ✊
Thanks Jack! That's high praise from a player such as yourself 🙏🙏🙏
🤫 I love your style and the examples you pick mate. Glad I found you on here. Sending lots of Manly love ❤️
Great video. This is an amazing synth, especially for the cost. Reminds me of the Mophox4, it was always overlooked and really great!
Well made video well articulated dialogue. I was also wondering why the take 5 wasn’t everywhere. I’m ordering one now. I’ve played it at perfect circuit. Love it. I assumed everyone would be buzzing about it. Thank you for thee video.
🙏🙏happy to do it, cheers
hey when i bought my deepmind12 used i had the ground humm, i asked support they said its not fixeable but someone in the behringer forums said to tighten the screws on the pcb bc its a grounding issue and the screws are used for grounding. i opened it up and tightened the screws and the humm was 99% gone. maybe u can give it a shot. others on the gearspace forum have reported it worked for them as well.
Really interesting tip, I'll have to check that
Great review, saw this also as an 'affordable' Sequential analog, but, didn't see many reviews. This is a great overview, and an good explainer of all the other options and why you might pick them. If I wasn't being sent out internationally for work I'd think of saving up for this to be a first analog keyboard synth. Got a Moog Werkstat-01 so maybe this would be a good side-grade rather than just go to a Grandmother or Subsequent.
Have enjoyed the synthesizer big time. Only issue is the Key-bed could have more padding--amendment regarding the key Bed. One of my keys middle G was banging, so I thought it was just the keybed. Turns out that I just had a improperly seated key easy to open up and fix. The Keybed it is actually phenomenal.
Nice trick assigning the mod wheel to the delay time. Beautiful flute sound too!
Cheers, thanks! Everything on the Take 5 seems to turn out good...haha!
Thanks for doing this. Really trying to get this in my life since I've not heard a bad demo yet.
I don't like phasers and flangers at all so I'm with you.
Hey Jorb! I dig your channel & all the great content you share. For your Deepmind ground hum- try turning the fan off in the settings! Its a great synth, but in traditional behringer fashion- seems to be failing waaay before it should. Jx-3p's out there still running solid! I'm also looking to replace mine with something more durable. this might be my first sequential.
Fan off had helped, but was still really audible. Take 5 has replaced the deepmind for my live shows!
The one thing that bugs me - even though I understand why they did it - is that all the controls have a maximum 10-bit (1024 steps) of resolution. I don’t know how they handled this on the Prophet 5, but I wish the value sample came _after_ the pot value, instead of sampled from the pot and then applied to the filter, sent out to MIDI (NRPN), &c. The upshot is that slow filter sweeps - or really, any slow value change, though the filter sweeps are particularly audible - have fairly obvious stepping. This is definitely mitigated with the VCF or any other modulated control, but any _automated_ control (e.g sweeping the filter from your DAW) will reveal this deficit. And, of course, in fairness it’s a _lot_ less obvious at 10-bit resolution than it would have been at standard MIDI 7-bit (128 steps) resolution!
Forgot to mention the mention the open-source logue SDK when talking about the prologue, probably its most defining selling point imo. An 8 voice synth with 2 VCOs per voice+the digital multi engine which can be all sorts of things, plus custom effects that can be loaded in, created by the user or various 3rd parties. The modulation is pretty simple but for ~$800 you can get a massive variety of sounds with it regardless. P.S. I was hoping to hear what that overdrive sounds like but it never had its moment to shine :(
I do apologize for missing the overdrive, I definitely use it.
Yeah the multi engine is a really interesting part of the prologue, would love to try one
50 minutes? BRO. YOURE SPOILING US. YOU GENEROUS MAN YOU.
I HAD A LOT TO SAY yeah i need to do shorter videos lol
Severely underrated. If people would try this out for 2 days, it would easily be the most popular synth around. Instead the peak somehow is the most ubiquitous synth around
Yet the peak seems to offer nothing that interesting really.. but novation have a lot of money to market aggressively!
@@MichaelDowComposer agreed
@@MichaelDowComposer Same company now. Focusrite Novation owns Sequential and has done for probably about 2 years.
@@PaulGBass Not that long, and Sequential has 1 last synth Dave worked on outside of Novation influence that is being worked on now in his absence.
Actually, I owned the Peak for a while and thought that the modulation matrix and digital sound sources made it really interesting. It’s a well-designed synth.
It’s a shame the filter sounds kinda meh, though. And the digital LFOs don’t seem to do subtle modulation well, IMO.
I think the Summit’s dual timbrality can help make up for the lack of depth in the filter, but I found the Peak kinda hard to use in a mix. It can do dirty and distorted very well, but with a lot of more classic leads, I had a hard time cutting through the mix. I think stacking another resonant peak where you’re missing the oomph will help a lot, though. Summit I think is a solid synth.
I have a P6 and a Rev2; despite its interesting features, I just don‘t like the basic sound of the T5. To my ears it sounds too tight/direct/straight/harsh/whatever, not as silky, not as analog as the P6, let alone the P5. It doesn‘t ‘breathe‘.
Thank you for this review, Jorb.
Just imagine I have the option of buying a synthesizer doing 2018 I might have to get the two I bought that year, the Korg ARP Odyssey duplicate and an early Oberheim Matrix 1000. I could see this model filling the void of both the others, especially since the Odyssey has no patch memory and you can access the mod matrix much more easily from the front panel here than you could using the Oberheim module without an editor. Today in July 2023 when I am commenting, I am very attached to both and can’t see myself parting with either, even to make way for a Take Five.
Talk of Korg, one thing I’d like to watch would be a comparison between Take Five and the ARP 2600. If it’s doable to emulate each of the different traditional modulation options of the 2600 on this synthesizer, I can easily imagine how it would appeal to somebody who couldn’t afford the 2600.
For me the cheapest way to get on my hands on the new OBERHEIM OB-X8 it was to get a Matrix 6, Lol BTW the Take 5 sounds awesome too like my Matrix 6. Thanks Jorb for your videos. 15:50 nice I love Synth Brass ❤️
I know I'm late but I was waiting for the TEO 5 which just dropped today. I want that Oberhiem sound in this form factor. And it's happening :D
Yeah hell yeah im gonna try it soon
dang i almost picked up a rev2 a year ago and it was 1250€ new back then for the kb version. prices went up quick.
I love my Take 5 more than any polysynth, with the caveat that I don't own an OB-6 - I'm kinda hoping they do an OB-5 next.
ah !! i m hesitating with an ob 6 ! have you compared ? Thx
@@MELOPSMUSIC Nope, still haven't gotten an OB-6. Someday maybe. It's been 2 years and I'm still happy with the Take 5 though.
@@jasonmoyer Thx Jason, the more i hear demos the more i like. I m gonna get one. And i had lots of big vintage analogs synth in the past, but this one i think is among the great ones new ones.
As one who has owned both T5 and P10 (module), as well as the P6 (module) and OB6… I kept the T5. It is the easiest to use, with the P6 being similar in that regard. The others were used too infrequently to justify keeping. The P10 was just not practical at all- a boutique studio tool, and not much else given my limited skills.
I miss my OB-6, but it’s not the “own only one synth” type machine. It’s the special sauce.
But if I could only own one, it would be the P6 keyboard, which I never bought. So T5 it is. For now lol
And here we are 2 yrs later with your wish!
Really good overview. It's possible I missed you bringing this up but there is one thing the original P5 has that I don't think any of the new Sequential synths have are the oscillator waveform switches. Having a continuously variable osc wave shape that is modulatable, is nice, especially if you wnat to modulate that in your sound patch. But much like your review of the Juno 106 vs the Nymphes, there are waveforms you get by combining them like on a 106 or a P5 that continuously variable oscillators can't get. I'm not sure if it's important to most people, but just something to consider. Like you, I'm surprised that it isn't more popular, but maybe it's price point vs. competative brands/gear is just too high. Even as a Sequential "budget" offering, it has quality enough control surface and keybed to justify the price, but the competition gear sounds pretty good and is often cheaper. Similar problem Moog has IMO. Their stuff sounds great, but does it sound 4x the price as great? Rev 2 vs Moog One....
I cant remember if I mention that in this video or just the first one, but having options for simultaneous waveforms is a really big difference in what sounds you can get out of a synth.
I have a Minilogue XD and a Sequential Rev2 (16 voice) but don't find myself inspired to play them often so my inclination lately is to replace these with a Take5.
Reasons:
- I want polysynth with a classic sound that has a primarily analog sound engine, good build quality, but more compact form factor.
- I am not a keyboardist but keys feel like a more natural UI so having an integral keyboard makes sense.
- The Minilogue XD sound and form factor are great but for 4-voices, I gravitate to my JU-06A even though the Minilogue XD has an analogue engine, is probably more powerful, and a roomier form factor. This also dissuades me from considering the Prolgue.
- The Rev2 is amazing but is a way deeper and bigger synth than I have use for.
The Take5 seems to hit the sweet spot. As somebody with a Juno-106, a Deepmind, and a Sequential 6-Track, how much of a gap do you feel with 5 voices versus 6 (or more)?
love the Everything In It's Right Place for the demo i think this would make a great pal for the Grandmother :)
Hard to believe it's not a highly popular synth, wonder if this has to do with the economy or inflation. Even beyond the sheer sound the power and design of this little beast makes so much sense and yeah definitely candidate for being the single keyboard at a gig. A bunch of unique or welcome features like the keyboard split, the variable oscillator, and vintage knob. The five voice forces you to play properly minimal synth parts instead of playing like you'd play on a piano. Super easy to use by just looking at the panel. Absolutely killer onboard effect section too. It's the near perfect poly analog. I'd only add make the distortion on the filter more noticeable and have a real time "unquantized" live recording mode as found on Volca Keys but that's not even a thing.
I REALLY wanted to like it. I'm a big Dave Smith fan. I have all 3 evolvers, Pro 3, Pro 12 desktop, Pro 2 (I sold that), Tetra and the Prophet 5 v4. I got this and was really underwhelmed. I didn't really enjoy it at all, and much preferred all these other synths, and the Prophet 6. That was just my experience with it, I was expecting to like it way more! It just didn't do anything for me, through I'm very glad it exists and I hope others are loving it!
tried it out at the local store also and felt the same. Super nice synth. Once i felt the moog one keybed though...
Sounds solid as a rock. Amazing.
I guess a 44 key 5 voice synth for that price didnt feel like a good choice for a lot of people who were in the market for a synth- here is quite some options these days in all price ranges. Sequential themselves offer the Rev II which is only slightly more expensive, but offers 61 keys, which I would say is defintely preferable. Without going into details, at first glance the Rev II seems like the more sensible choice. iirc the Prophet 5 and 10 were on sale for a while couple months ago also, so if you had extra money laying around, why pay 1500 for a take 5 if you can get a classic reissue like the Prophet 5 for 3 grand. I'd consider both amounts a lot, but the prophet 5 will always be considered the "real" thing and likely never lose its value, apart from the first months/years when it's still on sale new and used ones will be sold at a minor discount.
What i miss is the mutlimode filter..... But the TEO-5 is great.
Hey Jorb
It’s Morbin’ time
The Take5 might not be everywhere because some of us are having choice paralysis: there’s T5, Hydrasynth, newly updated Argons and Cobalts, Peak, etc
take-5 beats all of those in every single measure except voice count. which, on an analog synth, you dont need more than 5 voices
@@christdolphin69I got one earlier this week and I ADORE it
@@rishpanjeet7479 so glad you made the right choice. its deeper than you think. remember to stack modulation for stronger depth. like 2-5 mod slot all with max depth using osc2 to modulate octave 1. or using dc to push filter drive past what it goes with just the front panel "Drive" knob. also recursive modulation on filters and lfos, looping envelopes with modulated env stages, pushing the new "vintage" mod destination with an audio rate lfo or osc2. so much to discover and the most beautiful sounds you will find outside of like the waldorf M
Re: your commentary at the end: I have a Minilogue and like how hands-on it is, but it doesn't sound as warm as this (adding EQ, chorus, etc to the Minilogue can only go so far). Given that, would you then recommend this for a beginner still learning subtractive synthesis over the Minilogue? I really like the Prophet 6 sound but can't afford one.
Good video 👍
With this synth (just like certain products from Roland and Behringer) the question isn't "How well does it match an xxxxx in a blind A/B test?", the question is "Is this a good synth in its own right?" I think you've answered that question.