Pricing and availability
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Average Price: $10,000
High-end/Boutique
$500
$1501+
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Description
Dive into the sonic landscape of the past with a modern twist with the Sequential Circuits Prophet T8. This synthesizer seamlessly melds the warmth of vintage sounds with the precision of digital control. Its 2 VCOs per voice ensure rich, dynamic tones, while its comprehensive MIDI integration makes it a breeze for modern music production. Whether you're crafting ambient textures or pulsating leads, the Prophet T8 stands as a versatile companion for any musician looking to bridge the gap between the analog and digital realms.
Key Features:
- 2 VCOs per voice for lush, dynamic soundscapes
- 24 db/octave low pass filter for smooth, nuanced tonal shaping
- Comprehensive MIDI integration for modern workflow compatibility
- LFO, VCA for extensive modulation options
Product specs
| Brand | Sequential |
| Model | Prophet T8 76-Key 8-Voice Polyphonic Synthesizer |
| Finish | Black with Wood Sides |
| Year | 1983 - 1986 |
| Made In | United States |
| Categories | Analog Synths, Keyboard Synths |
| Analog / Digital | Analog |
| Key Size | Full Size |
| Keyboard Action | Weighted |
| MIDI I/O | MIDI Input, MIDI Output |
| Number of Keys | 76 Keys |
| Polyphony | 8 Voices |
FAQs
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Is the Sequential Circuits Prophet T8 synthesizer polyphonic?
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Yes, the Prophet T8 is an 8-voice polyphonic synthesizer, allowing you to play up to eight notes simultaneously.
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What type of keyboard action does the Prophet T8 feature?
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The Prophet T8 features a full-size, weighted keyboard action, providing a piano-like feel that is ideal for expressive playing.
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Does the Prophet T8 have MIDI capability?
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Yes, the Prophet T8 includes MIDI input and output, allowing for integration with other MIDI-compatible devices and DAWs.
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What are the standout sound characteristics of the Prophet T8?
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The Prophet T8 is known for its rich, warm analog sound, with versatile modulation options and a classic vintage tone that is highly sought after by synthesizer enthusiasts.
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How many keys does the Sequential Circuits Prophet T8 have?
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The Prophet T8 features a 76-key keyboard, providing an extended range for performance and composition.
Videos
naokidel
Prophet T8 Demonstration
Reviews
PROS
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Improved specs over Prophet-5, offering advanced features
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Glorious weighted velocity and polyphonic aftertouch keyboard
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Superb action enhancing playability
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Fat sound profile with versatile sonic capabilities
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Includes a decent acoustic piano patch
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Can replicate CS80 capabilities with unique sound quality
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Considered underrated by enthusiasts
CONS
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Smoke damage in transit can affect functionality (based on one-off import experience)
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Some users find it doesn't live up to Prophet 5's legacy
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Different Curtis chips and architecture may not suit all tastes
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Perceived by some as overrated compared to expectations
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Sequential Circuits Prophet T8.
Features and functionality
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The Prophet T8 is noted for its piano-weighted keyboard, which some users find less user-friendly compared to other models.
Source
User experience
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Howard Jones and Thompson Twins used the T8 to enhance touch and velocity sensitivity with their setups, indicating its use in live performance settings.
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Owners highlight the unique experience of playing a Prophet T8, stating it's comparable to, yet distinct from, models like the Prophet-5 Rev 2, with nuances in feel and sound.
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Value and pricing
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The price for a Prophet T8, especially with a notable history like Tony Banks’, can exceed £11k, reflecting its rarity and collector's value.
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Other
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The Prophet T8, once part of Genesis's studio assets, was sold privately as part of the studio's closure and asset liquidation.
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Build quality
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The Prophet T8's hand-drawn circuit boards are noted for their intricate and artistic traces, though the wiring and op amp stacking can appear complex and challenging to navigate.
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Setup and maintenance
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Sequential supports user repairs, providing parts directly to owners, which is a significant advantage for those looking to maintain their own synths.
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Critic Reviews
2.0 out of 5
Based on 1 Review and 1 Rating
257
A complete dog of a synth
I imported one of these over from tribeca manhattan back in 2001 not long after 911, it took an age to arrive and it had smoke damage, had it not been fully recovered by a synth engineer genius by the name of Tony Allgood it would have never seen the light of day again, even though it had been fully rebuilt i never got on with its sound, it was a shadow of the Prophet 5 i'd had a couple of years earlier, different Curtis chips, and architecture, what was supposed to be an 8 voice poly prophet 5 with aftertouch ended up as a Prophet 800 with a piano keyboard in my opinion, and incredibly overrated synth of which i wouldn't have twice, i was glad to see the back of it.
41010
I dunno, I kinda enjoyed every 8 I'v played... but I never have owned one
257
The action really helps the expression, but i really didnt like the change of CEM's they made i dont think, it just didnt have the x factor, i think the envelopes were software too and with that slow Z80 inside it didnt do it any favours for percussive sounds. Nice to have owned one though.
Artist usage
Add artist
In a photo from Polymathperspective, Damon Albarn's Sequential Circuits Prophet T8 is visible alongside the Oberheim Matrix 12, highlighting his use of this synthesizer.
Sakamoto plays both the Prophet-5 and Prophet T8 on YMO's final live tour "YMO Japan Live1983".
"The Prophet T8's even better than the Five, I think it's my favourite analogue synth. I like the piano-weighted keyboard — in fact everything I found wrong with the Prophet-5, like the fact that you had to use the modulation wheel for any modulation, seems to be put right on the T8. You've got in-built modulation, touch sensitivity, and I really like the Poly Mod."
"The most comfortable keyboard manual that has ever been installed on a synth, in my opinion—like driving a Caddy in an empty parking lot."
-RJD2, Thump.Vice Interview
"Zawinul did not stop at the Wurlitzer and Fender Rhodes electric pianos he used in the 1960s. By the late 1960s he was extending his sonic palette with effects like phase shifters, Echoplexes, wah-wahs and ring modulators, and when synthesizers came on the market he was among the first to buy one (the EMS Putney). The list of synthesizers he has used since then — among them the ARP 2600, Rhodes Chroma, Oberheim Four-voice and Eight-voice, ARP Quadra, Sequential Prophet 5 and Prophet T8, Korg Trident, Oberheim Xpander, Korg VC10 vocoder, Emu Emulator, Casio CZ101, Korg DW8000, DSS1, DSM1 and M1 — reads like a synth museum's treasure list."
As if this isn't enough, Jones' collection of sound sources is breathtaking. Inhale deeply for an (incomplete) overview: Fairlight Series III; Yamaha TX816 rack; Akai S1000; Roland Super JX, MKS50, D50, Jupiter 8, Juno 60, D550, and MKS20 digital piano; Korg Wavestation; Prophet T8; MiniMoog; Vocoder VP330; Yamaha KX88 and TG77; and somewhere in a corner his old 808 drum machine. Still there?
On the synthesiser side, he still remains very much committed to the old analogue models. So while the first takes of his solo album were laid down four years ago with a DX7, for the recent Talking Heads recording, he dug out his old Prophet t8, Sequential's touch-sensitive, MIDI-equipped successor to the Prophet 5.
At 3:36, it is mentioned that Tim has bought a Prophet T8 in Paris in 2008 while recording Perfect Symmetry
Album Usage
The Sequential Circuits Prophet T8 has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Sequential Circuits Prophet T8, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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