I'm primarily a guitar player, but I got into synthesis after purchasing a Korg Minilogue XD from Sweetwater not too long after it came out. I ended up using the minilogue way more than I ever anticipated. I can't write a review with any level of authority , but I will say this thing sounds incredible if you like the sequential sound. It feels pretty much instantly gratifying to play with. A common criticism of the P6 is not being as capable of the complex patches that you can manage with cheaper Prophets. However, for many like myself, that is one of it's strengths. It's not as daunting for people like me who are still pretty new to synthesis, but it gives you enough options to make a wide range of sounds without a ton of menu diving. The owner manual is very digestible and can get you up and running quickly even if this is your first synth. This is by far the most expensive piece of gear i've ever purchased but it was 100% worth it. I've wanted one of these for so long, I couldn't pass it up on the recent sale. Thanks to my sales engineer Daniel Nesmith for helping me secure one of these before they sold out while a sale was close to ending/ recommending some really nice reasonably priced cables to go with my order.

Also, I have to add that the build quality feels really good to me as some have mentioned having bad experiences with that. I know theres always some outliers, but it's a little shocking to me because mine feel really well made. I've also never had any issues with anything I have purchased from Sweetwater in the ten plus years i've been doing business with them. In summary, if you like the sound of a Prophet, are looking for a higher end synth that can cover a lot of territory, and don't want to have to fight with it to get some greats sounds... You really cannot go wrong with a Prophet 6.

Folks, this thing is 100% the real deal. If you can't make nice sounds with this unit, it's time to pack it in. Also, the P6 is built better than my car. Yes, that is funny and kind of sad, but not a joke. No "wobbly knobs" here.

I've bonded with this instrument. I've plumbed the depths of my soul with it. I've written probably my favorite tunes to date on it.

Pro tip: pair it with a stereo reverb that you can blend in as a send effect with a mixer. The onboard effects are nice, but put this with a Big Sky and you may never touch the ground again.

5 stars for Cory, who was great in accommodating my purchase method. Class act.

While the synth itself is stunning, I have to knock a star off for Sequential's quality control. It shipped with a spring missing from one of the keys, which rendered its travel inoperable. After contacting Sequential's support, they were expedient in addressing my issues, while providing a PDF to self diagnose the problem. They ended up shipping me the spring and all is well. However, for an instrument of this caliber and price, an issue this glaring is hard to overlook.

Ignore the review below that some troll on GS left in my name (because I find the OB-6 and Trigon 6 much more competent synths). I'll give those 2 synths 5/5 stars for sure. Prophet 6 however, which I did own a while back, left me disappointed vs what it should have been, tonally and gets 2.5/5 and that's mainly for the form factor and ease of use.

I've since had a Prophet 10 rev 4 which sounded much more like what I expected a Prophet to sound like, it's no competition really. The Prophet 10 has presence (like the OB-6 and Trigon 6) but the Prophet 6 always sounds kinda small, dull and lost (one on end) or overly harsh and hard sounding if you go for brighter sounds. While you can turn down the VCO levels in the mixer section to help a bit it just never sounds that organic or inspiring.

Overall a decent workhorse synth with some nice tricks in a great form factor (Big fan of the 6 series WYSIWYG interface with no menu diving) but it's clear this was Dave Smith's first attempt at bring back a VCO poly and he learned a lot from it as he improved the OB-6 massively in terms of VCO looseness and overall vibrancy, then further enhanced it in the 4 pole realm with the Trigon which, compared to the Prophet 6, has a very deep, textured and rich sound that sounds expensive.

Prophet 6 is good if you want to just blend in and sound like any old synth, even VA like at times. OB-6 and Trigon 6 actually sound analog and sound special and are much, much nicer synths to work with in a production, exciting and inspiring. Prophet 6 is one of Dave's rare duds sadly.

The Prophet 6 is my favorite synth because it can produce such an amazingly wide range of sounds. And just the raw tone of those VCOs and Sequential filter make it come alive and breathe with an organic, mesmerizing quality that oozes out of every patch I make. I have never played another synth that has this much character, just busting out at the seams and grabbing the attention within every song I make using it. The OB-6 and Trigon are pretty good too, but the Prophet 6 is the best of the three. Highly recommended, you won't be disappointed!

I produce a variety of music full time and after waiting for several years, bought a prophet 6 from Cody here at sweetwater. I tried the Prophet 5, UDO Super 6, and Prophet 6 at a local synth shop and felt conflicted between the P5 and P6 immediately. Super 6 is for another year and is altogether a different vibe. I trusted my instincts and went with P6 for a more modern workhorse synth. I can tell you that this was absolutely the best choice as since I got the unit it has found its way into every song I've made for the past month. It can be bright and loud, soft and mellow, all the while keeping its "alive" feeling analog goodness. The stereo effects and Stereo pan knobs are essential for today's music. Needless to say, if you want a staple poly synth for the modern studio you can't go wrong here. Kpop, EDM, Pop, Country (fake slide guitars), indie - it can find a home in any track. Thanks to cody for making this purchase easy and sweetwater for their support and efficiency.

- Matt

PS: pairs with a Moog Sub37 beautifully, and J3P0's patches give you instant amazing sounds :)

I produce house music and absolutely love this synthesizer. A few reasons why I gave it a 4.5/5...

1. Like any synth you have to make sure the prophet is in tune
2. The quality of the knobs isn't the best - my cutoff frequency knob is already loose after months of use and feels flimsy and probably needs to be replaced.

Was contemplating on getting a Prophet 5. Glad I got the 6 - Have used many vintage synths most won't see in their lifetime... Have compared this to an original prophet 5... I know there are some synth junkies that will be mad at me for saying this.... BUT MODERN SYNTHS ARE THE NEW WAVE. Not saying there aren't any vintages out there I would love to have (Model D, OBXA etc...) But as far as sequential circuits goes, one of my favorite synths ever. The possibilities are endless, and you really understand why people always reference "it's like digging for gold".

Get lost in the synth, experiment, turn some knobs... and sometimes magic happens.

I produce Deephouse... this is my go-to synth for inspiration.

Incredible sounds. Easy to use. Amazing response and great onboard effects.

When the new Prophet 5/10's came out, I was already struggling with the decision to get the 6 or maybe something less expensive (since I'm a child of the 70's & 80's). I was lusting after a Prophet like most other bedroom musicians in their 50's and had been wanting a 6 really, REALLY, badly. Knowing that a 5 was a possibility made pulling the trigger exponentially difficult. I went with the 6. I won't bore you by telling you how great it sounds, just suffice it to say it has exceeded my expectations in that area. Yes, it is a solidly built, beautiful, and classically-appearing work of art (inside and out). Plus I actually LIKE having 49 keys rather than 61 and and the extra bells and whistles the 5/10's lack was the deciding factor-and of course the $-in purchasing this desert island synth. I'm very please with it. BTW Dave Smith has made the vintage knob found on the 5/10 available for the 6/OB6, very righteous of Mr. Smith I might add.

I've had my Prophet 6 for about a month, using in the studio and on stage with my band. I've never heard a more beautiful-sounding synth (and I've owned plenty over the years). The Prophet 5 was always my dream synth, so owning this is sort of a dream come true...it's that good. I wish I'd bought it when it first came out, but have it now and couldn't be happier.

I won't repeat the many great comments that have already been made; I'll just add that if it's smooth and creamy analog with the ability to get really loud and nasty that you're looking for, this is your keyboard. It makes me smile everytime I play it, and I can't ask for more than that. As always, the Sweetwater experience was perfect. :)

Wonderfully crafted patches come standard. A very quick start up as it"s intuitively crafted. From the ease of use of the sequencer to the layout of knobs to tweak, you"re up and running and being creative. Very thoughtful instrument. Inspiring. The light manual is welcomed. And can"t say enough about the sales support from Sweetwater. First time ordering from them and thankful they took the time to ensure it fit in my studio. SW will now be my first choice for future buys.

The Prophet6 is fantastic. I got it to replace a Moog Subsequent37; while these are pretty different synths, I will post my thoughts anyway. If I had the funds to keep both, the Moog and Prophet would work perfectly together.

The P6 can cover some of the Moog sounds (it actually created some Sub37 sounds better than the Sub37 did,) but obviously the oscillators and filters are different. The way detune works on both synths is not the same. The Prophet's detune is very course, and it can be extremely difficult to dial in the nice subtle detune sounds that are so easy on a Moog. The slop parameter helps, but you have to be very precise with it if you want subtlety. If you want extreme detune you will have no problem dialing that in. The triangle wave in the P6 does not seem completely pure, it has more high frequencies than other triangle waves I've heard on other synths. Osc sync sounds really great and it seemed to offer a wider range of tones than the Moog in this department somehow...

Obviously, the low-pass filters in the P6 and Moog are quite different even though both are 24DB per octave. The P6's filter is less aggressive but that allows it to blend better in a mix. It also seems brighter than the 24DB Moog filter. The high-pass filter really helps design a wider variety of sounds, as it has a separate resonance control as well. You can use both filters to make some great band-pass filter tones, including wah when you use an expression pedal to modulate the cut-off frequency. By the way, when using a Moog EP-3 expression pedal to control the filter or volume, there is no stepping despite what some forum posts have stated.


One thing to keep in mind is that, like the Moog, if you raise the oscillator levels above a certain amount they can clip. This is also true with the VCA volume knob. If you try the Prophet in person and find it is too harsh, lower the osc and VCA levels. I also like using a tiny amount of distortion to cut some of the high-end, but you may need to lower the volumes even further if you simply want a high-cut without any actual distortion being evident. Speaking of distortion, the distortion circuit is awesome and I would love to have an external pedal version of it for other gear. It is very sensitive to the levels going into it though, so keep that in mind if the sound gets overly distorted very quickly. I hands-down prefer the P6 distortion to the multidrive in the Moog.

The effects are a mixed bag. Both delays sound digital; the analog version really doesn't have any more character, it is just slightly darker. The chorus is awesome although the delay time is long so sometimes it adds a slight slapback effect to sounds if you have the effect level turned up high. The three phasers have a good variety of tones as do the flangers. Ring mod is super cool as you can have it track the keyboard. You can go from adding subtle character to classic ring-mod tones. The reverbs are not so great other than the room verb. The others sound super digital, metallic and lacking in personality.

Unison mode can make this synth sound very fat. Sure in poly mode it will not be as fat as a Moog or some others but in unison with all 6 voices and some pan spread it can sound massive. The slop control now sets the detuning between the voices; great for the huge supersaw leads.

The sequencer is very easy to program, patches are easy to access, and the various global and misc functions are simple and logically arranged in my opinion. I do wish there was a way to write protect patches so you can't accidentally erase something but thankfully you can audition the presets before you overwrite one.

The keyboard feels great, very smooth and light. However, velocity always seems hard to control no matter what curve I use. In contrast the aftertouch is the most expressive I've used on any synth. The pitch wheel also feels better than others I've used...I don't know how exactly but I found it easy to get more exact bends when the bend range is wider compared to other synths. I had someone else test this and he agreed, so I'm not crazy!

I really only have a few complaints. I've already addressed the detune, reverbs and velocity. The synth itself feels well-made but when you pick it up it creaks. All screws are tight and it still creaks. I have confirmed that this is not only my unit as I was able to test another, same issue. It just seems a little odd to me. Another LFO would be nice, or at least separate knobs for pitch, filter and amplitude, however I wouldn't take off points for this simply because it was never promised in the first place.

Overall, it's a high quality synth, I highly recommend it, but there are definitely some tricks to get it sounding its best and it can take time to dial in if you are not used to how it operates.

I realize now that I haven't reviewed this synth. I think, due to the price, I wanted to really absorb it - especially that I am easy to disappoint with synthesizers.. I'm very picky about them, especially in the long-run. It's been over 2 years now (almost 3) that I've owned it, so I think that's plenty of time!

1. Build Quality: The build of this keyboard is very good, my only small bother would be it's a bit... "rickety"..? Like, if I lift it, the wood kind of creaks. I guess because the frame of it is wide but not extremely solid like something (like the Moog SUB-37 which is basically one big metal frame).
I've had to open it for a few things, and let me tell you, when you open it, all you can think is that the person who designed this keyboard CARES. It opens easily, the top swivels back comfortably, and you can do whatever you have to do with no trouble at all. I probably wouldn't want to drop this guy, but at least I know it's put together properly and I have absolutely no complaints overall.

2. Interface: The keys feel great and the knobs are very nice - though some people have complained that the Prophet-5 had bigger knobs which were more comfortable. I frankly only heard this complaint AFTER getting it, so my first impression was already solid (no P5 to compare to). It's the type of knobs you expect from DSI and an interface you'd expect with the name 'Sequential'.
(I have to disagree, with all do respect to one of the previous reviewers, about the red lights/LEDs... to me they look great. Gives the synth a certain 'look' that is very cool and retro.)
A+ for synthesis simplicity (pretty much a Prophet-5 interface)
A+ for synthesis potential (in an old-school kind of limited way)

3. Circuitry Integrity: I can vouch for the circuitry inside being totally discrete analog. And a lovely job done with the voice chips (which get installed like RAM cards). If one breaks, DSI sends you another.

4. The SOUND: I wholeheartedly disagree with people who say this is not a valid successor to the Prophet-5, I have done extensive experiments comparing the two, and frankly they sound extremely similar, and clearly in the same family. I can match just about any sound from the original, aside from behavioral differences between them, and modern circuitry on this one.

The tone/personality of the Prophet-6 is very unique though. People are wrong to call it thin, what I would say is that it has a lighter tone than most polys out there... there's this distinctly vintage sound to it, while also a sort of spacey, light tone that seems to be a perfect compliment to other synths. When you ONLY use the Prophet-6, it makes the whole piece feel a little further back.. if that makes any sense.. (like how, conversely, a Moog sounds aggressively in your face). What I love about this synth is how cinematic it can sound. It has this personality that lends itself to cinematic style pieces.. I've been able to 100% nail almost every sound in the Stranger Things soundtrack on this keyboard, for example.. I sat one day watching the show, and any cool synth sound I heard, I made a preset of it... just nuts how I could do that with one keyboard.

I'll say this, emphatically, this synthesizer has a special timbre that takes it out of the shadow of the Prophet-5 and makes it a special inclusion into the lineage of Prophet synthesizers. It leaves its signature on any sound you make with it... I think, by now, I can probably identify a P6 in any production.

If you want to hear more examples of it, there is a lovely little album that a fellow named David Joseph Welsey made for the Solar Eclipse using nothing but this synth. It's called "Syzygy: Music for the 2017 Solar Eclipse" - You might see what I mean about the non-in-your-face sound of it.

It pairs very well with the aggressive sounds of Moog synths, I particularly love how it sounds with a Minimoog D or Mother-32. Definitely a synthesizer worth your consideration. :)

Exactly what you want from an analog synth

This is a very user friendly synth and not confusing and worthless like other synth knobs you try to figure out on other synths.

I have the The P12 and this is a much better synth.

The P12 has a worthless VS sound that isn't even one of the VS best sounds and a bunch of awful selections. But does have a few good ones.

I like The Prophet 6 much better and the keys play better too!

They both sound better when connected to each other and do compliment each other somewhat. The P12 has a wider keyboard which is like the only advantage.

I've spent a few weeks with my Prophet 6, getting familiar with it, and incorporating it into my synth rig. This is an incredible analog synthesizer that keeps pace with any of the "top flight" polysynths from the golden age like the Jupiter 8, OB-Xa, or Memorymoog. There is an awful lot of discussion about whether or not the Prophet 6 "sounds analog enough", or if it "is as good as a Prophet 5", or whether or not it sounds "vintage enough." Well, here's the news: it sounds unmistakably analog, it pretty much sounds like a Prophet 5, and it easily sounds better than 90% of the analog polysynths made in the 1980's. The build quality is very solid and the keybed is superior to any of my vintage synths, including my OB-Xa keys that I had rebuilt and restored to "original" condition.

In my opinion some people are put off by the Prophet 6 for a few reasons: (1) poor online demos, (2) incompetent programming, (3) unfamiliarity with what a REAL Prophet 5 sounded like (it wasn't the fattest analog synth ever built), or (4) unrealistic expectations. Rest assured, the P6 is up there with anything from the past (but better). The Prophet 6 does not get choked out by my Oberheim OB-Xa 8 voice, and that is probably the thickest, fattest, most aggressive analog polysynth ever made. Instead, the P6 compliments it in the same fashion as my old Prophet 5 did.

Seriously, how many vintage polysynths have resonant highpass and lowpass filters? Or two fully independent oscillators plus a sub-oscillator? Or 500 patch memories? Or modern MIDI spec? Or aftertouch and velocity? Or a true monophonic mode (essentially giving you access to Prophet 5 AND Pro-One types of sounds)? Plus effects, a sequencer, and an arpeggiator?

It's like a Prophet 5 with every dream feature you could ever want. If you don't love this synth you don't love analog synthesis. It's as simple as that.

Love using a synth like the original analog beasts I used years ago. No menu diving, turning knobs makes something predictable happen, and the knobs are where I expect to find them. The sound is rich and beautiful, and unlike the old analog synths (Obxa, Prophet 5, Minimoog, etc.) - it stays in tune! No more leaving the lid screws off on gigs so I can tweek the oscillators or pencil-erase the contacts and chip pins on the fly.... On board effects and sequencer are great updates to the classic design. Plus it works perfectly with my DAW. Looking forward to the OB-6 when budget permits!

Wow! Blown Away - what Sweetwater 5 star rating refers to is an apt description of this beautiful sounding musical instrument. You see the tired analog vs. digital vs. software debates all over the Internet, and because I like all flavors of sound sources, I could care less to get into that. But I mention it because there is a "depth of field" I hear in this instrument I don't get the sense of from my DCO or soft synth instruments. They all are cool to me, but this synth instantly became the one I just tweak & LISTEN to even if there is no musical goal involved but the pleasure of hearing it. This is the one I can play the most simple repeating sequence and fall deep down the rabbit hole listening to it for a long time while tweaking the sound. And it is so easy and accessible to understand how to tweak the sound. Funny that the manual even says right at the start to just turn it on and start twisting knobs! Before buying, I heard a lot of great demos on the net, then bought it after playing with it a local music store. But only after getting it home & connecting to my Apollo 8P with Mackie HR824 speakers did I finally get the feeling of "oh wow, this is easily one of the best things I have ever bought". One final comment, this is not your "I want to make a whole lot of weird cutting edge noises" instruments. It does have good mod routing to make lots of crazy synth sounds, but to me the strong suit of this instrument is it's musicality. The sounds it makes are very beautiful. There is a sublime, subtle, intangible aspect of it's sound that excites the ears when you hear it connected to a good sound system. My style is more on the down tempo, moody, electronic side of the spectrum and this instrument is absolutely perfect for that!

This could be a 1 or a 5, but I'll give it a 4.

Why the 5:
This is the perfect prophet redesign with P5 voicing and pure VCO and all analog path. Imagine a Prophet 5, with bells and whistles, and staying in tune!

Why the 1:
I've gone through 3 brand new Prophet 6's. The first had issues with loose knobs, faulty pitch wheel, and other issues. The second: emission of pure distorted signal on every other startup; unit would be locked-up too. Finally, the third had a bad keybed.

If you get a P6, and it runs through its paces, it's a keeper! I unfortunately had to give up on it and go with an OB6, which has beefier construction and knobs. It doesn't sound like a Prophet, but I'll check back in for a new P6 later.

Until you get something into your rig and hear it and play with it a bit, it's hard to sure that it's really as good as it claims to be. Hard to be sure that it's really worth the price. The Prophet 6 is better than it claims to be. It's not possible to describe how amazing it sounds.

I have other DSI gear that is based on DCOs - analog oscillators that are digitally controlled. So before I got it I wondered if it was worth it to pay the extra money for true VCOs - analog oscillators that are analog controlled. From the very first note, I confirmed that it is absolutely worth it. It costs more to get true VCOs, but the sound quality is unmatched.

If you're wondering whether all this great 100% analog tone is diminished in quality when it goes through the on-board digital effects, I'm here to tell you that no, it isn't. I'm not sure how they did it, but the digital effects sound great and perfectly complement the 100% analog synth sounds going into them. Of course you can bypass the effects and record for later effects in mixing or outboard effects, but having it all in one box is very helpful. For instance, being able to synchronize the delays with the LFOs, arpeggiator, and/or step sequencer gives you a unique ability to create unified sounds that are ready to go right out of the PA. You'd have to spend thousands more on semi-modular or modular gear to get that kind of power with as good or better sound quality.

The only thing I could possibly want to be different is it would be nice to have a two-pole filter option, but that's a small thing. Live or in the studio, you'll find the Prophet 6 sounds and plays as good or better than any other poly synth you can buy new. You won't be disappointed.

The P6 is the PERFECT synth for anyone wanting a 100% (not 99%) ANALOG path and sound. Gone are the days of moody VCOs. This synth's VCOs are so stable that DSI added a "slop" knob so you can replicate the sound of old VCOs! This synth's filters (Hi and Low) are amazing and give that warm analog sound we've missed for 20 years. Easily programable and well constructed. Yes it costs a bit more, but you won't be disappointed!

For those of us that were too young to buy an original Prophet 5 Rev. 2 this is a gift from DSI/Sequential in my opinion. They did not have to build this unit especially since they already had the Prophet 08 out and had other Analog synths available. Not to mention Mr. Smith said he doesn't want to build synths from the past. This is a modern "updated" unit. Build quality is probably the best you will find. Compared to videos of the P5 Rev. 2, I cant tell the sonic difference between the them. Im sure some will disagree. A resonant HPF is great! Effects are really high quality. On the down side; it most certainly should have been a 5 octave keyboard. Not a dealbreaker for me at least. You get used to it. Knob per function with no screen makes it very fun to play. You have a connection with the machine you cant get with point and click of software synthesizers. This ones worth saving your pennies for!

I purchased a demo version of this synth and was blown away by the sound quality of this synth! I did have a few issues with the synth staying in tune, even after calibration. I replace the main board that was sent from DSI but the issue was still there.
Mark Stien and the Sweetwater team immediatly replaced the unit with a brand new Prophet 6! I haven't been able to put this synth down and I even dream about it, its that amazing! Sweetwater customer care really lives up to there name, and the warranty is unbeatable. It really leaves you with a secure feeling when buying your gear.
Mark Stein has been assisting me for over 6 years now and is by far the best, friendliest and most helpful sales agent I have ever worked with, he really knows his gear! You won't regret purchasing this synth, it will keep you on the edge of your seat exploring new sounds for years!

Let me just say that $2700 for the Prophet-6 is a bargain! I have to believe that once word spreads about how fantastic this synth is, it will be harder to come by and/or the price will Increase. It's an absolute instant classic. The sounds that can be produced are out of this world and the fit and finish are second to none for any type of musical instrument. It is a thing to behold. I've read some reviews about the knobs being a little shaky but there's absolutely no evidence of that on mine. They operate soothly and solidly, This is a pro-grade instrument all the way. For anyone that ever wanted a Prophet-5 back in the day or who's in the market for possibly the best analog poly-synth available, this is your baby. You can buy two or three of these for what it would cost for a used P-5 in good working order. So what are you waiting for? Tim Harrington is my sales engineer and he will take care of you too.

Thank you Aaron for helping me through this process! Ok, so my experience this far has been with inexepensive used crappy synths in the late 80's and 90's to software synths to the system 1 and JP-08 I have. This qualifies as my first, bona-fide big boy synth.

The keybed on its own. It's so amazing to finally step up to this kind of build quality in an instrument. The pots feel so substantial and, well, posh!

But it's how it sounds. And how it can sound. I realized gradually that I had 1000 sounds to demo through. I'm no newcomer to synthesis, I understand the mechanics, but I've never had a synth so capable. It's freaking intimidating to find patches and think, "I have no idea where to even begin to create a sound like this."

And then you start twiddling. And it doesn't matter, cause now you're lost in a world of synthetic, harmonic shimmering and cascades of dopamine release.

I'm serious, I may have to "work a program" around this synth.

...or not...

I chose this synth simply because it was built with the ease of use.Having the knob per function is exactly what I needed considering I'm now beginning to understand synthesis.I originally sported a Korg Triton classic & Roland V-synth classic.While the Triton was a great workstation,V-synth was a beast of a synth that had all the gimmicks on the outside of the hood & all the main parameter functions of synthesis had to be handled through the touchscreens menu diving.Even after doing extensive study on synthesis,the setup wasn't working out as I'm a beginner in synthesis.

My original thought in mind was to go with Prophet 12 as I was use to high polyphony counts on the workstation & also wanting the extensive features of the Pro 2.As I said,I'm a beginner.Even after reading the manual for both synths,I could't wrap my brain around the concept of the mod matrix.What's a source or even a destination? well,I know the definition of these words but not in synthesis terms lol.

While watching documentaries about the history of the synthesizer,it only caused me to feel more obsessed & having hopes to find what can work for me right away.Realizing I didn't want my 1st "real American maid muscle synth" to have a high count of features,I opted in for the Prophet 6.Built like a rock,setup like a vintage synth,but not paying the price for one on EBay,& without the massive extent of extra features is what the Prophet 6 says to me while I play these notes & tweak these knobs.

Now for my reasoning for the 4.5 star rating.While I now understand the concept of source & destinations in the poly mod section of prophet 6 & already feeling ready for the next big thing with more sources & destinations like the Pro 2's mod matrix,Prophet 6 deserves a few extra features on the next coming OS updates.this would only be given after the fact Dave Smith collaborating with Tom Oberheim turning the Prophet 6 into an Oberheim synth,the OB6 coming march 2016.While the Atari/Tron retro thing looks great on the OB6,my comparison between the two synths simply finds about 5 features Prophet 6 does not have.But without being too agitated that there are now 3 versions of the Prophet 6,I feel at least 2 OB6 features can work as added features in Prophet 6 future OS updates.Sure OB6 is considered an Oberheim synth engine.But come on Dave,it still resembles a Prophet 6 right off the bat.Whatever,I can always go for a Pro 2 in the future & like they say,each DSI synth has its own sound & character.Anyway,my only other issue with Prophet 6 is with the fact of changing banks in 100's and programs in 10's require two hands in many cases.If your project requires switching from program to program while in studio or at a gig,make sure to keep each project set,song or sound cue set,list,whatever you want to call it,try to stay within the ones digit of program.Example: If you're in bank 1 program 10.That would be 110.keep your sets within the ones digit 0-9.this method really helps me when I want to use one hand to play notes or tweak knobs while the other hand changes the ones digit of another program.In most cases the change in program is really just small incremented changes of the same sound I was already playing,saved on 2 or more programs.Hope this all makes sense to most people.

Most inspiring piece of gear i've boughten so far. A real musical instrument that immediately has amazing playability due to the 'knob per function', great sound, and plenty of modulation options for me. Only one thing I would have liked to see is the sequencer able to send midi messages.

I was doubtful but after 2 month i couldn'be happier!
Very easy , there are all the pots you need in the right place,
Record it and you understand.
Sounds A .
Expensive? Yes,it is but worth every cent

Exceeded expectations in every way. At the same time easy to use and yet infinitely complex. After years of playing both hardware synths and software emulators it's wonderful to have 1:1 control for every nuance right on the front panel. The quality of the sound and the fit and finish is outstanding. The keyboard touch and response to velocity and pressure is very nuanced. It's an expensive instrument but in my opinion worth every dime.

The Sequential Prophet 6 leaves me absolutely speechless. I've spent hours every day just creating soundscapes and melodic passages losing all sense of time. The sounds that comes out is perfect. There's something modern and magical about harnessing the flow of electricity on this thing.

The layout is intuitive. The lack of menu diving makes you concentrate on just making music. I hate tweaking software with a mouse, and I hate menus that hide useful functions under a layer of options. I have all the knobs and buttons I need right on the surface to get things done. All the presets sound awesome, too.

The distortion adds another cool element and the Poly-Mod section opens up a whole other level. The great-sounding built-in effects, the ARP, and Sequencer really complete this synth. I like playing with the slop knob up a bit and the fine tune a little plus or minus to create that vintage synth sound.

*If you have it on spring reverb, you can hit the side of the wood panel and it will make that sound as if a real spring is bouncing around in the tank.

DSI could have included an External Audio In and CV Inputs, but that would have made it a more complicated beast. Same with adding more voices. Obviously, you want to design a product with as many features as you can put in, but ultimately, some have to be left out due to cost and other factors.

The only feature I find myself thinking about from time to time is to have the option to turn off the semitone frequency steps on the oscillators. I found on my Voyager how fun it is to guess pitches and harmonize them just using the oscillator frequencies. But I guess it's just a tuning thing.

There's always more to be desired about everything, but I am endlessly thrilled with the Prophet 6. This is a real instrument that I can scoop and morph into anything I want at any time without feeling confined or limited.

The Sequential Prophet 6 is one of the best sounding synthesizers I have had the opportunity to play, and may be the best thing that ever happened to me as far as gear goes. The VCOs make a HUGE difference! I thought that I could tell a difference online when watching videos of the Prophet 6, and sure enough, this machine sounds much more rich than the Prophet 08 and others. It's weird because it doesn't sound like something that was made in 2015. The key bed is solid. Way better than Prophet 08. The pitch and mod wheels moved down with the keys and the IEC cord instead of a wall wart poet supply makes way more sense and are very much appreciated. Pro touches! I was skeptical about the effects, but they actually sound good when used properly. Most of the patches I wrote at first I just turned the effects off so I could hear what the machine sounded like, but after I got used to it a little bit I have begun to add some effects to some patches. The sequencer is so simple but amazing! The overall build quality is very well done. It reminds me of my old Six Trak! The interface is really easy to understand. I already thought I was going to like the buttons. They remind me of 70's synths or Korg Polysix buttons, but in person and in use, they are even more impressive. I can tell that this is a keeper. It makes the sounds that I have wanted a synth to make forever, and very dynamic sounds. I'm never going to part with it, and when I die I am giving it to my daughter :)
It is an expensive synth, but one that I actually think is worth the price. I was able to finance it over 36 months. That's the only way I could afford something this expensive. I also want to point out how much I appreciate Sweetwater and my personal agent, TJ Bechill. It really seems like they really want to help and are not just trying to make a sale. TJ has always been down-to-earth and I think it's awesome that Sweetwater can get an instrument of this caliber into the hands of someone like me who couldn't afford to buy it outright or otherwise. I highly recommend Sweetwater and the Sequential Prophet 6!!!

The Prophet-6 brings 40-plus years of designing synthesizers full circle. Dave Smith wanted to pay tribute to Sequential's most famous instrument, the Prophet-5, by building a truly awesome-sounding analog synth with discrete oscillators and filters. I believe he succeeded. The Prophet-6 takes the best qualities of the original Prophet-5 - true voltage-controlled oscillators, filters, and amplifiers - and adds enhancements that the original never had, such as stereo outputs, velocity and aftertouch sensitivity, dual digital effects, a high-pass filter, a polyphonic step sequencer, an arpeggiator, and of course, MIDI. Along with this truly amazing synth, Roq at Sweetwater has ben a hero helping me fill my studios with an array of amazing synths.
After ordering the Prophet 6, I started the usual hunt for everything on the unit. Listened to all the patches, compositions and read all the reviews and technical instructions. Upon receiving the unit and unboxing it, my eyes widened at the beauty of the array of knobs enclosed with the woodgrain well made casings. Upon firing up the Prophet 6 into my Apollo Interface the sound was way beyond what audio files I have listened to as I started to attack the 999 presets. When I went into live mode I knew right away that the unit was going to be many years of creativity with all the features and variables this synth has to offer any musician or producer on the road or in the studio. You will feel as this synth is worth a lot more then what you paid for it.
Sweetwater offers great support, technical advice, great prices, they provide the type of relationship with customers that make them feel that Sweetwater appreciates your business. Thanks Again Roq and Forrest at the Sweetwater Team!
Regards Everyone
Synthtopian

Didn't like this item at all, with the red display it looks and reminds me of a toy.
korg pads and strings are 100% better.
I wouldn't replace this instrument if it where stolen.

Compares favorably to the Prophet 5, with a great additional feature set. I have a Prophet 08, and got the Prophet 6 as a potential replacement. They are not really all that similar, as the Prophet 8 modulation options on the are almost limitless and the ability to stack or do splits makes it a more sophisticated instrument, that being said, the Prophet 6 is a beautifully made, has gorgeous oscillators and filters. The sound is just so thick and creamy, the distortion circuit is unbelievably musical and rich. The key bed is an improvement over the P8, and having the Pitch / Mod wheels at the end of the key bed is a huge performance enhancement to me. The inclusion of an effects section is a bonus, and while they are digital, they are well designed and add character to the patches. The arpeggiator and sequencer are easy to use and fairly flexible. This is an amazing instrument and well worth the cost.

The Prophet 6 is a beautiful, well thought out, and solidly built modern synth with a classic look and more importantly, classic sound. Just about every parameter is within reach right on the front panel and for this reason alone, makes the P6 an endless joy to tweak. I have sat in front of this synth almost everyday since I received it just tweaking sounds. It makes me smile and it inspires me to make music. At the end of the day, thats what all great instruments do.

Thanks to Dave Smith and Company for creating this incredible instrument.

I took delivery of a new Minimoog Voyager a week before my Prophet-6 landed here, it is good to be an old guy :-)

The P-6 is amazing, the best way I can describe the sound is "DELICIOUS", it is sooooooo smooth and friendly to your ears. When you hear it in person you will know what I'm saying, analog has a sweet friendly sound that I've not heard from virtual synths or plug-ins.

I have two other Dave Smith inventions, one is from the 80's, it's a Six-Trak. My other little DSI synth is a Mopho keyboard which I also think sounds fantastic.

I am into composing "Ambient Style" music and this synth is such an amazing tool for it, the textures are incredible.

PRO FEATURES: Great analog sound, the effects processor is awesome to have inbuilt, it is very fast and easy to tweak parameters to match the sound you're hearing in your head, I love noodling on this keyboard. The way patches are selected and organized provides the performer with very fast access to 10 sounds. Patches are referred to by a 3-digit number, this is sometimes easier to remember than a name and there is no tedious name entry because you can't name patches, you give them 3-digit numbers. You can grab any knob and mod the patch you are hearing, this is why you buy this synth, no menus, no digging, grab a knob and change the parameter, no waiting, AWESOME!

CONS: I'm not crazy about the way you select patches, it is what it is but it's a little awkward and requires two hands for larger patch numbers. There is no backlit patch-name display, you must remember the number associated with your patch. The audio outputs are right in the middle of the rear of the synth so if you use Apex style keyboard stands with a center post you will need to consider your cabling carefully. I made some custom cables with right-angle plugs for my Apex stand where the P-6 normally lives.

I rarely give a five-star rating but this synth sounds so good it deserves it. I initially thought the 4-octave keyboard would be a limitation but it is fine and the transpose system is very easy to see, use and understand. I have grown to like the small size and light weight of this keyboard, makes it easy to move around the studio and try different things. The keys are full size and the key-bed feels great, this is not a cheap feeling instrument in any way. The aftertouch sensitivity is possibly the best of any synth I own, you can really be expressive with this synth which is a requirement for the type of music I compose.

ZERO REGRET: This is a synth you can really love, it is easy to operate, huge sounding, reasonably priced, reliable and new, no more hunting for ghosts from the 80's, this is a modern synth that sounds fantastic.

My Sweetwater sales engineer (Jim S.) made this deal effortless and you can't beat the Sweetwater price. I love my new Minimoog Voyager but if I could have only bought one new synth, it would be the P-6. It has features and most importantly, the sound of a great, classic analog synthesizer.

Good luck and good music to everyone!

I've not played the p6 in person yet, but I am basing my opinion on videos I've seen....and I am VERY impressed.

The reviewer above me stated that all vintage gear prices will now take a nosedive. This has never been the case nor will it be now.

I've not seen the value of TR-808's & 909's go down since the introduction of the TR-8, so.....

I received #00082 from Sweetwater a couple of weeks ago. I ordered back in January, as I thought the feature set was perfect for my performance needs. My first synth was a Prophet 5 back in the 80s, and I have not had an analog synth since. I saw the NAMM presentations and had to have it.

Build quality is top notch and, as the other reviewer noted, the best keybed you will ever use, just a joy to play.

Sound is rich and massive, and having used my Access Virus for the last two years (a great synth as well) there really is a big difference in the characteristics of a truly analog synth. It is simple to program, in fact, I play a lot of 80s music in my bands, and getting the tones out of this thing is a snap if you know your way around subtractive synthesis.

The modern features arp, sequencer, velocity, aftertouch, and the effects make this a great performance or recording instrument. With my Nord Stage2, the Virus, and the Prophet-6, I have all the bases covered.

Great purchase!

I purchased one of the first Prophet 12's, and you can see my glowing review of that axe on that page. I still love the '12 - it sounds fantastic, it's impressively deep, and has an extremely wide sonic palette. You can make huge analog sounds with it, for sure - that's mostly what I use it for. I didn't hesitate in ordering the '6, but in the back of my mind wondered if it would be redundant with the '12. What an idiot I was. While the '12 can make great analog sound, the '6 *is* analog sound. It just sounds right - and, due to the differences in architecture, it sounds different than the '12, even when creating the same sounds. The point I'm making: you need both the '12 and the '6, without a doubt. Sorry, bank account.

I'm old enough to remember when the Prophet 5 appeared in stores, but not quite old enough to have been able to afford to buy one new - I was 14 when the P5 debuted, and buying my first car was ultimately a higher priority. Now, many years later, it's a thrill just to be able to plunk down the ol' credit card and buy a Prophet 6 brandy-new. Old guys rule!

But I digress. IMHO, the Prophet 6 sounds very much like a Rev 2 Prophet 5, but better, with velocity and aftertouch, and with dual digital effects that are extremely useful sound crafting tools. Considering the original P5 was $5500 (in 1978 dollars!) and the new-and-improved P6 is $2800, what on earth are you waiting for?

I feel somewhat sorry for anyone with a vintage analog synth, as the market value of your vintage axe just went down. Until now, vintage gear was really the only way to get That Sound - I myself owned several vintage synths, but got tired of taking them to be repaired; it was always a crap shoot to see how many voices of my beloved OB-8 would turn on, on any given day. The Prophet 6 has the vintage sound, plus improvements, with the reliability of a brand new piece of gear. (Imagine depending on a computer from 1978!!)

Pros:
* true analog organic goodness - I'd put it up against *any* vintage synth for tone quality and expressive power. It just sounds awesome, warm, organic, phat, whatever adjective you can come up with. It sounds like an analog polysynth is supposed to sound. And that's a very good thing, indeed.
* very high-grade keyboard - This keyboard is deliciously solid and velvety. Best synth keyboard ever, IMHO
* great, classic old-school UI hides nothing behind menus, hidden parameters, etc., making it very fast and easy to dial in anything you want and perform with the knobs and buttons.

Cons:
* The old-school UI is a little clunky for patch selection. Overall, it's vintage cool, but not having names for patches makes it difficult to remember them. Also, the old-school UI makes it difficul to dissect patches, as you can't see what is set in the pots. The Prophet 12 does a fantastic job with this, btw, enabling parameter comparison and value readout. Hopefully SoundTower will soon have a Prophet 6 editor for managing patches and reverse-engineering other people's patches.
* No 12db low-pass filter. Hard to complain about this too much, as it already has gorgeous sounding LP and HP filters, the latter of which was not found in the P5. A 2-pole LP would have been a great addition, perhaps taking it into Oberheim territory, but it's probably unfair to wenge too much over its absence.
* Six voices and four octaves is a little truncated compared to others, e.g., 12 voices and five octaves of the Prophet 12. And yet, it really isn't a problem; the Prophet 6 is so huge sounding, you don't need to stack layers or add more than two oscillators (the P12 has four oscillators per voice).

Bottom line: if I could only afford one professional synth, this would be it. Fortunately, I don't have to choose: my current arsenal includes the Prophet 6, Prophet 12, Moog Voyager, ARP Odyssey, and, hopefully soon, Oberheim Two-Voice. Each offers its own palette of sonic color, and each is awesome in their own way. But, gun to my head, I'd pick the Prophet 6, as it can truly cover the mono lead and poly territory in such a deliciously musical way. It's not as deep and flexible as the Prophet 12, isn't as liquid & rubbery as the Moog, and it doesn't have the in-your-face aggressiveness of the ARP, but it just friggin' sounds fantastic and musical and, to sum up, it sounds exactly how an analog polysynth *should* sound like.

Thanks, Dave Smith & Company - you've done it (again) !!!