Sequential Take 5 Audio Demos

Multiple audio demos/patch demos for the Sequential Take 5 – a new five-voice VCO/VCF-based polyphonic synthesizer that combines features from the Prophet-5 rev4 with modern effects – are now available.

The first video, above, features patches created by producer and sound designer Matia Simovich (INHALT).

The second video, below, features patches created by composer & sound designer Huston Singletary:

The next video features the Take 5 presets created by synthesist & sound designer James Terris:

Sequential has also shared its official audio demos:

Pricing and Availability:

The Sequential Take 5 is available now with a price of $1,299.

Check out the demos, and share your thoughts on the Sequential Take 5 in the comments!

25 thoughts on “Sequential Take 5 Audio Demos

  1. I’ve checked out most of these videos already, and I think this synth sounds really good. I think it’s Prophet 6 mojo and tone in a compact and affordable package. I’m curious if the split mode lets you use two different patches (eg. left hand pad, right hand lead) or if it’s the same sound split with itself to provide a wider pitch range over the 44 key keyboard. If it’s the former, I think that could make it an excellent choice for a live player wanting to add some analog spice to their rig for not a lot of space or a lot of money.

    1. It just splits the keyboard – it is not multitimbral. Still a unique feature i would like to see on more smoll keyboard synths.
      Also i think it sounds more then the prophet 5 then the 6.
      Overall i like it – could have done with a few more knobs and buttons on the front panel (envelope delay).

  2. This synth has features that the Prophet 5 does not have (e.g. sub-oscillator, effects). Other than less keys and no walnut case, what is better about the Prophet 5 for $2,500 more?

    1. Well considering just features that you can put down on paper, nothing. Notice, however, that Sequential are not claiming that the Take5 has the actual Prophet 5 voice. That old design with all those components of yesteryear on those honking big voice cards… does have a sound. Can’t really be faked. At least not totally convincingly, yet. That’s where the money goes when you buy the flagship. This thing sounds pretty good, though. Some satisfying heft and squelch and rasp and butter. Buy it based on what it is, not based on what it kinda almost is but cheaper.

      1. FWIW, the rev4 has a really small voice PCB with everything on it – a bunch of people cried about it when they figured it out. It’s still the same circuits, but miniaturized with modern SMD construction. Personally, I don’t care much – I own a vintage Prophet and the new one, and if anything, the new one sounds better. And because of all those honkin’ boards in the old one, it’s full of wonky connectors that occasionally don’t work right , so there’s far less to go wrong in the rev4.

        1. It’s the same circuits with the same components but shrunken? Hm. Shrunken small enough that they could fit into something this small? Has sequential said anything about how similar the voice actually is to the prophet? Maybe it really is the same voice, or almost the same. That would be a big selling point if they could say it has the “prophet 5 voice” and not just “prophet 5 features”. So I suspect they would say that if it were the case. Of course, saying that might have a negative effect on p5r4 sales moving forward. So maybe they’re trying to have their cake and eat it, too: serve the lower market segment while not killing the flagship market segment. Which speaks to the OP’s question.

  3. Hey, look, its a mutant baby Prophet 5 module with a courtesy keyboard. Cute! I heard several sounds so broad, they gave me chills. The voice is a keeper. The range of potent synths between about $700 and $1500 now is impressive.

  4. Wow, nice demos. Very nice indeed! Might have to raid the Peppa the Pig bank. To my ears… it’s a little bit different than the P5 or P6. Not better or worse, just different. (Your smilage may vary).

    Probably understandable since the VCOs are ICs rather than discrete circuits. But being a little different will tempt the owners of the other Sequential gear. Clever lad Dave is, lol.

    1. The sonic difference between two differently designed discrete circuits is much larger than that of a similarly designed IC and discrete circuit. What you are hearing is a difference by choice, not by type of circuit.

  5. How were they able to get the price down relative to the Prophet 6? Does anyone know if this is still being manufactured in Northern California? Or maybe just final assembly?

    1. It might be because Novation now owns them. They might be taking manufacturing out of Northern CA? In any case, I’m sure having Novation in their corner doesn’t hurt.

    2. If you look at them, the Prophet 6 is very clearly designed to use Sequential’s traditional build style and the Take 5 is not.

      So some obvious differences that will make it cheaper to manufacturer:

      Take 5 is fewer voices

      Take 5 is smaller with a smaller keyboard. Small is cheaper, you see this on most of Behringer’s clones.

      Take 5 uses molded plastic for the body instead of gorgeous, precisely cut Walnut.

      The Take 5 controls are smaller, probably standard modern parts vs larger old-school parts on the P6.

      The Take 5 cuts some features, like offering two pedal inputs vs 4, 1 multi-effects processor instead of 2, fewer memory locations, etc.

      It just goes to show that you can cut a lot of ‘nice-to-have’ features off a synth and make it a lot less cheaper. But it’s really not hard to see where they’ve made changes for affordability.

  6. I have owned 2 Mophos (desktop and keys), T4tra, Tempest, and Prophet Rev2. I still have the Rev2 and Mopho desktop. A lot of the character of these DSI/Sequential instruments seem very similar. I can’t speak to the Prophet-6, Prophet-5, OB-6, but I can say that there are some subtle differences in the sound (I think the Mopho oscillator comes through punchier than the Rev2, even if the filter is the same and it has the same basic architecture before the effects).

    Anyone could be happy with the Take 5 as a starter synth or something that supports other synths, but for my money, I am covered in the territory that I think this synth would be useful.

    1. yes I would agree DSI keyboards and modules are more like various iterations on a common design rather than very distinctly different products

    2. Ive had a wide variety of Sequential synths and I also have a Pioneer AS-1 which is basically a single voice out of the P6. There’s definitely a different character to the P6 sound that doesnt come through well in youtube videos. I would describe it as “creamier”… a certain thickness in the low end that isnt present in the models like the mopho with the standard curtis filters they have used for ages. I’m not sure what they’re using in this but it sounds closer to the standard curtis.

  7. I’d love to see wavefolding on a poly synth. That’s something that the polysynth companies could learn from the Eurorack world.

    1. That would be awesome.but it would require vca’s and wave folders per voice between vcos and vcfs.That would be a mighty expensive synth.Though the new korg fm synth can do that in virtual analogue.

  8. Nearly every time I play the demos of the latest retro synth, I hear the same old same old. And, I’ve been listening since like forever. Time for a moratorium on this stuff! Synth designers need to explore some new areas that are both exciting and affordable.

    Now back to my Microfreak.

    David

    1. An interesting and affordable middle ground might be the Minilogue XD. It can do a lot of old school analog stuff but that digital osc. allows for some very interesting stuff!

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