As above.
Also, I noticed (especially earlier firmware) that OSC balance affected the noise level too, and saw wave was noisiest. And Effects, even if not in use, switch it on, turn its level down and switch it off again. Again I think that was earlier firmware bug.
Got a good offer on a 16 voice desktop unit. Iâm tempted to jump the gun and upgrade from my 8 voices, since the 16 desktop is almost never for sale on the used market.
Only thing that could keep me back: is the 16 voice a lot harder to tame in a mix due to the voice count? I think I would mainly use it in multi mode with two patches of 8 voices, but also for some long release pads with 16 voices from time to time.
If youâre playing monophonic with just releases overlapping, I think 8 voices can be fine. In case you want to layer sounds and or play 3+ notes at a time with overlapping releases, most probably you would hit voice stealing issues rather early.
is the price better than just buying the voice upgrade? I think installation just requires a screwdriver. plus then you donât have to deal with selling yours.
Yes, a lot better. Voice card is really expensive. Edit: bought the 16 voice module. I think I should now be set and hopefully never have to buy/sell any synth ever again.
How have you found having the 16-voice over the 8-voice?
Are you noticing much difference in your use?
I didnât have much time to spend with it yet, as I have other projects right now that donât involve Rev2. From my short experiences noodling around, I would say you have to adjust to how massive sounds with long releases tend to get vs. the 8 voice version. I guess thatâs the appeal of it for a lot of people.
I didnât really use it in multimode though, which is the main use case why I bought the 16 voice version. I think this is where the benefit of 8 voices will come out, for my music I wouldnât need 16 voices for only one layer. If there was an option to allocate voices, the 8 voice version would be sufficient for me. But there isnât, so itâs nice to just not care about voice stealing anymore.
Sorry that I canât offer anything more helpful yet.
8 voice is great for most typical poly-synth stuff. If you start doing a lot of layering, or complex patches though, the extra voices come in very handy. I really enjoyed digging into this synth, but honestly, short of some crazy open-VCA drone things I did, the difference between 8 and 16 voices was pretty small overall. I think if you were going to be performing with it, you could make good use of 16 though by having splits set up for different parts of the music.
Iâve been reading through this thread and listened to Krzysztofâs amazing patches many times and yesterday I ordered a Rev2-16 Desktop
I want to make my own patches but love the BOC style of Krzysztofâs patches and they are a fantastic demo of this synths sound and capabilities. Jexusâ patches too.
Wanted the OB-6 for years but this Rev2 can sound pretty close and seems to have a much greater sonic range. And so much more modulation features.
I was pleased to read J3POâs opinion about it:
âThe Prophet Rev 2 has become one of my favorite synths of all time, due to its incredible modulation capabilities and pure sound. Although the Rev 2 sometimes gets overshadowed by its more expensive siblings such as the Prophet 6, OB-6, and Prophet 5/10, I have found that with a little time and careful programming, the Rev 2 stands up to the others. In many situations, it actually outshines them.â
Looking much forward to receive it and start making my own patches with such a glorious analog synth!
Can I expect to use the Rev2 bi-timbrally? Like sequencing it from 2 midi tracks on Digitone?
Yes, you can do everything bi-timbrally. Itâs basically like having two synths with half the voice each when in split mode.
I usually got more use out of layered mode, but both are pretty amazing depending on what you need at the time.
Honestly though, I typically just used mine mono-timbrally. Still need to pick up the desktop version at some point. I donât have room for the keys anymore (which is why I sold mine) but I miss it.
Iâll give another shout out to the keybed on the rev2 as well. Totally understand the many reasons people opt for the desktop module. But the keybed is so nice. I still use it as my main midi controller because the feel is so great.
Thatâs good news J3RK.
I can easily imagine the awesomeness of using it bi-timbrally - extending my Digitone with 2 8-voice analog synths And yes playing with stacked patches sounds great too. Just read that you can actually edit both layers simultaneously with linked mode! Sweet! Thatâs like having Control All on the Rev2
Digitone and rev2 together is total bliss mate. Enjoy!
I run my REV2 through my DN. I love having the DNâs effects on the REV2. Sounds so good!
Generally I use it bi-timbrally as wellâŚone thing I do find is that itâs super easy for the REV2 to totally dominate a mix, and stacking multiple layers tends to create pretty overwhelming patches. So many modulations available with just one layer already.
One content creator I recommend highly is Creative Spiral. He has an approach to âvoice modelingâ for the REV2, which allows you to use the gated sequencer to simulate more authentically more vintage gear. Basically, you can slightly modify each voiceâs pitch per oscillator, as well as the attack and decay for each voice. Once you get a sense of it, itâs straightforward to set up, and really itâs striking how much you can approach that variable VCO sound.
Of course you can keep it clean, and get that modern, more cold DCO vibe as well. Itâs pretty bewildering how flexible the REV2 is.
I wish there were more in-depth sound design tutorials out there for it. I am not a particularly good sound designer, but as a hobbyist itâs fun to make my own patches anyway, and any tips and tricks I can pick up are always appreciated.
Totally. I sold the keys because I just donât have the space and thus ratel used it. But the keyboard was incredible, especially the aftertouch. If I had more space, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Honestly, Iâm surprised that this thread is only around 300+ posts. The Rev2 is such an incredibly powerful instrument. It also delivers on all of the crazy modulation stuff that people here love the A4 for - but with an undisputedly great sound right out of the gate. I donât use it too often yet. But everytime I return to it and start on an init patch, Iâm blown away by how great a pure saw or square already sound. Is the brassy filter really such a big turnoff for Elektronauts?
The Gated (Keystep) Seq is an amazingly powerful tool⌠itâs only when I started playing with Creative Spiralâs technique that I realised that side of the Rev2 was available.
His fundamental trick is to give slight pitch deviation (like youâd get on VCOâs) to each voice triggered.
It works much more subtly than Osc Slop, and itâs quite close to âVintage Modeâ that Sequential introduced on the Prophet 6.
If you want wavery BoC type sounds, Osc Slop and lfo-modding your Osc Fineâs will do that easy on the Rev2.
If you want genuine vintage emulation, the Gated Seq method is the one.
Once you learn the Gated Seq approach, it opens the Rev2 to all kinds of per-step/note modulation possibilities⌠and modulation poly-rhythms are next level cool!
Iâve found a new level of love for my Rev2âs lately (I have a desktop and a keys (and fully agree about the keybed being superb))⌠I donât think thereâs a better âall roundâ synth.
Fantastic find indeed! Bought 2 soundsets to support the guy who figured this out.
I do always wonder why sequential never bothered to implement a vintage knob. Wouldâve been possible, I reckon, and frees up the gated sequencer.
The rev2 didnât really get a lot of TLC from DSI/Sequential when it comes to updates and improvements. Strange, for what seems to be a big hitâŚ
Theyâre far away from Elektron quality sustained support, thatâs for sure
maybe just to distinguish it from the Prophet 6 and 5/10?
well their support is quite good. Iâve heard of them sending new circuit boards to Evolver owners when the machine is ~20 years old. which⌠I donât think Elektron even supports the Machinedrum + Monomachine these days. but yeah, Sequential donât do a ton of OS updates years later. other than actually the feature youâre asking for: OB6 and P6 got vintage mode when they were around five years old.