Sequential Prophet 10 Special Edition: Happy 50th, Sequential!
New wood case, exclusive cover and certificate of authenticity
4,1 / 5,0 | 
As Sequential celebrates its 50th anniversary, it is offering a limited version of its flagship synth, the Rev.4 Sequential Prophet 10 Special Edition.
How does one celebrate 50 years since the inception of one of the most important music technology innovators and manufacturers? I’m sure the team at Sequential HQ will be having a little party at some point. Sequential owners may be breaking out the spit and polish to give their babies some well-deserved love.
But Sequential has seen fit to grace us with a limited (150 Units) and special edition of their venerable flagship, the beautifully resurrected Prophet 10 in the form of the Prophet 10 Special Edition. This new and distinct version features a new Lacewood design and comes with a certificate of authenticity as well as a beautifully embroidered protective cover.
A Brief History of Sequential Circuits
Founded in 1974, Dave Smith’s first-ever product was the Model 600 sequencer, ergo the name of the company; Sequential Circuits. Only a few of these were sold but within three years, Dave, along with John Bowen, delivered one of the most important, influential and coveted synths of all time.
The Prophet 5 was the world’s first fully programmable polyphonic analog synth, and its look and sound defined an era of records that far exceeded its six-year lifespan. In those six years, there were three revisions. The Rev.2 is hailed and reviled in equal measure.
Its sound is often cited as THE definitive Prophet 5 tone, but they were notoriously unreliable. The Rev.3 used new CEM ships as opposed to the SSM chipset previously employed, and whilst it was still an amazing synth, many believe it lacked the sonic magic of its predecessors.
Midway through the Prophet 5’s lifespan, Sequential, as they were now known, gave us the Prophet 10. This was literally two Prophet 5’s stacked one on top of the other in a large, dual-manual case. They suffered from overheating and were large and unwieldy but were definitely a sight to behold.
MIDI
We mustn’t forget MIDI, a communications protocol that lives on to this day. Dave was one of the founding fathers of this technology and it surely must rate as one of his greatest achievements.
Sequential went bust in the late 80s, its founder and team swallowed up in a buyout by Yamaha, who then went to KORG, with Dave leaving shortly after. Between then and 2002, Dave went on to develop one of the first-ever software synths to run on a PC before re-entering the hardware arena with Dave Smith Instruments (DSI).
The Return of Sequential
Yamaha eventually returned the brand to Dave in 2015 and the brand has been making excellent analog and hybrid synths ever since. The return of the Prophet 5 in its Rev.4 configuration was one of the most hotly anticipated synths ever. It did not disappoint.
The Prophet 10 was also resurrected, this time in an identical form factor as the 5, thanks to the benefits of modern synth design. And it is this instrument that Sequential have chosen to celebrate their 50th birthday with.
Tragically, Dave passed away in May of 2022, leaving behind a rich and undeniable legacy of technological invention and a spirit of ethics that touched the lives of many people.
The Sequential Prophet 10 Special Edition
The Lacewood design stands out with its unique grain patterns, and the embroidered cover will keep it in fine shape when not being used. A certificate of authenticity and a unique name badge on the synth itself denotes its exclusive nature.
But this exclusivity comes at a price, it would seem. The Sequential Prophet 10 Special Edition will retail for €5,555.00. Whether that extra €1000 over the regular Prophet 10 is due to increased manufacturing costs or simply a numerical homage to the five decades of operation, I don’t know. But these will undoubtedly be snapped up by purists and collectors.
- Sequential’s 50th Anniversary Website
- Sequential Prophet 10 Special Edition Website
- More from Sequential
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5 responses to “Sequential Prophet 10 Special Edition: Happy 50th, Sequential!”
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Love the Prophet 5/10 but this special edition is kind of ugly. Would have been cool if they did something like a custom finish or different color. Or stereo.
Agree 100%!
They missed a great opportunity to offer a double manual version, that would have been something people would have wanted. I don’t see anyone paying €1000 more for an uglier wood finish compared to the normal version.
Unfortunately Dave Smith is gone and its been showing for quite some time now. This is a complete joke of a release for a 50th anniversary product IMO.
Mini keys pls.! 😅