Dave Smith Instruments Pro 2 is one of those works of art the authors create for their own pleasure. Those, who have been through crazy stages of demanding and tough market conditions, can relax – no one is surprised by pragmatism today, musicians have long acquired a favorite “working tool” and need some romance. Dave Smith earned the right to define "romance" the way he wants to and came up with a monophonic synthesizer incorporating analog filters and amplifiers, as well as a powerful sequencer.

Like Prophet 12, Pro 2 operates on 4 digital oscillators, and it’s actually built on the elements DSI leading synthesizer is built on, although it’s not just “a voice” of Prophet 12. In addition to standard waves, it has 12 digital (changing waveform parameters in wavetable synthesis style), 3 types of noise source and the possibility of shaping superwaves that process sound with a detune effect.
Pro 2 enriches its monotimbrality with not the most typical tricks: it allows assigning octaves and waveforms to each of 4 oscillators thereby affecting different notes in a playback. The impression is strengthened by individual envelopes for each oscillator in the paraphonic mode. All this allows Pro 2 to be more convincing when pretending to be a polyphonic synthesizer, compared to other similar devices. Before the filters, the signal passes through the "Character" section, which includes processing by algorithmic modules: Bitcrushing, Drive, Girth and Air. And even here we observe the desire of Pro 2 creators to get away from the classic scheme of the sound path: after oscillators the signal immediately goes to the filter section and the dedicated envelopes, and then - to the amplifiers. By the way, these processing algorithms transform the sound in such an amazing way that Dave Smith decided to release them as separate modules for Eurorack systems.

Routing of analog filters, one of which is based on Prophet~6 low-pass filter, and the second – on SVF, State Variable Filter imitating SEM Oberheim filter (it was introduced in OB-6 as well), will probably seem one of the most complex, flexible and versatile routings among the synthesizers of this level. Modulation reveals the widest spectrum: four LFOs, two additional delayed envelopes (D-ADSR) for the amplifier and filters, four CV inputs that route any modulation source to the matrix and thereby scale up the capabilities of both the synthesizer and the instruments with which it is connected via CV. Among the effects, we should mention analog distortion, 3 digital delays + 1 emulation of the old school analog delay, and a tuned feedback effect that puts the amplifier stream through a short delay and sends back to the oscillators to meet the Character section.

Tags: hybrid synthesizer