The Prophet 12 vs the Ultranova

At first glance these two synthesizers may not seem to share much in common… one being a budget synthesizer retailing for only $599, the other being a boutique flagship synth coming in at $1799 (for the desktop module).

But what these synths do have in common is actually rather intriguing. Both feature a complex set of oscillators capable of sonic territory that can run from smooth to gritty, from basic to intricate, and both can modulate their oscillators in interesting ways.

Both of these synths have incredible amounts of modulation sources and destinations which equate to having a truly powerful sound design engine to work with. Both are known as modulation powerhouses.

The build quality of these two surely take very different approaches but for now we will try to focus more on sound possibilities and how these two work in a sonic creation stand point. Of course the Metal and wood of the DSI product feels solid and clearly more expensive than the plastic of the Novation but the UN by no means has a cheap feeling key bed (in fact its one of my favorites) and features like touch capacitive knobs and high resolution knobs are a step toward a more professional product. Continue reading →