SEQUENTIAL TAKE 5 | Compact Five-voice Poly Synth

TAKE 5

Compact and portable five-voice VCO/VCF-based poly synth designed with both synth newcomers and space-conscious pros in mind.

A full-featured subtractive synthesizer, the Take 5 sports two VCOs and a sub oscillator per voice, a classic 4-pole, resonant analog filter from the Prophet-5 Rev 4 design, 44 full-size keys, and a premium Fatar keybed. Its clever key-split feature gives players access to a wider playable range than many other compact synths by enabling players to divide the 3.5 octave keyboard into two separate performance zones. Dual Digital effects and a dedicated overdrive, continuously variable wave shaping, and front-panel access to analog FM ensure the Take 5 can cover a wide range of sonic territory, from vintage to modern.

This versatility comes from the Take 5’s sound engine. Two voltage-controlled oscillators provide traditional sine, saw, and pulse waves with waveshaping, while simple analog FM adds harmonically complex, bell-like FM timbres at need. The Prophet-5-lineage 4-pole analog filter shapes the sound of the oscillators and sub oscillator in classic fashion while a Drive control provides additional punch. For still more warmth, a Vintage knob adds micro variations to oscillator, filter, and envelope behavior from voice to voice.

The Take 5 feature set is rounded out with two LFOs (1 global, and 1 per-voice LFO), ADSR+delay envelopes, dual digital effects (a dedicated reverb and a suite of time-delay and other effects) a separate additional overdrive effect, and extensive modulation possibilities. A 64-step polyphonic sequencer and multimode arpeggiator complete the picture. 

OSCILLATORS

• Two analog VCOs per voice

• Continuously variable wave shape (sine, sawtooth, variable-width pulse) per oscillator

• Hard sync: oscillator 1 syncs to oscillator 2

• Square wave sub-octave generator (oscillator 1) per voice

• Keyboard tracking on/off for each oscillator

• Front-panel FM (frequency modulation) MIXER

• Oscillator 1 amount

• Oscillator 1 sub-octave amount

• Oscillator 2 amount

• White noise amount LOW-PASS FILTER

• Four-pole, resonant, analog low-pass filter per voice, based on Prophet 5 Rev 4 design

• Filter can be driven into self-oscillation with the Resonance control

• Bi-polar filter envelope amount

ENVELOPES

• Two 5-stage envelope generators (ADSR + delay) with variable routing (filter, amplifier, gate)

• Velocity modulation of each envelope amount

• Envelopes freely assignable to multiple modulation destinations

LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR

• Five wave shapes: triangle, sawtooth, reverse sawtooth, square, and random (sample and hold)

• Clock sync (internal or external MIDI clock)

• Freely assignable to multiple modulation destinations

DIGITAL EFFECTS

• One dedicated reverb with damping, pre-delay, decay and tone

• One multi-effect with stereo delay, BBD delay, tape delay, chorus, flanger, phaser, ring mod, vintage rotating speaker, distortion, high-pass filter

• Dedicated Overdrive effect

VINTAGE KNOB

• Recreates the characteristics of vintage synthesizers by introducing micro-fluctuations in oscillators, filter, and envelopes per voice.

AFTERTOUCH

• Source: channel (mono) aftertouch with bi-polar amount

• Aftertouch freely assignable to multiple modulation destinations

CLOCK

• Master clock with tap tempo

• BPM control and display

• MIDI clock sync

ARPEGGIATOR

• Up, down, up+down, random, assign modes

• Syncs to MIDI clock

• Re-latching arpeggiation

SEQUENCER

• Polyphonic step sequencer with up to 64 steps with ties and rests

PERFORMANCE CONTROLS

• Full-sized, semi-weighted, 3.5-octave premium Fatar keyboard with velocity and aftertouch

• Spring-loaded pitch wheel with selectable range per program with independently adjustable upper and lower pitch wheel range transpose controls

• Low-split mode creates two independent performance zones with different octave ranges

• Hold switch latches held notes on

• Polyphonic glide (portamento)

• Unison (monophonic) mode with configurable voice count, from one to all five voices, and key modes

• Factory switch: when off, the front panel is live; what you see is what you hear

PATCH MEMORY

• 128 user and 128 factory

IN/OUT

• 1 MIDI In, 1 MIDI Out, and 1 MIDI Thru port

• USB port for bidirectional MIDI communication

• 1 Sustain/footswitch input

• 1 Expression pedal input

• Main stereo output (2 x 1/4″ phone jack)

• Headphone out (stereo 1/4″ phone jack)

POWER

• IEC AC power inlet for internal power supply

• Operates worldwide on voltages between 100 and 240 volts at 50 to 60 Hz; 14 watts maximum power consumption

PHYSICAL 

• Premium, 3.5-octave, semi-weighted Fatar keyboard

• 25″ L x 12.75″ W x 4.4″ H (63.5 cm x 32.4 cm x 11.2 cm)

• Weight: 17 lbs (7.7 kg)