Analog vs Digital Polysynth - is there really a difference?

I'm comparing my trusty old Nordlead 2x with the latest addition to my synth collection - a Sequential Prophet Rev2.
This is not a scientific test or an in-depth review of either synths. It's just me trying to come up with similar sounds on the two synths and having a good time.

Chapters:
0:00 ntroduction
2:00 Why I'm making this video
3:00 Differences
5:21 Creating a pluck sound
8:41 Making a pad
15:00 The wobbly vibraphone
19:28 Classic synth brass
20:57 Conclusion
22:31 End jam

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[gizka]

the thing is that even if the rev2 was digital it would still have so much going for it that makes it a great instrument in terms of the keyboard, knob per function control surface, modulation routings, the tonewood side panels, etc

[FM-kloc]

If you have the 16 voice Rev2, you can split the patch (into 2 x 8 voice patches), hard pan each patch left and right, detune, and voila -- same stereo effect as on the Nord Lead :)

[AXNMAN]

Dude... you're such a sympathic guy. Love your style of presentation. And the piece you played at the end sent me back to the school's library at the age of 8 or 9 when I was listening to Pink Floyd and Jarre over headphones, Great stuff, thanks!

[p-zombie]

Just got the Rev2 module. It was love at first knob tweak

[Usul]

Loved the video, and the performance track. For me, this is the main take away: You love music. I love that you love music. Thanks for sharing!

[CaidicusProductions]

Setting sound aside, just look at your Dave Smith... No, Johnny, STARE at it and let it sink in. "This beautiful piece of sonic generation is mine... It's MY Prophet."

Digital has seriously caught up to analog. But, that doesn't change the beauty of a lot of these machines. You have to REALLY want one of these machines to choose one over even any of the amazing plugins available today. You have to want the MACHINE itself.

I have a room full of machines I hardly know how to use, and I just love each and every one of them. :D

Anyway, thanks for the presentation, brotherman! I'm subscribing.

[enochroot]

great video discussion. I've tried to go for gear that compliments each other but can be distinct in tone and function too. My pairing of the Arturia Polybrute and ASM Hydrasynth deluxe is perfect for me...

[gxlxn]

Perfect! There are only few people on YT who can demonstrate NL 2 in proper way. For example Jexus. I'm never gonna sell my NL2X .

[tommy.countach]

I have actually the same setup, rev2 and the 2x anniversary model! Its so cool 😊 i think the filters sound very different and I do use them for very different stuff. However its a lesser known fact that the nord lead and nord lead 2 are actually modeled after the prophet 5, they even included recreations of the original presets. Considering it was the 90s and one of the first VAs every, they did a great job!

[jbognap]

The best synthesizer is the one you know inside and out. How many times have you heard a soundset for a synth you're tired of, only to be reinvigorated by clever programming?

[rbny]

i often found u-he diva to sound nicer than my rev2 but when i sit down to play my rev2 and just mess around with the controls its just so much more fun as an instrument and it still sounds really good

[cvudqof]

I think it can depend on the synth ... for a poly, try the Polybrute, no virtual synth can sound even close in terms of analogue warmth (and I have analogue, hybrid, digital and software synths).

[ME-ruhv]

An old answer to the old question: the DSI stuff and the Korg go through dacs because effects. Am I right? You must compare the nord to a prophet 5 or an 70s OBX.

[alexanderlane]

Wow, that outro jam was absolute perfection! Synth god indeed!

[TheCG]

I almost bought a Rev2 but last minute opted for the Summit instead. No regrets!

[MacXpert]

The effect the unison creates on the Nord Lead could probably be fairly closely matched on the Prophet by adding a bit of stereo chorus. The Rev2 does have it's own sound, which is a bit different from the Nord, but as you've shown some sounds can be made to sound fairly similar. In terms of 'digital vs analog' it needs to be taken into consideration that the Rev2 is a DCO synthesizer, meaning it uses a digital clock for precise tuning. As such it doesn't sound as 'analog' as VCO synths like the Prophet 5/10 or OB-X8 for instance.

[rabbit_noize]

I had a nl4R and sold it. Miss it quite much. Great synth but to me the fx were weird. Looking an the nl2x now, wonder if I can get those sweet sounds from the nl4

[Jimbo]

So, what I've learned over the last few years dabbling in hardware, they're almost the same if well made. Analog behaves differently than a digital does, and in some cases it even sounds different. You can basically recreate that sound if you have a very good digital, but it just simply won't behave exactly the same as an analog, even if it sounds exact. But... digital can simply do way more than analog can. Like worlds more. Analog is good at one thing, and you can get a lot out of that one thing, but digital is good at many other things, depending on the type of digital synth you buy. Currently, the only Analog synth I own is a td-3 because it's cheap and nothing really seems to invoke that exact feeling from me (software, other cheap hardware in the same price range). I own a digital FM polysynth, a Hydrasynth (which does a few different types of synthesis), and a digital granular polysynth (i also own loads of VSTs). Not that I don't like analog, in fact I love it and want one, but my style of sound design and music production lends itself better to digital sounds, specifically FM and Wavetable I've noticed (I am drawn to sounds most easily or sometimes only achieved by those types of synthesis). I used to own many different analog synths cause I fell for the whole "analog is better" ruse.

So in short, neither one is better, they're actually extremely comparable if we'll made, but how you will use them is what matters because in that regard they're wildly different.

[glennweber]

I've owned a Rev2, and currently own a Prophet10. I also own (and love) a Virus TI, which I've had for 16 years. I sold the Rev2. The Virus TI and Prophet 10 will never leave my studio. In my opinion the Rev2 does nothing that the Virus TI can't do better, while still maintaining (mostly) the tone of a digital synth. It's less flexible than the TI as well. The Prophet 10 was a revelation when I got it. At that point I had owned, and subsequently sold, multiple modern analogs and was still wondering what the big deal was. The Prophet 10 answered the question, validated a lot of what the older guys said about "the good old days of synthesis" (warmth and character over bells and whistles). It instantly became indispensable.

[BenKrogh]

Loved the video! I also own a Rev2, and something I thought might be an interesting point here re: analog vs. Digital: The Rev2 utilizes DCOs rather than VCOs (digital controlled vs voltage controlled) so it’s a lot more of a “digital” sounding analog than other offerings from Sequential. You called out using the spread and osc slop as a way to get that more analog feel, which is a great tip! 

I have a Rev2 along with a Take 5, and this week I was actually creating similar patches between the two to compare. The Sequential Take 5 was noticeably “thicker” and more analog sounding, largely due to the VCOs. If you have a chance, it might be worth trying one out, because it may be a better compliment to your Nord Lead! I love having both, but if I had to only keep one of my Sequential synths it would be the Take 5.