Which Prophet?
A pristine Prophet 5 will set you back anything from £500 to £1200 depending upon the revision, and a mint Prophet 10 will cost up to £2000. These prices are crazy, if only because, contrary to anorak mythology, the sound of a Prophet can be emulated by any number of modern instruments. But the craze for analogue synths sets its own prices, and the reverence in which the Prophets are held far outstrips their tangible values. If you absolutely must have one, remember the following.
The best sound undoubtedly comes from Rev 1 Prophet 5s. But these are excruciatingly rare, hopelessly unreliable, and almost nobody will fix one if it goes wrong.
Rev 2s sound almost as good, are slightly more reliable, and can be MIDI'd. Unfortunately, few service centres will repair them, and many parts are now unobtainable. Don't pay too much for a Rev 2. The sound is worth it, but the risk isn't.
If you're after reliability and the reassurance that somebody will at least try to repair it if it goes wrong, your only option is a Rev 3 Prophet 5, preferably a 3.3 because of the extra 80 memories. But beware the slightly less engaging sound. Pay no more than £700 for the 40 memories of a 3.1 or 3.2, but be prepared to cough up about £1,000 for a perfect 3.3 with MIDI.
Alternatively, you can dig deep for a twin-manual Prophet 10 -- allocate all 20 oscillators to a single note, then you'll be able to get rid of your neighbours, no problem.
Under no circumstances should you be tempted to buy one of the few remaining single-manual Prophet 10s. Unless you're in business as a synth museum, that is!
