Description

Meet the Take 5

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 waveshaping, and front-panel access to analog FM ensure the Take 5 can cover a wide range of sonic territory, from vintage to modern.

“The Take 5 puts the classic Sequential sound and legacy into the hands of people who may not have been able to experience it before,” said Dave Smith, Sequential founder, and lead product designer. “Packing this much performance power into such a small footprint was the kind of challenge we love. Throughout development, we were amazed by how huge this synth sounds and how crazy versatile it is. It was a joy to work on and I’m looking forward to hearing what our customers create with it.”

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.

Sequential CEO David Gibbons summed up the Take 5 this way: “For players that have wanted to get into analog polysynths but have been put off by price or complexity, the Take 5 is the perfect gateway to subtractive synthesis and the creative power of Sequential’s best synths. It is pure Sequential sound and quality at a price that’s within reach of almost anyone. Portability is also a huge plus — you can transport it from studio to stage without breaking a sweat or leaving any features or playability behind.”

Specifications

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 SPECS

• 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)