Superbooth 21: first look at the new Sequential Take 5, a beginner-friendly 5-voice polyphonic analog Synthesizer with hands-on interface
Shortly before Superbooth 21, Sequential released the Take 5, an affordable 5-voice polyphonic analog Synthesizer. With a price tag of 1299€/$, it’s the first “budget” Sequential synth since the production stop of the Mopho and Tetra series.
Take 5 also goes down in history as the first release under the new leadership of Focusrite. The synth was, however, planned and developed before the takeover. So a just in time release. At Superbooth 21, the public got the first opportunity to check out the synth.
Sequential Take 5 First Look
Five voices, two analog VCOs with continuously variable waveshape, a sub-oscillator per voice, a 4-pole analog resonant filter (Prophet 5 Rev4), 2 LFOs, 2 DADSR envelopes, digital effects, arp/sequencer… These are the key features of the Sequential Take 5 polysynth.
One of the big highlights is the layout of the interface. Yes, it looks like the Pro-3, but that’s not a bad thing. It offers control elements for all relevant features. So you get instant access to the parameters with detours. The Take 5 has a display that provides visual feedback for the parameters. It is not designed for extensive menu diving. The Take 5 doesn’t have such deep menus either, as Gerry from Sequential confirmed to me on the SB 21.
This makes the Take 5 a very easy-to-use Synthesizer. A great advantage, especially for beginners. Everything in front of their eyes and not hidden in umpteen submenus. Fast parameter tweaking or completely new sounds from scratch are much more fun.
Sound
I couldn’t play the Take 5 for a very long time. However, I noticed that it has a very direct sound. Very present and fat. Classic but also modern sounds with a lot of modulation are no problem. 5 voices are not massive for a polyphonic analog synth. A little yes, but they definitely sound very voluminous. Great job Dave.
To be honest, every musician has to decide for himself whether 5 voices are enough. For many music styles, including electronic music, 5 voices are enough. Many only play 3-4 chords anyway so why 8, 16, or 32 voices. It’s always assumed that when you have more voices, the synth automatically sounds richer, and fuller. Yes, but it’s not always the case. In order for this, all the voices have to be very well-tuned and optimized.
Sequential has managed to squeeze out a lot of analog power from just 5 voices. Is it the right choice of the analog oscillators & filter, or a combination with the effects, I don’t know, but they sound mighty and full. A lot of analog goodness.
This is not a review, because I lack a device and the time. The Take 5, however, is a solid analog poly synth which is ideal for beginners who want hands-on control and classic “Dave Smith” analog sound. Nice job Sequential.
Sequential Take 5 is available now for 1299€/$1299 USD.
More information here: Sequential
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