The Prophet-5 was an analogue synthesizer manufactured by Sequential Circuits in California between 1978 and 1984. It was the first practical polyphonic synth, allowing up to 5 notes to sound at the same time, and the first to use a microprocessor as a controller. For the first time, musicians had a practical polyphonic synthesizer that allowed all knob settings to be saved in computer memory and recalled by pushing a button. The Prophet-5 was also physically compact and lightweight, unlike its predecessors. This basic design approach became a standard among synthesizer manufacturers, slowly pushing out the more complex modular design.
The Prophet 5 is prized by musicians for its excellent bass sounds and sound effects, as well as its uniquely warm sound.