Dave Smith's filter design found its way into a compact monophonic synth when Pioneer DJ decided to collaborate with the legendary synthesizer designer, resulting in an instrument that punches way above its weight class for both studio and live work.
The AS-1 runs on a fully analog signal path with two voltage-controlled oscillators offering continuously variable triangle, sawtooth, and pulse waveforms, paired with a 4-pole resonant low-pass filter and 2-pole high-pass filter both derived from the Prophet-6. You get two ADSR envelope generators, an LFO with five waveform options, and a VCA for shaping dynamics. The 13-key touch keyboard spans nine octaves and includes 22 preset scales, while the 64-step sequencer lets you build patterns independently for each of the 495 available programs. Effects processing includes bucket-brigade delay, ring modulation, chorus, phaser, and digital distortion, all inherited from Prophet-6 architecture. At just under two pounds and roughly the size of a small keyboard, it's genuinely portable without sacrificing hands-on control.
The AS-1 has earned respect in both DJ and producer circles for delivering serious analog character in a form factor that actually fits into a setup. Some users note the single oscillator takes getting used to if you're coming from polysynths, but the filter resonance and modulation options keep things sonically rich. The sequencer integration makes it natural for live performance, and MIDI connectivity means it plays well with other gear in your rig.
