NAMM 2020: Sequential go all-in with the hybrid Pro 3 synthesizer
5,0 / 5,0 | 
There have been rumours of a new synthesizer from Sequential but nothing can prepare you for the glory of this machine. It’s a future-retro mash up of beauty and technology blending 3 oscillators, 3 filters and 3 LFOs with digital effects and a 16-track sequencer.
Pro 3 Hybrid
The Pro 3 has two analogue oscillators with three classic waveshapes and one digital wavetable oscillator. The VCOs have variable shape that can be modulated. The digital oscillator has 32 wavetables each containing 16 waves with morphing between them. It can also act as an LFO for some complex wavetable-based modulation. It’s designed as a monosynth but you can play the oscillators independently giving 3-note polyphony with individually gated envelopes but paraphonic articulation through the filter.
The 3 filters are based on the Prophet-6, OB-6 and the Moog ladder filter respectively giving a 4-pole 24 dB/oct low-pass, a 2-pole 12dB/oct state variable filter with low, high, notch and band-pass, and a 4-pole 24dB/oct transistor ladder filter with option resonance compensation. The filter also has a whacking great bit cutoff knob.
A noise oscillator can be mixed in along with an external input. There’s hard sync, per-oscillator glide and oscillator slope. There are 3 syncable LFOs with phase offset and slew. And there are 4 envelopes which can all be looped and assigned to multiple destinations via a 32-slot matrix.
At the end of the chain there’s a digital effects section with reverb, delay and modulation effects. There is tuned feedback with “Grunge” for extra-aggressive tonal destruction and a programmable analog distortion.
For sequencing it comes with a 16-track 16-step sequencer and 4 phrases with both realtime and step-time input. It has ratcheting, variable gate and sequence lengths, multiple playback modes and paraphonic operation. It can also control any parameter in the modulation matrix.
Sequential Pro 3 – note the lack of wooden finish · Source: Zzounds
On the back there are 4 CV inputs and outputs, a Gate output, MIDI with two Outs and Thru, USB, Sustain and Expression pedal inputs, an external input and a stereo output.
It looks completely gorgeous with the chunky wood finish and angle up front panel. I like the hybrid blending and I imagine it’s capable of some awesome sounds. I’m sure it will draw comparisons to the similarly shaped and similarly poly/para Behringer Poly D but we’ll have to wait and see what it’s really capable of. I can’t wait to hear it.
Sequential Pro 3 and Special Edition · Source: Sequential
The price according is $1599 for the standard non-wooden and non-hinged version. The wooden case version with the hinged front panel is a “Special Edition” for $2099.
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6 responses to “NAMM 2020: Sequential go all-in with the hybrid Pro 3 synthesizer”
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“a lot of money for a mono synth” I HATE it when people say that. shame on you for saying it in a gear announcement post. It’s boutique, made in america, high quality professional equipment.
Fair enough, I guess it was a gut reaction to the price which was misplaced. There are plenty of monosynths that cost way more including the Minimoog, ARP 2600 and Vostoc so, price comment removed and I’ll hang my head in shame at my low market value.
I think it is a legitimate comment, your feelings notwithstanding. I think the Pro 3 may be of great interest of anyone looking at Minimoog, Grandmother or Matrixbrute.
It isn’t made in America. It may be designed there, partially assembled there (to what extent is questionable).
I was expecting a “MatrixBrute killer”. Not even close. In a lot of ways this is not nearly as flexible as the 2, which is surprising. A shorter keyboard? 3-voice paraphony and only 16-note sequence? Very odd choices. Price is perfect, as are VCO’s. It seems marketing had a big say in this one. A 2 and 3 patched together would be formidable. Desktop module for $999 would be swell. One thing is for certain.. it will sound fantastic!
Even if I go the rev 2 this model looks nice but doesn’t sound impressive. In 2020 there are plenty of synths with better sounds. Like the UDO. Imho.