Sequential - Pro 3 Special Edition

Among the Sequential Synths, the Pro 3 SE might be Eurorack's bestest friend – thanks to its 4 CV-I/Os.

The Pro 3 SE, as its name suggests, marks the third iteration of the Pro series, following the legendary Pro One and its successor, the Pro 2. The latter introduced a plethora of new features, making it so distinct that it shared little more than its name with its predecessor. In some respects, the Pro 2 bears similarities to the Prophet 12, acting as a kind of cousin within the synth family, with the Prophet 6 acting as its godfather. The Pro 3 SE continues to evolve the concept introduced by the Pro 2 but also reincorporates the spirit of the Pro One.

One of the notable advancements with the Pro 2 was the introduction of four digital oscillators. In contrast, the Pro 3 SE features a single digital oscillator alongside two analog oscillators, a nod to the Pro One's legacy.

Inspiried by the Prophet 6, the waveforms of the analog oscillators can be seamlessly blended from triangle to sawtooth to pulse while also being fully modulatable.

The digital oscillator, a Wavetable oscillator, boasts 32 waveforms, extending beyond the traditional shapes like sine and triangle. Similar to a notable feature from another manufacturer, Oscillator 3 can be set to Low Frequency Mode, serving as an LFO. All oscillators can be synchronized, and the synth includes FM capabilities through an extensive modulation matrix. Noise can also be added via the mixer section.

A popular feature on the Pro 2 was its paraphonic mode. In the Pro 3 SE, we have to do without one of the four oscillators, but Paraphony is also present here. However, here it is with a mix of one analog and two digital oscillators.

Just like its predecessor the Pro 2, you get a robust filter section boasting three distinct analog filters, something quite rare! Filter 1 is a 4-pole low-pass filter, borrowed from the Prophet 6. Filter 2 utilises the Sequential "Transistor Ladder Design," reminiscent of a design from the another renowned company starting with "M". The collection is topped off with Filter 3, based on the 2-pole, state-variable filter from the OB6, offering low-pass, notch, and high-pass modes, with smooth blending between them. Additionally, there is an option to set the filter to band-pass mode. This makes the entire filter section a concentrated collection of synth history.

The Modulation capabilities and the modulation matrix in the Pro 3 SE are on par with Sequential's other flagship models, like the Prophet 12, blending the company's past and present. The synth features four loopable five-stage envelopes, 3 LFOs (plus OSC3 in "LowFreq"), a 16x16 4-voice sequencer, and a modulation matrix with 32 slots, 46 sources, and over 171 destinations. Phiew..!

The Pro 3 SE is indeed very flexible. Another highlight is the external audio input to send your samples through the filters AND the four inputs and four CV outputs, which are, of course, part of the modulation matrix.

This feature-packed synth also includes a semi-weighted 3-octave keyboard with aftertouch, and, of course, MIDI, which was co-invented by Dave Smith.

The SE version of the Pro 3 offers everything that the standard Pro 3 does feature-wise. Cosmetically they are different however. The case of the SE version is made from walnut wood and can also be tilted up like a minimoog. If you are planning to drag this instrument around for gigs it might also be worth noting that it is significantly heavier than the vanilla version.

Key Features:

• Two analog VCOs with Shape-Mod and one digital Wavetable oscillator
• 37-key keybed with velocity, aftertouch, pitch bend, mod wheel, and touch slider
• Versatile filter section with three analog filters (4-pole-Lowpass, Transistor Ladder Design, 2-pole State-Variable Filter)
• Paraphonic mode with a mix of analog and digital oscillators
• Extensive modulation options with 4 loopable envelopes, 3 LFOs, and a 16x16 4-voice sequencer
• Modulation matrix with 32 slots, 46 sources, and over 171 destinations
• External audio input for processing external signals through the filters
• 1 audio Input and four CV-inputs, 4 CV-outputs integrated into the modulation matrix
• 37-key semi-weighted keyboard with velocity, aftertouch, pitch bend, mod wheel, and touch slider