Sequential Pro 3 SE Special Edition Multi-filter Mono Synth Reviews

I got a demo model, and had to swap the main board covered by warranty. It was a sound quality issue, but fixed and working perfect now. Both Sweetwater and Sequential gave me several options and quickly, so AAA support. Probablt the most intuitive mod matrix, gives me unklimited design potential. It's a mono/paraphony synth so great for bass and lead. If you wants pads and chords, look elsewhere. It's para mode is nice, but sounds rather thin playing chords, but to be expected.

I love my pro 3!!! I've been synthing since 1985 with my first synth, Korg DW8000.
This is one of my all time favorite machines, You can basically Fall on the front panel and make great sounds.
So many happy accidents. I lean on it a lot. I've trimmed my kit list down to my Korg prologue 16, Waldorf Iridium, Waldorf pulse 2, and sequential pro 3.
The Pro 3 is so forgiving. Twist a knob and you'll find a very very wide sweet spot. It can get pretty "out there". Not like the Iridium of course but I love sampling the pro 3 in Iridium and it always gives me unique otherworldly results that would fit perfectly in the Netflix series Dark.
Do not ignore this machine. I've had zero regrets!
Fun fun fun.
The only negative I'd give it is that it can burn up HOURS programming it. And that's not bad

If you're in need of a versatile mono synth, look no further. Dave and the gang hit this one out of the park and I absolutely believe this is one of the best mono synths I've ever owned and I've had a few Moog synths over the last 40 years.

I love this thing and so much fun to fart around with, you'll get lost. I have it on the second their of my heavy duty Quiklok stand right above my Moog One 16 voice and what a combo.

Thank you Sequential and thanks TJ as always.

The Pro 3 is the master mono synth. There are terrific synths out there that always lack something, whether that be patch memory, oscillator pitch keyboard track on/off, aftertouch, sequencer, arpeggiator, a third oscillator, paraphonic mode, effects, glide/portamento time on the front panel, quality keybed, no S&H, and so on and so forth. Always one little thing that holds that synth you like from being one you'll love and couldn't possibly imagine parting ways with it. I found my soulmate piano and organ; now after years of buying, selling and trading various synths, I've found 'the one' in the Pro 3. Nobody is perfect, however. I do think other synths have the edge over the Pro 3 in terms of built-in effects, and there are some nifty LFO things seen on other synths that the Pro 3 can't currently do, but weighing the pros and cons among all the mono contestants, the Pro 3 outshines them all by a mile. This is important to me because I can purge my setup, simplify my rig and save space.

And it sounds great. Yet it's the simple quality-of-life things that really put the Pro 3 over the top for me. Designated CV Gate Out, two 5-pin Midi Outs, headphones jack on the front, USB class compliant, Local control off for only keys and wheels but still active control with the control panel over the internal engine, ongoing support and OS updates (and on the SE version, all connections are not mounted to the swinging part of the synth, but rather, they are on the base of the synth, unmoving). Did I mention this synth is a beauty? Go for the Special Edition!

The Pro 3 SE is beautifully built, crazy powerful and sounds amazing.

It lives in my studio alongside a Moog Subsequent 37 and Moog Matriarch. All Sweetwater supplied.

I'm in monosynth heaven. While I love the character of my Moogs, if I could have only one synth, it would be this as it does not sacrifice character for versatility.

It's a tour de force of the synth world.

Check out my videos for a taste of the amazing bass sounds and, surprisingly for some, incredible, unexpected pads (in this case enhanced with. Strymon big sky).

Thanks, as always to Nick Famer at Sweetwater who supplies most of my equipment.

So I was harping for a mono synth for quite some time. I was torn between the Pro 3 and the Subsequent37. I initially went with the subsequent37 and executed on the purchase. There are many fans of the Subsequent37 but I just couldn't connect with it. To me the sounds coming from the Subsequent37 were extremely limited to growly/ bass like sounds. The Subsequent37 has the fattest sounds I've ever heard. However, this was not the synth I was harping to own.

I returned it within 2 weeks and went for the Pro 3 SE. And boy am I glad I made that exchange! The diversity of sounds this synth offers is mind-blowing. There are so many options on this synth that would allow you to fit this synth into any genre of music. HipHop? Sure.... already made some beats. EDM or House? No problem... pumped out a few tracks on this thing already. I'm sure there's still more for me to learn about this synth in order to take advantage of all it has to offer.

The bass sounds on the Pro3 are hardly close to being as FAT as the Subsequent37. But the trade off is the diversity of sounds that the Pro3 offers over the Subsequent37. I have the Pro3 paired with the Prophet REV2, Access Virus TI2, Korg Kronos 88, and MPC X. I feel that there is very little overlap in synths in my setup so I am quite pleased.

I hope this review helps!

After long deliberating and considering other options for this price class, I ended up with this one. Main reasons were the good looks (pop-up board), the near modular approach (using a huge soft-matrix) and still have the option to save all patches, working with numerous CV in/out (for working your soft/hard modular). The knobbies on the font-panel are most I have seen compared to many others, meaning a great hands-on playground, which can also be used to control other modules either via MIDI or CV. As I love stereo also, it was important for me to have the stereo-delay on board. Aftertouch (channel) is flexible and can be directed to any of the modulation outputs available (> 100 options). A very complete machine and a keeper due to its good looks.

This is my first Sequential synth, and man have I been missing out. This thing is an absolute beast, and the best synth I've ever purchased.

I have a lot of gear, like an octatrack, that require a lot of time to get going, not this though. This synth is so user friendly you can site down and just figure out almost anything you want to do simply. I absolutely love how easy it is to do what I want with it, it just makes sense. The first day with this is the most fun I've had with any new instrument I have ever purchased. I want to sell a bunch of my older synths, and gadgets to get another from their line.

It sounds so powerful,its great having 3 filters to choose from, the sequencer, and arp are really impressive, and the onboard effects are incredible. I love the analog distortion, and tuned feedback. I'm a big Nine Inch Nails fan, and this can get some of those nastier, industrial sounds without even having to run it through external effects. And the special edition is gorgeous,and the flip panel makes makes it really easy to tweak knobs. Its body is all metal, with real wood sides, it's a lot heavier than the standard, but it seems like a tank. This is the type of instrument that is worth collecting and holding onto for many years, getting the SE was the right choice.

If you're looking for a mono/paraphonic synth then I dont see how you wouldn't end up loving this synth too.

I've had my eye on the pro 2, matrix brute and sub37 for a while and was having trouble deciding between the 3 but this blows them all out of the water. The creative possibilities with this instrument take it to a whole new level IMO. I've only had it for a few hours and it is already my favorite piece of hardware I own. If you have another dave smith synth, this will pair very well with it(OB6, Prophets etc). I picked the SE over the regular just because I liked the wood like to match my OB6. Just buy it, you won't regret it

Absolutely the best mono synth out there in my opinion. This thing sounds incredible. It's fat, it's musical, it's warm, it's everything. It's built very strong. The wood is nice (not like it looks on the Sequential website however). It is not exotic wood. It's plain old walnut and that's just fine with me. If it looked like a piece of "#%@*^" I would still buy it.

I've barely gotten into it (maybe had it for 3-4 weeks now) and I can't make it sound bad. The patches are nice right out of the gate. So much flexibility. So many routing options. Wow is all can say. I'll have this baby til I die. Great price considering the value of this product.

The legend has done it again. This is your last stop. Get off the mono synth bus. You've found it. The dirtiest, filthiest delightful mono synth you'll ever get your paws on. It is so musical and fun to use that you'll have to be pried away with a crowbar.

The construction is top notch and every component feels premium. The knobs feel good, smooth and offer the right amount of resistance. The screen is clear and easy to see from any angle. The sound. Oh that sound. Go listen to a demo. Words don't do it justice. Be sure you have the cash before you check out a demo or review. This one is a keeper.

I've played a few "mono" synths over the years, and this is--by far--the most versatile. It can be light and sweet to absolute, face-melting grunge. I think the presets to the synth justice too, covering and incredibly wide range of capability. I use it for pretty much everything--bass, leads, soundscape/atmosphere.

Reduced 1 star because I'm uncertain about the synth's road worthiness: after a couple months of heavy use, the pitch bend wheel has become very loose and rubs against the synth body when I move it. Still rests at an unmodified pitch, though, otherwise it'd be unusable.