Behringer Pro-800
This page provides information, history, tips & tricks and a live manual for the Behringer Pro-800 polyphonic synthesizer. This document has been contributed by JX3D, Maikshifter and Ranzee.
Table of contents:
History
The Behringer Pro-800 is a recreation of the Sequential Circuits Prophet 600 synthesizer and uses the 2013-2015 GliGli firmware enhancements.
17th Sep 2020 Behringer first announced a prototype via facebook.
We talked about it on Synth Geekery #83 here.
December 2022 they announced production – more info on episode 188 for Synth Geekery here.
April 2023 they started shipping.
Firmware 1.2.6
June 2023 they announced a firmware update 1.2.6:
- enhanced and “snappier” envelope speed
- implemented a Soft Thru On/Off setting, accessible through the Settings Menu Button 1. This allows users to control the Soft Thru functionality, enabling or disabling as needed.
- added a Local On/Off setting to the Settings Menu Button 1. This feature enables users to determine whether the device responds to local MIDI input or not.
- fixed issue with failure to recognize VR maximum position during power up
- resolved USB/MIDI synchronization issue, PPQN (Pulses Per Quarter Note) is set to 24.
- addressed problem with notes getting stuck during envelope (ENV) shape changes.
Firmware 1.2.7
July 2023 they announced firmware update 1.2.7:
Improvements:
- Increased VCF ENV AMOUNT range
- Increased LFO to VCF modulation range
- Poly AT reimplemented and improved
- Increased range on POLY MODE – FIL ENV
- Added a LPF to the Aftertouch function to smoothen the response and make it more musical
Fixes:
- Reduced Settings save timer from 47 to 3 sec. which solves all issues related to settings not being stored after a power cycling
- Resolved ARP UP-DN issue when only one key is pressed
- Improved LFO target: resolved Ab, A and b settings
- Resolved CC=59, LFO target for Ab, A and b which was related to an issue where LFO target was not working when connected to a DAW
- Resolved voice assign issue to the same note, related to some Yamaha piano instruments
Sequential Pro-600
The Sequential Prophet-600 was released in 1982 and boasted 6 voices and a very early implementation of MIDI. It boasted the following specifications:
Polyphony – 6 Voices
Oscillators – VCO A saw / pulse / tri; VCO B saw / pulse / tri / PW
LFO – pulse / tri
Filter – cutoff / res / env / kybd
VCA – ADSR
Keyboard – 61 keys
Arpeg/Seq – Sequencer: 2-track, real-time only; Arpeggiator: up, down, up/down
Control – MIDI
GliGli Mod
The CPU firmware update offered by the GliGli mod provided some well needed enhancements to the P600.
More information here: http://gligli.github.io/p600fw/, https://github.com/gligli/p600fw, https://learn.adafruit.com/prophet-600-gligli-mod/overview and https://synthchaser.com/product/gligli-cpu-upgrade-for-sequential-circuits-prophet-600/
Behringer Clone
Link to Behringer’s Pro-800 page: https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=P0E9I
Behringer have added their own design and engineering to produce the final Pro-800 product. This includes their familiar desktop module format which is removable and can be fitted to a eurorack/modular case with supplied power cable ribbon. In addition there are two CV inputs for SYNC IN and Filter CV IN. Furthermore there’s MIDI DIN and USB connectivity with a fairly extensive MIDI implementation (** Info to follow below **).
The synthesizer can also be updated and some settings can be adjusted via the SynthTribe application using the supplied USB cable.
Specifications
| Number of voices | 8 |
| Type of oscillators | 2 x 3340 per voice |
| Type | Analog |
| Oscillators | 16 (32.70 Hz to 8372.02 Hz across 4 ranges) |
| LFO | 1 (0.08 Hz to 20 Hz) |
| VCF | 1 x 4-pole low pass (24 dB/oct. slope) |
| Envelopes | VCF, VCA |
Connectivity
| Output | ¼” TS, unbalanced, max. +5.0 dBu |
| Audio out | 1/8″ TS, unbalanced, max. +20.0 dBu |
| Footswitch | ¼” TS, unbalanced |
| Headphones | 1/8″ TRS, unbalanced, max. 7.5 mW @ 32 Ohm |
| Headphones output impedance | 8 Ω |
| MIDI In Out/Thru | 2 x 5-pin DIN/ 16 channels |
| USB (MIDI) | USB 2.0, type B |
| Sync in | TS 3.5 mm 1PPS, 2PPQ, 24PPQ, 48PPQ |
| Fliter CV IN | TS 3.5 mm 0 V to +10 V |
User Manual
A copy of the original Behringer User Manual (quick start guide) and a simple guide for daily tasks (includes things not mentioned in the original guide, like how to erase a sequence, how to make rest and ties in sequences, etc.). The Simple guide is in english only.
Behringers original Quick Start Guide
Behringer PRO-800 – JX3Ds Simple Guide – 2023-07-20
Firmware update procedure
The Pro-800 firmware can be updated via the SynthTribe application (downloadable from the Behringer website). Connect up the Pro-800 to the power and connect the USB cable to your computer. Turn on the PRO-800 and launch the SynthTribe application. You should see this:
Click the Get Started link. It should show that a firmware is available like below:
Click the OK button and proceed to the Update tab on the left. Then start the firmware update.
The actual module shows the following:
Do not disconnect the power or the USB cable during this update. It does take a few minutes. In my experience it took around 12 minutes.
Once the firmware has completed it will show you this message. The Pro-800 module will automatically restart.
Click OK and check the Update tab to ensure it shows Current Version “Up to date”:
SynthTribe Settings
Connecting the Pro-800 to your computer via USB and launching the SynthTribe application provides the following settings that can be tweaked:
Preset
MIDI
General
ARP/Seq
VCF
Editors
This free online Web/MIDI editor is also a patch librarian:
Further development
Head on over to Github where they’ve been busy decoding the Sysex:
Recent Comments