been experimenting with the pro 2 as a solo box and preforming its sequencer, feels great for some sort of early 70s synth discovery type music.
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Sounds really cool!
I have a question for Pro 2 owners.
After keeping my desire for a Pro 2 on the backburner for 5 years, I’m finally ready to take the plunge. It seems like a good time to put this into my studio setup.
My question is about the 25 fixed-source modulation paths, and 16 user-configurable paths (this is how it is worded in the manual).
Are the sequencer tracks considered modulation paths for either of these?
Or are they entirely separate from that 25 + 16 ?
I see folks talk about not wanting to use up paths, and I wonder if this is a general concern that the 16 user mod paths feel too restrictive? I see the Pro 2 as an excellent mono/para/poly-esque synth (thanks to individually gated oscillators) with complex digital oscillators and fantastic filters, combined with about as much modulation (especially with OSCs as mod sources) as is afforded in a modular setup. But with the benefits of patch storage memory.
I get that, I just want to make sure that using the sequencer doesn’t reduce the number of available mod paths.
And it seems like “maybe” it doesn’t by default, but it can if you want it to. It’s not entirely clear.
Thanks for your help!
I suppose another way to ask is, if I use all 16 tracks in the 16 step sequencer, will I be left with no open user modulation paths? Or another question for clarity is are those sequencer tracks part of the 25 fixed paths or completely independent from the mod matrix entirely?
It would also help if DSI/Sequential just had a list of what the 25 fixed mod paths are.
In the sequencer you can set a destination parameter for each track. You don’t loose the mod slots.
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Mmm, I guess I’m wrong then…
No, I think you’re right. I have deleted my posts above because I got it wrong. Page 52 of the manual applies for what @AdamJay is asking about.
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Killer! Well in that case I see no reason to finally get one 
I was looking at a Nyx 2 for its dual filter scheme and semi-modular routing. I think the Pro 2 is a better buy for my needs, though. Time to sell some stuff!
Thanks @binaural and @PeterHanes for your time.
Yup can confirm all sequencer tracks have a fixed mod slot, same with the LFOs and Envelopes.
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Ah okay, I rewatched Doty’s mod video
So it seems like, as you say, the 25 fixed slots are
LFOs = 4
Envelopes = 5
Sequencer Tracks = 16
This is helpful.
Another thing I see mentioned about the mod matrix is the user paths being “16x2”.
This is mentioned in advertising, but not in the manual. I understand it to mean 2 destinations for each slot. Is that correct?
If so, how is that second destination assigned? as it is neither clear in the manual or that video.
Would it require using two user slots to send the same source to two different destinations?
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I’ve never quite understood why the call it a 16x2 either, it seems a bit confusing but I guess the 2 is counting both the source and the destination and then you get 16 of them. So I guess they just mean it’s a 16x2 grid, so only one modulation destination per source channel. You can reuse sources and destinations in your mod slots as much as you like though and mod slots themselves are destinations as well.
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Okay, that sounds logical, now.
@bwo - do you ever find yourself bumping into the limitations of the number of mod slots?
I imagine that thanks to the sequencer tracks, I probably won’t. But it is somewhat of a concern.
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Yeah I don’t think I have ever totally run out of mod slots even when involving external CV in and out, but I suppose millage will vary I pretty often don’t even use all the LFOs.
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Confirming what you’ve already noted with some pictures.
I’ve never come close to running out, or noticed any patches where all the slots have been used either so don’t find that to be a limitation.
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Damn you, I have to unsubscribe to this thread right now.
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same 
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Does that work if we tag you in our replies @LyingDalai and @Unifono ? 
I’ve been looking at the Pro 2 on and off for the last five years, and while I appreciate Sequential’s decision to make the Pro 3 more “different” than an upgrade, the announcement of the Pro 3 ironically forced me to consider the Pro 2 more than ever. It has that “modular in a box” quality that (sadly) I think Pro 3 has lost somewhat.
Although it was probably a good business decision to design the Pro 3 in the way they did (sweet bonus filter, more accessible fx, more sequencer), with a much more broad appeal.
For others interested, these are the distinctions I’ve noticed:
Pro 2 distinctions:
- 4 digital OSCs all capable of super waves and more variety of waveforms & noise types
- 4 voice paraphonic
- Linear FM since OS1.4, up to 4-op
- 4th LFO
- 5th envelope
- Character FX section
- Dual simultaneous filters
- Filter routing (serial, parallel, a mix of the two, OSC split)
- 4 individual delay FX (can be used to create your own phaser, flanger, reverb)
- More modulation sources in the mod matrix
- 7 more keys
- 1 more touch slider
- Touch sliders also respond to pressure
Pro 3 distinctions:
- 2 VCOs, + a 1 digital OSC + a dedicated noise source (though white noise only)
- 3rd filter option (ladder)
- Twice the user assignable modulation lanes, with more modulation destinations.
- More sequencer steps, ratcheting.
- Dual FX engines for more traditional reverb, flange, phaser, additional post-filter distortion, etc.
- Grunge mode on feedback circuit
- More patch memory (512/512 factory/user vs 396/396 on Pro 2)
- More dedicated knobs in the OSC section.
So pick your poison. Depth and “modular in a box” capability vs more accessibility for traditional sounds with still plenty of depth to get weird.
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Pro 2! Though the Pro 3 is beautiful to look at. VCO’s do nothing for me these days. From the ESQ-1 up to modern modular digital osc’s, I love the sound of various digital VCO’s I use for analog waves.
Sequencer may seem better on Pro 3 but I’d have to really use it to know if worth it.
Extra LFO, env and mod source on Pro 2 make it the better sound machine for me. I’ll sequence and add effects elswhere.
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I think there are a few things to keep in mind limitations wise when it comes to thinking of it as a modular in a box (which I sort of think of it this way) firstly oscillator split is 1 and 2 to filter one, 3 and 4 to filter two, so your audio signal path is a bit more limited than I would have liked. In paraphonic mode you don’t have control over individual oscillator volume (it does duplicate the amp envelope for each osc). In mono mode you can still sequence each oscillator and then use the sequencer to change volume on each oscillator as well, for the more modular groovebox type stuff I basically live in mono mode. There isn’t any way to send a trigger to a specific envelope, so more or less you have work with the sequencer to mute oscillators, move the envelope settings, Or set up different velocity settings for envelopes and sequence velocity to bring in different envelopes. Its not the worst but it sure would have opened up the synth if envelopes could be triggered individually.
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The only time I run out of slots (on my P12) is when I write 4-op fm patches. Especially because the max FM amount isn’t actually the “maximum” so sometimes I double up the same modulation.
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