Wow, if I close my eyes they sound practically undistinguishable, but with my eyes open the Prophet 5 alwaya sounds better. Incredible !

Behringer are like Kakashi Hatake, can mimic really well. A company that's a hero for those of us that can't afford the real thing. Thank you Behringer, lots of love!

What amazing tools we have available at affordable prices. The question I kept asking while listening was: "Can I make the sounds I want with this?" And, yes. I think I can! Thank you for the video.

That's a really very well made comparison!

Tja, wer hätte das gedacht! Super aufschlussreiches Video. Thanks a lot!

Thank you Pete for this comparison

Thanks for the awesome demo!

Really Interesting, thanks! I closed my eyes watching this and could not tell which one it was or which one I preferred. Both sound really nice.

Wow, this is amazing. Thanks for this demo! Crazy, I actually like the way the low frequencies sound on Pro-800 better than the Prophet 5, plus its filter is a bit grittier. Amazing.

For just under double what I'd pay in taxes for the Prophet-5, I can have that Pro-800. The price is right and the sound quality is there.

Hey Pete. Thanks for the comparison. Let's be honest. For hobby musicians who don't (want to) "show off" their instruments live, the Pro800 is a blessing.

In a SynthWave song no listener will ask whether it's P5 or a Pro 800 synth was used, lol. Behringer really nailed this one...

I have to say the Pro-800 will be saving me $3100 USD for now. After seeing this video, it is a no brainer to buy the Pro-800. It is touching most of the Prophet 5 sounds I need in my synth collection. The Pro-800 is on it's way to selling many units for Behringer. I'm on line for it. Great video and thank you for it. I just became a sub. 👍👍👍👍👍

The fact you can buy an 8 voice analogue poly synth for 400 bones is insane to me. 🤯

Pro-800 is amazing. I'm an ex Prophet 10 Rev 0 (double manual) owner and the Pro-800 does everything I need.

It's funny that I had a running argument with someone who was convinced that the P5 and P800 are nothing alike. Page 4 of the P600 manual states that Sequential wanted to make a lower cost, more affordable synth based on the P5. That's why we are hearing very similar sounds from both. P5 is something that does what it does exceptionally well, but the P800 for most people who cannot afford a P5, will do what they need perfectly. There is room for both, but one doesn't better the other when you put things into context. Thx for the upload.

Your music selection is straight up dope! Never miss an upload! 🎶❤

The sole fact that a new $400 synth doesn't fall much behind a new $3000 one says something alone.

I really can't tell much difference. The Pro-800 filter seems to be a little grittier in the low range, but I like it. I also like the lower price of the P-800, extra voices, and the eurorack size is very convienient. Some of the original disadvantages of the Pro-600 seem to have been addressed, such as no noise generator.

Wow, this is so cool! I'm not expecting the Pro-800 to sound the same, or even as good, but its nice to compare these too synths!

Hi Pete. I think the big thing here is the Pro-800 sounds massively different when using the GliGli envelopes. You can really get it close to a Prophet 5 if you twek things well. It is hard to tell how you've setup your patches on the video - but you definitely got the sounds close!

Thanks for the feedback! 😊

I just received mine and let me tell you, it’s a GEM. Takes an hour or two to deep dive, but wow. I have experience w plenty of vintage synths, and this is really delivering on the 70s early 80s sound! Hope you enjoy

Always a great time watching your vids !! thank you for your informative perspective

You haven't used these machines in a way that I would, so it's a bit vague for me, but I have to say as a Prophet 10 owner that I'm very impressed with the Pro 800 mostly holding its own. Might have to get one for use as a backup!

Man what a comparison! Thanks

Damn, the synth I've always dreamed about🥺

You have a gorgeous set of presets ❤

I think the low end is where you hear the major difference in the oscillators and of course the extreme ends of the filter.

This confirms everything I thought I was hearing, what a great comparison.

Great job matching the timbres.

I was reading comments while watching the video and couldn't tell which synth was playing at any given time so effectively they sound the same. If you gave me one for free I'd want the sequential, if I have to pay for it I'm buying the behringer.

While reading through the comments & listening, my ears can't tell when you've switched from one box to another. That's good enough for me. The wet/dry difference is probably greater than the difference between the two boxes anyway. Get my in the ballpark for $400 & I'll do the rest.

Great video

Excellent comparison. Both sound great and the PRO-800 packs a lot of value!

Excellent comparison! But for US2500 over the US400 I stay with the Pro-800! hands down. Thank you!!

I think the heritage and importance of Sequential and Dave Smith certainly add to the cost but they also add the irriplacable value of both of these things, not to mention the quality of the hardware production. Both are great for very different reasons!

I want to say I hear a slightly polished character to the Prophet, like, as a "synthesizer instrument", which is very nice, and a slightly more raw sound to the Behringer, as, like, an "analog beast", which is also very nice.

1. Arp: Prophet more creamy - Pro more directly 2. 8oct + rev: Prophet more dreamy - Pro more clear 3. Glide: Prophet: more playful - Pro more precised 4. Blackhole: difference very subtle 5. Osc Sync: different charakter but both very nice 6. Filter: diffcult cauz different osc sound (prophet more release) 7. Chords: nearly no difference 8. Spacy Reverb: nearly no difference 9. Sync: Prophet more creamy - Pro more harsh 10. More chords like the chords before nearly no difference. .... Overall the raw Prophet sound is a bit more creamy/dimensional but really worth the additional costs? I do not think so, like you see with effects the sound is more or less the same. I am happy with my pro800

My test for whether the sound differences are significant is listening to these kinds of comparisons while doing something else. If I become actually consciously aware of when the switch happens and that two sound are different, then it becomes significant. In this case, that didn't happen.

Nice side-by-side comparison. Both sound great. I think the sub oscillator on the Prophet 5 is a little beefier, and the upper end of the filter on the Pro-800 seems a little constrained. But for the price, I think the Pro-800 is really hard to beat.

This was great, thanks for this comparison. (Mine finally arrives Tuesday and I will be getting a second as soon as I can) I have heard full sustain on the filter envelope will not completely open the filter from closed/nearly closed when the level attenuverter is set to max? If true I can bring in a second envelope to "Filter CV In" as needed, but hopefully they will address that in an update. A rev 2 filter instead of the 3320 would have been great, but then it would not have been a 600 clone. The "vintage" voicing modeling on Sequential synths sounds FANTASTIC. Round robin with 2 of these set a bit differently gets you partway there. That capability is why I am most excited for the 2-XM. I plan on at least 2 of them so ALL the voices can be set slightly different.

I'd love a Prophet 5 Rev 4 keyboard version though, it just oozes mojo, great looks and the pedigree.... But, I'm lucky enough to own a Prophet 6 and the Pro800 came a couple of weeks back so I guess I have all sonic bases covered? Great review!

behringer is killing it, man. I love them

Nice comparison video…. I like the way you did the arpeggio demos and switching volume to clearly show the units producing the sounds. 👍

Back in the days of the Prophet 5, no one would have dared compare a $400 synth with one costing $3000 or more. It would have seemed so incongruous that no one even thought of it. Today, it's a comparison that makes sense and shows that the differences in sound are subtle. Finally, this kind of test teaches us less about synthesizers than about our consumer society, where prices no longer reflect quality at all, but just the name of a brand.

Thanks for the comparison! Behringer is almost always fantastic for the prices they charge. I much prefer the sound of the Prophet compared to what sounded to me to be the thinner, higher pitched, and seemingly faster modulation of the Behringer. The Prophet just sounds more musical and magical and open to me. Definitely being drawn more and more towards Prophets as my musical/synth journey continues. And what a journey! It’s a great time to be a creative musical nerd. 🫶

Yikes! That was scary! Amazing demo!

Great video! I think the Prophet 5 is a bit beefier? But the Pro 800 sounds fantastic, and anyone who goes with that should be stoked. Most of the slight difference in that beefiness could probably be quickly added tastefully with some plugins, like a LittleLabs VOG for example.

They both sound remarkably close. I can't imagine being able to pick any of this out in a mix. If you're doing synth forward Carpenter-esque soundtracking it might make sense to go with the P5, but if you just need an analog Prophet sound palette the Pro 800 gets you there for a fraction of the price.

Thanks that's awesome. The P800 also POLY aftertouch since the latest update (1.2.7), which should make for a lot of fun when combined with a hydrasynth, for example. Now if only Behringer adds PWM as a destination for Polymod, i really see no reason to need a P5 anymore. Oh wait my P6 can do that ;)

I wonder how much the new prophet 5 differs from the original? I think sound wise Behringer has done a great job . Other manufacturers would never come in at this price point.

People say you are paying for outstanding build quality but I have experienced a couple things that should have been caught in quality control with a couple of modern sequential synths. Never had an issue with Behringer.

Prophet sounds better, but the 800 (which I actually own) is better value. I got an OB-6 and I do intend to get another Sequential at some point in the future. I don't want Behringer to bankrupt everyone else.

Thank you! Behringer did a very good job. It sounds very good and the original 600 has some issues I assume this one doesn't have. The old Prophet 5 was also a tad warmer to my ears, the 600 a bit colder, futuristic, sci fi something ( not a negative ). But they could do different jobs and shine in different "areas" ... That P5 rev4 does seem to have better control over It's sound. My B Pro-1 is the same when you do certain things, the original does them much better. But nothing one would care about. It can sound 5 percent prettier ... sometimes. :)

by closing my eyes I'm unable to tell which is which. that was a good buy indeed !!

Thank you

Curious does the Pro 800 have the latest firmware. There were big improvements to the Filter and Envelope. Seriously If I was playing these blind and I stepped away then someone switched them and dialed in the patches I probably wouldn’t notice the difference.

It sounds SO selling :D ! One thing I really would like that Behringer to add - the multitembrality! It will make this synth much cooler even without separate audio outputs per voice. Without it I'm really unsure if I want to buy it. Because the market will change after Behringer new synths. Not immediately... And probably somebody will "resurrect" MFB Synth Pro. It's a really capable synth, IMHO much more promising than Prophet-5 or Beh Pro 800.

You did a very good job matching the sounds! I overall did like the Prophet 5’s sound slightly better, but this would probably be the same if you compared it to an original Pro600. The Prophet’s sound was a bit livelier and vintage sounding to me, particularly when using oscillator sync. The filter also sounds a bit smoother and more refined. But these aren’t big differences and maybe meaningless to the average person. However there’s no denying that the Behringer offers great value for money and has some additional features the Prophet doesn’t have.

Thanks for the comparison. Out of curiosity, how do you have both synths connected via USB? Are you running the Arturia to a USB hub then the modules into the USB hub?

In a track mix it would be really hard to tell, good demo

Shows very well how similar sonically they are. Behringer have a good product there. People will buy a genuine Sequential for more reasons than the sound - you can get that with a plug in. I find I'm attracted to these Behringer products because I'm their target market - those that wanted these tools back in the late 1970's early 80's but the cost was stratospheric. These days the prices have soared on these vintage synths so they are hard to justify when you can get the same sound with a better workflow in a plug in, but the yearning remains. I don't currently own any Behringer products - other than a Xtouch one to control Logic. I found the synth modules didn't fit in with my current workflow and the size was fiddly. The quality of the couple I owned was great (Neutron and K2). I think the Behringer synth clones in the module format are a great alternative to modular. They are affordable and require less patching and indeed can be eurorack mounted. Certainly a gateway drug to modular. I can't think of any reason to buy a Behringer synth for myself right now as I can't see how it would help me be more productive or offer something to enhance what I'm doing in the box. I do need a performance keyboard though with poly aftertouch. 4 octave or more. Something made of real metal so gig worthy. Maybe that could be something Behringer could add to their portfolio, but it would have to be decent quality...

I love Behringer, but the Pro-800 reminded me to buy a Prophet-600 yesterday.

The P5 has a bit more chunkiness. But not that much more! I might have a hard time in a double-blind test knowing which was which each time (except sync which I’d probably guess right every time). I’ll bet i’d get it wrong sometimes on everything else. Anyway, surprising how little difference there is.

Fantastic comparison video, really great! Now my old and battered ears should never be used as any audio reference, but i'd still like to share my impression and knowledge about the electronics inside ... - It seems to me, as a constant throughout this video, the p-5 has a little more volume than the p-800. Easy to fix using any common mixer. - It seems to me, as a constant throughout this video, the p-5 has a little more low end and is a bit brighter on the high end, than the p-800. Also easy to fix using any common mixer. The differences are minute. In theory this is expected, since both companies use modern versions of the original CEM integrated circuits. Thanks to Dave Smith the heirs of Doug Curtis have started to reproduce the original line of CEM ICs. Other manufacturers like Oberheim, Roland and Korg, to name a few have also benefitted from that. Now Behringer took a somewhat different route. He set up mass-production lines for ICs similar to the original CEMs as well as for other analog components that had long been out of production, especially the LM13700 OTAs and some transistors. These components were intensively used in older synthesizers, even before the first CEM ICs appeared. And since Behringer specializes in recreating vintage synths from various original brands they require huge numbers of all of these components, making their manufacturing line profitable. The sound differences being minute, a choice between these two would, for me, depend on size and on features (e.g. polymod on p-5, 8 voices on p-800).

Hello i was wandering if you have tried your 2 Pro 800s together to for 4 oscillator 8 voice distopian future past monster? 👾

This synth will get the Volkssynthesizer ❤ btw sync and modulated sounds will always different. Will Pete sell his Prophet 5 now🤣?

Thank you Pete for this test compare, i see that filter switch is on 1/2 (Rev 1/2 with SSM Filter) probably it should be better to set on Rev3 with Cem 3320 Filter (clone 3320 there is inside Pro 800). I think for this way some preset has different tune.

Hearing the Pro-800 is like watching Escape From New York where everything is identical but Snake Plissken is played by a Kurt Russel impersonator.

Which synth was playing in the background during the intro and conclusion?

The Prophet does sound slightly better. More body in the lower mids and more mellow sounding treble, the filter is a little more refined and so is the glide/portamento but other than that there is very little between them. Considering the price difference those minor shortcomings of the Behringer can absolutely be ignored. I’m amazed the sound was as close as it turned out to be, and you even have extra voices to add. Thank you for making this video, great method of comparison, but you have now made me want to buy one 😅

Did you make this video before or after the last Behringer patch?

What reverb are you using? Sounds good.

I’m glad that both exist. Both sound great to me. Maybe Moog Music’s recent acquisition by InMusic was accelerated by strong competition from Behringer? Still too soon to know the impact of the acquisition; there will be some positives; nevertheless a big change for the company

For me the differences can mainly be heard in the frequency spectrum. The Pro 800 sounds slightly forward in the lower mids. Also the Pro 800 sounds overdriven in the higher frequencies in comparison. On sound alone I think the Prophet 5 sounds a little more scooped and sparkly, which I prefer. But when you consider the price, the difference in tone becomes somewhat irrelevant.

Curious to know as to why you call the video David vs Goliath? Is it because you a referring to Sequential as being the bigger company of the 2?

Genius move of behringer for secureing their own chipset , the pro800 will foreshadow maybe a similar fate that had put american synthcompanies out of business in the 80s

Which firmware are you running? 1.2.7?

the prophet-5 sounds a bit tighter and bassier but it's super close

Say and think what you will about Behringer, their biggest success is proving that good synths can be made more inexpensively and made affordable than the old guards Moog, Prophet, Roland and Oberheim were willing to admit or implement. Every market needs someone to shake it up from time to time.

Almost the same. The slight differences could be fixed in a mix. Behringer this is an amazing accomplishment.

Great video thanks! I think the price difference is more than just the sound. Sequential is (was) a much smaller outfit than Behringer who have factories in China, as you pointed out the quality of components like switches and knobs is higher and it is yet to be seen how long both units will last. I suspect people who can afford the original will do while people on a more limited budget who only want the sound will go for the B option…

Wow! Nice comparison - I have to go with the Pro-800. What a value! I am also curious as to whether you know any way to get the Arturia Keystep 37 to sustain notes or chords without having to continually step on the sustain pedal. It seems that the HOLD button only works for the arpeggiator. Am I missing something? Thanks!

Behringer used the pro-1 clone with the SSM2044 filter that they cloned from the original SC Pro-One. (same filter as SSM2044 VCF's and the Prophet 5 (Rev. 1/2)) In the Pro-800 they decided to use this filter to sound more correct to the prophet 600 and have 2 onboard sequencers with 8 voices of polyphony and chord memory for 2 arpeggiators. That was it, then the Gli Gli mod is included in the machine, which you don't have to have additional catos to improve anything and now with firmware 1.2.7 it's much better. for less than 400 dollars or euros.

More like Uli vs Dave. ;)

What effect processor do you use for reverb?

I saw a review that said the pro800 lacks the sharpness of attack of the P5, so I compared the two to focus on that point. It is true that the pro800 seems to have a weaker attack click, but whether you can tell the difference by mixing them in the mix, let alone if you are a performer... I don't know, I'm not sure. If you are a keyboardist who cares about the feel of your performance, P5 is the best choice, if you want to mix a little analog polysynth on your DAW track, Pro800 is enough, but for that purpose, I would choose a cheaper Softube or u-he plugin.

Do you review cameras too?

Have they stereo sound?

As I did with the Behringer Model D and Minimoog Model D Reissue, I have bought both the keyboard version for Moog and Sequential and the module for Behringer

A few months ago I had a pro800 and a prophet rev2 in my home studio and the prophet literally kicked the pro 800, perhaps because it was one of the first units the controls did not do things well, it sounded weak next to the propher rev2 which seemed like a Maybach and the other an Audi A4, maybe it was the firmware I don't know but I returned it I didn't like it at all, but in all the videos I see it sounds incredibly similar to a prophet but that was not my case

To my ears, the prophet 5 has a tad more weight and authority to its sound signature. The pro 800 has a slightly grating/piercing sound at times. They’re definitely not worlds apart though, and the pro 800 is excellent value.

The P-800 is Poss Slightly thinner and more polished sounding Whereas the Prophet 5 Sounds Deeper Slightly Bigger and more lush with more Dimensionality....But I Don't Know if its possible to detune the P-800 Slightly or add some saturation to get a little closer.....or maybe poss even just a little more low end and low mid on the EQ might bring out the same Depth which may be slightly hidden within the P-800's slightly Brighter Sound although I'm Pretty Sure that it's the case that there is a little deeper Modulation very Subtly Going on Within the Prophet's innate Sound Signature....???? But were I not tuned in completely with highly tuned ears the difference would be slight & knowing what you're looking for there may be another way to exaggerate those same attributes in the P-800 to get even closer to the Prophet....But the Difference is def there especially in the first three sequences and although slight depending on how much you concentrate on it. But it appears to be innate to both units....But Synthesis done well is all about the complexity created by the modulations and micro modulations created in the sound that give a feeling of dimensionality and the ear, the attention and the mind Somewhere to go, almost like opening up another dimension or sound world we can enter through our ears which is why Big Reverbs Have the Same effect explaining our innate ability and innate need and instantaneous curiosity with which we enter and explore new sound worlds with our auditory senses as we have done using our ears to explore our physical world for millions and millions of years.... And is especially why 'traditonal or ethnic' and especially eastern instruments are so enchanting & appealing and sound so deeply transcendental and mesmerising and have the ability to really take you some where and allow yo auto go so deep within their mesmerising sound in addition to their deep and innate cultural significance because they have these resonances and complexities inherent within the sound giving the ear the mind and more importantly our consciousness and sense of being a whole new complex and constantly evolving sound world to inhabit to disappear into and explore.... or in this case with the Prophet and the P-800 Sequential are adding a subtle thickness lushness & richness to the sound of the Prophet So this may...??? open up more potential for this kind of deeper interest inherent within the sound.... Although shinny polished sounds psycoacoustically and semiotically and culturally take us into the the world of Chimes and Bells which is a whole different sonic world to explore and which has a very particular and innate effect on the human Psyche and the ability to employ and exploit these resonances and complexities in a more stable sound at much higher frequencies which has it's own special an innate effect on the Psyche all together.....And 8 Voices is a lot more harmonic potential especially the ability to echo harmonic structures and add transients and therefore greater depth of modulation and complexity from sub bass to the very highest frequencies depending on how many octaves and the frequency the instrument will generate could poss be another highly creative way to explore.....And there may be another way to detune or add saturation to the P-800 to get slightly closer to the Prophets Sound....But Fantastic Comparison Pete and Thanks So much for putting it Together for us man too....!!!!!!!! Chris :)

Still the P800 sounds a lot more Brassy to me than the P5.... The P5 can do it all, it's techno all the way. Owing a P5 for over a long time now, I can say it sounds very high end and luxurious.. There is something beefy also noticeable in higher notes, a thickness and golden edge of presence on top of the sounds. It just blends into a mix without any treatment. The issue I have with most Behrs is that I had a hard time to get all of them properly in the mix compared to my other sound sources. At a first listen things sound great and similar maybe. That is not the point. From all Behringer, the Wasp was a keeper but still it required me to do a decent amount of additional treatment to let it sit in the mix. I found most oscillators from Behringer had a generic flavour. Not to mention the incredible harsh top end some of their gear has... Something that never pleased my ears. You can't expect from one factory to produce all sportscar and brands and have all the distinct differences and characters between them. The looks are the first thing, under the hood it's all just a lot of bread and butter is my impression. It's great that Behringer make the music scene somehow more democratic but I wonder if this is really their idealistic mission.. What if one day Ford decides to start producing Ferrari's, Lamborghini's and Lada's.... For sure a lot of synths have been way overpriced but you also thought twice before buying and wasting your creative time..

for a price difference of 6 times against the pro800 the minor [ prefered the portamento on the prophet 5 ] it is quite admirable for 1/6 of a reprduction of the prophet 5 ...

Thanks for this side by side breakdown. I contemplated selling my Synths to fund a Prophet 10 but I would not dream of that now. With Pro800, and prophet 16 /Ubxa in the pipeline, sequential products are not on my list.

Unless Behringer suddenly changed how their eurorack-form cases are manufactured, the side cheeks aren't plastic. Just wanted to point that out in your facts section. You can take them off and double check. They're just thin and precisely cut.

The difference is there. But with some proper juicing in the mix, it would be practically identical. And typical listener doesn’t care how it was made or with what 98% of the time. That’s why the snobs are insecure about it. All that cash don’t equal musical greatness. The best music has traditionally been made by the impoverished or broke kids. Would I buy a prophet if I had the money? Of course, but I’m all for this damn near vintage sound being affordable.

The behringer sounds a bit more lo-if to my ears. Almost thinner as well. I own the behringer and love it, but it can sound a bit too scratchy at times.