Sequential Circuits Pro-8

Around 1983-84 Sequential Circuits, in order to break into the Japanese market, shipped the Curtis SENTE (CEM 3394) chip and the firmware for the SequentialSix-Trak to an other Japanese manufacturer. It was their plan to have that that manufactuer design a synthesizer more targeted at the Japanese buyer. This Japanese company created an 8-voice bi-timbral version of the Six-Trak. They added a 5-octave, 61-note (C-C) keyboard to it and sold it in Japan, calling it the Pro-8. Sequential, liking what the Japanese manufacturer had done with their design and worrying that they might market their synth with one of their competitors (ie. Korg), asked for some design changes and a name change, and sold the Japanese-made synth as the Split-8.