Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

pflosi wrote:

the ease of the sequencer.

check the acidlab bassline 2 sequencer. ...

I know, but I was talking about the original bassline... which trond has. The 2 model basically seems the same as the x0xb0x i.e. easy.

Big Titty Music has posted a new demo of the Analogue Solutions TBX-303:

[youtube]5pYKxtQBza8[/youtube]

303 emulation? heh, not quite. Awesome crunchy acid sound? No doubt. Really, really, really tempted to buy one. :-k

The MIDI control for the TBX is pretty lousy. Only supports one MIDI CC to control cutoff.

As I said before, this item is just way overpriced. At US $500, it would be worth it. $1k is just too much.

I think it sounds like c**p and isn't worth much at all. Plus, it's ugly =o]

Computer Controlled wrote:I think it sounds like c**p and isn't worth much at all. Plus, it's ugly =o]

Its def uglier than a dog's asshole. No argument there. I do like its characteristic sound... but I guess that's completely subjective. There is a curious honky, twangy quality to the sound on the decay of the sound that seems present in all of the demos. Its very prominent at the beginning of the above demo vid. THAT sounds awful - but the guy tweaks it out later in the demo. When the distortion kicks on, its a very warm sound with plenty of grit on the attack transient.

I would love to know how many of these units they are selling.

Yeah, I don't get the point of that machine... looks like a dud to me. If you are looking for a sound like that, the futureretro XS walks all over it.

It's like they had the goal of making a nice 303 clone, with the shape, etc, but then it didn't sound anything like a 303 and they still hadn't designed a sequencer for it.

Maybe the price was already too high, so they decided to put it to market as is...

cheers
ripe

ripe wrote:Yeah, I don't get the point of that machine... looks like a dud to me. If you are looking for a sound like that, the futureretro XS walks all over it.

Good point.. $300 more for an XS. Even more to the point of how ridiculously overpriced that TBX is.

The TBX-303 lives up to it's computer controlled name alright, because you gotta control it from a computer.
He didn't make a sequencer for the TBX as it would prove to costly to manufacture.

That is pretty expensive for only a moderately expanded 303 concept.
But then again, I can't say I understand the folks that have been paying $800 to $900 for x0xb0xes either....
those don't even expand on the 303 concept at all and just leave you with an extremely limited synth.

I'd drop an extra $200 and grab their redsquare over the TBX any day.

yeah, the redsquare looks extremely nice

i for myself think that the sequencer of the 303 makes a lot of its sound. there are really people out there that think of a sequence and try to program it on the 303 instead of just programming random stuff (or popping out and in batteries...). so what i want to say is if u try to programm a pattern that u thought of, u might end up with bout 10 tries - and bout 3 of them will sound better than what u thought of

i dont know of any clone or emulation that features the same pattern programming as the original, and making a clone without any sequencer isnt much use IMO - although ability to play via midi is for sure a nice thing too...

pflosi wrote:yeah, the redsquare looks extremely nice

i for myself think that the sequencer of the 303 makes a lot of its sound. there are really people out there that think of a sequence and try to program it on the 303 instead of just programming random stuff (or popping out and in batteries...). so what i want to say is if u try to programm a pattern that u thought of, u might end up with bout 10 tries - and bout 3 of them will sound better than what u thought of

i dont know of any clone or emulation that features the same pattern programming as the original, and making a clone without any sequencer isnt much use IMO - although ability to play via midi is for sure a nice thing too...

oh the Acidlab 1 definately has the random-factor nailed allright I make 16-step sequences in my ESX, then write thown the note data and enter them in the Acidlab. never turns out the way I thought it would :p and that's a good thing every now and then

pflosi wrote:yeah, the redsquare looks extremely nice

i for myself think that the sequencer of the 303 makes a lot of its sound. there are really people out there that think of a sequence and try to program it on the 303 instead of just programming random stuff (or popping out and in batteries...). so what i want to say is if u try to programm a pattern that u thought of, u might end up with bout 10 tries - and bout 3 of them will sound better than what u thought of

i dont know of any clone or emulation that features the same pattern programming as the original, and making a clone without any sequencer isnt much use IMO - although ability to play via midi is for sure a nice thing too...

I prefer the 777 / Mobius / Revolution sequencer's method of programming to the 303's.
Actually, I prefer the MC-09s and MFB Synth II's method as well for that matter....
All are fairly similar in how they work, but there is just way to many steps for creating one pattern on the 303 for my taste, and at that, it's annoying if you mess up (as you have to start over from the beginning).

I don't count the 303s method of programming as a plus...
it's with good reason that so many have taken the basis of the concept and eased it's work flow and method. (IMO)

i really appreciate other programming styles too - acidlab bassline 2 for example has a great sequencer. but i think for the 303 and its sound, the sequencer is essential too...

only thing that annoys me programming the 303 is that u cant do it while running patterns / have to stop, start to change to write mode, etc. but thats on all TRs too, except 606...

23 wrote: But then again, I can't say I understand the folks that have been paying $800 to $900 for x0xb0xes either....

I enjoyed the simplicity, sequencer, and the ease of use of the x0xb0x... that is why I paid $750. Well, and the fact that I can't build my own. I don't regret buying it vs. the other sub $750 machines. I like that the x0xb0x allows you to play the synth with the built in keys, use the sequencer for other synths, and it sounds good on its own. It is the best overall clone for the cash IMHO.

u can play a 303 with the built in keys too

well, another thing. i wonder if u guys know the following two features of a 303: in pattern mode, u can transpose ur pattern up to one octave (unfortunately not down...). and, there's the possibility to write the step lenghts in "real time" by tapping them in while the sequencer runs...

i'm kind of split between the x0xb0x and the FR's for which i'd say is a nicer programming scenario. x0xb0x has both a 16 step layout and the keyboard layout (so it does top the 303 in that aspect), 777 and revo it's a pain cycling up & down through notes but chaining steps & switching from playback to editing, those things can be lighting. i do wish you could switch to editing while the x0x is running, but that'd be messed up by how it cycles through steps instead of notes and plays each step's note as you're moving through. mfb (at least the synth II, only one i've had) & both EA-1's methods suck in comparison.

hope all of that makes sense...