Thanks for the tip! Wow. I had a really poorly designed 303 clone that I built. I did it all myself. It sounded really terrible. Nowhere close to a 303. Really bad. After watching this video I went on ebay and purchased a Roland sticker and put it on my machine. Now it sounds incredible. Having that nice big Roland logo on there makes all the difference. Sounds just like a 303 now. Thanks!
My keyboard player bought a TB-303 in the early eighties, and his home was robbed and it was taken about ten years ago. It's not the original, but I bought a TB-03, and it's nice to have it back in a way.
This a review however, Leonard from Kosmic Sound is great! He has the ability to break down a product so that even a novice can make a conscious decision based on his reviews. I watched almost anything he reviews in pro audio! Pleas give him a raise!
it's not a review. it's a product plug/demonstration. roland supplies him with the synth and a list of marketing phrases to use in the review. in return, he gets youtube views for being one of the first to demonstrate the synth.
Trust me, you definitely do want to run this unit through an external distortion pedal or software distortion plugin as the onboard distortion on this unit just straight up suck and is well far off for those infamous squelchy 303 Acid lines. It's ok to kind of play around with it and have a bit of fun, but it's nowhere near good enough for production use. I think the best built-in distortion module is the one from the Behringer TD-3. That distortion sounds absolutely amazing and they have done a much better job than Roland have done here purely in the context of the distortion module.
BTW I have that machine here (next to mam mb33 and a x0xb0x) and it sounds just great and huge over phones. It is the first instrument that instantly lets me get that acid sound I want - and I love the musical way to program it in original mode. It's only the effects that sound "digital" - but it's good to have them. OD2 and reverb (only a little) are ok for live situations. The clean dry signal is great! It has a lot of punch, especially in the not too extreme positions (low cutoff, low resonance). And in extreme positions it screams better than my x0xb0x. If I could keep only one bass synth, I would keep this one. Oh - and the sequencer gives out Slides AND accent via midi (the x0xb0x does sends no accents) - try it with a Volca Keys (responds to velocity), very hooking sound, you can record it in flux mode.
Excellent. Clear and concise review. Sounds fantastic. Puts Tb3 up for sale. And yes that look and the Roland logo do mean so much to an old rave head like me.
You can buy 2 second hand tb3s for the price of this. They still have the roland logo and sound the exact same plus they have a lot more sounds and effects. Just saying..
I've found for me that the device itself becomes part of the creative process. I never felt compelled to buy a TB3, TB-03, which does less, I bought. The design and controls make me want to use it. Interface is important.
Well , all you people miss one big thing , other than the sound. When Roland initially produced tb 303 , it was dirt cheap (well 2nd hand) but cheap overall. This is one of the reasons that this synth became a legend, because it was accessible. Accessible gear (price-wise) is the first step for any talented musician to actually produce . Im applauding this product as i am applauding the volcas , they are accessible which means a kid can save up and buy them. Now for purists , i own a big collection of synths and share the GAS with many people , but it loses the point. You can't put yourself in the position of a talented kid which doesnt know shit about the original tb 303 (and the 4K price that comes along) and just wants to play music. GAS 99% of time is an obstacle. I am an analog lover 100% , but most people don't know what's analog , even most people who spend 4K on a tb 303 haven't heard one for real. I can't compare my 606 to my volca beats (606 clone) , hands down the 606 is better , but if a kid asked me what drum machine should he buy , i'd definitely recommend the beats , because it's accessible and talent comes first. TB 303 atm is just a good investment. my 2c.
Go away with your logical adult comments, this is a place for people to complain about the fact this is not a real 303, you really suck at being a troll!
yes korg proposes a good panel of little machines that sound great , for real correct prices.For me,the sound of volca bits is much stronger as the roland tr8 for exemple.The microkorgs v1 v2 are exellen even if not analog at all , the monotoron...20€ for something not bad at all.Roland stopped to propose good machines since a long time.
I'am Djing since 1990 but 606,808&303 and little bit later 101 got me in do doing Electroninc Music in '95...i'am a Collector,got of over 100 Analog Synths&Drummachines,but the 303 is unique...yesterday i was ordering the Computer Controlled 303&iam excited how different they soud
Is it possible to save the midi control codes to a PC app like ableton or cubase so in the future the same performance can be restored to the TB-03 ? What type of audio outputs are on the back, 1/8" or 1/4 " ?
Absolutely concise review, many many thanks. I think the comments about the sound quality/originality are largely unjustified as it seems to me to reproduce the sound more than adequately and hardly likely to be used without some drums or other sounds anyway. Now for some programming, original mode I think!
It isn't the volume that changes with resonance, it is the bass response. It is a natural result of how most analog filters work that they cause a bass roll off as resonance is increased.
I'm soooo excited! Finally i can touch ReBirth 20 years after it's release and 15 years after i can't stand this sound no more! Yeeeehaaaaw, i'm sooo excited!
thanks for the presentation, sounds very nice and has some useful extra features. Can you also play it via midi keyboard and, if so how do you trigger the accent?
I have recorded MIDI into Ableton, adjusting the Cut-off etc, but on playback Ableton does not seem to be sending the Envelope adjustments to the TB-03 - any ideas? :|
you Sir are a funny guy, lot of criticism towards this machine nobody really forced you to buy, and you just cannot BELIEVE that this isn't an analog exact replica of the 303. I see you have no music uploaded whatsoever, but i do spot a Sub37 on your channel, which I also own and love. I just can't imagine your OUTRAGE when you discovered that the envelopes on the Sub37 are digital, i can only imagine the hate mail you must have sent Moog! Keep up the good work (maybe make some music too in the process and share with us your analog masterpieces!)
I am not 100% against numeric , since many synths and also VSTI offer now good sounds,like fm8,massive,absynt ,the arturias hand others...But seriously,I am 53 years old,and I know the real 303 that has a much more "hot sound" as those "clones".The 03 sounds really cold numeric , and that is exactly the opposite as I want to hear for a tb303 clone.I love for exemple the sounds of the Korg microkorg,that is also not an expensive machine,but even if it is numeric, sounds not bad at all. I have bought the tr8 , and the deception was enormous.I have a certain number of exigences,and Roland doesn't satisfy any of them since several dizains of years now.Each new synth or drumbox is a new deception,why?.They invented many exellent synths near the 80's and ...nothing equivalent after.Why? There are for sure exellent 808/909/606/303 clones,but not at ROLAND.I have the cyclone tt303 , and don't regret to have prefered this one to the Roland. Weblogik I have some music uploaded , not many tracks in youtube, but in soundcloud and not whith the same name.And I COMPOSE MUSIC SINCE i was 14 years old (53 now) .I have several old synths I have kept and new ones I have bought , so I think my opinion is not based on only my imagination.I regret it is a so bad opinion about Roland,I would have prefered to tell Roland if fabulous,but no.For me , their actual machines have no interest a all,or perhaps whith all these leds everywhere that make them look like Christmas trees,and make them very nice decorative objects.
I would really like to watch a comparison vid for the TB 03 and the TB 3. It seems like the TB 3 is aiming for diversity whereas the TB 03 has a more authentic look and workflow. The big question is: Do they sound the same? As far as this real analog vs. ACB debate: If you put enough work into your sequences it will sound great on either device. If you don't it will sound boring even on an original, in some cases even (a lot) worse. What you program should always suit the individual character of the instrument you're using and we all know analog 303s can sound drastically different from eachother. So far I think the TB 3 is still the best clone out there because it really extends the range of possibilities for this type of music and authenticity is so damn overrated in my opinion. Who could ever decide on which one of two original 303s sounds more "authentic" than the other? It all depends on the structure of the sequence which one fits better and for another sequence the one that first sounded better could sound worse. Let's face it: There is no such thing as "the" sound of a 303, it is a wide range of sounds and so far the TB 3 is still the only dedicated instrument delivering a certain range of (processed) 303 sounds trying to capture all kinds of different characters. I must admit that I would like it even more if it looked a bit more like the real thing though... My two cents.
The growing accent is not in the TB03/TB3. When two accents in a row the second sounds stronger on a Xox or TT or TB303, same when 3, the third stronger than the second than the first. That what makes acid lines going crazy with resonance and accent knob
Great work this video. He's answering all the questions that I had on the subject? and even when an interrogartion popped in my head while I was watching he was clarifying the second after, you have to give credits to thos guys who make videos about DJ hardware that really know their subjects and are not on youtube just to show off, these days people are just unbearable when you get in the electronical music producing subject
thanks for the review, really cool stuff. So just getting into this stuff, this is plugged into your PC then PC to a speaker or does it go directly to a speak setup?
Sounds amazing,I'm def getting one,the sound is all in there.If you send this trough analog mixer and back down the highs of the eq a bit it will sound even warmer.
why you guys says this is shit? this Roland TB-03 sound EXACTLY ALL THE SAME with the original vintage Roland AIRA TB-3, well done Roland, well done!!!!
My thoughts for what it's worth... The original 909 wasn't rated as a quality item when it came out as it didn't sound like a proper drum kit (the whole point of it) and the 303 didn't sound anything like a bass hence why it ended up in thrift stores for kids from Chicago to pick up and create acid with. I'd genuinely be amazed if anyone on here could tell the difference between a 303, 03 or 3 in a blind test. You certainly can't using a UA-cam quality video played through a decent speaker setup and no audiophile would do that anyway. Way I see it is that whenever anything old is rereleased or updated then opinion is split between the rose tinted mob (can't beat an original - mustang, vinyl pressing, synth etc etc) and then those who can't afford a second mortgage to buy an original item. Each to their own I guess and i can't knock Roland for making money, they're a business and at least it looks as though they're trying to do it in a respectable way unlike say technics and their new 1200 line...
no it is not true,it does't sound exactly the same,not at all.You can't recreate the sound of an analogic gear using numeric,it is impossible.You could say it remains the sound of 303,but not more.It is exactly the same remark about te tr909/808,sh 101.The actual Roland emulations really suck.
This is because the roland TB03 misses the growing accent, the sound when you play a note is the same but with a sequence with several accents in, it won't get the same sound and groove. The growing accent is for example when you put two following accentued notes, the second note will sound stronger than the first one. This is essential for a guy like me doing acid techno and acidcore, I don't get the lines going crazy with the TB03 A TT would maybe not get the exact same sound color, but it has this growing accent, more emotions and surprises when I play with it
I'd rather have an Avalon Bassline, but due to the nigh on impossibility of sourcing one in the UK, I may end up getting one of these. I don't like how much bass end is lost when the resonance is turned up but I would probably use a sine sub to do that anyway. Sure I would rather have an original but not at the cost and the maintenance costs. To be very honest, it is only us synthheads that truly hear the difference between an emulation and the real thing. I mean how many drunk/drugged danceheads out there really care to notice the subtlety of wether its a real 303 or emu while dancing the night away? Thanks for the review, but it would have been nice to hear it without the fx on most of the time, and some filter sweeps on a sustained note at different resonances. Peace out :)
Damn straight the Avalon baseline is brilliant is TB3 is a peice of crap. Why doesn't Roland give the people what they want and that's a TB303 not some stupid knock of clone. I'd rather get a knock off made in China
I use one of these and the stunning RE303 for my acid house tracks. The TB03 is great fun, and it stands a good comparison to the sonics of the RE303 (within reason: at the highest pitches it loses out to the RE303). My 2 Cents: to get going affordably I'd recommend the TB03 in a flash. Then go get an original or RE303 if you want more authenticity.
Gonna be honest, distortion is one of the hardest DSP effects to make sound analog, and at least one distortion mode on this thing sounded absolutely terrible, clipped, and aliased. I'm not against VA stuff in general, but if you buy this, throw it through an analog guitar pedal or something, not the builtin distortion.
Great vid - answered a lot of my questions (and inspired a bassline in my current DAW!... :) Shame the bloody thing doesn't come with a proper power supply...
looks and sounds fantastic. Has everything that people have been asking for and looks to have made those improvements on previous criticisms levelled at the Tb3 that I have just recently bought ffs. Gonna have to buy this defo. It's gonna sell by the bucket load.
I think yes,I am sure you have all the functions to use it whith a computer,no problem,the only thing difficult whith it,is to have a good sound,but not to program this shit.
God UA-cam comments are the fucking worst!!!! You guys dont know shit!!!! That is a certified Roland acid machine!!! Sign me up for the TR-09 and TB-03...fucking awesome!!!!!!!!
Yes, he has the latest iPhone, the latest mac book pro and he is a hipster gay who just discovered credit and that works as a barista.... but he is a producer!!!!
It really seems to me that people who clamber to slam these machines are more desperate to show how relevant and cool they are as people. Lets put this straight once and for all. The TB 03 is fucking immense! It is the real deal in every way. Make use of the 2nd choice distortion and stick a bit of reverb on instead of the delay and tweak the bollox off it. It sounds fabulous. Much better than the TB3. Stick it with a Roland TR8 and you're flying. Superb bits of kit. Sad to see that a lot of folk want to slate it for not being analogue when the point is it doesn't matter. They have done a fantastic job imho. I've owned plenty of different kit and these machines are right up there with the best of anything I've ever used.
It seems to sound alright, but I wouldn't necessarily keep saying "authentic" when there are actual analogue clones that replicate the original 303 down to the analogue components; this is still DSP. As comparisons, you should really be referencing the original and not software emulators. I would have also preferred to hear it dry and not so much focus on the effects. A better demo of how the accent bubbles would have been appreciated.
Agreed! I have one of the analogue clones and it sounds MUCH better then this. Had this been made with analogue components it would have been a great piece.
Some people will burn the village up, just so they can used this as a midi controller for a vst emulator. The onboard 303 emulated sound and the internal sequencer is a bonus. The Roland name alone got me sold.
One of the few remakes that are better than the original. The TB-03 packs way more punches than the TB-303 which is one of my favorite synths. And it provides the chance to work the 303 without harming the good old TB-303 which is museum piece at this moment in time.
Great review man. What you mention about the thinned sound when Reso is applied is right. Would be killer though if there was a knob that thickens it like the Vsts do. Why not have both possibilities? :-) Btw this thing here sounds pretty good
The "output" jack doesn`t really tell me where the signal is going. Is it going to Active speakers-Interface which are being recorded via Microphone? Would`t be the fitst time. or do we hear the Direct line out signal? Cause about minute 4 you can hear the machines playing in the Back like everything is recorded through microphone in the Room. Also when he is programming the Sequencer. Sometimes the Tb03 sounds muffled-Dull in this video. Hence my thought. But where i am confused even more is in the System 8 video. The sound is so thin that if it `s not cause it`s recorded through Mic then it is a really thin sounding Synth. Whatever. First world problems i know
I have 2 TT around me and it is just awesome, true analog and sounds a little cleaner (in a good way) than the original; programation take a little time to master but it worth it !!
TheOrangepeak Although I don't have a TB to compare it to, my BassBot is quite nice. My flip point was when I found out that Robin Whittle was going to provide Devil Fish mods for them. He even mentioned that the TT-303 has a wider range for several of the knobs. It's a 303, with more functionality. Their customer service (for me, at least) has been exceptional.
well in the end comparing with real TB is difficult because they don't all sound the same, but being listening to old acid track, I feel the TT is cleaner; also you can process a signal trough it (audio in) like a kick for example and it does some sort of side chain compression; so nice ^^ the customer service was also awesome for my friends ^^ As far as distortion goes, you can look into analog distortion pedal for guitar, their is plenty on the market (an analog one because imo it's a bit of a pity to process an analog signal through a digital converter..but well let's face it some digital pedal also sounds awesome) ; I don't know for the range of the TT knobs, but it's well design for sure; the only thing I don't get is why C2 equal to C0 when you send midi infos but that is not even a default Cheers for being tasteful :p
the analog recreation by Cyclone TT-303 is by far much better and sound more agressive than the original and it's fully analog, no problem with the filter scale, when you turn it in real time.
Great review thanks! I'm looking forward to getting one! Do you know if, when changing patterns, the timing is kept, like when changing clips in Ableton?
Thanks for the tip! Wow. I had a really poorly designed 303 clone that I built. I did it all myself. It sounded really terrible. Nowhere close to a 303. Really bad. After watching this video I went on ebay and purchased a Roland sticker and put it on my machine. Now it sounds incredible. Having that nice big Roland logo on there makes all the difference. Sounds just like a 303 now. Thanks!
lol great comment. sad but true xD
My keyboard player bought a TB-303 in the early eighties, and his home was robbed and it was taken about ten years ago. It's not the original, but I bought a TB-03, and it's nice to have it back in a way.
This a review however, Leonard from Kosmic Sound is great! He has the ability to break down a product so that even a novice can make a conscious decision based on his reviews. I watched almost anything he reviews in pro audio! Pleas give him a raise!
totally agree.
it's not a review. it's a product plug/demonstration. roland supplies him with the synth and a list of marketing phrases to use in the review. in return, he gets youtube views for being one of the first to demonstrate the synth.
The overdrive AND delay built-in is a huge plus. No need to bring extra pedals. Keeping my TB-3 for now but definitely trying this in the near future
Trust me, you definitely do want to run this unit through an external distortion pedal or software distortion plugin as the onboard distortion on this unit just straight up suck and is well far off for those infamous squelchy 303 Acid lines. It's ok to kind of play around with it and have a bit of fun, but it's nowhere near good enough for production use. I think the best built-in distortion module is the one from the Behringer TD-3. That distortion sounds absolutely amazing and they have done a much better job than Roland have done here purely in the context of the distortion module.
That logo sounds sweet
I love the built in FX and the ability to change the number of steps on the fly! Thanks for the review, as I'm getting one of these!
on the fly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
BTW I have that machine here (next to mam mb33 and a x0xb0x) and it sounds just great and huge over phones. It is the first instrument that instantly lets me get that acid sound I want - and I love the musical way to program it in original mode. It's only the effects that sound "digital" - but it's good to have them. OD2 and reverb (only a little) are ok for live situations. The clean dry signal is great! It has a lot of punch, especially in the not too extreme positions (low cutoff, low resonance). And in extreme positions it screams better than my x0xb0x. If I could keep only one bass synth, I would keep this one. Oh - and the sequencer gives out Slides AND accent via midi (the x0xb0x does sends no accents) - try it with a Volca Keys (responds to velocity), very hooking sound, you can record it in flux mode.
Did'nt you noticed that the growing accent is not present?
When two accented notes are in a row, the second one will sound stronger?
Would really like 1 of these and a TR-09. I can see me playing about with this for days before actually making anything.
GOT ONE OF THESE and I wanna say thankyou for a very good introduction to it. Bigz from South London, UK
Does this having MIDI in allow one to automate all the parameters from another external Seq/DAW - so one doesnt have to knob twiddle live...?
Yes
Great review! I don't own a tb-3 nor a tb-03 but the vids on the tb-03 make it seem easier to play and program.
Excellent. Clear and concise review. Sounds fantastic. Puts Tb3 up for sale. And yes that look and the Roland logo do mean so much to an old rave head like me.
You can buy 2 second hand tb3s for the price of this. They still have the roland logo and sound the exact same plus they have a lot more sounds and effects. Just saying..
I've found for me that the device itself becomes part of the creative process. I never felt compelled to buy a TB3, TB-03, which does less, I bought. The design and controls make me want to use it. Interface is important.
zigular909 where would you find a second hand one?
Matthew Young you can try ebay but im pretty sure that there's some kind of a buy&sell wherever you are..
zigular909 alright cheers
Well , all you people miss one big thing , other than the sound. When Roland initially produced tb 303 , it was dirt cheap (well 2nd hand) but cheap overall. This is one of the reasons that this synth became a legend, because it was accessible. Accessible gear (price-wise) is the first step for any talented musician to actually produce . Im applauding this product as i am applauding the volcas , they are accessible which means a kid can save up and buy them. Now for purists , i own a big collection of synths and share the GAS with many people , but it loses the point. You can't put yourself in the position of a talented kid which doesnt know shit about the original tb 303 (and the 4K price that comes along) and just wants to play music. GAS 99% of time is an obstacle. I am an analog lover 100% , but most people don't know what's analog , even most people who spend 4K on a tb 303 haven't heard one for real. I can't compare my 606 to my volca beats (606 clone) , hands down the 606 is better , but if a kid asked me what drum machine should he buy , i'd definitely recommend the beats , because it's accessible and talent comes first. TB 303 atm is just a good investment. my 2c.
Go away with your logical adult comments, this is a place for people to complain about the fact this is not a real 303, you really suck at being a troll!
haahahaahah
Michael Cake why cant Roland just recreate the eighties version then. This does sound very close though.
I applaud the Volcas for being mostly analog and cheaper than this POS.
yes korg proposes a good panel of little machines that sound great , for real correct prices.For me,the sound of volca bits is much stronger as the roland tr8 for exemple.The microkorgs v1 v2 are exellen even if not analog at all , the monotoron...20€ for something not bad at all.Roland stopped to propose good machines since a long time.
Hi, whats the difference between aira tb-3 and this tb-3 boutique?
Yeah, personally speaking my first contact to 303 was rubberduck and then ReBirth338!!! Thx for the good review!!!
great to have the Tempo displayed!
I'am Djing since 1990 but 606,808&303 and little bit later 101 got me in do doing Electroninc Music in '95...i'am a Collector,got of over 100 Analog Synths&Drummachines,but the 303 is unique...yesterday i was ordering the Computer Controlled 303&iam excited how different they soud
Is it possible to save the midi control codes to a PC app like ableton or cubase so in the future the same performance can be restored to the TB-03 ? What type of audio outputs are on the back, 1/8" or 1/4 " ?
Absolutely concise review, many many thanks. I think the comments about the sound quality/originality are largely unjustified as it seems to me to reproduce the sound more than adequately and hardly likely to be used without some drums or other sounds anyway. Now for some programming, original mode I think!
Wow -- fantastic review and demo. Well done -- love your acid patterns, spot on. Looks like Roland have nailed it again.
How do you get the sound from the TB-03 into the laptop? . . Do you need a audio input on laptop??
excellent review. the best review of TB Bass online
It isn't the volume that changes with resonance, it is the bass response. It is a natural result of how most analog filters work that they cause a bass roll off as resonance is increased.
I'm soooo excited! Finally i can touch ReBirth 20 years after it's
release and 15 years after i can't stand this sound no more!
Yeeeehaaaaw, i'm sooo excited!
This comment has not gotten the credit it deserves.
Or the down votes.
Rebirth was not so bad! but it is so better to turn real buttons,and to have a real machine that you can use whith others.
yes, and thats exactly why i will buy both of them :)
ParalysedGekko that is the point. This is HARDWARE.
Hello there, my TB 03 has clicking when sound comes out, especially on the low octave, do you have any ideas why is it?
I don't know nuthin' 'bout no TB-03. I came for the rune necklace, and by god she's a beaut!!!
J R It’s actually Egyptian, not Norse.
Is there a way of saving parameters / settings before moving on to the next pattern?
thanks for the presentation, sounds very nice and has some useful extra features. Can you also play it via midi keyboard and, if so how do you trigger the accent?
I have recorded MIDI into Ableton, adjusting the Cut-off etc, but on playback Ableton does not seem to be sending the Envelope adjustments to the TB-03 - any ideas? :|
you should contact "toys'r us" ahahahahah
you Sir are a funny guy, lot of criticism towards this machine nobody really forced you to buy, and you just cannot BELIEVE that this isn't an analog exact replica of the 303. I see you have no music uploaded whatsoever, but i do spot a Sub37 on your channel, which I also own and love. I just can't imagine your OUTRAGE when you discovered that the envelopes on the Sub37 are digital, i can only imagine the hate mail you must have sent Moog! Keep up the good work (maybe make some music too in the process and share with us your analog masterpieces!)
I am not 100% against numeric , since many synths and also VSTI offer now good sounds,like fm8,massive,absynt ,the arturias hand others...But seriously,I am 53 years old,and I know the real 303
that has a much more "hot sound" as those "clones".The 03 sounds really cold numeric , and that is exactly the opposite as I want to hear for a tb303 clone.I love for exemple the sounds of the Korg microkorg,that is also not an expensive machine,but even if it is numeric, sounds not bad at all.
I have bought the tr8 , and the deception was enormous.I have a certain number of exigences,and Roland doesn't satisfy any of them since several dizains of years now.Each new synth or drumbox is a new deception,why?.They invented many exellent synths near the 80's and ...nothing equivalent after.Why? There are for sure exellent 808/909/606/303 clones,but not at ROLAND.I have the cyclone tt303 , and don't regret to have prefered this one to the Roland.
Weblogik I have some music uploaded , not many tracks in youtube, but in soundcloud and not whith the same name.And I COMPOSE MUSIC SINCE i was 14 years old (53 now) .I have several old synths I have kept and new ones I have bought , so I think my opinion is not based on only my imagination.I regret it is a so bad opinion about Roland,I would have prefered to tell Roland if fabulous,but no.For me , their actual machines have no interest a all,or perhaps whith all these leds everywhere that make them look like Christmas trees,and make them very nice decorative objects.
Love the TB-03. Does anyone know how to set it up in Logic so I can play the notes on the 03 via a keyboard?
What kind of studio desk is that in the back with the computer on it? I like the built in monitor stands.
Can you patch it directly into the tr 06 drum machine and use both in sync at the same time? Thanks
I would really like to watch a comparison vid for the TB 03 and the TB 3. It seems like the TB 3 is aiming for diversity whereas the TB 03 has a more authentic look and workflow. The big question is: Do they sound the same? As far as this real analog vs. ACB debate: If you put enough work into your sequences it will sound great on either device. If you don't it will sound boring even on an original, in some cases even (a lot) worse. What you program should always suit the individual character of the instrument you're using and we all know analog 303s can sound drastically different from eachother. So far I think the TB 3 is still the best clone out there because it really extends the range of possibilities for this type of music and authenticity is so damn overrated in my opinion. Who could ever decide on which one of two original 303s sounds more "authentic" than the other? It all depends on the structure of the sequence which one fits better and for another sequence the one that first sounded better could sound worse. Let's face it: There is no such thing as "the" sound of a 303, it is a wide range of sounds and so far the TB 3 is still the only dedicated instrument delivering a certain range of (processed) 303 sounds trying to capture all kinds of different characters. I must admit that I would like it even more if it looked a bit more like the real thing though... My two cents.
You talk a lot of sense sir.
:D Hahaha... that's very kind of you, thank you very much! :)
The growing accent is not in the TB03/TB3.
When two accents in a row the second sounds stronger on a Xox or TT or TB303, same when 3, the third stronger than the second than the first.
That what makes acid lines going crazy with resonance and accent knob
Is it possible to have basslines with other sounds+stereo?
Great work this video. He's answering all the questions that I had on the subject? and even when an interrogartion popped in my head while I was watching he was clarifying the second after, you have to give credits to thos guys who make videos about DJ hardware that really know their subjects and are not on youtube just to show off, these days people are just unbearable when you get in the electronical music producing subject
thanks for the review, really cool stuff. So just getting into this stuff, this is plugged into your PC then PC to a speaker or does it go directly to a speak setup?
Sounds amazing,I'm def getting one,the sound is all in there.If you send this trough analog mixer and back down the highs of the eq a bit it will sound even warmer.
Why do you touch the same knob alternating both hands without moving it??? Gets me crazy! Am I the only one?
me too.
that "dj working hard" approach is not turning you on? lolol
i don't need to know what drives you wild. that's too personal.
is it working with the mx1(just asking because I feel more interested in the tb 03 than the tb3)thanks for answering
I can not get into the time mode, I press the button, but it doesn't activate... why? can anyone help pls
What about a pattern randomizer. Does it do the battery trick?
Does it have the random function like the TB-3... and shifting the notes?
can it be step sequenced using an external midi keyboard? That is my main gripe with the tb 3
why you guys says this is shit? this Roland TB-03 sound EXACTLY ALL THE SAME with the original vintage Roland AIRA TB-3, well done Roland, well done!!!!
:-D
My thoughts for what it's worth...
The original 909 wasn't rated as a quality item when it came out as it didn't sound like a proper drum kit (the whole point of it) and the 303 didn't sound anything like a bass hence why it ended up in thrift stores for kids from Chicago to pick up and create acid with.
I'd genuinely be amazed if anyone on here could tell the difference between a 303, 03 or 3 in a blind test. You certainly can't using a UA-cam quality video played through a decent speaker setup and no audiophile would do that anyway.
Way I see it is that whenever anything old is rereleased or updated then opinion is split between the rose tinted mob (can't beat an original - mustang, vinyl pressing, synth etc etc) and then those who can't afford a second mortgage to buy an original item.
Each to their own I guess and i can't knock Roland for making money, they're a business and at least it looks as though they're trying to do it in a respectable way unlike say technics and their new 1200 line...
no it is not true,it does't sound exactly the same,not at all.You can't recreate the sound of an analogic gear using numeric,it is impossible.You could say it remains the sound of 303,but not more.It is exactly the same remark about te tr909/808,sh 101.The actual Roland emulations really suck.
This is because the roland TB03 misses the growing accent, the sound when you play a note is the same but with a sequence with several accents in, it won't get the same sound and groove.
The growing accent is for example when you put two following accentued notes, the second note will sound stronger than the first one.
This is essential for a guy like me doing acid techno and acidcore, I don't get the lines going crazy with the TB03
A TT would maybe not get the exact same sound color, but it has this growing accent, more emotions and surprises when I play with it
MegaPhalaenopsis wrong
Much better than the original.
anyone know how to redo a step in step mode? I have to keep erasing the complete pattern whenever I mess up on a note.
great review guys! cheers
great review, thanks
Can anyone help me get into time mode? I can't seem to get the time mode button light on. Thanks
Does anyone know details about the relevant synth parts in the original 303?
anyone figured out how to delete a step without starting over again in step mode?
Enter a rest over the step you'd like to delete
Your demos rock mate
I'd rather have an Avalon Bassline, but due to the nigh on impossibility of sourcing one in the UK, I may end up getting one of these. I don't like how much bass end is lost when the resonance is turned up but I would probably use a sine sub to do that anyway. Sure I would rather have an original but not at the cost and the maintenance costs.
To be very honest, it is only us synthheads that truly hear the difference between an emulation and the real thing. I mean how many drunk/drugged danceheads out there really care to notice the subtlety of wether its a real 303 or emu while dancing the night away?
Thanks for the review, but it would have been nice to hear it without the fx on most of the time, and some filter sweeps on a sustained note at different resonances.
Peace out :)
Damn straight the Avalon baseline is brilliant is TB3 is a peice of crap. Why doesn't Roland give the people what they want and that's a TB303 not some stupid knock of clone. I'd rather get a knock off made in China
Does it has swing like the tb3?
A good review fella. Greeting from the uk.
Korg did that (component modelling) 10 years ago
I apreciate only real analog machines. All emulations are silicon dolls of music industry.
Midi Play Box ??????
@@midiplaybox3453 Dude Thats the comment of the year, I don't like either emulations, is like aspartame vs raw sugar :)
Thanks Leonard, great demo!
Great review. Thanks for breaking it down for a non expert to understand 👍🏼
So, TB-3 or TB-03?
To me it seems like the TB-3 is easier to program but what about sound?
how hard is it to emulate this sound using a korg m3 and a sub 37?
Thanks for a fantastic Review.
I use one of these and the stunning RE303 for my acid house tracks. The TB03 is great fun, and it stands a good comparison to the sonics of the RE303 (within reason: at the highest pitches it loses out to the RE303). My 2 Cents: to get going affordably I'd recommend the TB03 in a flash. Then go get an original or RE303 if you want more authenticity.
Gonna be honest, distortion is one of the hardest DSP effects to make sound analog, and at least one distortion mode on this thing sounded absolutely terrible, clipped, and aliased. I'm not against VA stuff in general, but if you buy this, throw it through an analog guitar pedal or something, not the builtin distortion.
We know
@Donal Finn dude get a fucking life. we get it, you don't like it, move the fuck on to the next video.
Why compare with TB 3 indeed to compare with a TB 303 ?
Great review, thanks for that!
Oh, i've missed Leonard's reviews. =)
00:19 Is most exiting the new TD-3 DuDe.
GREAT REVIEW MATE THANK YOU
The TD-3 pissed me off at first, but then I fell in love, definitely like a real relationship
what is about the comparison with AudioRealism Bass Line 2? Someone?
Its a Best Friend in a box! Up with the Love Shack and Down with the Acid House!
"Having the big Roland logo makes all the difference" what ? No it doesn't ! Lol, or how to lose any credibility....
Idiot.
Hilarious.
Subtle sarcasm?
But then you came back to leave a comment?
Possibly. But why though ? Did you pre-order one and need external validation ?
Great vid - answered a lot of my questions (and inspired a bassline in my current DAW!... :) Shame the bloody thing doesn't come with a proper power supply...
You can have 24 patterns in each group, not 8. (A, B, A+B - select via Accent and Slide Knobs).
awesome run down
looks and sounds fantastic. Has everything that people have been asking for and looks to have made those improvements on previous criticisms levelled at the Tb3 that I have just recently bought ffs.
Gonna have to buy this defo. It's gonna sell by the bucket load.
love the setup of logic pro, great machine
can this be played from a midi keyboard?
yes
Joseph Lepkowski
thanks
only in mono though one note at a time.
I think yes,I am sure you have all the functions to use it whith a computer,no problem,the only thing difficult whith it,is to have a good sound,but not to program this shit.
Joseph Lepkowski yes. It's a mono synth.
God UA-cam comments are the fucking worst!!!! You guys dont know shit!!!! That is a certified Roland acid machine!!! Sign me up for the TR-09 and TB-03...fucking awesome!!!!!!!!
lol, apparently Roland sticker on a box makes a difference in sound
you dont happen to use apple, do you?
Yes, he has the latest iPhone, the latest mac book pro and he is a hipster gay who just discovered credit and that works as a barista.... but he is a producer!!!!
MT LM ???
It really seems to me that people who clamber to slam these machines are more desperate to show how relevant and cool they are as people.
Lets put this straight once and for all. The TB 03 is fucking immense!
It is the real deal in every way. Make use of the 2nd choice distortion and stick a bit of reverb on instead of the delay and tweak the bollox off it. It sounds fabulous. Much better than the TB3.
Stick it with a Roland TR8 and you're flying. Superb bits of kit. Sad to see that a lot of folk want to slate it for not being analogue when the point is it doesn't matter. They have done a fantastic job imho.
I've owned plenty of different kit and these machines are right up there with the best of anything I've ever used.
"having that big Roland logo on there makes all the difference ."
How does this compare with the newer TB-03?
What newer TB03, this is TB03. There is no newer version.
@@savanaviolenta gotcha ordered one to use with my Elektrons (drums/pads) and modular.
I wanna know what happened to his left thumb
when can i buy this?
Just got mine today :) so chuffed. :D
It seems to sound alright, but I wouldn't necessarily keep saying "authentic" when there are actual analogue clones that replicate the original 303 down to the analogue components; this is still DSP. As comparisons, you should really be referencing the original and not software emulators.
I would have also preferred to hear it dry and not so much focus on the effects. A better demo of how the accent bubbles would have been appreciated.
Agreed! I have one of the analogue clones and it sounds MUCH better then this. Had this been made with analogue components it would have been a great piece.
At least they did a decent job on the construction, it's supposed to be some kinda metal as opposed to plastic on the original.
Dobemandan sounds 98% the same.
can you take the batteries out and unplug it and have random patterns when you turn it back on?
thank you very much for this video
The low end on the 03 seems a lot tighter then on my td3 🤔
Great Video!
Thanks
Some people will burn the village up, just so they can used this as a midi controller for a vst emulator. The onboard 303 emulated sound and the internal sequencer is a bonus. The Roland name alone got me sold.
One of the few remakes that are better than the original. The TB-03 packs way more punches than the TB-303 which is one of my favorite synths. And it provides the chance to work the 303 without harming the good old TB-303 which is museum piece at this moment in time.
If been laughing for at least 30 seconds :P
Museum piece? An original 303 sells for 2500 all day on ebay. Ide like a comparison of sound between the OG 303 and this one.
Great review man. What you mention about the thinned sound when Reso is applied is right. Would be killer though if there was a knob that thickens it like the Vsts do. Why not have both possibilities? :-) Btw this thing here sounds pretty good
btw line out recording would be more preferable....
I would think that's what the 'output' jack is?
The "output" jack doesn`t really tell me where the signal is going. Is it going to Active speakers-Interface which are being recorded via Microphone? Would`t be the fitst time. or do we hear the Direct line out signal? Cause about minute 4 you can hear the machines playing in the Back like everything is recorded through microphone in the Room. Also when he is programming the Sequencer. Sometimes the Tb03 sounds muffled-Dull in this video. Hence my thought. But where i am confused even more is in the System 8 video. The sound is so thin that if it `s not cause it`s recorded through Mic then it is a really thin sounding Synth. Whatever. First world problems i know
+Le Frua ah, I see, you were commenting on how the video was recorded, not the absence of a feature, gotcha
exactly. i can`t imagine that they recorded through a mic but it sometimes sounds weird to me.
Just shut up and take my money! This is a must have for me.
is there a possibility to change the base sound, from that bass to other instruments like strings or choir , whatever
@@rorz999 Oh thank you, got a maschine + arturia minibrute 2s in the meantime
Every acid producer ever needs this
All these analog hipsters complaining about this being digital. In a mix it does not matter.
First, It fuckin does also in the mix. And second, this sounds like shit comparing to the original.
Unless the mix is just the 303 and a simple beat. btw I like the sound of it
@David Chatterton
that's a lot of feces talk.
but you make a good anti-crap point.
Ori Kaufman u are insane.
@@orikaufman6499 the sound is the same
Great stuff roland a digital synth that sounds just like one
Its acb. It the best of two worlds for the price
Well, looks like I'm going for a Cyclone TT-303 now
I don't think you'll regret it. I didn't.
I have 2 TT around me and it is just awesome, true analog and sounds a little cleaner (in a good way) than the original; programation take a little time to master but it worth it !!
TheOrangepeak Although I don't have a TB to compare it to, my BassBot is quite nice. My flip point was when I found out that Robin Whittle was going to provide Devil Fish mods for them. He even mentioned that the TT-303 has a wider range for several of the knobs. It's a 303, with more functionality. Their customer service (for me, at least) has been exceptional.
Personally, I think the distortion on the TB-03 sounds. . . ick.
well in the end comparing with real TB is difficult because they don't all sound the same, but being listening to old acid track, I feel the TT is cleaner; also you can process a signal trough it (audio in) like a kick for example and it does some sort of side chain compression; so nice ^^
the customer service was also awesome for my friends ^^
As far as distortion goes, you can look into analog distortion pedal for guitar, their is plenty on the market (an analog one because imo it's a bit of a pity to process an analog signal through a digital converter..but well let's face it some digital pedal also sounds awesome) ;
I don't know for the range of the TT knobs, but it's well design for sure; the only thing I don't get is why C2 equal to C0 when you send midi infos but that is not even a default
Cheers for being tasteful :p
the analog recreation by Cyclone TT-303 is by far much better and sound more agressive than the original and it's fully analog, no problem with the filter scale, when you turn it in real time.
Cyclone TT-303 sounds defferent than the TB-303, it's the TB-03 that actually sounds closer, and this video - watch?v=r8CAEUU_ics -proves it.
Great review thanks! I'm looking forward to getting one! Do you know if, when changing patterns, the timing is kept, like when changing clips in Ableton?