x0xb0x

x0xb0x

What is the x0xb0x?

x0xb0x is an excelent Roland TB-303 clone kit. So what's the TB-303, you ask? My favorite description of the TB-303 is on Iskur's Guide to Electronic Music:

Yes. The sound that launched an entire cultural movement. Given that this device was originally intended to sound like a bass guitar, I would say that the engineers completely missed the mark. And that may have been the best thing that's ever happened to music. This little box (only 30cm long) makes the First Sound of Electronica, and the loveliest, most versatile sound of all time: acid. Through proper tweaking, it can be warm, cold, stiff, funky, dark, happy, soft, fuzzy, trippy, screaming, squelching, driving, pulsing, rubbery, or anything you've ever possibly heard of (and even things you haven't). It can be smooth and bubbly, like a drinking fountain or boiling hot springs. Or it can be cold and mechanical, like an automotive assembly line on the bridge of the Star Trek Enterprise.

For more history of the TB-303 check out this 20 minute documentary, Baseline Baseline.

I can't take any credit whatsoever for the x0xb0x design itself, only for assembling x0xb0x unit #222 (which itself was no easy task, since it contains 500+ parts). The awesome Ladyada designed and created the kits. There's a waiting list for kits, but I believe she's still selling them.

Photos

x0xb0x photo

Photo of the original x0xb0x, ladyada.net

x0xb0x photo

x0xb0x #222, mine!

Modifications

Power Switch

For whatever reason the x0xb0x does not come with an on/off switch, but it is trivial to add. Cut one PCB trace, solder a toggle switch in, and you're done. I won't go into specifics because it is thoroughly cover on the x0xb0x forums.

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