![x0xb0x](x0x.png)

x0xb0x
======

What is the x0xb0x?
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[x0xb0x](http://www.ladyada.net/make/x0xb0x/) is an excelent [Roland TB-303](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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](http://www.di.fm/edmguide/edmguide.html):

> 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](http://www.nkhstudio.com/pages/popup_bassline.html).

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](http://www.ladyada.net/) designed and created the kits. There's a waiting list for kits, but I believe she's still selling them.

Photos
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[![x0xb0x photo](x0xb0x02.jpg)](http://www.ladyada.net/make/x0xb0x/)

Photo of the original x0xb0x, ladyada.net


![x0xb0x photo](x0xb0x01.jpg)

x0xb0x #222, mine!

Modifications
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## 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](http://www.ladyada.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=347).