Eurorack TB-303: Three all-in-one modules compared

video upload by John Schussler

"More 303 comparisons. I've looked at the Hydronium and the Bassline before, but have only recently acquired an x0x Heart. Up to this point my favorite 303 emulation has been the Hydronium, but it's much larger than it needs to be, and I'm always on the lookout for something that sounds just as good but is smaller.

No, I don't have an Acidlab M303. I should probably get one. It seems to be the only other module that's an entire 303 behind one small panel.

Sequencer is Next Tuesday, which has slide and accent outs, a critical component when evaluating a 303 style module.

00:00 Intro
00:20 Hydronium
06:47 x0x Heart
12:35 Bassline"

Eurorack acid - TB 303 style modules

video upload by John Schussler

"If you listen to techno, you listen to the Roland TB-303. It's the sound of acid, and is such a unique sound that everybody wants and uses it.

Although several makers are selling clones in the original 303 design (with the sequencer and original layout), you may just want to get one in Eurorack without all the fuss of learning the 303 sequencer interface (it's not intuitive).

Here are a bunch of 303 modules that either include all the parts (VCF, VCA, envelope, accent, glide...the works) or just one part (the VCF, which is the most critical bit).

There are others as well, these are just the ones I happen to have...."

00:00 Intro
00:20 Hydronium
07:28 TB-EFA
13:56 Acid Source
24:14 Pico Acid
30:00 Doepfer A-103/120
46:16 Vult Freak

Roland TB-03 vs Rare Waves Hydronium vs Donner B-1 Syn Bass // Live Elektron Music Production

video upload by EZBOT

"On the table today we have the Roland TB-03, Rare Waves Hydronium, and the incredibly budget friendly Donner SB-1. 303 shoot out with a side of live music production with the best Elektron setup on this side of the gamma quadrant.

Get an even cheaper acid box than Behringer's without having to feel guilty about it. Donner SB-1: https://amzn.to/3YSedAr use code 'EZBOT' for 12% off all things Donner :)

Get the Octatrack Performance Template with regular updates: https://patreon.com/ezbot for folks who like to get in and out, there's Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/s/4f3a692375

Sign up with DistroKid and get 7% off with this link: http://distrokid.com/vip/ezbot (definitely do this)

Get Performance Template 2.2 in it's current state at Ko-Fi: https://bit.ly/ococtatrack_performanc... Step up your game with 1 on 1 lessons: https://www.ezbot.live/
Get my Octatrack Performance Template with regular updates (among other rewards) by joining my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ezbot"

Rave Waves Hydronium 2021 Hydride Blue TB-303 Style Tabletop Analog Synth w/ Original Box

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

You can find demos in previous posts here.

"Unit has official Rave Waves mods:

1. MIDI Pitch bend: range +/- 2 semitones, range, fine adjustable with a trim pot that is accessed by removing 4 screws from back of unit.

2. MIDI Mod wheel input is assigned to filter cutoff (summed with Filter knob)."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Surf and Drone - Grendel DC-2, Grendel Formant Filter, RA-99 Grenadier

video upload by EA78751

"This synth demonstration from Rare Waves uses the Grendel DC-2 as a tone source. Grendel Formant Filter provides vowel filtering, and Grendel RA-99 Grenadier is performing the LFO duties. Rare Waves Hydronium is used as a MIDI-CV converter to set the pitch of the DC-2's oscillators. In the picture you also see a prototype Polyphonic Strobe Tuner, which provides a real-time pitch analysis. Also heard in the mix are prototypes of a Surf Sound Synthesizer and Spring Reverb. Rare Waves is an American synth manufacturer, our website is rarewaves.net, check out what we're making now!"

Rare Waves / Grendel synth demo: Soul Grenadier (official)

Published on Jan 11, 2020 EA78751

"In this video sound track we feature tones from the Grendel RA-99 Grenadier, Rare Waves Hydronium, and Grendel Drone Commander Classic Pedal. With emphasis on the RA-99 Grenadier! At this point we’re still waiting for the graphic print job on its case, so in this video the new Grenadier is ugly and naked.. Its case is grey anodized aluminum with shiny chrome handles and soft touch knobs. Barring an unforeseen delay, Grendel RA-99 Grenadier will be ready in a couple weeks, and the price will be under $500. Available soon! Different demos to come... w/ smashing gabber bass"

6 Synth Arp featuring Skulpt, MS-101, UNO, MicroFreak, Hydronium & CraftSynth2

Published on Jul 9, 2019 Molten Music Technology

"The second in a series of multi-synth projects exploring how to make use of a table full of little synths. This time I take the MS-101 arpeggiator and run it to everything - and then start playing with the knobs. Much less talking in this one and the resulting performance is split into 3 movements.

Intro - 0:22
First movement - 1:14
Second movement - 20.03
Third movement - 29.18"

First part:

6 Synth Drone featuring Skulpt, MS-101, UNO, MicroFreak, Hydronium & CraftSynth2

Published on Jul 5, 2019 Molten Music Technology

"The first in a series of multi-synth projects exploring how to make use of a table full of little synths. Starting with the basics - a single droning note - and then start playing with the knobs. This is the full (almost) unedited version with explanation and the resulting drone is split into 3 movements.

Intro - 0:08
First movement - 6:41
Second movement - 22:42
Third movement - 38:10"

New CV sequencers + 2-osc FM synth + Rare Waves Hydronium

Published on Jul 1, 2019 EA78751

"Electronic music from the Rare Waves lab bench. Synth voice 1: Rare Waves Hydronium + Iron Horse distortion pedal. Synth voice 2 is a unique prototype with 2 analog oscillators, FM + noise, and a sweet diode bridge VCF. I’m playing the synths from a pair of CV-Gate sequencers I’m currently developing. Thanks for listening! Comments welcome. -Eric Archer (July 2019)"

Rare Waves Hydronium analog synth acid noodle

Published on Jul 2, 2019 Molten Music Technology

"Run a handful of notes through the Rare Waves Hydronium acid synth and play with the knobs. Also features the Erica Synths Black Stereo Delay, a bit of 2HP Hats and Pico Drums. Sequence and gating from the Varigate 4+"

Hydronium, Part 3: Acid all the Synths!

Published on May 24, 2019 Olivier Ozoux

"The Rare Wave Hydronium can turn every other modular or semi-modular synths into Acid synths, thanks to a CV output that contains the legato glide information, so it doesn't matter if your synth can't do it, because the Hydronium will legato glide in its place.

I have four different semi-modular synths, that I'm turning into acid synths. The Behringer Model D, Plankton Electronics Ants, Dreadbox NYX, and MakeNoise 0-Coast, and as bonus, the Rare Waves Hydronium by itself. The portable Deluge does sequencer duties and makes all the other noises."

Hydronium + Guitar Pedal = Awesome Acid Distortion

Published on May 6, 2019 Olivier Ozoux

"The Rare Waves Hydronium has an effect send/return between the filter and the VCA, perfect for pluging in a dirty, grungy guitar pedal without drowning in noise. I didn't think I had a distortion pedal until I remembered about my old ZOOM G1Xn guitar effect.

As before the Deluge sequences the Hydronium, and plays all the drums and percussions. "

Hello Hydronium: analog acid synth

Published on May 1, 2019 Olivier Ozoux

"Happy New Gear! I finished assembling the Rare Waves HYDRONIUM, a fun little TB-303 inspired analog acid synth, available as a desktop or eurorack unit, in yellow, blue or black.

This is a quick little video of the hydronium by itself, but I'm looking forward to using the glide CV out to turn all my other semi-modular synths into acid synths."

Hydronium

Rare Waves Hydronium - Lithium Drift (synth demo)

Published on Feb 16, 2019 EA78751

"Hydronium is a new music instrument for 2019 from Rare Waves, with both MIDI and CV-Gate control. Available in tabletop or Eurorack format, as a DIY kit or pre-assembled. This video demo shows some of the great tones it can get! Its available now from rarewaves.net, created and supported by Eric Archer behind the Grendel brand."

Rare Waves Hydronium – Anode Sludge (synth demo)

Published on Jan 31, 2019 EA78751

"Rare Waves Hydronium is a great sounding analog synthesizer with MIDI + CV-Gate control, and lots of patchability. Its new for 2019, created and supported by Eric Archer behind the Grendel brand. Hydronium comes as a DIY kit or pre-assembled, available now at rarewaves.net in tabletop format and a Eurorack version is in the works.

This demo track focuses on heavy tones in the stoner doom vein. The black Hydronium has a distortion pedal patched into its effects loop to bring out some lovely nasty crusty crunchy sounds. This synth’s effects loop is positioned between its VCF and VCA, which is a sweet spot for distortion, fuzz, and overdrive. It lets you use a distortion pedal for waveshaping without sacrificing the synth’s dynamic range or increasing the background noise. The yellow Hydronium is playing through a spring reverb 100% wet, and has an external LFO patched to its VCF CV input for psychedelic lead sounds. The blue box is dry in the mix."

Hydronium

Rare Waves Hydronium: DIY acid synth

Published on Jan 17, 2019 EA78751

"Rare Waves Hydronium is an excellent synth DIY kit for electronic music producers. This is a great-sounding acid synth with both MIDI and CV-Gate control! Available now in tabletop format, and Eurorack format is coming soon. Its available direct from rarewaves.net

This video demo shows different sounds from three Hydroniums playing simultaneously. We patched a distortion pedal into the effects loop of the blue one, to get some classic gritty acid tones. And there is some extra help from two external LFOs, which are used to animate the filter and get PWM tones from the yellow Hydronium."

Previously: Synth DIY: The Rare Waves Hydronium kit

Synth DIY: The Rare Waves Hydronium kit

Published on Dec 4, 2018 EA78751

"The Hydronium DIY acid synth kit from Rare Waves is coming soon! Available in tabletop or Eurorack format. This video takes a closer look at its fun features and explains the CV patch options.
Hydronium can be controlled by either MIDI or CV-Gate. Its VCO has sawtooth, square wave, and PWM waveforms. Pitch slide (legato glide) effect works with both MIDI and CV-Gate control, and it has a handy post-glide v/oct CV output for slaving a second VCO. Glide time can be voltage-controlled. The decay envelope is velocity sensitive, and its bipolar dynamics knob gives unique control over accented notes. Decay time can be controlled by the MIDI mod wheel, as well as a Decay CV input. The filter is a 2-pole state-variable filter. By the term “acid synth” we don’t mean it is a Roland clone, but it does include many 303-inspired playability features... Hydronium DIY kits will be available soon through rarewaves.net."