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Pure Acid vs Roland TB-03. Any thoughts?
Yes there is a substantial price difference between the two. And yes I really like Pure Acid, it’s truly a fantastic app.
How do you think that the two compare as far as the sound goes?
I’m thinking of getting a TB-03 in the near future, for all Pure Acid sound great, but after having previously owned one and listened to a lot of YouTube video demos again - for me the Roland has a distinct advantage in terms of the overall sound and will be worth the investment, it gets my brain just a bit more melty in places.
Have I lost the plot? What do you think from what you have heard? Is it a no brainier if you have the cash to spare? Is the difference not worth bothering about? Can Pure Acid sound just as good?
Comments
I'm gonna join here to see what others recommend.
I for one am always tempted by a TB-03 and/or a Behringer TD-3 and/or a Volca Bass
I love all the ios alternatives, but I miss the tactile feel and workflow of programming on the hardware stuff
For what it’s worth: I never played with a TD-3 but from the demo’s I’ve heard it’s not more interesting than Pure Acid. The cool thing I believe with the TD-3 is that you can generate patterns from the software but Pure Acid does that too. In my opinion, Pure Acid is a worthy alternative for acid sounds. Invest in a controller like a Nanokey and you’re done.
The Roland TB-03 sounds fantastic but I’m also a fan of the whole Roland Boutique line for the most part. But is the sound of TB-03 worth spending $385 more than the app? The TB-03 sequencer is the reason to buy it as much as the sounds.
Pure Acid will probably get updated for much longer than any hardware.
Pure Acid can be used in multiple instances.
Pure Acid fits in your pocket.
Pure Acid has multiple outputs that don’t need hardware cables, patch-bays, mixers, FX etc.
Pure Acid has the best 303 sequencer and randomizer that can also control other instruments without the need for physical midi cables, midi patch-bays, midi splitters, midi mergers etc.
Pure Acid has all essential 606/808/909 sounds built-in.
Pure Acid’s capacitors won’t leak and need to be replaced due to being switched off for a long time.
Pure Acid’s controls don’t get dust, rust, insects, smoke, tobacco, schnapps etc. inside.
Can you tell that I’m not a fan of hardware anymore?
There is no need for hardware anymore, because our software sounds just as good and sometimes better.
Most hardware becomes “abandonware”.
As soon as the manufacturers have sold enough units, they start focusing on their next new product and stop releasing firmware updates etc.
If you want to try hardware anyway, be aware that it can become a very expensive lesson.
i would buy definitely rather Behringer TD-3 than Roland TB-03. Half the price ans it's real analog vs. virtual analog. Actually, i did it :-))) No regrets, i think Pure Acid is great but TD3 has a bit "analog mono", a little bit bigger balls.... but my current serup is pure HW no iPad involved, so i'm in a bit different position (digitone, digitakt, td3, microfreak and skulpt)
i made comparision video Pure Acid vs. TD3 vs Troublemaker, maybe it helps ;-)
Buy anything called "Pure". Because it's not diluted. Duh.
Except "Pure Crap"...
If only Agonizer was "Pure Agony" it would sell like crazy. It's not too late.
I have both. I use the app a lot more. Not sure if the TD-3 is better, sound-wise, but Pure Acid a lot more utility for what I need it to do.
I have nothing constructive to add here, I just wanted to show off my new toy that was delivered this morning.
First impressions? It's great, sounds just like Pure Acid
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It can be...but it can also be inexpensive in the long run if you buy quality, desirable brand hardware that tends to hold its resale value. Spent 1.5k on a Machinedrum over a year ago. Current resale price is 3k for units in same condition. (Obviously an outlier, but you can usually get back close to the amount you invested, if not slightly more)
For Sound, I’d say most VA softsynths haven’t gotten close to U/HE plugin sound quality yet but they’re getting better all the time. I honestly can’t tell the difference between U/HE and hardware though.
Interface is the most important consideration for me — that immediacy of connecting with hardware is what it’s all about. Inspirational and fluid. Having a tactile musical instrument like a well designed HW synth can help you get in the zone and are amazing to perform on.
Different strokes for diff folks.
Thank you very much @dendy - the video you made was very helpful 😀👍, also I’ve only just discovered the TD-3 ‘Synth Tool’ which is a PC pattern editor for the TD-3 - which makes a huge difference.
It’s great to hear everyone’s take on this.
At the moment I think I may well be going down the TD-3 route.
I’ve also just noticed that the TD3 is class compliant 😅
WHAT ? So you can send midi from iPad into TD3 via usb ?? Didn't know that, very cool !
@FPC These are my first headphones 😍
Where did you find yours on? I’ve been having trouble finding one lately
I'm in the UK. Bax Music £88.00 utter bargain.
Me too. Well first proper headphones. Still sound good but bass lite and they take some driving.
Finally snagged one on sweetwater for $109
And back to OP, I love Pure Acid but having the hardware is much more fun after a week of playing with it. I’ve been using the two together either to sequence the td3 or just have double acid
Get a Roland unit, take care of it and your children will sell it in a few decades for a small fortune
I love the TB-03. For one thing because it’s tactile and built (beautifully) like a tank. The solid feel of the knobs and buttons is great and the materials and finishes are top notch. Not a fan of Behringer because Uli.
Bought a Erica Synth db01 to get something different. But probably i Cant resist the Roland one 😉
Gotta admit I was tempted by the td-3 instead of the tb-03 because of the price here. I could pay all my bills, buy food and have some for apps for three months.
But yesterday I watched BoBeats and Doctor Mix video on the 606s. No doubt the Roland stuff is worth it ❤
Uli is definitely a bit of a shit but unfortunately Behringer is my only window into having access to hardware analog synths without having to go completely broke and missing rent
I love hardware. But if you're talking sounds, the balls you might find missing in pure acid, or many soft synths, can in my opinion definitely be restored with a little clever eq-ing, a tape saturation plugin, or some other plugin that adds subtle harmonics.
Soft synths have come a long way in the past 10 years, and virtual analog with effects is damn convicing nowadays.
That tactile part is important though, and I even created a thread to try and find awesome metal controllers to get that feel with soft synths. Do I still want a minitaur? Hell yeah! It's sexy, it's got knobs I can tweak, and a metal chassis I can kiss gently and whisper naughty things to. Can it so anything sound wise that model D on iOS can't? Probably not. But honestly my ears may not be as good as some of you younglings so take it with a grain of salt.
Tldr: get the tb-03 if you want to feel the instrument and enjoy it for being physical, or perform live with it But if you're only interested in the sound, use what you have with some effects and eq, and you'll save some money and the need to hook up and troubleshoot more stuff.
The sound is definitely getting pretty great in soft synths. Troublemaker sounded especially fantastic side by side analog
Nice work, Dendy! 👍
Amazing what our little apps can do when you think about it.
yes, this is really amazing.. can't stop wondering.. soo much power and possibilities to express creative ideas literally in your pocket.
yet people are still bitching "missing this feature and missing that feature ". Damn. We live in future. People 15 years ago didn't dream about possibilities we have now.
There is also a RE-303 diy kit, more or less an exact replica of Roland 303, if you are on a budget but also a sound purist
https://youtu.be/PNYSajqYPsM
How would you achieve this on ios.
Lets say the Behringer bcr32 is good for controlling parameters ( check )
Lets say we can be ok with the sounds of ios synths . ( check )
Can you just use any poly synth?
Is there an app which would cycle chords?
Is just a chord, which sort of acts as a sequencer of a original sequence. You just then tweak synth.
23.10
Its just a chord man.