Acid V

Name: Acid V
Price: 149 USD
Author: Arturia

by Arturia · Synth · TB-303 bass synth emulation

Not rated yet

Acid V is Arturia's emulation of the Roland TB-303 Bass Line, with a 64-step polymetric sequencer in place of the original's notoriously awkward one.

It adds a sub-oscillator, 14 distortion types, three modulators and 17 effects, plus more than 350 sequence presets.

Best for: Bass, Keys & Synths, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM.

Keywords: hardware emulation, basses, sequencer, 80s, analog, CPU-light, gritty, leads, sound design, subtractive, vintage.

What it does

Acid V recreates the 1981 TB-303. Arturia's pitch: it "pairs authentic 303 grit with 3 modulators, 17 FX, and a 64-step polymetric sequencer."

Core voice: square and sawtooth waveforms and the 303's filter, with a vibrato control.
Sub-oscillator and distortion: a two-octave sub-oscillator with three waveforms and 14 distortion algorithms.
Sequencer: a 64-step polymetric sequencer with scale-based pattern generation and transmutation, plus more than 350 sequence presets.
Modulation and effects: three multi-mode function generators and 17 effects across four slots.
Presets and tuning: more than 150 sound presets and MTS-ESP microtuning support.

Source: Arturia product page

When to use it

Acid V is the choice when you want the 303 itself, with its slides and accents, plus a sequencer that is easy to program and extras like the sub-oscillator and distortion. Where TAL-BassLine-101 covers the neighboring SH-101 bass sound, Acid V models the 303, and it takes less work than approximating a 303 with general synths like Diva or Phase Plant.

Best for: squelchy acid basslines, sequenced leads and resonant, distorted 303 patterns.
Genres: acid house, techno and other electronic styles.
Look elsewhere if: you need a general-purpose bass synth; a broader synth such as Diva gives more tone options.
Standout: the grid sequencer with pattern generation, which makes writing 303 lines fast.

What producers say

Reviewers and users rate its sound and sequencer highly; complaints are minor.

Sound On Sound (2023) called it "an excellent TB-303 clone" with extras "that encourage exploration."
MusicTech (2023) scored it 9/10, praising its "gorgeous acid sound"; its V Collection X review called it "a total winner."
Gearspace user (2023) rated it 4.75/5: "Easily the best sounding virtual TB-303 right now" and "light on CPU."
Gripe: the Gearspace reviewer found the launch price high and wanted MIDI clock in standalone; Sound On Sound disliked the tiny Advanced button.

Where to buy

Tutorials and reviews

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