2025: A Year in Gear (What You've Bought or Want to Buy in 2025)

[ghettosynth]

It's always dangerous to stop in at GC. This followed me home:



I like it into this, which, might be the most convenient $40 I've ever spent on guitar crap. With XLR out!

[DrGonzo]

Nothing excites me more than the upcoming Behringer LinnDrum clone. First time in years I've placed a preorder on something I haven't heard even a demo of.

On paper it looks like something from Elektron, but I'm not putting my expectations that high But even it even comes into the ballpark of a LinnDrum I will be so damn happy. It might be my favourite drum machine of all time.

The manual dropped yesterday as well.
12 bit, 24 kHz mono. 14Mb memory.

Not bad - not bad at all. And the operation seems really straight-forward as well. Mine should be arriving Monday/Tuesday. Already preparing making a video of it.

[cryophonik]

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2025 is off to a cheap and fun start. I’ve been pairing these with my RYTM mk2 and Digitakt 2 the last few days for hours of old school acid house fun.

[harryupbabble]

i'm waiting for the "thought to midi" device
for example, think of a c3 note...
and presto, there it is on reaper's piano roll

[McLilith]

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2025 is off to a cheap and fun start. I’ve been pairing these with my RYTM mk2 and Digitakt 2 the last few days for hours of old school acid house fun.

Oh cool, some more transparent blue synth gear!

Since you do have the more advanced TD-3-MO version, do you still find the basic TD-3 still makes a worthwhile addition to your collection?

Is there anything the basic TD-3 can do that the more advanced TD-3-MO cannot?

(I've thought of getting both someday in the future, but I didn't know if the TD-3-MO would end up getting all my attention, and I'd neglect the TD-3.)

[cryophonik]

E342D5DB-ED8F-4332-ABCB-B562A124EEBA.jpeg


2025 is off to a cheap and fun start. I’ve been pairing these with my RYTM mk2 and Digitakt 2 the last few days for hours of old school acid house fun.

Oh cool, some more transparent blue synth gear!

Since you do have the more advanced TD-3-MO version, do you still find the basic TD-3 still makes a worthwhile addition to your collection?

Is there anything the basic TD-3 can do that the more advanced TD-3-MO cannot?

(I've thought of getting both someday in the future, but I didn't know if the TD-3-MO would end up getting all my attention, and I'd neglect the TD-3.)

Good question! Here's a little (mostly) relevant background. This is actually my second time owning both units and it was a bit enlightening for me. I owned an MO first and really liked it, then I traded some gear to a guy and he threw in a brand new TD-3 in an unopened box. I never bothered to open the box and try it out because I figured the MO had it covered already. Time went by and I eventually sold the TD-3, then started thinking that I could match the MO with some of other hardware and software synths and I needed the input for another synth, so I sold the MO.

Then, I started realizing that I missed having the MO hardware around and then a killer deal on this black MO popped up locally a few weeks ago, so I grabbed it. Somewhere in there, I had realized that the MO doesn't really sound like a standard 303, so I started looking more closely at the TD-3 and decided to buy one, since they're so cheap. Having them side by side, it didn't take long to realize that they are actually quite different and that the standard TD-3 is a lot more than just a subset of the MO.

Feature-wise, the MO obviously has all the additional controls, which really give it a lot of flexibility, but it's also easy to take it into unusable territory. I find that it's too easy to have it sounding great, then suddenly flick on switch or turn a knob a few degrees and suddenly the filter resonance is just shrill and nasty sounding. The standard TD-3 is far more forgiving and is pretty much all sweet spot. When I try to reign in the MO to match the range of the TD-3, it's really not that easy. It's much more finicky and too easy to get outside of that 303 sweet spot.

The other major difference is the distortion on the TD-3 vs the overdrive on the MO. They're VERY different. The TD-3 distortion is quite stellar IMO and perfectly matched to the synth. The MO's overdrive is subtle and nice, but it doesn't obliterate the sound like the TD-3's distortion. It's just basically warming it up a bit and you don't have the tone controls - it just works in conjunction with the output level.

TLDR: they're different enough that it's totally worth having both, but I actually think I prefer the standard TD-3 in many ways. If I want a classic 303 acid sound and want to stay in that sweet spot, it's the standard TD-3 all the way. For more experimentation and a wider range (at the expense of reducing the sweet spot) the MO is pretty cool!

One last note - If you are considering the MO, I don't recommend the black version unless you're working in a very brightly lit studio. The lettering is nearly impossible to see, especially at a typical 45-degree viewing angle. I'm on the verge of re-selling this black one and replacing it with a yellow one for more contrast.

[vurt]

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10 oscillator per board
chromaphone is closerer!

[justin3am]

While most of my energy has been directed elsewhere... I still managed to make some time for GAS.
I've been using Modular Grid's pedal board layout for planning my new, more portable live rig. I've just been adding a bunch of synths and mixers and stuff to the pedal finder, so that I can figure out how everything will fit together.




I have the first pedal board complete, using a Pedaltrain Classic Pro. The second pedal board is in progress based on a Pedaltrain Classic 3. I just received the Polyend Synth, so I will get that mounted tonight.
I'm using pedal board patch bays and a long extension cable from my Cioks DC7, to a DC8, so that I can cut down on the number of cables which need to be connected between each board .
This setup, is a bit different from my usual more experimental live rig. I'll be doing some shows to support my upcoming EP, which is a bit a departure for me. I'm really excited!

[elxsound]

While most of my energy has been directed elsewhere... I still managed to make some time for GAS.
I've been using Modular Grid's pedal board layout for planning my new, more portable live rig. I've just been adding a bunch of synths and mixers and stuff to the pedal finder, so that I can figure out how everything will fit together.




I have the first pedal board complete, using a Pedaltrain Classic Pro. The second pedal board is in progress based on a Pedaltrain Classic 3. I just received the Polyend Synth, so I will get that mounted tonight.
I'm using pedal board patch bays and a long extension cable from my Cioks DC7, to a DC8, so that I can cut down on the number of cables which need to be connected between each board .
This setup, is a bit different from my usual more experimental live rig. I'll be doing some shows to support my upcoming EP, which is a bit a departure for me. I'm really excited!

Both look like great fun!

I don’t think I ever knew modulargrid had layouts for pedals! I kept using pedalplayground, which seemed off compared to fitting pedals on the boards.

I need to wait for the end of the week to hopefully get something new from Chase Bliss Audio. I bought the mystery box and just received my shipping notice yesterday.

[whyterabbyt]

I don’t think I ever knew modulargrid had layouts for pedals!

I found it a few months back, but the scale on some things seemed to be off. Seems better now.

Its also got a few more desktop synths than it did, though Im gonna go out on a limb and assume Justin just added that Boss mixer himself.

[vurt]

this not being tempted is pushing my budget up a bit
might grab a 4th 2 row rack...

[whyterabbyt]

from 50 seconds to about 1 min 25.

"From tomorrow over the next few days we will be emailing you with a BUY NOW link."

[vurt]

from 50 seconds to about 1 min 25.

"From tomorrow over the next few days we will be emailing you with a BUY NOW link."

dammit, ive not had an email!!!
now wondering if i even signed up for this or just the stylophone theremin?

[justin3am]

Its also got a few more desktop synths than it did, though Im gonna go out on a limb and assume Justin just added that Boss mixer himself.

Yep, that was me. I've also added a ton of other synths, drum machines and other desktop boxes I have. I even added screenshots of some of my modular cases but those are set to private. It's actually very easy to add modules and pedals to Modular Grid. Most of the information you need can be found online.

I've been using the pedal layout for a couple of years now. Of all people, Chris Carter pointed me to it when I was looking for a Modular Grid for 19" rack units. At the time the dimensions were all messed up, so it didn't work well for rack mounts. The dimensions have improved a lot but it depends on people using accurate measurements when editing. Close enough for pedals and desktop boxes, IMO.

[whyterabbyt]

dammit, ive not had an email!!!
now wondering if i even signed up for this or just the stylophone theremin?

There were at least two previous update emails (24/12/2024 and 10/10/2024), so if youve not got any then yeah, you may not be signed up.

They've said the first batch isnt enough for everyone signed up, so there's a second batch 'as soon as possible', and the Theremins did go into shops quite quickly so...