Could Bassline DB-01 be the acid machine of your dreams?

Few synth brands do grit and aggression as well as Erica Synths, so their latest, Bassline DB-01, has us especially excited. At first glance this might look like another analogue 303-clone – with a single analogue oscillator and resonant, envelope-controlled filter it’s sure to tick all those acid house boxes – but dig into the specs and there are some interesting features here.

First up, is the inclusion of the switchable low-/band-pass filter from the company’s Acidbox range. This Polivoks-inspired 12dB filter packs a serious resonant punch, and sounds great when driven hard. To make the most of this, the DB-01 has a one-knob overdrive that promises “even more destructive sound”. There’s a BBD-based detune effect too, for adding extra thickness to your bass sounds, while a transistorbased sub oscillator promises to punch things up even further.

A syncable LFO can be used to generate both oscillator FM and filter modulation, and the VCA, filter and oscillator pitch each get their own modulation envelope. There’s an onboard sequencer too, with up to 64-steps, plus an additional modulation track for controlling the VCF, plus randomisation tools and an arpeggiator.

The price point of 490 euros (excluding VAT), does put it above some other analogue bass machines, but the abundance of interesting features makes us think this

Bassline synth will have a character all of its own. The DB-01 is due for release this spring.