AudioRealism BassLine 3 ABL3

AudioRealism‘s Analog Bass Line (ABL) has been considered one of the most authentic emulations of Roland‘s TB-303 for years, and its features are presented very close to the original, as is its sound. At low resonance, this instrument delivers full-bodied basses, while high settings result in more or less distinctive acid chirps. Even the characteristic clicks and hiss of the amplifier are recreated in great detail. If you prefer something cleaner, you can switch off the „noise“on an edit page. In addition, there are trim pots for tuning stability, resonance strength, gate adjustment and a simple Highpass Filter. Furthermore, you can choose between three different VCO models.

The sequencer provides 128 patterns side by side, which can be called up using MIDI notes. Each instance holds up to 64 steps and vibrato effects can also be programmed into the sequence. To create sequences, the ABL3 provides two different views. Excellent: An analysis function for recordings of TB-303, X0xb0x and similar synths, as well as an extensive random generator are on board as sources for new ideas.

Verdict

Even hardcore fans might find it difficult to distinguish the results between the TB-303 and ABL3. The sound is amazingly close to the analog model; with the sequencer, you can create typical acid patterns in no time at all. The sound is so lively that you get the feeling that you are dealing with analog circuits. Those who value an extremely authentic 303 sound and prefer to work with external plug-ins for effects processing will, without question, be happy with ABL3 for a long time to come.