The devilfish is a set of modifications to the original TB-303 performed by RobinWhittle of Real World Interfaces. The modifications apparently started with a few simple additions here and there, and it has grown to the point where the devilfish is almost its own instrument. RobinWhittle has said that he is not interested in performing the same modifications for an x0xb0x, which leaves us to figure out what they are, and how he did it for ourselves, which is half the fun.

Here is the list of the modifications. "Unknown mods" are mods that RobinWhittle has done, but no-one has stepped up and provided instructions. "Mods in Progress" are modifications that are being worked on. Sometimes it is just an idea of how it is done, and sometimes full instructions are posted, but no-one has actually performed the mod yet to confirm whether or not it works. "Known Mods" have either been posted by RobinWhittle, LadyAda, TheGerman or other members of the x0xb0x / tb303 community. Finally the "Non Applicable Mods" are posted for completeness sake.

These are mods that the x0xb0x community would love to have.

• CV Output for Accent.
• Internal Filter FM: a unique approach of AC coupled Filter FM from the audio output of the VCA.
• Audio In to frequency modulate the filter.

Mods in progress by memebers of the x0xb0x community. The details are probably sketchy, but being worked on. Note that these mods are variations on the DevilFish, and are not 'true' DevilFish mods. Purity be damned.

• Volume envelope is no longer fixed, and can be varied from 16 msec through 3 seconds - and to no decay at all, i.e. for notes which last indefinitely.
• Soft Attack control gives attack times between 0.3 and 30 msec. (TB-303 attack was ~3 msec.) See EnvelopeMods
• Audio Out from filter (pre-VCA). See VcfMods
• Overdrive pot to control the level of oscillator going to the filter: zero to 66.6 times normal level. See VcfMods.
• Variable Filter Tracking causes the oscillator CV to control the filter frequency. See VcfMods.
• CV input for Filter Frequency. See VcfMods.
• Filter can be switched to self resonance. See VcfMods.
• Separate control of Main Envelope Generator times in accented and non-accented notes. see EnvelopeMods.
• The Muffler is a unique post-VCA soft-clip distortion circuit which retains bass response. See VcaMods and HeadphoneMods.
• Accent Sweep has three modes and can be disabled. See EnvelopeMods.

• CV input to turn on Slide. Not the same as the DevilFish). See EnvelopeMods
• CV input for Accent. See EnvelopeMods
• Slide time is variable to five times longer than normal. See VcoMods.
• Audio In to filter. See VcfMods.
• Bass response is improved. See VcaMods.
• CV input. See VcoMods.
• Env Mod pot range extended to include zero and go as high as three times the normal maximum. See EnvelopeMods
• Filter Cut Off pot range doubled to 5 kHz max, and widened to include much lower frequencies. See VcfMods
• Gate input. See EnvelopeMods

These mods do not apply to the x0xb0x, because the functionality already exists, or is strictly tb303 specific.

• Push-button to manually activate Accent.
  • There is a button to make each note an accent from the sequencer. While not exactly the same, it is similar enough.
• Lithium battery for at least ten years battery backup, so there is no need to install C-cell batteries.
  • With An Eprom, there is no reason for batteries in the first place.
• (New in V3.0, Feb 2004.) The six TB-303 knobs Tuning to Accent are mounted about 1.5mm higher than normal, which makes them easier to turn.
  • Big fat chunky knobs means big phat chunky fun!

CategoryMods