303 or x0xb0x?

Am I mad to consider spending an extra grand on top of the price I could get an x0xb0x, for a real deal 303? Yes, the 303 is for the purist, but I'm just thinking that the x0xb0x could do exactly what I want for a fraction of the cost...

Thoughts from any users of either machine most welcome!

unless you're made of money then yeah, no point getting a 303 these days. besides, the x0xb0x is much more functional and has midi - it's actually a much better synth.

I don't really hear the difference. Does that make me an idiot?

i wouldnt sell my 303 because it's great. got it from america from a guy who hadn't used it for 20 years.

not all 303s sound exactly the same, some have buttons that dont work properly, memory chip problems......

others have been serviced and had components changed... the components age differently in each synth..

i had a 303 before that wasn't that great but the one i have now is awesome with smooth buttons and great sound to it.

a real 303 in good condition will keep its value and you can sell it for what you paid for it or even more if you're lucky

never tried one but an x0xb0x will be cheaper and have modern features like midi and usb for pattern transfers. from what i hear they sound pretty good. if my 303 ever exploded or got nicked i would try an x0xb0x if i could find one in good condition for 300 quid or less. theres a geezer on here who uses an x0xb0x, his name is sint and his music is freaking awesome. if ceephax used an x0xb0x instead of a 303 his music would still be brilliant.

it would suck to have a real 303 with dull sound and faulty buttons. it would suck to have an x0xb0x that had been calibrated by a gimp. it would be brilliant to have a hardly used real 303, and brilliant to have one of those new x0xb0xes with all the devilfish type of features :-)

did you say that you were going to tokyo? theres more than one shop there where you can try a real 303

http://www.echigoyamusic.com/used/search3.cgi?CATE=Vintage

Cheers Chunky, it doesn't surprise me to learn that you've got one! Tokyo is on hold in the short term (change of jobs/busy period = difficult to take some significant leave).

So from doing some digging around, the Mode Machines Socksbox 2 seems like an option... if not a little more expensive?

Most if not all of the hardware emulations will probably sound pretty good as they are all actually copied from the old schematics. And anyways, you're making music, not forging money or something. No one will ever say "Pretty good track, but that square wave just isn't very authentic sounding."

i'd go for the xoxbox. if you got so much money spare, maybe think about getting some mods done.i personally wouldn't buy from modemachines, there was lots of discussion about them not using all of the original parts and poor built quality. also, i think they kind of ripped adafruit of by not giving them credit. i'd recommend xoxshop.

There's a dude that makes and sells em on Gumtree for £300.

I'd do a xoxbox if I were you.

Also, and I know it's a slightly different beast, but have you thought about an SH-101?