Bad Gear - Donner B-1
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 พ.ค. 2024
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Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about the Donner B1 Analog Synthesizer and Sequencer. Can the Donner B-1, inspired by the legendary Roland TB-303, keep up with the competition of affordable acid synth clones like the Behringer TD-3, Roland TB-03, Cyclone Analogic TT303, DINSync RE-303 or Mode Machines x0xb0x? Is it yet another affordable mono synth? Who's the mysterious company behind it?
Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:57 Overview Donner B1
01:27 What/Who the hell is Donner???
02:27 Oscillator
02:38 Basic Tones
02:56 Filter
03:08 Distortion
03:16 Delay
03:23 Sequencer Basics
04:07 Added Sequencer Features, Realtime FX
04:26 Arpeggiator, Hold
04:32 Limitations
04:41 Connectivity, Sync, Donner Synth App
05:08 Interesting Videos, Pricing
05:38 Hate
06:06 Jam 1
07:00 Jam 2
08:02 Finale
08:30 Verdict - เพลง
Audiopilz: *slaps roof of YT channel*
Full Tracks, Extended Jams, Sample Packs: www.patreon.com/audiopilz
Love that Fatboy Slim tune: Everybody needs a TB-303/TB-3/TB-03/TT-303/RE-303/MB-33/DB-1/x0xb0x/TD-3.
Yeah, it's like he anticipated algo-based curation of music. Freaking genius!!!
Geezers like me have a Deep Bass Nine & Syntecno TeeBee MkIII hiding in the corners of our studios
Ever heard of the m303?
got the re-303
That song title ticks all the boxes
Back in the days, some movies were so bad that they went straight to video. Now we have “straight to bad gear” synths.
True that;)
🤣
Donner is honored
by maiden episode d'same-year Bad Gear !
Genius comment!
*Straight to behringer clone
"The synth Patrick Bateman would be using if he wasn't into Eurorack" - omg this is funny on so many levels, pure genius
Thank you!!!
This is why i subscribe ,,,,interesting facts mixed with comedy genius 👏 😉
True
bruh i almost died 💀
Donner revolutionized the guitar pedal market making soooo many pedal circuits availble to anyone interested instead of just rich pedal snobs. SO HAPPY TO SEE THIS!!!
I like these cheap pedals quite a bit!
Donner's Yellow Fall is my go to delay for both synth and bass guitar.
Personally love the who is Donner section. I'm a sucker for the history of devices. Keep it coming.
Thank you!!!
I think they make kebabs, too.. they have shops everywhere
@@Wagoo 🥙
Donner is also a famous name in cannibal history. Must be a connection somewhere.
@@RCAvhstape Made me REALLY hesitant to eat a 'Donner Kebab' I tell you what...
Honestly, that oscillator sounds pretty solid, and the interface / sequencer has a lot going for it. I feel like if they'd made it into a more general subtractive bass machine they'd have something much more interesting, rather than being the johnny-come-lately to the 303 party. Add PWM for some thicker sounds, go for a more versatile filter voicing, I'd be into that.
Agreed!
I let out a truly loud laugh when you showed your own picture as you said "accents" 🤣
Thank you! Happy to hear that!
It arrived barely two days ago and now I see a Bad Gear episode. You gotta love it :D
❤️❤️❤️
Hah! I got mine yesterday, I havn't even tried it yet. Guess I'm the target audience, I'm a total synth noob.
In 2009, I sent my Digitech DL-8 pedal to China, to a friend working at the newly-formed NUX company, with the hopes they could do something similar, but with deeper features. Specifically, I wanted to add various FX before the looper, so I could add layers of different types of sounds to a loop, and I wanted them to add MIDI. I had dreams of including this hybrid loop pedal to my product catalog. A few short weeks later, I get a prototype in the mail, loved it, and immediately ordered ten of them. A short while later, NUX released the first version of their Time Core loop pedal, without my requested MIDI interface. A short while after this, other companies began making pedals. I've attempted to do business with several of these, and to my knowledge Donner/Tomsline/Rowin/Andoer/Eno/Mooer at least share the same factory. JOYO/Harley Benton/Ammoon also share a different factory. It's nice to see these guys are entering the synth market, but of course I don't work at one of the huge manufacturers, lol.
SIDE NOTE: Is there really a reason to buy this when the TD3 is readily available for 100 units?
Interesting! According to my research Mooer and Joyo are run by a wife/husband couple and share the same factory
@@AudioPilz .. It's been nearly ten years since I've had contact with my Chinese associates in this field, so many things have likely changed since then. I know my life is very different since then, lol!
Just dropping in to say SnowMetal is awesome, ESX legend.
@@tziirkq .. I appreciate you!
Feeling sad nobody is trying to clone the Soviet oddity audio tools. I agree with you, the UI/sequencer on this looks awesome and intuitive but nothing else stands out from the saturated competition.
Yeah, I want an Elsita drum machine!!!
damn, wish i will see any affordable polivoks clones someday...
Oddly, cloning Soviet stuff is rather popular in Eurorack land but yeah that hasn’t crossed over to “conventional” synths yet.
Isn't Behringer supposed to be cloning the Polivoks?
Hell yeah, the Elsita and Polivoks are my first picks. I didn't know eurorack offered the Iron Curtain producer experience, Alex! I'll have to look into modular starter synths.
The 303 is one of the easiest synths to emulate. Any single osc synth with a sequencer and a reasonably resonant filter can do the job.
Agreed!
Don't tell the 303 fans that, they'll have you executed
Starting a written sentence with "I mean" 🤦♂️
@@rorz999 I mean its a pretty common phrase. You're kinda just making yourself look extremely pretentious
@@rorz999 Naaa this guy is like a writer or something.
When your photo appeared on the word "accent" i almost choked from laughing 😂😂😂😂
😂
Donner seems to ship out of the US when I ordered a couple things, so they must have a US office and distribution. I like how weird and cheap it is. I hope they keep making more synths
AFAIK there are no plans to do so in the near future
Sounds like the frogs in my backyard pond, partying with beer, wurst and late 90s dance playlist
Cheers!!!
The level of editing in your videos is sublime
Thank you so much!!!
It's so funny how much you love the TB-3. You need to keep that up because you're the only youtuber I know who uses it. We can't forget the TB-3.
So underrated!!!
I thought I'd love it too but man is that device complicated and annoying to use. The touch screen is probably the main reason I don't like it, I want to feel what I'm pressing, and it would be nice if the screen was a good touch screen
@@RoyvdlI'm glad we're getting away from gimmicky touch screen instruments. Tactile buttons have always been better, and I'm not buying an instrument because it glows. I want it to be usable and sound decent, which the TD3 doesn't seem to be the best at
I'm surprised you did this one so soon but I'm glad you did ! I've seen a few reviews of these and yours was the most straightforward, funny and honest of them all ! Well done audiopilz 👍
Thanks!!!
This is my first bass synth/sequencer. Personally I think it is pretty good. I can see how it is limited in some ways. Let me say that running this into my boss GT1B is a game changer. This synth doesn't have the best tone on its own but with a little help it can sound amazing.
Nice technique!!!
We all secretly wanted to know how it sounded. Thank you for taking one for the team. 😂
Always a pleasure;)
Thanks for making my Fridays better, you're a legend.
Thank you! Have a nice weekend!!!
Thanks for another amazing episode that gives an in depth, entertaining and fun analysis.
Thank you!!!
I always love your music production in these episodes. Really top of class.
Thank you!!!
Fantastic video as always, great to see classic Partridge making an appearance. Thanks very much!
Thank you!!!
Dan! Dan!
The quality of Your videos is amazing. How do you only have 70k subs?!
Thank you!!! Working on it;)
It means you got in early 🙂
Hope we get that CS-80 clone from Dasher, Dancer, and Blitzen 🤞
I take two!!!
My Fridays are never complete without a new episode of Bad Gear, fantastic as always!
Thank you!!!
Every time I’m about to buy some gear I throw it into TH-cam and ALWAYS land on this channel and I’ve saved thousands of dollars lol
❤️❤️❤️
nice to see that AudioPilz has created an new Video about the Donner B1 - I already had checked the package in my studio today, but does not power on it for reason of low time. so great that I can here catch AudioPilz expertise about that gear now.
Ah, nice - you got one!!!
@@AudioPilz yes, and I will keep it in my gear-stock for having just an alternative gear with 303-like sounding. I like also that "Donner" build replicas like "Behringer". And I hope that this is not the last synthesizer that "Donner" shoots out in our world of synthesizer ;)
If companies like this bring the joyo guitar pedal prices to the synth world, that's 100% a win
I like my Joyo American Sound, I'm just a drummer though but sounds great threw an acoustic amp, better than the amps from my DAW anyway.
AFAIK they're not planning on releasing other synths in the near future....
Too bad this is more expensive than the volca bass and behringer which both sound better
I have one of the joyo mini tube amps it is a monster
Loved the track. Nicely done mate.
Thank you!!!
Interesting to see how they implemented the sequencer. Great demo as always!
Thanks!
That last track really took me back to the days of that mate who'd always drive too fast everywhere!
Lol
Dude the last jam is just 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Finally melodically nice for a rave tune.
Now excuse me I’mma go for a drive and drop the windows and blast this.
Thank you so much!!!
TB-3 is my cheap weapon of choice for TB303 like sounds. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it - the TB-3 with a TR-8 is such a great cost effective set up for some live jamming and fun.
Agreed!!!
*TD-3
@@udo7377 more faithful to the original, perhaps. Also, cheaper when new compared to the TB-3. But, I found the TB-3 was easier to use for live jams. Granted, the TB-3 requires software to access all the parameters, which let's it down.
Sounds like somebody needs to add some reverb to their setup.
@@fatkev1983 I agree that the TB-3 is amazingly easy to use live. Especially with the newer firmware. It's very handy to have waveform and effect stored with each pattern. Env Mod and Decay are actually available over the x/y pad. But you have to press "Env Mod" button for this mode. Yes, it's hidden and unintuitive, but it makes for some full hand movements, which are more visible to the audience than twisting knobs. Also, the tuning is supposed to be available while holding down the "Env Mod" button. I don't like to mess with the tuning. So, I did no t try it myself,though. Apparently, the "Env Mod" button is where the magic happens. 😃
I bought one to teach my synth classes. It’s got a lot of features that allow to teach synth basics along with the software synths the students have at their workstations.
Just upgraded my Phoscyon to Phoscyon 2 last week and it's a pretty good 303 emulator now..
Yeah, these are awesome!
Hi, despite the Donner B1 going straight into "Bad Gear" I actually bought one!
Straight out of the box and without even bothering to read the instructions manual I was writing patterns within minutes.
I had a Roland TB-03 and a Behringer TD-3-MO-AM but sold them both as I found the pattern writing on both of these simply too complicated and frustrating.
The pattern writing on the B1 is so much easier.
Yes the B1 sounds different from the Roland TB-03 and Behringer TD-3 but actually pretty good.
I will probably use it just as a sequencer to drive my other synths and if I want full on acid, then my MAM MB33 will be at the other end of the MIDI cable.
Treat the B1 as a really simple (and cheap) sequencer with some added good sounds.
Super easy to use!!!
Your videos are masterpieces. Thank you.
Thank you so much!!!
Massive thanks for doing a review of this one. I was interested in this when I first saw it advertised (I like the tiny inexpensive gear to fiddle with - I'm not a real musician). I love that your reviews really have all potential users in mind. Sure, this gear isn't the best, but I really like that you call out that it does have some upsides especially when considering the price. It seems like a cute little noisemaker with an easy to use sequencer. Glad that you are able to provide fair and balanced views on "Bad Gear".
Also, do you have any plans to have a look at any of the Sonicware Liven synths that seem to be cheap and seem like they might be "Bad Gear"?
Thanks for watching!!!
super entertaining and some killer jams as always - watching this (and some other reviews) despite the verdict and limitations, this one looks like a lot of fun - now we need the bad gear nubass review!
Thank you so much! Great suggestion!
I happen to really like my Donner-b1. Super simple acid machine.
👍
I like that Donner offers alternatives to the big company mainstays.
👍
You are now the only creator I have ever wanted to like. This is my favourite show of all time. The only show on TH-cam. Thank you for your work.
❤️❤️❤️ thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
Hope you do more “History of” parts in these. Really liked that segment. Loved this ep!
Thank you! Happy to hear that!
I always thought Donner is missing a trick by not releasing a tasty product named the
Donner Keybad...
Donner Kebab;)
You'll really regret getting it, the next day.
There's no doubt in my mind that you will make a Bad Gear episode on a Wednesday if a new 303 clone comes out.
Additionally, you should do the Korg KR mini (korg rhythm) on the show too.
Great suggestion, thanks!
@@AudioPilz You're welcome.
The KR Mini is atrocious. Not only did they forever tarnish the KR legacy with tasteless sounds but they also released a drum machine without midi or sync/clock in this day and age 🤦🏽 Totally bad gear material. I’d love to see AudioPilz struggle to make it work with anything else. Will he take the challenge?
@@raistaparta at least you can "program" it with no metronome or quantization.....
"I DO BELIEVE THEY HAVE A MARKETING TEAM..." 🤣 priceless. Had to laugh for a full minute there!
😀😀😀
Big Swifty strikes with the Same-year Bad Gear!
This one got controversial soon;)
I bought a donner "eternal bind" tape loop pedal for 20$ years ago, it had reverb, echo, delay, it was the best 20$ I've spent as far as pedals go
Nice, I have to check that one out!
damn! the final song was absolutely bonkers! damn right madness, loved it :3 💘
Thank you!!!
This thing hasn't been out for a year and it already has its own Bad Gear episode. Korg must be jealous.
Not jealous enough to send me their new stuff;)
Lovely video, love that sound.
Thank you!!!
Got one when they first dropped. Love it. The bang for buck is insane, especially if you're just going to run it through a chain of efx. Paid $150 new here in PNW America.
Tip: pull off and swap the big volume knob with the cutoff.
Nice!
That tip works for the TD-3, too, did that to mine a while back.
You can make some decidedly not-bass but not quite lead sounds with the B1 using the sawtooth wave and the delay function along with ratchet and gate control for expression when played in a higher octave. It actually sounds pretty. Nice review! I usually like pushing it all the way to maximum squelch.
Thanks! Nice technique!
Can't wait for the VST version.
👍
i'm a bit newer to the analog game, got myself a b-1 as my fifth analog synth so far and I've been pretty happy with it so far. I maybe don't have much to compare it against, but I can say it's been fun to jam with and easy to learn.
5 analog synths is not so bad for a start;)
The last statement from you is so true I would love to see Ulis face too 😂 great episode as always 🥰
Thank you!!!
Jam 1: The Civilized Acid
"I wanna know if the synth is ready to play with the big kids"
(Looks at the TB-3)
"No not you!!!"
😂
These are bangers!
Your channel is one of the best!
Thank you!!!
Looking forward to the next piece of gear I own make an appearance. Love this channel.
Thank you so much!!!
On more to add to the bad-gear-to-buy list for christmas
Christmas comes early this year;)
I'm so used to most of your reviews being for gear being 5+ years vintage and this thing just came out. Not sure if my mind can process this 👨💻🤔 🤯
Yeah, this one is fresh off the boat;)
Just remember, if Donner invites you to an influencer dinner party, make sure to check whether you're on the guest list or the menu. ;)
Lol;)
"Do we really need another acid monosynth?" Dude, have you MET your audience?
That comment made me rofl hard
Seeing your MBase there reminded me of a piece of gear that probably no one (except me) wants to see on this show : Jomox T-Resonator II.
I'd love to have one of these!
I have seen these all over youtube, glad to hear your very honest opinion of it! tbh it sounds passable to my ears, not perfect but close enough. perhaps the perfect synth for people just getting into acid house and that kind of thing.
btw do you do your music video production in final cut? I'm always impressed with how well they fit the music!
Thanks! Yeah, it's all FCPX and me!
All hail the KEBAB 303! Sounds.. alright? I wouldn't be offended but the christmas cracker calculator ui wouldn't sit nice in my set up and yes it's a simple as that. HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!!!!
Have a nice weekend!!!
loved the mini Jacks 😁
😀
Thanks for the video. It's an interesting little thing which ticks some salient spec boxes ... and yet ... when, despite your best efforts, I remain unmoved by listening to it ... it's bad gear. Ah well ... next. Apologies for the ellipsis overload ... actually, I think I'll use that as a track name, part of my 'machine made - mumbo mambo - major regrets never end - digital donk' song cycle. Which might be a roundabout way of saying your videos always inspire, one way or another. And for that, dearest Florian, I thank you. Have yourself a lovely weekend and spend that 'At the first glance' money unwisely. I would.
Thank you so much!!!
I'm digging the Veggie Synth at mark 1.01. I hear the best part about it is that "Fat Free" sound. Oh, and Behringer, you know you've arrived when someone clones your software.
I think they just bought from the same software provider;)
Nice video! Considering that the Behringer TD-3 is a mostly faithful clone of the Roland original and it costs less than $130 US, if you want Acid on a budget, that would be the way to go. This Donner B-1 looks nice and sounds pretty good, but it doesn't bring anything compelling to the table in the 303 world.
Thanks! Agreed!
well said...
I dunno the ratcheting seems very interesting... if I can find would for cheap I might grab one.
Yes, Uli's TD-3 is surprisingly good, I love it!
Someone obviously hasnt tried to sequence an OG 303.
Sweet summer child…
Always love the content my man! Appreciated all the gags in there especially seeing ol' Billy from saw. Thanks again for doing the tempest I think the Roland verselab would be a good device for you to do. I'd love to see this donner and the neon monstrosity sequence the verselab for similar tactics, maybe some cc twiddling too since it isn't editable. Much regards!
Thanks! Verselab is a great suggestion!
I know nothing of synths but the editing kept me engaged through the whole video
Happy to hear that. Stick around!!!
I do like the look of it.
Definitely different to the original...
that TB-3 loop on Jam 1 is super spooky 😍
❤️❤️❤️
Is it 5 notes?
Honestly, I’ve watched all these, and this is the best sounding song I’ve heard. This thing looks dope.
Thanks!!!
Just like Rambo I love things with blue lights. It looks like a synth version of the Beat Thang made by Braun somewhen in the late 70ies.
True that!
Finally, a fully unknown instrument (at least for me), and somehow it's the first 303-ish thing I like :)
😀
that Finale is 🔥
Thanks!
I'd Buy One ! Thanks For Another Amazing Episode .
Thanks for watching!!!
Give it 30 years and we will start seeing comments like “I can’t believe I sold my Donner b-1 for only $300”
Lol
Great work as always. You need to do an Aphex Twin clip except it’s your face everywhere.
Thanks! Great idea!
Finally, I`ve been waiting for this video about this Roland TB-303 clone to see if it`s worth copping versus using TB-303 vst clones for autosampling.
Certainly more hands-on than a plugin
@@AudioPilz Yeah I`m in the process of autosampling a ton of my vsts and, hardware into multi velocity layered keygroups for my MPC One.
I've never actually heard of Donner. Not that it matters, because you can get just about ANYTHING to sound good. Best series on YT lol.
Thank you!!!
I love my Donner loop pedal, although it won't connect to my PC anymore via USB (the firmware is no longer being updated on this model either so...) It remains a core part of my larger recording set up. One button, two cords, nice and simple.
👍
I remember when it was hard to get your hands on an affordable 303 clone, it’s a market Im glad to see oversaturated. That Blade sounding jam at the end was the tits too 👍
Same here!!! Thanks!
I like to call things the tits too. Very understated…tits that is
Mate that took me back to RS records ❤️
❤️❤️❤️
Between your video and Starsky Carr's, I just knew I had to get one of these for my first foray into acid.
😀😀😀
After all these years of watching Bad Gear I am still facinated by Florian's ability to set up something very usable on-the-fly and get great sound out of all that stuff.
Except Volca Modular. That one was really bad.
Proof that it’s not the gun that counts, but the marksman using it.
Put a great guitarist on a $50 First Act acoustic guitar and it will still sound pretty good.
Put a newbie guitarist on the finest Martin or Taylor and it will sound pretty bad. 🤣
Thank you so much!!!
Whoooa! Has Trax Records asked if they can make an entire album out of this upload??? There are several potentially modern classic Acid tracks hinted in the first 6 minutes! Was this machine designed by a team who said "make something that sits between Mr Lee / Mr Fingers & The Prodigy" ?? I love it.
Still waiting for their call;)
the memes and references are way too dank in your vids.
Thank you!!!
Nice outro jam. I'm sure glad that blood didn't start flowing from the ceiling, and I wasn't eaten alive by vampires while listening to it.
Yeah, Blade was strong in this one;)
Donner is one of those companies that everyone was confused about at NAMM. Big booth, seemingly “manufactures” everything but they’re really just a glorified dropshipping company.
Interesting!!!
If you want to use words that way you can describe any major manufacturer that way.
for a little bit more money, one could get a roland t-8 which has both 303 acid bass sounds and a drum machine 🤔
Agreed!
Sam Neill on goldblums chest killed me. It was the excited grin when his chest lifted
That one had me rofling too!
These names of the second demos are the best! 😅 this is cool I’m trying to learn the differences in sound quality
Thank you!!!
Sounds fine to me but no live record is a deal breaker. Still happy with my Aira TB3 though and really don't see myself ever needing another acid box. I'm no purist anyways.
P.S. the Volca Keys was the true hero on that second jam. Thing sounds huge through reverb.
Yeah, the Volca really surprised me too
The sequencer looks fun anyway. Maybe you can post a follow-up video after you've circuit-bent yours!
Great idea, thanks!
I’ve had most tb303 over the years and I do like the sound of this one and really like the sequencing and ratcheting features that beats most clones out there..
👍
The only constant in my life. It's Friday, it's Bad Gear 😌
Have a nice weekend!!!