Delivering old-school acid bass lines, the Xhun Audio ZeroBox, is an accurate analog modeling simulation of the legendary Roland TB-303, the iconic sequencer-driven bass-line synthesizer that defined an era. This software virtual instrument plug-in utilizes physical modeling with Advanced Component Simulation (ACS) to preserve the original architecture featuring all of the micro-instabilities and imperfections of the original instrument.
Additionally, several improvements and circuit-bends have been added, bringing the synthesis engine a step ahead. The redesigned sequencer front-end includes a full set of modulation, analog saturation, and multiple types of distortion. The 130+ factory presets cover a wide range of genres, well suited for any electronic music scenario. The software works on Mac and Windows systems, and operates in VST2, VST3, and AU formats.
Overview
- Physical modeling simulation of real analog hardware, achieved by the adoption of the Advanced Component Simulation (ACS) approach—oscillators, filters, envelopes, and more are built preserving their original architecture, featuring all the micro-instabilities and imperfections of the analog technology
- Full 64-bit processing accuracy for every single aspect of the simulation
- An all-in-one complete setup: monophonic analog bass-line synthesizer + embedded analog sequencer + analog and digital insert/master effects
Synth Architecture
- An aliasing-free analog modeled oscillator proving the same capacitor charging/discharging responses as found in the original analog circuits, featuring sawtooth and square waveforms with blending (morphing) control
- A separate control for the oscillator waveshaping (from naive to analog supersaw / pulse width modulation)
- A legendary 4-pole resonant, analog low-pass diode ladder filter (modeled by the adoption of the topology-preserving transform / zero-delay feedback approach) proving all the original quirks, nonlinearities, frequency responses (also at extreme modulation scenarios), analog clipping
- Two analog envelope generators (MEG/VEG) proving the same capacitor charging/discharging responses as found on the original analog circuits
- Analog component age selector. Choose the virtual age of the components used in ZeroBox, and as a consequence, its resulting overall instability
- An extended operative range (compared to the original) for several knobs and internal components
- Built-in circuit-bends as found in different hardware clones and experimental ones never seen before (while 100% preserving all the original functions)
- An exclusive low-frequency-oscillator (LFO) with frequency (from 0.05 Hz up to 20 Hz) and destination amount controls, affecting the oscillator waveform blending, waveshaping and filter cutoff frequency
- Adjustable high-pass filter cutoff frequency
- Adjustable filter envelope (MEG) minimum decay time
- Adjustable slide time control
- A VCA envelope (VEG) smoother control
- Polarity inverter control, useful to achieve different sound flavors when using an asymmetric (biased) distortion unit
Sequencer Control for Live and Studio
Three ways of control for studio and/or live scenarios:
- Sequencer Off: Individual notes are MIDI triggered directly by the DAW
- Sequencer (Pitched): The internal sequencer (8 scenes/patterns per preset) is MIDI triggered and tuned
- Sequencer (KeyTrig): Each of the 8 sequencer scenes / patterns per preset are assigned to different MIDI keys
Original Clock Generator and Sequencer
A multimode (PTC/KTG) embedded digitally controlled clock generator and sequencer, featuring the same internal pulse timing and behavior of the original one, with:
- Mode selector (normal/triplet)
- Beat pulse-divider selector
- Tempo external controls
- Swing amount control
- Step gate control
- Step pitch control
- Step octave selector
- Step slide control
- Step accent control
- Steps number (from 1 up to 16) selector
Built-In Effects
Including an insert effect slot with the possibility to choose:
- CHOR-S unit (rack): Expressive stereo chorus effect
- FLANG-R unit (rack): Expressive stereo flanger effect
- X-TREME unit (rack): Accurately modeled, ground-shaking tube distortion effect
- SOLIDA unit (rack): Accurately modeled transistor distortion effect
- PHEEBEE unit (rack): Expressive digital foldback distortion effect
- CRUSH-R unit (rack): Creative digital bitcrusher effect
Including a master effect slot with the possibility to choose:
- D-LAY unit (rack): Tempo-synced stereo delay effect
- REEVERB unit (rack): Resonator-based electronic reverb effect
Additional Features
- Multiscene loader engine with 8 scenes per preset
- Including 130+ ready-to-use factory presets collection covering multigenre styles
- Multicolor synth panel (silver grey or acid yellow)
- MIDI automation
- Support for sample rates from 44.1 to 192 kHz
- Available in multisize GUI resolutions