Does any one know why Roland doesnt just make new TB-303's? There sure is a market for it. I had an MC-303 but it wasnt anything near a TB-303.
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0 Vote up Vote down aL: · 5 weeks ago

I don't know exactly why Roland don't make a new 303, but I am certainly willing to speculate (except on currency or commodities... that's just stupid).

Speculation 1: Roland don't want to repeat themselves. I would be willing to believe this a lot more if they didn't keep bringing out a new flavor of Fantom every year.

Speculation 2: Sourcing analog components is more difficult than sourcing DSP programmers. Certainly, a component accurate 303 re-issue would prove difficult, as the xoxbox folks found out. It works in small runs, but once you get in Roland level production you run out of some parts very fast, simply because they aren't manufactured anymore. Yes, somebody like Roland could possibly afford to start manufacturing their own version of a particular part, but why bother investing all that time and money when you can just use off-the-shelf DSP processors and hire some good programmers (especially when that's your established corporate direction... see speculation 4)?

Speculation 3: Roland just don't see a market for it. Yeah, I have trouble with that one as well. Given the price used 303s go for on eBay, there is definitely SOME demand for the little silver bastard, at least as much as for some of the Boss effects pedals.

Speculation 4: It doesn't fit into Roland's current technology path. Roland/Boss are heavily committed to their COSM modeling engine. Having invested so heavily in something that can (according to their marketing) excellently replicated analog devices, why would you then undermine that technology by releasing an actual analog synth (effectively admitting that there are things your modeling technology just won't do convincingly)?
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0 Vote up Vote down aL: · 5 weeks ago

(clarification and further on Speculation 3)

Roland may have judged that the market for a new 303 would not rise to the scale of manufacturing they're geared for. It would essentially be a boutique market, which is already populated by at least half a dozen boutique replacements for the 303. Especially when some (the FutureRetro 777) go so much further than the original 303 design. Roland would have to re-engineer a better, modern 303... which they might see as an unjustifiable cost outlay for a small boutique market.