Behringer TD-3-MO: Devil Fish mods for the acid bassline
· re:union Radio editorial · 3 min read
Behringer TD-3-MO: the “Modded Out” TD-3 with sub-oscillator, filter FM, overdrive and plenty of CV jacks – built on the TB-303's Devil Fish mod.
The Behringer TD-3-MO does to the TD-3 bassline clone what acid tinkerers have done to the Roland TB-303 for years: it gives it the Devil Fish modifications. “MO” stands for “Modded Out” – new circuitry adds a wider filter range, more bass, filter FM and overdrive. The box has been in shops since February 2022, in acid yellow or silver.
At a glance
- Fully analogue signal path of VCO, VCF and VCA, oscillator with sawtooth or square wave
- Switchable sub-oscillator with three volume levels
- 16-step sequencer with 250 pattern memory slots
- Extra CV inputs and outputs, filter cutoff controllable via MIDI
From Devil Fish to production unit
The Devil Fish is probably the best-known TB-303 modification, developed by Robin Whittle aka “Real World Instruments”. Before the TD-3-MO arrived, Whittle and Behringer had a public spat on social media – in the end, Behringer built the clone of the mod anyway.
The classic 303 knobs Tune, Cutoff, Resonance, Envelope, Decay and Accent remain. Added on top are Soft Attack, separate decay for normal and accented notes, Slide Time, Sweep Speed, Accent Sweep, Filter FM, Filter Tracking and Overdrive. A red button lets you trigger Accent by hand.
More weight in the low end, more bite in the acid line
The sub-oscillator adds an extra layer beneath the root note, and you can switch its volume in three steps. According to the manufacturer, slides can now be up to six times longer. Accent Sweep offers three speeds and modes, one of them for high resonance – exactly where a 303 line starts to scream.
One thing is gone: the distortion circuit of the regular TD-3 is missing. Instead you get the Muffler, a VCA soft clipper, and the overdrive from the Devil Fish concept – a different sonic approach. New, on the other hand, is LED lighting in the bottom of the case that flashes in time with your patterns.
Specifications
| Sound generation | analogue, monophonic |
|---|---|
| Oscillator | VCO with sawtooth or square wave, switchable sub-oscillator |
| Filter | 4-pole low-pass with resonance |
| Sequencer | 16 steps, 250 pattern memory slots |
| Poly chaining | up to 16 units |
| CV inputs | Filter FM, Filter CV, Accent, Slide, Sync, CV/Gate (3.5 mm jack) |
| CV outputs | Accent, Filter, CV/Gate (3.5 mm jack) |
| Audio input | 3.5 mm jack |
| Outputs | line output 6.3 mm jack, stereo headphones 3.5 mm jack |
| MIDI | USB MIDI, MIDI in and out |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 56 × 305 × 165 mm |
| Weight | 0.8 kg |
| Power supply | 9 V DC power adapter (included) |
Who the TD-3-MO is for
The many CV jacks clearly target modular setups: according to Behringer, the TD-3-MO can be integrated into a Eurorack system, for example to have the filter cutoff driven by an external sequencer. If you work in the box, you can control parameters via MIDI or USB from your DAW and, if you prefer, program basslines in the Synth Tool on your computer instead of on the hardware.
For a compact hardware setup, all you really need next is drums – such as a Behringer RD-8 or a Roland TR-8S. Poly chaining lets you connect up to 16 units.
Frequently asked questions
What does “MO” mean on the Behringer TD-3-MO?
“MO” stands for “Modded Out”. It is an extended version of the TD-3 with new circuitry based on the Devil Fish modifications of the TB-303.
Can the TD-3-MO store its own patterns?
Yes. The 16-step sequencer offers 250 pattern memory slots. Basslines can be programmed on the unit or via the Synth Tool on a computer.
How does the TD-3-MO differ from the regular TD-3?
It has a sub-oscillator, extra controls such as Soft Attack, Filter FM and Filter Tracking, more CV connections and a cutoff controllable via MIDI. The TD-3's distortion circuit is missing; Muffler and overdrive take its place. The yellow and silver versions are technically identical.
Source: Thomann (manufacturer information), Gearnews.de, Gearnews.com
