Analogue power on a budget, Donner’s B1 proves to be an affordable take on the classic acid groovebox.
The Donner B1 is an instrument which took us by surprise. The brand is best known for cheap guitars and keyboards, but the B1 is an all-new design, a fully analogue synth at an astonishingly low price of just over £100. Donner describe the B1 as “a tribute to the deep bass EDM legend”, which is presumably a roundabout reference to the iconic Roland TB-303, the simple bass synth which defined the sound of acid house. The B1’s remarkably low price is the main standout feature, but this proves to be a synth which can hold its own with more expensive alternatives.
The layout of the B1 is straightforward, with the synth controls up at the top, a rubberised silicone keyboard which doubles up for sequencing, and a separate sequencer section off to the right. The synth aspect itself is very simple, and extremely close to the setup of the TB-303, albeit not exactly a clone. Like the 303, the B1 is monophonic, meaning it can only play one note at a time (a common approach for analogue synths). You have a choice of sawtooth and square waves for different basic tones, which then feed into a resonant low-pass filter. An envelope decay control works in tandem with the Depth control in the filter section to modulate the decay time and filter cutoff, and that’s the extent of your options. It’s about as simple as a synth gets, but perfectly sufficient to get those classic acid squelches and deeper, low-resonance basslines.
In terms of sound, the B1 isn’t exactly the same as a 303, but it’s certainly in the same ballpark. It’s got a nicely analogue character and, while not as versatile as a more complex dual-oscillator synth, you can get a decent range of tones out of it. On that front, the two remaining elements of the signal path play a big part. Firstly, the synth signal hits a saturation circuit with simple drive and tone controls. Adding a distortion effect to a 303 was always a classic approach, and the analogue grit works effectively here. Next up, the signal hits a simple analogue delay effect with level, time and feedback controls. Once again, it’s a very basic setup but perfectly effective for adding a bit of interest to patterns.
Programming the B1 is based around a step sequencing approach, with patterns up to 16 steps long. Enter Record mode and you can program in patterns using the keyboard, which can then be played back as a loop, edited and stored. Editing options include the ability to adjust the length of notes, add ratcheting effects (triggering a chosen note multiple times within its set timing), and the ability to add Accent (an increased emphasis) and Slide (gliding between pitches) to notes. With your patterns created, they can then be selected while in playback mode, stringing together sequences which you can perform with. Tweaking the settings with a pattern playing is the classic approach here, adjusting things like filter cutoff and saturation to create movement in the sound.
The B1 is quite an imprecise tool in some ways; from the manual tuning control for the VCO onwards, all the knobs encourage you to go by ear rather than dialling in precision settings. But that’s not necessarily a criticism, and certainly in keeping with the 303 and other vintage analogue synths. What’s surprising is that it also packs a few more advanced features which you probably wouldn’t expect for a synth at such a low price point, including the choice of MIDI over USB-C or 5-pin DIN in and out. There’s also a software editing app which allows you to access things like MIDI settings as well as editing sequences on the device. The B1 looks a bit plasticky and weighs a scant 620 grams, but it’s packing some surprising versatility.
The B1 is an interesting little prospect. It’s not the most precise 303 replica on the market, but you get the sense that it isn’t really intended to be. The various deviations from the original 303 formula don’t harm the functionality or straight-up fun of using such a simple, straightforward synth. It’s got plenty of character and at just over £100 it offers exceptional value for money. For anyone dipping their toe into the water of analogue hardware synths, this has got to be on your shortlist.
Greg Scarth
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