D16 - Phoscyon 2

Phoscyon 2 is D16's emulation of the Roland TB-303 bass line, a monophonic acid synth plugin for acid house, techno and anything else that needs a squelch. It's the second generation of one of the longest-running 303 emulations around, rebuilt with a new signal path, a proper sequencer and an arpeggiator.

The 303 bit

What makes a 303 a 303 isn't the oscillator, it's the way accent, slide and the filter envelope push against each other. Accented notes open the filter further and the resonance starts to bite, slides glue notes together, and the pattern breathes. D16 redesigned the whole signal path for version 2 to get that interaction right, and it shows. With the resonance down it sits under a kick without fuss. Open it up and it screams through a breakdown.

Real 303s never sounded quite the same as each other, since component tolerances drifted from unit to unit. Phoscyon 2 lets you dial that in with calibration controls, including the service trim pots a tech would tweak inside the box. On top of that are extra controls taken from popular 303 mods and circuit bends, plus a vibrato the original never had.

Distortion and effects

Nearly every great acid line goes through something nasty. Phoscyon 2 has 19 distortion models based on well-known hardware, followed by an effects chain built with acid in mind. The insert effects can be dragged into any order.

Sequencer and arpeggiator

Programming a real 303 is famously awkward. This isn't. Patterns are edited on screen, played live in a loop and switched with the mouse, a MIDI controller or MIDI notes from your DAW. Accent, slide and vibrato can be overridden on the fly while it plays, and finished patterns drag straight into your DAW as MIDI. The arpeggiator works from a riff template, and the randomiser will throw out new sequences with control over density and which parts change. Happy accidents are half the point of acid, after all.

Verdict

It does one thing, and if you don't make acid or squelchy bass you won't need it. If you do, it's one of the most faithful and best-equipped 303s in software, and the sequencer alone is a big step up from programming the hardware. Enough said?

Features

• TB-303 emulation with a redesigned signal path
• Calibration controls including service trim pots
• Extra controls based on popular 303 mods and circuit bends
• Vibrato control
• 19 distortion models
• Reorderable insert effects
• Sequencer with two display modes and live override of accent, slide and vibrato
• Arpeggiator driven by riff templates
• Pattern randomiser
• Pattern triggering by MIDI note, MIDI CC or GUI
• Drag-and-drop MIDI export
• Over 800 factory presets and patterns
• MIDI Learn
• Several UI sizes, light and dark modes, HiDPI support

System requirements

• Version: 2.1.0
• Windows: Windows 7 or newer, Intel or AMD x86. VST2, VST3, AAX (32 or 64-bit host)
• Mac: Mac OS X 10.13 to macOS 26, Intel or Apple Silicon (native). VST2, VST3, AU, AAX (64-bit host only)
• Sample rate: 44.1 kHz or higher
• Plugin only, not a standalone program. A host application is needed

SOUND7 is an authorised D16 Group reseller. Digital delivery: licence activation code sent by email.

Demo