Boss's Dr Sample SP-303 emerged as an intriguing evolution of the pioneering SP-202 phrase sampler. Three years after its predecessor made waves in the budget sampling market, the SP-303 arrived with both gains and losses in its feature set, but still was an affordable and versatile tool for creating unique sounds and music.

Gone were the built-in microphone and battery power that made the SP-202 so portable, but in their place came a wealth of enhanced capabilities. The new model boasted resampling functions, a pattern sequencer, expanded effects, and real-time controls, all packed into a sleeker, more compact form factor.

At its heart, the SP-303 remains true to its phrase sampling roots. Unlike full-featured samplers that can map individual notes across a keyboard, this doctor specializes in playing back loops and phrases at their original speed. The streamlined top panel features Roland's signature illuminated rubber buttons, with eight large sample pads doubling as sequencer pattern selectors. Three real-time control knobs – Cutoff, Resonance, and Drive – provide hands-on tweaking of effects parameters.

Memory management sees significant improvement through SmartMedia card support. While the internal memory offers a modest 30 seconds of 44.1kHz mono sampling, adding a 64MB card expands this to an impressive 33 minutes mono or 15 minutes stereo. The SP303 can even import AIFF and WAV files through a card reader, though with some limitations – samples must be between 100ms and 30 seconds in length.

The sampling workflow proves straightforward, with options for mono/stereo recording and quality settings. Sample editing capabilities have expanded, offering control over time, tempo, level, and loop points. A particularly welcome addition is the time-stretch feature, allowing 50-130% tempo adjustment per sample. The resampling function opens creative possibilities, enabling effects processing and crude multitrack mixing by bouncing multiple pads together.

The effects section has grown substantially from the SP202's five effects to twenty-six (Filter, Pitch, Delay, Vinyl Simulator, Filter+Overdrive, Isolator, Reverb, Tape Echo, Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo/Pan, Distortion, Overdrive, Fuzz, Wah‑Wah, Octave Shifter, Compressor, Equaliser, Lo‑Fi, Noise Generator, Radio Tuning, Slicer, Ring Modulator, Chromatic Pitch‑shifter, Voice Transformer, Centre Canceller). While only one effect can be used at a time, they can be applied to individual samples, globally, or to the input signal.

The new Pattern Sequencer, though basic, adds valuable functionality with storage for up to 32 patterns between 1-99 bars long. While step-time recording isn't available, patterns can be recorded in real-time with quantization and synced to external MIDI devices.

Technical Specifications:

• Polyphony: 8 mono voices (4 stereo)
• Internal Memory: 16 samples (2 banks of 8), 16 patterns
• Card Memory (8-64MB SmartMedia): 16 samples + 112 backup samples, 16 patterns + 112 backup patterns
• Sampling Times (Mono @44.1kHz):
  - 8MB: 4 minutes
  - 16MB: 8 minutes
  - 32MB: 16 minutes
  - 64MB: 33 minutes
• Pattern Sequencer
• Connections: L/R line in/out (phono), headphone jack, mic jack, MIDI input
• Effects: 26 types including Filter, Pitch, Delay, Vinyl Simulator, and more

Despite lacking velocity-sensitive pads and chromatic sample playback, the SP-303 stands as a compelling budget phrase sampler. Its SmartMedia storage, file import capabilities, and punchy sound quality make it a worthy successor to the SP-202, even in an increasingly competitive market segment. The illuminated panel and intuitive interface particularly appeal to DJs, though the three-digit display remains a limitation for precise editing work.