Dreadbox Typhon mono Synth + DSp fx, worth it?

Want to talk about music hardware or software that doesn't include Reason?
User avatar
Re8et
Competition Winner
Posts: 1511
Joined: 14 Nov 2016

30 Apr 2021

I like the fact that it has 256 preset slots.
I like the fact that Sinevibes has made custom effects for it.

I don't like the fact it has no PC GUI in that you don't know how to make your own effects and presets from scratch.
It just doesn't sound like a Dark Tribe, or Minotaur.
I don't like it being mono...

It's like the Monotone Bass Synth for Reason essentially....
It's pricetag it's... expensive if compared to a Korg Monologue it's 100 euros more....

What do you guys think??


Sterioevo
Posts: 407
Joined: 02 Apr 2015

30 Apr 2021

I think it is great value. The modulation capabilities run deep. I bought mine to use with my digitone midi tracks. The effects are very good for the price and go beyond the usual stock standards, with the capability for an external audio input a nice extra.
I have created a max 4 live interface so all the midi controllers are exposed and visible on one page. This improves the experience as the screen is quite small.
Continues to be supported with updates and improvements.
I need to spend more time working with the modulation capabilities and features such as the in-built sequencer, defnately happy with the purchase thus far.
Obviously no keyboard so it is a bit different in this respect as compared to the Monologue.

User avatar
BRIGGS
Posts: 2132
Joined: 25 Sep 2015
Location: Orange County California

30 Apr 2021

r11s

User avatar
joeyluck
Moderator
Posts: 11029
Joined: 15 Jan 2015

30 Apr 2021

Perhaps not so similar, but if you like Sinevibes making things for hardware, it might be worth checking out the Korg NTS-1.

User avatar
Zac
Posts: 1784
Joined: 19 May 2016
Contact:

01 May 2021

I had a Typhon but sold it to get a polysynth. It sounds great. The left side synth controls felt pretty playable. I found the right side fx and mod capabilities a bit fiddly but insanely deep.

I would welcome one back into my set up at any time but I would need to be more patient to get some of the beautiful sounds found online. The presets got updated recently but to my ears still aren't amazing. Although I believe user patches are available online.

As for the nts-1 I love mine. Has to be the best value synth available. I have filled up my user osc and fx slots with freebies and paid for chord and drone oscs which are both amazing. No preset saving is the only minor niggle for me.

User avatar
joeyluck
Moderator
Posts: 11029
Joined: 15 Jan 2015

03 May 2021

Zac wrote:
01 May 2021
As for the nts-1 I love mine. Has to be the best value synth available. I have filled up my user osc and fx slots with freebies and paid for chord and drone oscs which are both amazing. No preset saving is the only minor niggle for me.
I'm hoping they come out with an NTS in the form factor of a Volca 🤞

User avatar
Zac
Posts: 1784
Joined: 19 May 2016
Contact:

04 May 2021

joeyluck wrote:
03 May 2021
Zac wrote:
01 May 2021
As for the nts-1 I love mine. Has to be the best value synth available. I have filled up my user osc and fx slots with freebies and paid for chord and drone oscs which are both amazing. No preset saving is the only minor niggle for me.
I'm hoping they come out with an NTS in the form factor of a Volca 🤞
Yes, having a sequencer on board would be nice. The usb midi integration is very good though. Oscillatorsink did a YouTube video called something like "nts-1 gets all the midi" which was very impressive. I'll see if I can find a link... Here we go


The drone osc by Tim Shoebridge https://www.soundmangling.com/2020/05/1 ... scillator/
basically covered my desires for a Lyra-8. Well, that and the lira8 vst.

kinkujin
Posts: 206
Joined: 01 Mar 2018

05 May 2021

I have the Typhon and also had the Erebus v3. Believe it or not I sold the Erebus.
I think it's a little wonder of a synth.

User avatar
EnochLight
Moderator
Posts: 8405
Joined: 17 Jan 2015
Location: Imladris

27 May 2021

Just picked up a Dreadbox Typhon. Honestly, this thing is probably my favorite synth right now - it's just insanely fun to use and sounds SO. FU KC ING. GOOD. The build quality is just top notch - solid metal and built like a tank. Knobs feel solid. And for less than $380 USD, it's just impossible to beat - I can't find anything like this that actually comes with an incredible group of factory presets and allows you to save your own. Virtually all other synths in this price range don't have a preset manager and don't allow you to save or load presets. And the onboard sequencer is just a blast - Dreadbox knocked it out of the park with this thing!!!!

I also love that they went all in with the Greek mythology - the box is awesome:




64373473760__36E16F52-18B8-4425-85C6-853B0662BE5A.jpg
64373473760__36E16F52-18B8-4425-85C6-853B0662BE5A.jpg (643.93 KiB) Viewed 5197 times
IMG_2839(2).jpg
IMG_2839(2).jpg (916.64 KiB) Viewed 5197 times
IMG_2840(2).jpg
IMG_2840(2).jpg (775.22 KiB) Viewed 5197 times
IMG_2841(2).jpg
IMG_2841(2).jpg (591.31 KiB) Viewed 5197 times

joeyluck wrote:
30 Apr 2021
Perhaps not so similar, but if you like Sinevibes making things for hardware, it might be worth checking out the Korg NTS-1.
The effects by Sinevibes in the Dreadbox Typhon are accessible via an audio input, just like on the NTS-1. :thumbup:
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

EdGrip
Posts: 2343
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

28 May 2021

What I've been especially enjoying with the Microbrute are the "well, I'd like to see a soft synth make THAT noise!" moments. Does the Typhon do much of that kind of thing?

Sterioevo
Posts: 407
Joined: 02 Apr 2015

28 May 2021

The filter has a very pleasing raspiness.
The way the filter and amp time -/+ is quite ingenious.

User avatar
EnochLight
Moderator
Posts: 8405
Joined: 17 Jan 2015
Location: Imladris

28 May 2021

EdGrip wrote:
28 May 2021
What I've been especially enjoying with the Microbrute are the "well, I'd like to see a soft synth make THAT noise!" moments. Does the Typhon do much of that kind of thing?
It’s does that sort of thing in spades! I have long considered a Microbrute, but there is something unique about the Typhon that just makes it more appealing to me (one thing being its size). Every preset has a sequence that shows off its modulation capabilities, and the simplicity of tweaking the few knobs it comes with is just brilliant. And those effects - MY GOD. Those effects! You can tell Dreadbox cut their teeth making modular components - it plays like a portable modular synth in some ways and sounds just as magical. And not having a built-in keyboard really makes you focus on tweaking (it should be said that it supports USB MIDI and you can plug any MIDI controller keyboard into it for a “traditional” synth experience if you’re so inclined).
Sterioevo wrote:
28 May 2021
The filter has a very pleasing raspiness.
The way the filter and amp time -/+ is quite ingenious.
Yes, totally agree!
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

EdGrip
Posts: 2343
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

28 May 2021

Yes, I prefer things not to have keyboards. I'm more of a sequence-and-tweak synth user. I'll stick it on my Gumtree watch list. ;) Along with the Toraiz AS-1 and the Mother-32...

User avatar
retreed
Competition Winner
Posts: 220
Joined: 18 Sep 2018
Contact:

28 May 2021

EnochLight wrote:
28 May 2021
[...]
it supports USB MIDI
[...]
In the current state, it does not support MIDI over USB yet, but as they release regular firmware updates and include more and more MIDI settings, it's likely to be available in the next months. :thumbup:

User avatar
EnochLight
Moderator
Posts: 8405
Joined: 17 Jan 2015
Location: Imladris

28 May 2021

retreed wrote:
28 May 2021
In the current state, it does not support MIDI over USB yet, but as they release regular firmware updates and include more and more MIDI settings, it's likely to be available in the next months. :thumbup:
Oh good to know - my bad! I thought I read last July (2020) that it was supposed to support USB MIDI in Sept/Oct 2020, but it appears as though that was just a "mention" in a relatively small Dreadbox FB community (supposedly made by Dreadbox's own Yiannis). Users are still talking about it and requesting it as of 1 week ago - LOL!!! As it's almost a year later, I seriously wonder if we'll see that ever supported - seems like it's been long enough. Sadly, it was also teased that USB-Audio support may be coming, but I really have my doubts on that one. Ah well, I'm good with the old fashioned DIN MIDI ports anyway, since I have to power it via a USB power brick for the cleanest sound. It appears as though when I power it via a USB port (including the one on my MPC Live 2), I get a grounding hum via the quarter inch outs. If I use the headphone outs, it's fine though. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

kinkujin
Posts: 206
Joined: 01 Mar 2018

16 Jul 2021

Late to this party but ... I think it is a great synth. It has, like most Dreadbox stuff I've tried, its own personality and voice. For me it is one of those "get lost in it forever synths" and so therefore I find it very worth it.

User avatar
EnochLight
Moderator
Posts: 8405
Joined: 17 Jan 2015
Location: Imladris

17 Jul 2021

kinkujin wrote:
16 Jul 2021
Late to this party but ... For me it is one of those "get lost in it forever synths" and so therefore I find it very worth it.
^^ SAME ^^

Love my Typhon!
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

PhillipOrdonez
Posts: 3732
Joined: 20 Oct 2017
Location: Norway
Contact:

17 Jul 2021

It's one to consider for bass duties. I am considering it for such duties. Either this or the Minotaur, someday. 🤔

User avatar
EnochLight
Moderator
Posts: 8405
Joined: 17 Jan 2015
Location: Imladris

17 Jul 2021

PhillipOrdonez wrote:
17 Jul 2021
It's one to consider for bass duties. I am considering it for such duties. Either this or the Minotaur, someday. 🤔
It’s also great for cool blirpy blip squack atmospheres as well, and even some droney pads. It’s really quite amazing for such a cheap synth.
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

User avatar
retreed
Competition Winner
Posts: 220
Joined: 18 Sep 2018
Contact:

14 Aug 2021

EnochLight wrote:
28 May 2021
[...] As it's almost a year later, I seriously wonder if we'll see that ever supported - seems like it's been long enough. [...]
Beta for FW 4.0 arrived today. :)
1. Bug fixes
– A loud noise on unit startup could occur under certain circumstances.
This bug was caused by a firmware fault and now got fixed.

2. MIDI over USB
– Typhon gets recognised as a MIDI/USB device and can now send and receive MIDI messages from a Computer. This feature can work in parallel to the DIN5 MIDI and the user can select the port configurations from the global settings.

3. Audio over USB
-Typhon gets recognised as Audio/USB device. This feature enables Typhon to act as an audio input and be recorded from a computer directly without the use of a sound card. This feature got implemented to support the previous described feature so as the user doesn’t have to connect the physical audio out to his sound card, and so on create a ground loop, which cause a constant buzzing at Typhon’s audio.
https://www.dreadbox-fx.com/typhon/

User avatar
EnochLight
Moderator
Posts: 8405
Joined: 17 Jan 2015
Location: Imladris

14 Aug 2021

retreed wrote:
14 Aug 2021
EnochLight wrote:
28 May 2021
[...] As it's almost a year later, I seriously wonder if we'll see that ever supported - seems like it's been long enough. [...]
Beta for FW 4.0 arrived today. :)
1. Bug fixes
– A loud noise on unit startup could occur under certain circumstances.
This bug was caused by a firmware fault and now got fixed.

2. MIDI over USB
– Typhon gets recognised as a MIDI/USB device and can now send and receive MIDI messages from a Computer. This feature can work in parallel to the DIN5 MIDI and the user can select the port configurations from the global settings.

3. Audio over USB
-Typhon gets recognised as Audio/USB device. This feature enables Typhon to act as an audio input and be recorded from a computer directly without the use of a sound card. This feature got implemented to support the previous described feature so as the user doesn’t have to connect the physical audio out to his sound card, and so on create a ground loop, which cause a constant buzzing at Typhon’s audio.
https://www.dreadbox-fx.com/typhon/
Hey thanks for posting this! Cool it’s a public beta, though I’m a little weary to try it. Will probably give it a go tomorrow. Here’s to hoping audio-over-USB is treated as a Class Compliant interface.

*UPDATE*

So, MIDI-over-USB works as far as sync and accepting midi notes, however; Reason's External MIDI Instrument can't change programs on the Typhon (this works fine on my Akai MPC and Force using regular MIDI-DIN 5 pin). Also, USB-Audio does *NOT* show up in Reason on Windows 10 (not even an option), although Windows 10 does allow me to set it as an input device. :redface: :puf_unhappy: :x

Same in Ableton Live 10 Lite and Typhon, although Typhon at least shows up as an option under MME devices. Can't select it or get it to work, though. Seems like this beta is a bust. :(


typhon_fail.JPG
typhon_fail.JPG (43.16 KiB) Viewed 4760 times
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

User avatar
retreed
Competition Winner
Posts: 220
Joined: 18 Sep 2018
Contact:

15 Aug 2021

EnochLight wrote:
14 Aug 2021
[...]
Yeah, same results here (latest Windows). It also does not display at all in Bitwig, so it's worth sending specs to Dreadbox I guess.
The bug fix for removing the startup noise worked fine for me and is highly appreciated. :)

slic
Posts: 130
Joined: 01 Jun 2021

15 Aug 2021

I was torn between this and the UNO Pro and wen t for the latter as it was £340 on Amazon next day! I am happy with the UNO Pro and it has a pretty comprehensive VST editor coming out soon which will be useful...but I am still keeping an eye on this- if the USB can do audio and Midi to my MPC Live over one cable it may be a winner!

User avatar
EnochLight
Moderator
Posts: 8405
Joined: 17 Jan 2015
Location: Imladris

16 Aug 2021

slic wrote:
15 Aug 2021
I was torn between this and the UNO Pro and wen t for the latter as it was £340 on Amazon next day! I am happy with the UNO Pro and it has a pretty comprehensive VST editor coming out soon which will be useful...but I am still keeping an eye on this- if the USB can do audio and Midi to my MPC Live over one cable it may be a winner!
I'm an MPC Live II owner, so I thought I'd let you know - Dreadbox Typhon works at 48 Khz yet MPC requires the USB Class Compliant audio interface to run at 44.1 Khz, so it won't work. I just tried it and MPC throws an error stating it's not running at 44.1 Khz. I also discovered that on Typhon's current Beta 4, it also breaks Preset changing via traditional MIDI-Din, so I'm uninstalling it and going back to the latest 3.1.1 stable release.

How do you like the Uno Pro's capacitive touch keys? Typhon is the sort of synth where having keys isn't needed to get down and dirty. I thought I'd miss them, but I've found Typhon hugely inspiring just running its own sequencer and/or playing and triggering with my MPC Live II.
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

slic
Posts: 130
Joined: 01 Jun 2021

16 Aug 2021

EnochLight wrote:
16 Aug 2021
slic wrote:
15 Aug 2021
I was torn between this and the UNO Pro and wen t for the latter as it was £340 on Amazon next day! I am happy with the UNO Pro and it has a pretty comprehensive VST editor coming out soon which will be useful...but I am still keeping an eye on this- if the USB can do audio and Midi to my MPC Live over one cable it may be a winner!
How do you like the Uno Pro's capacitive touch keys?
It's better than no keys and makes step sequencing easier as they all have LEDs as well (the Uno has a great sequencer and you can step in 3 note chords etc) - to be honest its quite cool for sliding (like a ribbon) even when you have a fill sized keyboard plugged in :puf_smile:
Sounds like the new features on the Typhon are still a bit 'Beta' - I nearly ordered it a few times...The UNO just ticked a few more boxes for me and was the same cost....

Post Reply
  • Information
  • Who is online

    Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests