Thoughts on the Dreadbox Erebus v3 - Oscillators & Filter
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- Опубликовано: 16 ноя 2018
- This video is basically a walk-through of the basic functions of the Dreadbox Erebus 3 together with my initial thoughts on this new synth. There is a lot to cover so this video is split into two parts, this is Part 1 with Part 2 to follow very soon.
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Please note that the filter comparison at 17:36 is using the Nyx 24Db filter and not 12Db. This was a mistake on my part, will rectify in the Part 2 video.
superb demo, best i've seen in a while, great methodical approach
- ordered an Erebus v3 today, and although i'm no beginner this video was most insightful -
many thanks
Thanks for this video! I had the V2 and was absolutely addicted to it. Looking forward to Part 2 of your video.
Thanks, Tim, for BOTH parts 1 and 2. Very nice walk-through. Looking forward to seeing more about the patch bay.
Great demo! Like the explanations and the slow walk-throughs of the sounds. V.3 sounds great.
I would like to agree with previous comments that you do a really great job at bringing all the details of the Erebus v3 into the light. I've just recently bought the NYX v2 but I was disappointed on the oscillators, to be honest. I own the original NYX, just as you do, and when compared side by side the NYX v2's oscillators didn't manage to bring the same power and the snappiness and even volume out of them as the v1 manages to do.
After having spent a few hours with it I realized that I wouldn't work with this machine as much as I had hoped for, having two NYX's and all, so I returned it and I have now ordered the Erebus v3 instead and your videos were a convincing part in my decision making. So thanks a lot for making these "thoughtful" videos. You said you weren't to do an extensive review but would leave it to those more suitable for that but I think your videos went deeper than most reviews do, hehe. You made some important comparisons and comments and also explained the patch bay very well by taking the time to demonstrate the not so straightforward CV connections, which I think many newbies appreciate a lot.
I would really like to see you make a comparison between the two NYX's. Keep up the good work.
What I actually like here is that the filter doesn't have the bite you described in the nyx etc. It's really smooth and has a kind of subtlety to it!
Yep. More butter than arsenic. I like it too! It does get a little more bitey sounding, though, with the resonance maximized.
Another fine job Tim. I have now subscribed. Keep up the great work!!
Thank you for this real deep demonstration!
I wish the Dreadbox Medusa sounded as nice as the Erebus 3. Nice video, Tim. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and journey.
Dude same. The concept is fantastic and I want to love it but the sound isn’t quite there. I’ve heard some great demos but it can’t compare to the Abyss, Nyx, or Erebus. That said if I had the petty cash I’d buy one in an instant just for the sequencer, MPE midi capability, drones, and sheer uniqueness of the playing and synthesis styles.
Great vid, cheers!
Question: how is the pitch tracking from octave to octave? Just want to be sure because my MS101 is pretty outstanding regarding pitch tracking. Thanks, great series.
Question; if you turn off osc1 or 2 and use the mix knob away from the remaining osc will that reduce the volume so it can be lower than osc3? I know the result is only using two oscs, but in some scenarios might it not be useful?
Tim,does the sound of the Erebus have the same type of heft to it as your Model D?
I have a sub37 and LOVE the sound, and am eyeing a voyager, but this looks like it might give it a run for its money. The NYX would for sure do well in a head to head but is sadly missing that third oscillator.
i think i'll always keep my erebus (with 2 osc) and i love the filter, its the triple ring i'd like in the v3 . I do like the tearing of the NYx filter , never heard a comparrison like folks mentioned (slow vcf sweeps). My synths sit there doing nothing smetimes to Daniel W- i let them do that and have a rest. I have no idea what they think about ?!
Thank you Tim, for thoroughly exploring this synth & sharing with us. Question for you & anyone with Erebus v3 experience: the autotune feature. If I wanted to tune the Erebus v3 to a different note A reference such as A=430.6 hz instead of A=440 hz, is this possible to achieve or would the Autotune feature take Erebus v3 back to A=440hz? Thank you in advance. Best wishes from the woodsy countryside of upstate New York, USA. 🌲🦌🍻
Hi and huge apologies for taking so long to get back to you. I do not know for definite but I am fairly sure that the auto-tune feature is ensuring that the three oscillators are consistently in tune internally with each other and that is irrespective of what you decide to tune them to in terms of adjustments to the controls...
Nice Job!!!
The third oscillator seems more like a character oscillator and second LFO. It was not in V1 and V2. I would like to hear what the delay circuit can do. Has it changed from the previous design?
Thomas Hoffend both of those questions get answered in the Sonic State review.
Very interesting Tim you have me sub'd!
Thanks for this
Another good video. Had the V2 but sold it before I really got into it.
Luxscape it has LOADS of character.
Hi Tim, thanks for these videos. What is the tuning stability like on the Erebus 3?
You are very welcome. The self tuning makes these oscillators more stable than previous Erebus versions, you don't get the long gradual drift due to warm up any more. But the oscillators are still very analogue, nothing like a DCO, they still have a good analogue feel imho
yeess .. love your videos
I dont own Nyx but it sounds like you used the 24db/oct setting? It would be fairer to use the 12db/oct setting.
You are absolutely correct, Many thanks for pointing out my mistake. I will add a 12Db Nyx comparison to the Part 2 video, unfortunately YT does not allow me to edit this one.
I wonder if it's possible to mix oscillator 3 properly using the patch bay? I see an OSC3 out and some level control dials. Perhaps you've covered this elsewhere.
Hi, Yes you can certainly boost the level of OSC3 which helps a lot, I'll show this in the Part 3 video (almost finished filming!) but separate level controls for each OSC would stil be ideal.
@@TimShoebridge Excellent.
Do you think the discrete oscillators sounded better as well as the filter on the v2? i wish dreadbox would make a full on poly.
Got mine today; my supplier was a bit slow shipping it to me, but hey I got other Dreadbox stuff to play with so...
Anyway, when OSC3 does not have enough volume to compete just use the osc3 out and then into the AMP section, plenty of gain to be had there. Sure you loose the extra amp but if it would been totally modular one still would have needed an extra amp module - and even if it would have been nice with both a level-gain slider And extra gain knobs there is little space and Janis wife (who is the designer of the look) has final say on what goes where, add a knob or remove even.
It really is allot cheaper than their previous semi's so I am guessing bigger volumes has brought the price down for the consumer (and maybe some cheaper assembly, like the patchpanel being plastic instead of metal-jacks)
Great video, yet again, cheers. Off the top of my head(and only gear I have or had) as I am rather taken with 3 osc synths as well:
Novation Peak
Alesis Fusion
Alesis Ion/Micron/Akai Miniak
Waldorf Blofeld
Novation Ultranova
Roland SE-02
Behringer Model D
honourable mentions (2 osc w/ sub osc mirror):
Novation Bass Station 2
Roland system 1(m)
Roland Sh-32
as well as DSI mopho line(Mopho, Tetra, MophoX4) which have 2 Oscs + 2 subs(-1 & -2)
This erebus doesn't really seem...enticing, to me though. I would be very curious to see you explore weird pedals: Red Panda Particle, Boss Tera Echo, etc. The Boss MO-2 is a gem for synths by the by ;)
Gossamyr Thorne Dreadbox has a stronger sonic character than any of the synths you mentioned.
waldorf pulse 1 and 2 - though not as nice programmable from the interface as the Model D and ErebusV3. They came to my mind.
when will you do a review of the Dreadbox Medusa.... without external processing hopefully?
444 Levels I did actually have a serious play with a Medusa a couple of months ago. My conclusion at the time was that it still needed quite a bit of improvement and more firmware updates. I think the concept of the Medusa is fantastic and I am very hopeful to get one but when it is a bit more mature. There’s a huge amount of tech inside it and it’s going to take time to get it just right.
@@TimShoebridge That's been the consensus. It's a shame really as many people will pass on it based on it's launch state. With mature firmware it has the potential to be a superb piece of kit. I hope folks review it again down the road and give the Medusa a second chance.
@@TimShoebridge thanks , that is my impression of it as well...
Nice video! I would like to order Erebeus reissue tomorrow. But i still thinking about Erebus v3 too... I am curious which one of them will join my Dreadbox family soon :-P
your side panel is really loose, did you drop the synth?:)
Ha! Well spotted, it is very loose and slightly irritating me! I avoided saying anything about it so far but it was like that when I got it. The packaging it comes in is a bit on the thin side.....
Hi Tim,
Great video, it's surprising but so few "reviewers" bother with slow deliberate filter sweeps (plural noted) so thanks for that glimpse of the Dreadbox. Looking forward to Part II....As a relatively recent Behringer D and Neutron owner so far I cannot help but feel grateful that I spent the spare cash on those two rather than a more expensive 3 Osc machine. Of course they all have their specific highpoints and perhaps another will give you the capability to sculpt your dream sound but for me 2 > 1 😊
Have you laid hands on the Neutron yet?
Best wishes from Ireland.
Hi and thanks very much. No I have not yet played a Neutron, for one reason or another it kind of passed me by. But I was ironically thinking the other day that on a very simplistic level the Erebus 3 is like the love child of a Model D and Neutron.... ie. You end up with a duophonic 3 oscillator synth with some wave shaping and loads of patch points :)
I can really hear the low end drop out in the filter at high resonance right between about 8 and 9 o’clock on the frequency knob (typical effect without some sort of compensation). Below that it sounds massive though!
Your opinion on this vs the Behringer Neutron?
Dark Side of Synth Yes the Neutron is a very obvious competitor, the trouble for me is I have not spent much time with one so it would be unfair of me to make comparisons. I’m hoping to get my hands on a Neutron in a few weeks’ time and will try to put some time aside for a video.
Thank you. Have a nice weekend.
There's another 3 oscillator desktop synth in the same relative price range: Roland SE-02.
wajobu imo it’s the only one that can compete with the Erebus. They both sound beautiful. The Boog sounds very good but isn’t quite comparable to the other 2 I feel.
nice one Tim - i would up vote but u currently have 303 up votes which is a great number for a synth channel. Looking forward to part 2 of this...
303 is a great number but 304 is an even greater number 🥰
@@TimShoebridge Oh - okay then - if you INSIST! Have a great day mate!
@@TheInterGalacticFederation Haha! Thanks! I'm very glad you're enjoying the Erebus 3 vids. It's a great synth, very underrated.
yeah - good reviews @@TimShoebridge - you give us an honest feel for what each function can do in a musical context. I've got other priorities right now (sp404 mk2, Rc505 mk2 when they get released) but Dreadbox are very tempting...
Of all the synth RUclips channels yours and Noir et al Blanc have the best aesthetics by far. What camera do you use to film your videos?
Thanks very much. I mostly use a GH5.
Tim Shoebridge Cool thanks for the reply. I’d like to upload my own vids some day. Also this review series sold me on an Erebus. The company I use is backordered for a couple weeks but should be here soon :)
@@HotStrange Enjoy the Erebus when you get, it's definitely worth the wait :)
Tim Shoebridge Haha I’m sure I will. Thanks :)
I think it's Tim's very nice postproduction that does add a lot to the aesthetics.
ooh , ive got the same watch DW :)
nice Swiss watch!
ouh it's Swedish, almost looks like IWC..
You seem to be mixing the camera audio with the straight signal on the Erebus when you're comparing it to the Behringer D.
You do it again on the Nyx, when comparing that to the Erebus.
Hi. The mix is actually the same on both, but yes I always mix a stereo mic placed close to me with the direct signal from the synths, especially when I am recording mono synths as it gives a bit of a spacial stereo room ambience to the sound which would otherwise be tiring to listen to. It also helps to pick up some occasional noise of me fiddling about which I hope helps to keeps it real !
(But what I may have done on a couple of occasions is not EQ out the very high end hiss because I was originally talking in those segments of video)
I love these dreadbox synths. I'm using the nyx2 for my live set. But I just don't understand why they always make the tune knob the biggest... That's the parameter you are going to use the less. In my opinion it shouldn't be even in the front panel (it could be a small knob on the rear panel for example). At least for vco1. For vco2 that can be synced to vco1 you might want to have access to the tuning... but why a giant knob for this parameter. It scares me to death during a live performance.
Owner of a Behringer D? I can see three more behind you.
Haha! Well yes, I was trying not to brag. Reason I made that comment is that after posting a video about oscillator tuning lots of people presumed that I was being critical about the BMD and therefore must dislike it.... :(
@@TimShoebridge -- Indeed. Despite that oscillator tuning issue, the BMD has such a lovely range of sounds that I would never willingly part with mine.
@@TimShoebridge i had that same issue never could tune it correctly and returned are you getting the poly d ?
Filter on Nyx sounds better imo
Ask me if I'd wanna win the lottery or have all your gear... An old wise man said: learn to fish and you eat for life !
Nyx sounds way better