Dreadbox NYX Paraphonic Analog Synthesizer Review: Tricky But Amazing

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Filters 

Let’s go on to the filters. Yes, we have here two Voltage controlled filters. The Dreadbox NYX features a dual VCF Filter system with two 2 pole (12db/octave) filter but you can use them also as single 24 dB/octave filter. Even if a single filter is easier to control, the second filter brings a lot of more sound possibilities to the fore.

The biggest knob in this section is the Cutoff which controls both filters together. Compared to the big knob, the POST slider allows you to control only the 2nd filter and to offset it. The RES slider controls the resonance of both filters. More interesting but again somewhat more complicated are the VCF routings on the top left again beside VCO routings. 

By default, the filter routing knob is set to LPF mode which set Filter 1 to Lowpass and in series with filter 2 also in lowpass mode. In the HPF mode, Filter 1 is set to high pass and in series with filter 2 also in high pass. If you want to use both filters in lowpass and parallel, than you must select the EVEN mode. ODD, the last mode is the more interesting and set the filter 1 to lowpass and filter 2 to high-pass in parallel. If you touch the POST fader, you can control the high-pass filter.

From my sonic explorations during my testing time, I must say that the filter quality is outstanding  and it’s very creamy to use what is quite usual for the last Dreadbox machines. For the filter routings, the EVEN and ODD mode really brings some very interesting filter timbres in the analog sound to shine.

More filter features, you can find also on the right side in the patchbay where you have two different patch points for the filter. The VCF input controls both filters frequencies at onces and unlike this the first one, the POST controls only the frequency of filter number 2. On top, you can also patch it to the modwheel via the MOD output. So you can use the modwheel of your keyboard to control the cutoff the NYX. This modulation flexibility inside the filter gives you a lot of room for experimentations with both filters.

You think it was all about the filter modulation possibilities inside the NYX? False because the NYX has a completely modulation routing section for both filters which make this machine even deeper.

Inside the filter mod root, you can operate in four different ways how your filters works with the modulations. By default, the mod root knob is at single, so the Modulator 1 controls both filters. The dual mode route both modulators 1 and 2 to filter 2. More extravagant routings compared to the first two are Split and ODD. With Split, modulator 1 controls filter 1 and modulator 2 controls filter 2. ODD, the last setting, activate Modulator 1 to control both filters and in the same time modulator 2 controls filter 2.

This entire filter mod section is very deep compared to other analog synths in this price range and invite to a big playground. Personally, I needed some days to understand completely the way how to work with this routings. For a synth beginners, these mod options can be complicated because these are very deep and not so easy to understand. The best way is to make your own patch and to see what you can get out of these routings. I absolutely recommend to check out also the manual where you get all the informations about the routing possibilities.

This entire filter mod section is very deep compared to other analog synths in this price range and invite to a big playground. Personally, I needed some days to understand completely the way how to work with this routings. For a synth beginners, these mod options can be complicated because these are very deep and not so easy to understand. The best way is to make your own patch and to see what you can get out of these routings. I absolutely recommend to check out also the manual where you get all the informations about the routing possibilities.

My favourite mod routing is the ODD mode because it offers a lot of different sonic possibilities with the modulations. Another interesting feature mention is that you can also modulate the second filter per example with audio modulation from oscillator 2. This brings some very dirty sounds to the fore.

Before checking out the three modulators of the Dreadbox NYX, here another demo where I design a mosquito sound with the excellent high pass filter.

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