Dreadbox Hysteria Review, Analog Performance VCO For A Fair Price

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Dreadbox has developed with Hysteria, a completely analog oscillator for a “no-brainer” price of 99€ that sounds juicy, is intuitive to use and offers many clever features

The first steps in the Eurorack adventure can be expensive. Behringer recently showed very affordable Moog & Roland module clones. Not only is Behringer creating budget modules, but also small manufacturers are trying to be cheaper.

One of them is the lovely company Dreadbox from Greece, which brought with “The Chromatic Series” very affordable and interesting Eurorack modules to the market. Important: no clones but all own designs. Hysteria is a fully analog oscillator in 10HP for only 99€. 

Dreadbox Hysteria

The module stands out not only because of its colored design but also of the unique design. Here sliders dominate and less the knobs. This is rarely found in the Eurorack format. A big plus for this decision, especially super handy for performances. We need more sliders in Eurorack!

2 Sections

Hysteria is divided into two sections: one for the tuning and one for the waveform, each equipped with sliders that can be controlled via CV. The tuning can be changed in octaves and in semi-tones. It has a wide range from 16Hz to 32000 Hz, which is pretty nice for an entry-level oscillator.

A clever addition is a voltage-controlled quantizer, so Hysteria is always in tune. For example, you can change notes without slipping out of tune. However, I noticed in the test that the frequency drift from time to time. You have to be careful there Also, you can route an LFO into the oscillator and cycle it through the different notes, but only when the quantization is on.

Interestingly, this oscillator does not have fixed waveforms but a variable voltage controlled waveshaper with which you can achieve many different waveforms. This can also be controlled with CV, which becomes then a kind of analog wave morphing oscillator.

It enables very complex/unique shapes and it is very nice that there are no sharp jumps between waveforms while morphing. On top of this, you can apply PWM (pulse width modulation) via CV on a selection of shapes. Waveforms with dotes beside don’t include PWM.

Of course, it also offers a classic 1V/oct, a CV input with an attenuator and hard sync. Also nice is a separate pulse output that can be used as a clock or to sync to other oscillators. Nice little addition.

Sound

The sound is program and Dreadbox delivers what you have loved for a few years: a classic fat analog sound that fits perfectly into modern music. Vintage sound for next-generation musicians. Nothing out of the ordinary but what they do they do very well. For this price, you get a noble analog sound for your Eurorack system.

Review

With the new Hysteria module, Dreadbox delivers an analog oscillator that sounds great, is easy to use and has many clever features. It is a perfect entry-level oscillator but also perfect as an inexpensive additional one for existing Eurorack systems. Dreadbox goes a different way with the slider design than other module manufacturers. This decision was made very well because it brings fresh air to the budget Eurorack section without cloning old designs. Well done!

Positive

  • colorful design
  • intuitive two-section interface
  • fat classic analog sound
  • quantization feature
  • sliders instead of knobs
  • waveform morphing
  • price vs. features

Negative

  • frequency shifting issue 

Dreadbox Hysteria oscillator is available now for 99€ from the official website and retailers.

More information here: Dreadbox 

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