Dreadbox Typhon: the latest 4.2 firmware update for the analog mono synth brings major MIDI improvements, including MIDI CC output and more.
Typhon was the first major collaboration between the Greek analog synth company Dreadbox and the Ukrainian DSP specialists Sinevibes. The latter developed a multitude of exciting effect algorithms for it, which they significantly expanded in firmware 2.0.
The Typhon has been on the market for 6 years now and is still one of the most exciting programmable mono synths. The last update (4.1) was five years ago, and things have been quiet since. Now Dreadbox is back with firmware 4.2 for the Typhon, which you shouldn’t miss.
Dreadbox Typhon 4.2
Firmware 4.2 is now available for all users. First off, it’s important to note that this firmware does not introduce any new sound design features: no new Sinevibes algorithms, etc.
Okay, let’s not forget that users have been spoiled in the past years with new algorithms (firmware 2.o) or audio via USB (firmware 4.0) as free updates. Firmware 4.2 is more about improving usability.
More precisely, Dreadbox has significantly improved both the MIDI and the menu in many areas with the Typhon 4.2 firmware.
First handy addition is that Typhon now supports MIDI CC out. It now transmits CCs through USB and MIDI DIN ports for all of its parameters. This also ships with a reworked CC list to match the MIDI CC protocol.
Then, the hardware supports “All Sounds OFF/All Notes OFF”, allowing you to mute the Typhon immediately. This is especially useful if you change presets to prevent long effect tails.
Firmware 4.2 also adds a new auto glide menu that lets you turn it on. When Glide is ON, each new note will glide from the previously pressed note at the speed selected with the GLIDE slider.
Selecting AUTO Glide effectively skips glide on the first note pressed after all notes have been released. Also neat is the new master tune menu, which lets you fine-tune Typhon over a range of ±100 cents.
More Additions
Alongside these, the sequencer has been updated and offers new divisions, including 1/1 to 1/32 and their respective triplets. Talking about triplets. You can now find triplets and dotted divisions on the modulators and delay FX as well.
Other changes include: a reworked menu system, now with dedicated menus for MIDI CC and MIDI PC, and a preset preview menu to enable/disable it. Further, it’s now possible to boot from the hardware to the last-loaded preset
Dreadbox Typhon 4.2 also ships with many bug fixes.
First Impression
This update comes as a complete surprise after so many years of quiet in the Typhon camp. I’m pleased to see that they’ve incorporated a few lovely improvements after six years on the market.
The new Dreadbox Typhon 4.2 firmware is available now as a free update for existing users.
More information here: Dreadbox
Available from my partners
Thomann
It’s nice to see that one of the most complete and one of the best mono synths from dreadbox (sound + seq + fx + preset + usb…!!!) is finally receiving a bit of love with an update, well done Dreadbox!
But personally, the only thing I was waiting for, and that I will always wait to buy, is a paraphonic function!!!
It was also announced in the list of future updates almost from the beginning… it’s really a shame… well, maybe midi makes it be easier to do in the future… so I’m still waiting…
Another thing I’ve always hoped for — but maybe is impossible in software only — is to mix the external audio in _after_ the VCA, so that one can play the synth over incoming audio.