Dreadbox Dysphonia, Antiphon and Hypnosis return as assembled 42HP units
Dreadbox brings back the Dysphonia semi-modular, the eight-sine Antiphon synth and the Hypnosis multi-FX, assembled, in 42HP Eurorack format, at €315 excl. VAT each.
On November 3, Dreadbox put three instruments from its catalog back on sale, models best known until now as kits: the Dysphonia semi-modular, the eight-oscillator Antiphon synth and the Hypnosis analog multi-effect. All three come assembled, in the same USB-powered 42HP Eurorack format, at €315 excl. VAT each from the manufacturer’s store. The official product pages are the source for this article: Dysphonia, Antiphon, Hypnosis. Synth Anatomy describes these units as limited-time reissues; Dreadbox gives no end date on its pages but shows finite stock (57 Dysphonia, 58 Antiphon and 16 Hypnosis as of November 4).
Dysphonia: a complete semi-modular for learning to patch
A semi-modular synth makes sound with no cables at all, thanks to a pre-wired signal path, yet every stage can be re-routed by hand with patch cables. Dysphonia is a dense example: 13 sections in 42HP. The Dreadbox spec sheet lists:
- an analog oscillator with four waveforms and a wide-range analog LFO;
- a self-oscillating 24dB/octave 4-pole low-pass filter and a 12dB/octave 2-pole multimode filter;
- three analog VCAs, a 3-to-1 mixer for audio and control voltages, and a passive multiple;
- a snappy AD envelope (1ms per stage);
- a hybrid echo, the one from the company’s Erebus synth;
- a four-mode digital modulator: LFO with delay, random (sample and hold or key-triggered, with lag), AD or AR envelope, and conversion of MIDI messages (mod wheel, velocity, aftertouch) into voltage;
- a built-in MIDI to CV/Gate converter, so you can play Dysphonia from a MIDI keyboard.
If CV and Gate are new terms, our guide CV and Gate explained starts from scratch.
Antiphon: eight sine waves for drones and textures
Antiphon is an analog monophonic synth voice built around eight sine-wave oscillators, each with its own pitch control and output. Oscillators 7 and 8 can act as LFOs, with a quoted range from one minute to 10kHz. Then come non-resonant 2-pole low-pass and high-pass filters, an exponential VCA and a digital reverb with decay control. An external input accepts up to guitar level, turning Antiphon into a desktop effect (reverb, tremolo, ring modulator or bit crush, filter effects). The spec sheet counts 22 patch points.
Hypnosis: three analog and hybrid effects
Hypnosis is a three-stage effects processor: an analog BBD chorus-flanger (bucket-brigade chips, the technology behind 1980s chorus units), a hybrid delay derived from the Erebus and a real spring reverb with variable pre-delay. Two wide-range LFOs come with it, one hardwired to the chorus and one free for patching, and the input takes anything from a guitar or microphone to a modular signal. According to Synth Anatomy, this 2026 edition is mono, whereas the 2023 version was stereo; the Dreadbox page does not say either way.
The three models side by side
| Model | Role | Patch points | Rack current draw (+12V / -12V) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dysphonia | complete semi-modular synth | not stated | 140mA / 60mA |
| Antiphon | 8-sine voice, drone, effect | 22 | 90mA / 35mA |
| Hypnosis | chorus-flanger, delay, spring | 11 | 220mA / 60mA |
All three fit in 42HP and run on USB power on a desk. Mounted in a rack, they draw from the case power supply: the figures above are what you check it against, as our article Eurorack explained: choosing your first case shows.
Who they are for, what they cost, what they compete with
Who they are for. Dysphonia targets musicians who want to learn modular synthesis on one complete module, playable from a MIDI keyboard, before investing in a case. Antiphon is for drone and texture fans, Hypnosis for anyone after colorful analog processing on a desk or in a rack, guitar included.
What they cost. €315 excl. VAT each, the price Dreadbox lists for the assembled versions. In stock at the time of writing, with shipping quoted at two to four working days.
What they compete with. For Dysphonia, the comparison points are compact Eurorack-compatible semi-modulars: the Moog Mavis, sold as a build-it-yourself kit, and the Behringer Crave, which adds a built-in sequencer but has no echo and no second filter. Dysphonia stands out with its dual filters, echo and MIDI converter, at the cost of a very dense front panel. Antiphon and Hypnosis have few direct equivalents at this price as standalone, USB-powered modules. On the same day, Dreadbox launched Alecto, a two-voice analog drum synth, sold at the same price when assembled. The other semi-modulars we follow are in the Semi-Modular section.
