Rare Waves Grendel Drone Commander

Everything is said in previous reviews

UTILIZATION

September potentiometers (one for volume), where each has a specific function: the machine is very easy to use and understanding.
Insofar as it is a experimental instrument, you must spend time to find the desired settings.
Best to rotate a few minutes while it heats up and becomes "stable" (the manufacturer recommends 20 minutes of heating).
Sometimes the notes are a bit tricky to find (with a tuner), you must juggle the tilt that you want to adjust and filter, without starting the LFO and pulsation! But this complexity (relative) is part of the charm of the beast.

SOUNDS

A drone order is recognized, sounds in a way that is peculiar ... It is ideally suited to compounds drone-ambient-noise in metallic tones, rich accompaniments. Playing on the filter can be drawn fabulous harmonics, spent in a reverberation will magical. In a saturated, we get a very dirty sound, perfect for making good sticky textures.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a year spent in different types of effects and filters, and I never will separate me!
Eric Archer, the builder, is a very friendly and helpful guy (I ordered him directly, he has sent me in less than 15 days).
One note of customs (VAT, customs and fees) is a little salty. I feared that his style (khaki bandolier and potentiometers) not a problem, but no.
In short, if you make the noise, drone, or both, this is a very good choice.

Analog synthesizer featuring two oscillators (square wave or triangle), setting mix

Two synchronized LFO Phase loop (when one is a cycle, the other is 2, 4, 8 or 16 depending on the setting). You can adjust the waveform of the main LFO (length of the upward and downward slopes)

A low-pass filter, adjustable on two levels, high and low.

Clock input and output filter CV (not version 1 I think)

Alim by 9V battery

Possibility to disengage the two oscilloscope (then remain only the pulsations of LFO on the filter) can also disengage the main LFO.

UTILIZATION

The principle of this machine 100% analog and without memory is slow and progressive experimentation. We light one minute that the LFO is stabilizing, the buttons you turn expected, we look for the "sweet spots". I say there are two main modes of operation. The first oscillator committed, it is a real machine drone. The second oscilloscope disengaged (from Mix button) does remain that the pulsations of LFO on the filter, the sound is much more intimate, more dark.

In the first mode, which is what is first to play with the tuning of the two VCO. They can be put on the same note, the Detuner slightly, playing with beats produced, or find a deal that sounds good. Then you touch a little filter, engaging the second LFO, and plays with the form of the first.

Hint: when you change the waveform of the first LFO sync or second, the speed of the LFO deient random quelues seconds, wait a bit that everything restabilizes. I recommend dropping to the bottom "pulse" button, then make the change to "shape" or sync (2-4-8-16), wait 30 seconds, slowly raise the pulse.

SOUNDS

This is what makes the beauty of this synth. sound filter is gorgeous, extremely rough or abrasive. It resonates, it shines, it purrs, it scratches, it hums. Used in the acute part of what is a truly unique filter. If you descend into serious sound becomes enormous, fat and fat, almost saturated. personally my filter setting remains all the time in the treble.

This tool is great for creating textures, long drones (UAV mean hum) Soft, plies his powerful and rich.

The Drone Commander is really an instrument in hand, it really is the level above with respect to noise and other chelous box synths found on the market. Although its use is limited, it's that easy, it can not do everything, far from it, but the sound that comes out of this old military ammunition box is exceptional. One recognizes immediately, this is a future classic.

I use it with a slight delay and a little reverb. the clock output to synchronize other machines above, in my case a eurorack modular system that will follow the Grendel ... A treat. As for the CV input for the filter I have not tried yet ... Yum in advance.

OVERALL OPINION

I think this is my favorite machine. It is capable of beautiful environments, powerful and noisy drones as brilliant and clear percussion.

Pretty hard to find, now often more expensive in time in nine (plus made I think), not to mention that if you buy outside the EU there may be a small problem as the customs - and military metal box big buttons ...)

Yet I look for a second!