Rare Waves Hydronium - Juice Purple

This listing is for the Juice Purple color scheme, as pictured in the photos.

 Rare Waves Hydronium is a great-sounding analog synthesizer with MIDI and CV-Gate control. It was introduced in 2019, created and supported by Eric Archer behind the Grendel brand.

This listing is for the pre-assembled Tabletop version. (Not a DIY kit). This unit is factory fresh, fully tested, set up correctly, and ready to make music out of the box!  It can be played from either your MIDI controller or CV-Gate sequencer (1V/oct).

This item comes with free shipping by UPS Ground (USA only).

The synth's case is made of die cast aluminum with precision CNC milled holes, and labeled with permanent UV-printed graphics. Requires 12 VDC adapter (included). The included AC adapter has a USA-style wall plug.

This unit features the extra touch of vinyl covers on the toggle switches, and permanent rubber feet on the bottom side (not stick-ons).

About the synthesizer:

The Rare Waves Hydronium is a semi-modular synthesizer with unmistakable true analog tone. Its array of twelve patch points can interconnect with other analog synthesizers to inspire your music deeper and further in the creative zone.

While it is designed to operate similar a TB-303 inspired acid synth, Hydronium is not a clone circuit.

Its tone is based on a single VCO, a state variable low-pass filter with adjustable resonance, and a decay envelope with MIDI velocity sensitivity. And as you’d anticipate of any acid synth, it has MIDI-programmable glide (pitch slide) and dynamic accents for individual notes.

With CV-Gate control, this synth uses Velocity CV (0..5V) instead of Accent Gate. Set the DYNAMICS knob to max and use the Velocity CV for dynamic variation. Legato phrases are automatically detected as pitch slides, so it doesn't have a Slide Gate input.

Hydronium’s classic tone is a natural choice for sequenced basslines. Switch the envelope to gate mode, and it also serves as a lead synthesizer when you need a bright, clean sawtooth or pulse waveform in the mix.

It can be played either by MIDI control or CV-Gate. In addition, its built-in MIDI-to-CV converter with post-glide v/oct output lets you use it as a bridge between your MIDI controller and other analog synthesizers.

Hydronium features an audio effects loop that is positioned between its filter and VCA. This is a good place for distortion effects, phaser, and certain other effects that tend to increase the noise floor when patched to a synth’s line out. The pre-VCA effect return silences the self-noise from the effect, preserving full dynamic range even when you bend its tone with a high-gain fuzz pedal, for example.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Please visit our website, Rarewaves dot net, and see the Hydronium page

Are you located outside the USA? We offer international service through our website, rarewaves dot net.