The instrument that got me started with my Passion for Electronic Music, was a Dubreq Stylophone. I was less than Ten years old, which means that a significant period of time has elapsed between my first Stylophone and the delivery of latest version of this iconic little instrument. The Analogue Monophonic Synth – GEN-R8
Unboxing this latest incarnation from Dubreq was a bit of a Nostalgia trip for me…
My first impression was “Wow” , this thing is hefty. It’s a cliche, but it really is built like a Tank. The Chasis and construction that houses the Traditional Stylophone Metal Keypad is remarkably solid. The Knobs are however a little wobbly, but nothing I can’t live with.
So what is the Gen-R8 :-
It has, Two Voltage Controlled Oscillators, a Multi Mode 12 db Filter, An LFO, a Sample and Hold capability, 19 Patch Points, 16 Step Sequencer, Drive / Delay effects, and an ADSR Envelope Generator.
What all that means is this Stylophone is finally, a fully fledged grown up Synth, and it sounds Good. It’s really easy to dial in some very Dark and Gritty timbres. There is a unique quality to the sound of the Gen-R8 and I’m looking forwards to exploring it more, and seeing what can kind of chaos can be created when the Gen-R8 is patched into my Dreadbox modular gear.
