The Hydronaut

From the Workbench of Berserker Electronics:
The Hydronaut – Analog Soul, Digital Depth (Now with Tone Control)

If you’ve been looking at the Aquanaut, the Hydronaut will feel immediately familiar. It’s the same core circuit and voice I built the Aquanaut around, expanded with a new fourth knob that lets you shape the repeats even further.

When I started building the original Aquanaut circuit I wasn’t trying to reinvent delay, I just wanted my favorite qualities in one box. I've always been drawn to delays with that rich, slightly submerged warmth, but also loved units that offered crystal-clear presence and articulation. Each camp had something I couldn't live without. But switching between them, or wishing one had just a bit more of what the other offered, pushed me to do something about it.

The Hydronaut is my answer to that dilemma and the next step forward. It’s a hybrid delay designed to ride the line between warm and clear, vintage and modern. The repeats sit just a touch behind your dry signal. Never overpowering, never sterile. They bloom with a subtle warmth, but stay articulate enough to cut through a live mix. And yes, I made sure it goes up to 600ms, because that sweet spot in delay time matters.

New on the Hydronaut is the 4th knob: Tone
This control lets you place the repeats exactly where you want them:
- Min (“Analog”): darker, more buried, and slightly submerged in the mix
- Max (“Digital”): brighter, more present, and crystal-clear on top of your dry signal

Inside, the circuit is tuned by ear. Hours of tweaking values and listening through different amps, guitars, and rigs until it felt right. No digital modeling. No presets. Just honest analog-voiced delay that plays well with dirt and modulation alike.

You’ll also notice the green “Bias” LED on the face of the pedal. It isn’t just decoration, it’s tied into the delay chip’s bias point and acts as a simple voltage protection / health indicator, helping keep the delay chip running in its happy place.

If you’re looking for a delay that doesn’t fight your tone, but joins it...the Hydronaut is here to dive in.


— James Millican
Builder, Berserker Electronics