Waldorf M Wavetable Synthesizer

Waldorf M Wavetable Synthesizer Product Details

Description

With the Waldorf M, Waldorf return to their roots and revive the Microwave and Microwave II sound generation in a modern guise as a hybrid wavetable synthesizer. The Waldorf M features a 24 dB/oct analog lowpass VCF - SSI 2144 Improved Ladder Type - with resonance and analog saturation functions, a true analog stereo VCA with panning option, and much more in a desktop-friendly format with a variety of unique sounds. The numerous presets - 2,048 in total (divided into 16 banks of 128 sounds each) - were programmed by world-renowned sound designers and also include all the classic Microwave soundsets such as MW1 Factory Sound Set, MW1 Soundpool 1-5, the fat-sounding Analogue and Bassco as well as PPG Wave 2.3 sounds. In addition, M also offers freshly programmed sounds that take advantage of the myriad new features - from true Hard Sync (in Modern Microwave II/XT mode) to the ARP (arpeggiator) and MIDI-syncable global LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator).

The musical core of the Waldorf M as an eight-voice polyphonic, four-voice multitimbral wavetable synthesizer - consists of two wavetable oscillators with independent wavetable generation modes Classic Microwave 1 and Modern Microwave II/XT. This means that the wavetable oscillators behave differently in these two modes (accessible by pressing the Mode button next to the helpful high-resolution graphic display with four endless encoders for even more hands-on control). Consequently, Classic Microwave I mode, which reduces 16-bit wavetables to 8-bit and offers a non-antialized sample rate of 240 kHz, has neither hard sync nor ring modulation, while Modern Microwave II/XT mode offers a sample rate of 40 kHz with band-limited wavetables, although both oscillators - OSC 1 and OSC 2 - offer the same panel parameters.

Two LFOs generate a periodic waveform with adjustable frequency rate and shape that can be used for modulation purposes. Unlike other Waldorf synthesizers, however, there is no modulation matrix in the M. It's a deliberate design decision to set the M's modulation capabilities directly on the appropriate display page, paying tribute to the 1989 Microwave.

Back in the here and now, the Waldorf M takes performance to a whole new level thanks to its advanced arpeggiator with 16 preset patterns, chord mode and the ability to sync to MIDI clock. In addition, four programmable ENVELOPES allow experimental users to edit sound parameters via rate or timing modulations.

For connection to the outside world, the M provides six stereo analog outputs (on the rear panel) arranged as MAIN OUT (L/Mono and R) and AUX OUT (A, B, C and D), the latter of which can be used to route each of the four Multi-Parts (multitimbral) to different outputs as needed. A stereo headphone output (with associated volume control in addition to the master volume control on the top panel), is also provided. 5-pin MIDI IN, OUT and THRU DIN connectors, complemented by a USB 2.0 MIDI port are provided for connecting to a computer. For updating M firmware, importing/saving sound patches and importing/saving M-specific data, such as user wavetables, there is an SD card slot and - last but not least - a slot for a Kensington-compatible security lock.

Features:

• Oscillators: 2 Wavetable oscillators with independent wavetables and two different tone generation models - classic Waldorf Microwave I model and modern Waldorf Microwave II model. 96 Factory Wavetables + 32 slots for User Wavetables
• Filter: Analog low-pass 24 dB/Oct VCF (SSI 2144 Improved Ladder Type) with saturation
• Amplifier: Analog stereo VCA for each voice
• Envelopes: 4 Envelope Generators; 8 point loopable time/level Wave envelope generator, VCF and VCA ADSR envelopes and a free assignable loopable 4 points time/level envelope
• LFOs: 2 LFOs with different waveforms
• Arpeggiator with 16 preset patterns, chord mode and the ability to synchronise to MIDI clock
• Sound storage: 2048 Sound programs + 128 Multi programs
• Polyphony: 8/16 voices polyphony (16 voices available with the expansion board (optional)
• Multitimbrality: 4 Parts (4 parts can be assigned to 4 individual stereo outputs)
• MIDI: USB 2.0 and DIN (5-pin DIN connector with In/Out/Thru)
• Compatible with classic Waldorf Microwave I sysex messages (sound bank transfer/sound transfer)
• SD Card Slot for loading / storing user content as soundbanks and wavetables
• WxDxH: 440 x 305 x 85 mm
• Weight: 5,7 kg