Waldorf M synthesizer
M – Wavetable synthesizer
With the Waldorf M, Waldorf musically returns to its roots by bringing back the classic Microwave and ‘modern’ Microwave II sound generation as a new generation of classic hybrid wavetable synthesizer, featuring an analog lowpass 24 dB/Oct VCF — SSI 2144 with resonance and analog saturation function, true stereo analog VCA with panning option and much more to discover in a desktop-friendly form factor with a wide range of unique sounds.
Numerous presets – a total of 2,048 presets (divided into 16 banks, each containing 128 sounds) – professionally programmed by world-renowned sound designers, also include all the classic microwave sound sets, such as MW1 Factory Sound Set, MW1 Soundpool 1-5, the fat-sounding Analogue and Bassco , as well as PPG Wave 2.3 sounds cleverly converted for the original microwave. In addition, the waldorf m also features newly programmed sounds that take advantage of the many new features of the waldorf M – from true hard sync (when working in Modern Microwave II/XT mode) to the ARP (arpeggiator) and MIDI synchronous global LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator).
But the musical heart of the Waldorf M beats like an eight-note polyphonic, four-note multi-timbral WAVETABLE SYNTHESIZER – so bold in red over its all-metal blue-colored enclosure, which itself alludes to its illustrious Microwave heritage – its two wavetable oscillators with independent wavetable – generating Classic Microwave 1 and Modern Microwave II/XT modes, meaning the wavetable oscillators behave differently in both modes (accessed by pressing the mode button next to the convenient high-resolution graphic display with four endless encoders for even more hands-on control). Consequently, no hard sync or ring modulation is available in the Classic Microwave I mode, where 16-bit wavetables are bit-reduced to 8-bit and offered a 240 kHz non-anti-aliased sample rate, while the Modern Microwave II De/ XT mode offers a 40 kHz sample rate with band-limited wavetables, although both oscillators – OSC 1 and OSC 2 – offer the same panel parameters.
Two LFOs that generate a periodic waveform with adjustable frequency, Rate and Shape that can be used for modulation purposes are also always at hand. However, unlike other Waldorf synthesizers, there is no modulation matrix in the waldorf M. Make a conscious design decision to set M’s modulation facilities directly on its display page, in tribute to the 1989 vintage Microwave.
Back in the here and now, the waldorf M takes performance to a whole new level, thanks to that advanced ARP with 16 preset patterns, chord mode and an ability to sync to MIDI clock. Additionally, four programmable ENVELOPES allow adventurous users to manipulate sound parameters via velocity or timed modulations.
Connecting musically to the outside world is important for any synthesizer, so M provides six (rear panel positioned) stereo analog outputs — 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 (multitimbral) parts to different outputs, if desired; a stereo headphone output (with a corresponding volume knob next to the main volume knob on the top); 5-pin MIDI IN, OUT and THRU DIN connectors, supplemented by a USB 2.0 MIDI port (for computer connection to send and receive MIDI data); an SD card slot (for updating the firmware of M, importing/saving sound patches, and importing/saving the waldorf M-specific data, such as user wavetables); and — last but not least — a Kensington® compatible security lock slot.
