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Waldorf brings back classic Microwave and ‘modern’ Microwave II tone generation to new-generation M wavetable synthesizer

Following in the 440 mm (W) x 305 mm (D) x 85 mm (H) physical footprint and musically fanciful footsteps of the high-quality synthesizer manufacturer’s Iridium synthesizer successfully launched last year to widespread critical acclaim, Waldorf Music is proud to announce availability of its roots-returning M — bringing back classic Microwave and ‘modern’ Microwave II tone generation as a new-generation classic hybrid wavetable synthesizer with an analogue lowpass 24dB/Oct VCF (Voltage Controlled Filter) with resonance and analogue saturation feature, true stereo analogue VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier) with panning option, and much more to explore in a desktop-friendly form factor featuring a wide range of unique sounds.

The well-known Waldorf Music marque has been synonymous with wavetables — whereby an ability to not only play one waveform per oscillator but also to step through the wavetable, consisting of a table of single waveforms classified by its own special sound character, via different modulations to create wavetable sweeps with much more dramatic results than anything any sample playback-based system could ever produce — as the primary sound synthesis technique used in its high- quality synthesizers for over 30 years. Indeed, its innovative position in the electronic musical instruments marketplace dates back to 1989 with the release of the wavetable synthesis-based Microwave, an amazing ‘reincarnation’ of the legendary PPG Wave series, which were arguably amongst the most coveted high-end synthesizers of the early Eighties. Duly discontinued in the musical midsts of time, today it is still sought after as a classic.

Cue Waldorf Music’s M, seeing the high-quality synthesizer manufacturer musically returning to its roots by bringing back classic Microwave and ‘modern’ Microwave II tone generation as a new-generation classic hybrid wavetable synthesizer with an analogue lowpass 24 dB/Oct VCF — SSI 2144 Improved Ladder Type — with resonance and analogue saturation feature, true stereo analogue VCA with panning option, and much more to explore in a desktop-friendly form factor featuring a wide range of unique sounds. Plentiful presets — totalling 2,048 sound programs (divided into 16 banks, each with 128 sounds) — professionally programmed by world- renowned sound designers also include all of 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. Moreover, it also features freshly-programmed sounds utilising M’s myriad new features — from true hard Sync (when working in its Modern Microwave II/XT mode) to the ARP (arpeggiator) and MIDI-syncable global LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator).

But beating at M’s musical heart as an eight-voice polyphonic, four-part multitimbral WAVETABLE SYNTHESIZER — as boldly blazoned in red across its full-metal blue- coloured casing, itself hinting at its illustrious Microwave heritage — are two wavetable oscillators with independent wavetable-generating Classic Microwave 1 and Modern Microwave II/XT modes, meaning that the wavetable oscillators behave differently in both of those modes (accessible by pressing the Mode button beside the helpful high-resolution graphic display with four endless encoders for yet more hands-on control). Consequently, there is no hard Sync or ring modulation available in the Classic Microwave I mode, where 16-bit wavetables are bit-reduced to 8-bit and a 240 kHz non-anti-aliased sample rate is offered, whereas the Modern Microwave II/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.
 
Put it this way: with no fewer than 45 knobs — with Wavetable (outer black ring dial) selecting the 96 factory wavetables and any user’s custom wavetables (UWT 1-31) for the corresponding oscillator and Wave (inner red dial) determining the start point of the wavetable that is used when the sound starts clearly combine to stand out from the crowd — and buttons spaciously spread across that eye-catching full-metal housing, hands-on control certainly speeds up working with Waldorf Music’s M.
Meanwhile, two LFOs — LFO 1 and LFO 2, each generating 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 M. Making a conscious design decision to set up M’s modulation facilities directly on the corresponding display page, its creators are again playing at paying tribute to the 1989-vintage Microwave.
But back in the here and now, M takes performance to a whole new level fresh for 2021, thanks to that advanced ARP with 16 preset patterns, chord mode, and an ability to synchronise to MIDI clock. Furthermore, four programmable ENVELOPES allow adventurous users to manipulate sound parameters via rate or timed modulations.
Musically making a connection to the outside world is important to any synthesizer, so M, unsurprisingly, far from disappoints with six (rear panel-positioned) stereo analogue 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 an associated Volume knob in addition to the topside Master Volume knob); 5-pin MIDI IN, OUT, and THRU DIN connectors, complimented by a USB 2.0 MIDI port (for computer connection to transmit and receive MIDI data); an SD Card slot (for updating M’s firmware, importing/saving sound patches, and importing/saving M-specific data, such as user wavetables); and — last but not least — a Kensington® compatible security lock slot… for those that treasure their M bringing back classic Microwave and ‘modern’ Microwave II tone generation as a new-generation classic hybrid wavetable synthesizer. After all, according to Waldorf Music itself: Those are the days again!
The M Wavetable Synthesizer is available through Waldorf Music’s growing global network of distributors (https://www.waldorfmusic.com/en/international-distributors) at an RRP (Recommended Retail Price) of €1,879.00 EUR (including German tax).
 
While the desktop-friendly M helpfully has VESA mount-ready holes on its back plate — just like its Iridium and Kyra synthesizer siblings, it is also rack-mountable, thanks to a dedicated rack-mount kit available for €75.00 EUR (including German tax) directly from Waldorf Music here: https://www.waldorfmusic.com/en/hardware-synthesizer/product/201-iridium-kyra-rackmount
 
For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated M Wavetable Synthesizer webpage here: https://www.waldorfmusic.com/en/m

About Waldorf Music (www.waldorfmusic.com)

The well-known Waldorf Music marque has been synonymous with high-quality synthesizers for over 30 years; indeed, its innovative position in the electronic musical instruments marketplace dates back to 1989 with the release of the wavetable synthesis-based Microwave, an amazing ‘reincarnation’ of the legendary PPG Wave series — arguably amongst the most coveted high-end synthesizers of the early Eighties — that was instrumental in providing some called-for counterbalance to the dominance of Japanese and American designs.While Waldorf continued this unique technology tradition with successive synthesizer releases ranging from the mighty Wave — perhaps the most impressive, expressive, and user-friendly sound synthesis tool ever built — to raising the bar for VA (Virtual Analogue) synthesizers with the introduction of the popular Q series from 1999 onwards, the new millennium saw the trailblazing company making a timely move into the brave new world of music software with the release of its first VST Instrument, PPG Wave 2.V, a tradition it continues to this day with more recent software releases including its Nave advanced wavetable synthesizer. Subsequent successes in the high-quality hardware arena include the Blofeld synthesizer — forging sound and design into an unbeatable price/performance ratio in both desktop and keyboard versions — and Zarenbourg, a contemporary electric piano par excellence, as well as the cost-conscious Rocket (synthesizer), 2-Pole (analogue filter), and Streichfett (string synthesizer) desktop modules. Meanwhile,Waldorf broadened its appeal further still by introducing Nave to transform any iPad into an advanced wavetable synthesizer. 2021 sees the high-quality synthesizer manufacturer musically returning to its roots with M, bringing back classic Microwave and ‘modern’ Microwave II tone generation as a new-generation classic hybrid wavetable synthesizer complimenting a slew of new high-quality synthesizers set to take the Waldorf name to the hands-on musical masses — whether working with its Quantum high-class hybrid synthesizer keyboard flagship, FPGA processing-powered Kyra VA Synthesizer desktop, or other hardware (including a welcomed move into the ever-expanding Eurorack modular synth system format) or software (including iOS). 
 
© 2021 Waldorf Music GmbH 
 
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