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Waldorf
13
Sep
Sep
The best of Waldorf, Quantum
Waldorf Quantum cover
Overview of Waldorf
Waldorf is proud to announce a new chapter in their tradition of designing high-end ground breaking synthesizers. Starting with Waldorf’s famous wave table technology made long ago, it was always a challenge to give our instruments a powerful flexible beating heart. Our digital oscillators coupled to the big power and efficient simplicity of our analogue filters started the digital revolution back in the 80’s.
Quantum combines the raw power of a classic digital & analog hybrid synthesizer, with future sounds that are only possible with today’s software synthesizers.
Its 3 Oscillators offer four synthesis algorithms each:
- Waldorf-style Wave tables with the latest additions from Nave, including speech synthesis and wave table generation from audio
- Classic Synthesizer Wave forms with multiple waves for an ultra fat sounds right out of the oscillators
- Granular Sampler with multi sampling plus traditional sampling mode
The flexibility emanating from Quantum’s powerful oscillators and their interaction with one another is breath-taking. Never before has it ever been possible to create such a wide sonic bandwidth with one synthesizer. Stretching from classic analog, with precise sample playback, through to harsh or animated digital sounds, escalating all the way up to sound and sequence clusters, that can only be achieved with a modular synthesizer system.
It’s beautiful ergonomic user panel supports an artist’s workflow with a previously unknown elegance. The carefully created arrays of aluminium knobs and encoders surround an ultra high resolution multi touch screen. Waldorf engineers spent many long hours perfecting the interaction between the display and the physical control elements. The stunning display is a highly flexible extension of the tactile experience, and is light-years ahead of any synthesizer now on the market today.
To help understand functional correlations between one knob and another, each control knob is individually illuminated by a multi colour LED. This makes it instantly obvious when viewing complex settings and modulation settings, where related parameters can be adjusted quickly and efficiently. With the help once again of the gorgeous central display, precise settings can be easy handled, much the same as the experience when using your cutting edge computer tablet.
When the Waldorf engineers decided to make Quantum, little did they realise it would take several years of painstaking work. There were areas of Quantum that our years of experience with sound generation were bought to the fore. But Quantum is so powerful it took our team into uncharted territory, involving both sound and the way it was felt the musician would use it.
It was designed and made by our dedicated team in Germany. All main components have been designed, made and gathered here in Germany. This has allowed us to manufacture Quantum with great build quality. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank a world class array of sound designers that have contributed to a multi-faceted factory sound set.
Details
(subject to change without notice)
- Digital-Analog Polyphonic Synthesizer
- 61 Keys high-quality Fatar TP8S keyboard, channel after touch
- 8 voices
- Dual timbral: split or layered mode with separate stereo audio outputs
- 3 stereo digital oscillators each capable of four synthesis algorithms
- Wave table: Waldorf style with latest additions from Nave including speech synthesis, wave table generation from audio and new features
- Waveform: Waveform with up to 8 simultaneous waves per Oscillator in DE-tuned or chordal mode with hard-sync, warp & PWM as well as tunable noise
- Particle: Sampler in traditional and granular mode using multi-samples or live input
- Resonator: Exciter using multi-sampling plus filter bank sound model.
- Two analogue low pass filters per voice each in 24 or 12 dB configuration using innovative link modes
- Digital former: Additional digital algorithms per voice like comb filter, high-pass, band-pass & notch filters (Nave, Largo or PPG models), bit-crusher, drive and more
- Flexible routing system for order of analog filters & digital former and individual oscillator routing
- 6 LFOs in poly and global mode with extensive parameter set
- 6 loop-able envelopes
- Complex: multistage LFO/envelope modulator
- Extensive modulation matrix with 40 slots and easy via-controller assignments
- Intuitive modulation assignment via panel elements and control LEDs
- Master effect rack of 5 slots for each timbre choosing from FX like phaser, flanger, chorus, reverb, drive, eq and more.
- Compressor for main output
- Step sequencer with step recording, parameter automation and scale-based pitch quantization
- Micro-tonal pitch configurations capable of importing Skala scl files
- Capable of polyphonic after touch via external MIDI inputs
- Chord and latch buttons
More details
- Unison mode
- Module-based preset system for effects, oscillators, step-sequenzer and Complex modulator
- Single-function potentiometer and encoder controls for intuitive editing
- Visualisation and deeper sound editing via context-sensitive high-resolution captive multi-touch display
- Spectrum Analyser and Oscilloscope at various processing stages
- Up to 10,000 sound patch capacity organised by banks, attributes, author and patch number.
- Favourites lists for quick recall of sound patches like for set-lists etc.
- Pre-loaded with wide variety of patches by acclaimed sound designers like Howard Scarr
- MIDI output of local keyboard, wheels and assignable panel elements
- Automation of sound parameters from MIDI inputs via MIDI CC learn function
- Recording of samples from audio inputs or self-recording of audio outputs
- 4 GB*) internal Flash memory for presets, samples and wave tables
- Pre-loaded with more then 1 GB sample data
- Export & import of presets, sample & wave table via SD card
- Import of Nave presets
- Mod wheel can be assigned to any parameter which can be modulated in the matrix or via quick assign
- Pitch wheel can be assigned to each oscillator individually
Sampling capabilities
Each of the 3 Oscillators of a single timbre can be used in one of three modes using samples:
- Stereo Multi-Sampler with looping
- Granular Sampler with extensive parameter set
- Resonator model using sampler as exciter
Samples are organised using key and velocity maps, selections rules like round robin, random etc., and individual pitch, gain and pan settings.
Samples are stored in internal Flash memory of about 4 GB capacity pre-filled with over 1 GB specially made for Quantum factory samples.
New samples can be recorded from external stereo audio inputs, or from self-recording Quantum own engine.
Samples can also be imported an stored to internal Flash via SD card using WAV and AIFF file format (44.1 kHz sample rate).
The Quantum allows for a huge range of sample-based sound design capabilities from classical synths sounds to uncharted territories.
It’s worth noting that the sample use in the Quantum is always within a synthesizer’s sonic context, and it is not meant to work as a “bread and butter” sample keyboard to play back like traditional sampling instruments nor third party libraries.
Huge range of arpeggiator parameters:
- 7 Algorithms to choose from like up, down, random etc.
- Octave range
- 7 Sort Orders
- 3 Velocity Modes
- Gate length
- Swing
- BPM
- Beat Division
- Rhythmic patterns
- Reset Modes
- Keyboard Latch chordal and non-chordal
Connections:
- 2 x stereo audio out for main and aux timbres
- Stereo audio input for sample recording and real-time processing
- High-Quality 24 bit A/D and D/A converters
- Headphone out with separate level adjustment
- Sustain pedal input
- Control pedal connector also capable of CV input (0-5 V sensitivity)
- USB host type A connector for interfacing MIDI controller
- USB device type B connector for interfacing computer or other class-compliant MIDI USB hosts like i OS devices **)
- SD Card for sample/preset exchange and software updates
- DIN MIDI In, Out & Thru
- Integrated power supply unit
*) Raw physical data size for complete system including pre-loaded data and system software. Net that can be used size for audio samples is about 4 GB including pre-loaded samples.
**) separate Apple “Lightning to USB Camera Adopter” adaptor needed
The best of Waldorf, Blofeld
Overview
The little villain grows up
Not only on the outside did he gain weight, also his inner qualities have seen a remarkable step-up: besides the virtual-analogue synthesis and the classic wave tables it now sports a whopping 60 MB of sample memory.
Just imagine to add a vocal-like noise spectrum to a typical Wave table pad, spice-up a virtual-analog solo sound with a strong attack sample or just process any other sample with the countless oscillator and filter modulations.
Play your sound creations on the high-quality keyboard with velocity and after-touch. Pitch bend and modulation wheel are at your disposal and, as a matter of course, you can connect a sustain pedal.
All this is packaged in a sleek metal enclosure with a big graphic display, endless stainless steel rotaries and an internal power supply. And although it comes for an unbeatable price tag, we also add something very special. It comes: From Waldorf with Love!
Custom dust covers for Waldorf by Viktory under cover
- Sound
Oscilators
Each of the three oscillators offers authentic circuit-models of analog waveform: Pulse with variable pulse-width, saw tooth, triangle and, as found in relatively few analog synthesizers these days, sine wave.Furthermore, oscillators 1 and 2 feature the two wave tables that were introduced by the Waldorf Q and appeared shortly there after in the Micro Q series.
Not only that, the Blofeld includes all ROM Wave tables from the mighty flagship Waldorf Wave as well as Microwave II/XT. Plus, lo and behold, the desperately requested “Upper Wave table” from the good old PPG Wave! But, for the first time in the history of Waldorf and PPG, each of these two oscillators can have its own wave table.
description
What’s more, you have control over the brilliance of these wave tables, which is especially important for waves with lots of harmonics in the bass end. You decide if you prefer pure and perfect harmonics or the same edgy timbre you know and love from the earlier Waldorf and PPG synthesizers.
Brilliance also affects the saw tooth and pulse oscillator models. From warm and soft (for those typical L.A. string pads) to the hard shapes you need for punchy and biting bass sounds. But note, Brilliance is not a simple filter applied after the oscillators, the model itself is modified.
description
Each of the three oscillators can be modulated by any of the other oscillators, the noise generator or one of the LFOs. With low FM amounts, you can add a little dirt to the oscillator sound, with higher amounts you get typical FM effects.
On top of all that, oscillator 2 can be hard-synced to oscillator 3.
Ring Modulation
Oscillators 1 and 2 can be ring-modulated to create bell-like or metallic sounds, eerie sound effects as well as pumping basses and leads.
The noise generator delivers white noise that can be filtered low or high pass, depending on the Noise Colour setting.
The three oscillators, the ring modulator and the noise generator can be freely mixed into filter 1 and filter 2. This allows fine control over the harmonic content of each of the tone generators.
Blofeld details
