Waldorf M 8-Voice Polyphonic Wavetable Desktop Synthesizer

The Waldorf 'M' is a 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.

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.

Features

• Analogue lowpass 24dB/Oct VCF (Voltage Controlled Filter) with resonance and analogue saturation feature
• True stereo analogue VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier) with panning option
• Eight-voice polyphonic, four-part multitimbral wavetable synthesizer
• Full-metal blue coloured casing
• Two wavetable oscillators with independent wavetables - generating Classic Microwave 1 and Modern Microwave II/XT modes
• Two LFOs
• Advanced ARP with 16 preset patterns, chord mode, and an ability to synchronise to MIDI clock
• Four programmable envelopes allow adventurous users to manipulate sound parameters via rate or timed modulations