Waldorf • MicroWave
The MicroWave rack-mount module is a very popular and powerful little synthesizer despite the fact that it is a slimmed-down 'micro' version of Waldorf's megalithic Wave synthesizer. The MicroWave is a modern digital polyphonic wavetable synth module that can emulate classic analog sounds as well as create new and unique sounds through digital wavetable modeling. It's got 8 voice polyphony, 64 memory patches, full MIDI implementation and sounds very good! There are tons of waves / wavetables for shaping all kinds of sounds, flexible resonant filters, a noise generator, a ring modulator, a programmable rhythmic arpeggiator and effects!
A few years later came the anticipated MicroWave II (pictured above). Polyphony was increased up to 10 voices and it became a completely digital wavetable and FM synthesizer - the original had analog filters. Patch memory was also increased from 64 to 256 user patches and from 64 to 128 performance patches. Most recently in 1998 came the latest incarnation - the MicroWave XT, an incredibly advanced new take on the MicroWave series. Microwaves have been used by Nine Inch Nails, Hardfloor, Jimmy Edgar, Vangelis, and Crystal Distortion.
"Although PPG fell apart in the mid-late 1980's, their technology found its way into fellow German music company, Waldorf. The Microwave series represents modern day PPG technology..."
The PPG Wave was made from 1981.
Can anyone clarify?
so yeah the two are totally different sounding.
Never tried brass on this one, but other sounds are nice.
Thank You to the whole team who made and designed this!
Fat basses, crispy bells, wide strings and fat brass - no problem with this synt module. It's like having Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze and late realeases from Wendy Carlos in one module.
The module is very complex! A software editor is a great help in the creation of new sounds. I use Dr. T's XoR on my Atari 1040 STE.
My MW is rev. 1 with the "old" Curtis chip's running under OS version 1.20. The final OS was 2.0. Unfortunatly all OS came on pairs of E-proms from Waldorf in Germany. Those E-proms can be very hard to find nowadays....
It's a piece of art!