Waldorf has realized and created one of the biggest and best wavetable synthesizers around. Wavetable synthesis has been widely used in early digital synths like the SCI ProphetVS, Korg Wavestations and the PPG Wave. At first glance the Wave could intimidate most. However for a digital synth, the Wave has a very clear and intuitive design and layout.

This is a digital synth. Samples of waveforms or wavetables are manipulated and combined to create exciting new sounds as well as complex sounds, drones and pads. The filters are analog! There are two, a 24dB low pass and a 12dB high pass. And they've got resonance, distortion and self oscillation. Other unique enhancements to the Wave involve expansion. It comes with 16 voices that can be expanded up to 48 voices. The Wave is also semi-modular with hardware and software expansion options.

The Wave is one of Waldorfs' finest synthesizers and probably one of the most advanced wavetable synths ever. A much smaller rack version of the Wave is the Microwave series. The Wave is a professional instrument with a price tag that probably suites it for the most successful of musicians. Most of us interested in the Wave should consider the Microwave series for access to some of the same great sounds and power found in the Wave. It has been used by Eat Static, Enya, Hans Zimmer, Deep Forest, The Orb, and Depeche Mode.

Hans

March 18, 2011 @ 7:37 am

And Depeche Mode, as always, since they are credited as users of almost every synth that has ever been released...
The truth IMO is, that Alan or Martin actually never played all this stuff themselves, not to speak live on tour. Maybe once there was a WAVE in the studio when a sound engineer used it for some sound or two, but this doesn't justify the "used by DM" predicate. What the band members really used (personally) were the PPGs, Moogs, DX7s, naturally Emulators etc. that went on stage with them, too.
A Waldorf WAVE on a DM live gig, video clip, TV show, studio photo? Never been seen!

Frank Klaassen

February 7, 2011 @ 5:16 am

I started with the PPG and Waveterm progressed to a couple of Microwaves then jumped on to the big 88 Wave synth.What a beast. I went on to the Blofeld module and then the Blofeld keyboard as mighty as they are,I am still most impressed with
the big master Wave synthesizer

Christopher Perry

October 8, 2010 @ 6:14 am

I bought my Waldorf Wave from Turnkey in London in 1993. I flew over from Northern Ireland to demo it. I fell in love with it and bought it. I still have it. It is now in Whangarei, New Zealand. I recently replaced the battery for $3NZ and it works perfectly. It is a fantastic machine.

John Difool

February 20, 2010 @ 2:41 am

Klaus Schulze, Pete Namlook & Mike Huckaby has one as well..

karl

December 10, 2009 @ 10:16 am

Magic sound or strong good for many style of music,real concept synth that sign th story of keyboard.After launch Musikmesse to Frankfurt when exit on market in the 1993 in europe the exatly price was to 9770 $ dollars ehehehe Untouchable!!!

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