I've been searching for a wavetable software synthesizer that could replace my beloved Waldorf Microwave for the past 25 years. And while many wavetable synth plugins have come and gone during that period, nothing has come even close to matching the beautiful sound of my Microwave, IMO. That even includes wavetable softsynths from Waldorf like the PPG 3.V, Largo, and Nave. Those sound thin, weak, and shrill to me.
Even "modern" wavetable synths like Serum, Icarus, Phase Plant, Vital, Hive, etc. (all of which I own) sound terrible, IMO. They don't sound musical at all to me. I suppose if I was doing God-awful Dubstep, then maybe I might find a use for Serum, for instance. But I highly doubt it. A turd is a turd is a turd. Hive is the best of the bunch by far, IMO. Actually, that's a pretty decent-sounding synth. u-he definitely make quality synth plugins.
I was honestly despairing because without a modern software editor/librarian for my Microwave, I was at a loss. And I really, really didn't want to replace my Microwave with the Waldorf M because I don't think the M sounds as good.
But in the end, that's what I have done. I recently sold my original Microwave Rev A that I bought new in the year of its release in 1989 and purchased an M as a replacement. It's really great being able to actually program Microwave-sounding patches again using the M's knobby interface. Although the display on the M is way too small and uses a bunch of cryptic abbreviations, it's infinitely more user friendly than trying to program sounds from the front panel of the Microwave. Plus, I got the 16-voice version of the M which doubles the polyphony. I'm not ecstatic about the modern SSI filter in the M, but that filter still sounds better than every digital filter I have ever heard BY FAR.
But still, the search goes on for a wavetable plugin that can come close to the sound of the Microwave/M. Anything I might have missed in my decades-long quest?
Even "modern" wavetable synths like Serum, Icarus, Phase Plant, Vital, Hive, etc. (all of which I own) sound terrible, IMO. They don't sound musical at all to me. I suppose if I was doing God-awful Dubstep, then maybe I might find a use for Serum, for instance. But I highly doubt it. A turd is a turd is a turd. Hive is the best of the bunch by far, IMO. Actually, that's a pretty decent-sounding synth. u-he definitely make quality synth plugins.
I was honestly despairing because without a modern software editor/librarian for my Microwave, I was at a loss. And I really, really didn't want to replace my Microwave with the Waldorf M because I don't think the M sounds as good.
But in the end, that's what I have done. I recently sold my original Microwave Rev A that I bought new in the year of its release in 1989 and purchased an M as a replacement. It's really great being able to actually program Microwave-sounding patches again using the M's knobby interface. Although the display on the M is way too small and uses a bunch of cryptic abbreviations, it's infinitely more user friendly than trying to program sounds from the front panel of the Microwave. Plus, I got the 16-voice version of the M which doubles the polyphony. I'm not ecstatic about the modern SSI filter in the M, but that filter still sounds better than every digital filter I have ever heard BY FAR.
But still, the search goes on for a wavetable plugin that can come close to the sound of the Microwave/M. Anything I might have missed in my decades-long quest?
Statistics: Posted by Supercollider — Sun May 26, 2024 4:58 pm — Replies 30 — Views 649