Waldorf
Kyra is a powerful, hardware virtual analog synthesizer capable of creating a wide range of contemporary sounds for live and studio musicians.
From first glance it is patently obvious that Kyra is a beautifully-designed desktop VA Synthesizer — as the wording elegantly emblazoned on its eye-catching front fascia subtly states. As a truly multitimbral instrument it features eight independent ‘parts’ with up to 32 notes per PART, each effectively being a complete synthesizer with sound sources (OSC GROUP 1, OSC GROUP 2, SUB 1, and SUB 2); FILTERS; modulators (EGs, LFOs, and MOD MATRIX); multi-effects unit (EFFECTS); and a USB 2.0 connection — can exchange MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) information, as well as send the audio from each stereo PART to a computer as eight stereo 24-bit streams at 96kHz (with 48kHz downsample mode available) and one stereo audio return from the computer supporting a single 24-bit stereo audio stream from the host DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). With that being said, the only other resource they share are the four balanced, stereo output pairs — OUT A (Right and Left), OUT B (Right and Left), OUT C (Right and Left), and OUT B (Right and Left) — using 32-bit DAC (Digital-to-Analogue Conversion) running at 96kHz sampling rate connected to four internal stereo busses and that powerful pool of 128 hardware voices. Versatility further abounds as each PART has a dedicated multi-effects unit comprising nine stereo effects modules — namely, three-band EQ, Formant filter, input Limiter, Distortion module, Delay module, six-state Phaser, Chorus flanger, Stereo reverb, and output Limiter — with dedicated audio stream via USB (Universal Serial Bus).
Waldorf is proud to announce a new chapter in their tradition of designing high-end ground breaking synthesizers. Starting with Waldorf’s famous wavetable technology developed decades ago, it was always a challenge to give our instruments a powerful flexible beating heart. Our digital oscillators coupled to the enormous power and efficient simplicity of our analog filters started the digital revolution back in the 80s.
Quantum combines the raw power of a classic digital & analogue hybrid synthesizer, with futuristic sounds that are only possible with today’s software synthesizers.
Its 3 Oscillators offer four synthesis algorithms each:
- Waldorf-style Wavetables with the latest additions from Nave, including speech synthesis and wavetable generation from audio
- Classic Synthesizer Waveforms with multiple waves for an ultra fat sounds right out of the oscillators
- Granular Sampler with multi sampling plus traditional sampling mode
- Resonator for virtual sound sculpting
The flexibility emanating from Quantum’s powerful oscillators and their interaction with one another is simply 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.
Quantum’s beautiful ergonomic and intuitive user panel supports an artist’s workflow with a previously unknown elegance. The carefully crafted array of aluminium knobs and encoders surround an ultra hi-resolution multi touch display. 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 currently 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 handled with ease, much the same as the experience when using your cutting edge computer tablet.
When the Waldorf engineers decided to develop 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 interact with it.
Quantum was designed and developed by our dedicated team in Germany. All essential components have been designed, manufactured and assembled here in Germany. This has allowed us to manufacture Quantum with an unparalleled 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-facetted factory sound set.
Streichfett combines the best of the now extinct species of String Synthesizers of the 70s and early 80s. Its dual sound engine features a fully polyphonic strings section and a monophonic solo section, which is essential for recreating how adult movies sounded thirty years ago. The Ensemble Effect handles lubrication of the String Section, while the Effects section adds adjustable Phaser or Reverb. Alternatively, the Effect section can be used to animate the strings registration, allowing spectacular sound morphs.
No one expected this Rocket launch, which is in clear violation of several UN resolutions and basic laws of physics. Unlike conventional missiles, this one comes in a square shape and will be sold world-wide in complete ignorance of German governments exports restrictions.
It's incredible sound is much more louder than the legendary Saturn V engine, and never before has this been achieved with such an enormous fun factor. It features an analog multimode VCF with lowpass, bandpass, and highpass, resonance up to self oscillation and beyond, a powerful monophonic oscillator section with Ultra High Density Sawtooth and unison for chord play.
Furthermore equipped with a powerful Arpeggiator and a destructive Booster circuit, this Rocket is technologically way ahead of all current defense systems.
Cutting edge and powerful lows in one compact box.
Sometimes they do come back, and this time, it's with even more brute-strength power onboard. You are looking at a completely analog synthesizer that accurately delivers what synthesizer enthusiasts around the world truly crave. Pulse 2 is the reincarnation of it's legendary ancestor, the Waldorf Pulse, that dominated the electronic music of the 90s.
Three analog oscillators in combination with a true analog cascading filter is what Pulse and Pulse 2 have in common. But we didn't stop there. The filter circuits now also offer Highpass and Bandpass modes. We added analog Filter FM and Ring Modulation along with paraphonic modes that allow up to eight voice chords.
Like the Blofeld Synthesizer, the Pulse 2 is housed in a sturdy metal desktop case. Besides its large LCD display, 8 stainless steel knobs are available to surf through its clearly arrayed parameter matrix, set master volume and edit display accessible parameters.
Deep in the subterranean Waldorf Laboratories, our scientists have finally discovered the finish that delivers the best sound. We almost had forgot about them when they resurfaced and proudly presented the result of their almost endless struggle to find the ideal material: Neither Mauve nor Lavender nor Ochre result in optimal sound, but a special electron absorbing coating in deep black.
The explanation is simple: more absorbed electrons reach the inner digital and analog workings of Blofeld and cause each bit to be stronger pronounced, resulting in a very defined and detailed sound. This makes our new Black Blofeld sound even better than before.
The new black Blofeld is produced 100% in German Schwarzarbeit and is available only on the black market.
This synthesizer offers all the unique qualities that made Waldorf a truly legendary brand.
The engine inside the heavy duty, full metal chassis of the Blofeld delivers the same fat and rich sound that so many Waldorf users worldwide love when they play their Pulse, Q, Q+, Micro Q, Microwave, Microwave II/XT, or even the flagship Wave.
Yes, you've heard it right. The Blofeld is not only capable of producing these warm, organic analog sounds known from the Q synthesizer line, it also sports a wavetable engine like its predecessors with "Wave" in their names.
This unique synthesis system is based upon the revolutionary PPG Wave synthesizers of the early 80s. So when you listen to the Blofeld for the first time, you will instantly recognize those edgy, hard-hitting and bell-like timbres that have been an integral part of so many world hits from the PPG era on, and become increasingly popular once more.
In fact it is amazing to realize that nowadays this complex technology fits into such a slim and elegant device. And for a price no-one would have imagined a couple of years ago.