The Waldorf Wave is a professional-grade analog/digital hybrid synthesizer that represents the evolution of the legendary PPG Wave legacy. Released in 1994, this flagship instrument from Waldorf Electronics combines powerful wavetable synthesis with analog filtering to create a uniquely rich and expressive sound palette that stands apart from the purely digital synthesizers of its era.

Design and Construction

The Wave makes an immediate visual impression with its substantial size and distinctive design. The instrument features a tilting control panel reminiscent of the classic Minimoog, requiring "muscles" to adjust due to its weight. This large panel houses what Waldorf claims is "the largest display implemented in a musical instrument to date" - a 680 x 64 pixel (225 x 35mm) backlit LCD screen.

The synthesizer's elegant construction includes lacquered wooden end cheeks sandwiching a metallic chassis with gray vacuum-formed panels. The control layout follows the traditional signal path familiar to analog synthesizer users, with oscillator controls on the left, the central display section, and sound modification controls (filters, amplifiers, envelopes) on the right.

The instrument's physical presence matches its sonic capabilities - it's heavy, imposing, and immediately captures attention with its professional, high-end appearance.

Sound Architecture

At the heart of the Wave is its Dynamic Spectral Wavetable Synthesis engine. Unlike traditional synthesizers that use static waveforms, the Wave's approach leverages wavetables - collections of 64 waves with varying harmonic content - that can be dynamically swept through using various modulation sources. This creates sounds with constantly changing harmonic structures that more closely resemble acoustic instruments.

Each of the Wave's 16 voices (expandable to 48) consists of two oscillators and a noise generator. The oscillators drive waveshapers to produce the core sound, which is then processed through a mixer alongside optional external analog inputs. The resulting signal passes through authentic analog filters - a 4-pole 24dB/octave low pass filter and a 12dB/octave high pass filter - that can be configured in various ways to shape the tone with the warmth and character that digital filters typically lack.

The instrument offers extraordinary modulation capabilities with an extensive modifier table that allows almost any parameter to be controlled by a vast array of sources, from traditional LFOs and envelopes to more unique options like "More Keys" (measuring the number of keys being played) and "Playspeed" (dependent on the time between notes).

User Interface

The Wave's interface is designed for intuitive programming despite its complex capabilities. Large, custom-designed buttons and notched, continuous knobs provide tactile control, while the central display section offers visual feedback and access to various operating modes through eight large blue buttons.

The instrument is always in Performance mode, which can hold up to eight Sounds (Instruments) for multitimbral operation. Programming involves selecting sound modules via dedicated Edit buttons, which bring up comprehensive parameter pages on the display with visual representation of filter curves and other settings.

Unique Features

One of the Wave's most innovative capabilities is its wave analysis feature, which can extract a wavetable from a sampled sound. Users can import Sound Designer I format files, which the Wave will analyze to create new wavetables that capture the characteristics of the original sample. These wavetables can then be edited and manipulated using the Wave's synthesis engine.

The instrument also offers comprehensive master keyboard functions for controlling external MIDI equipment, and includes sequencer transport controls designed to remotely operate external sequencers.

Unlike many contemporary synthesizers, the Wave deliberately omits onboard effects and drum samples, focusing instead on core sound generation of exceptional quality.

Sound Character

The Wave's sound is characterized by its depth, richness, and animation that requires no external effects to impress. Its string sounds are described as possibly the best synthesized strings available, with remarkable depth and movement. While not primarily designed for realistic instrument emulation, the Wave excels at creating expressive pads, powerful bass sounds, and distinctive timbres that add a quality presence to any mix.

The instrument carries forward some of the classic PPG Wave character while expanding the sonic possibilities far beyond what was previously achievable, particularly through its user-programmable wavetables and comprehensive modulation system.

Technical Specifications

Physical Specifications

• Dimensions: Width 1175mm; Depth 550mm; Height 305mm (display panel up), 135mm (panel flat)
• Weight: Extremely heavy (specific weight not provided in article)
• Casing: Lacquered wooden end cheeks with metallic chassis and gray vacuum-formed panels
• Display: 680 x 64 pixel (225 x 35mm) backlit LCD display
• Keyboard: 61-note, C-to-C, velocity sensitive with channel aftertouch (76-note version available on demand)
• Performance Controls: Pitchbend wheel (center sprung), Modulation wheel, Free Wheel, 2 assignable buttons, Octave up/down buttons, Glide controls, Master volume control

Synthesis System

• Synthesis Type: Dynamic Spectral Wavetable Synthesis with analog filtering
• Polyphony: 16-voice (expandable to 48 voices)
• Multitimbrality: 8-part
• Sound Memory: 256 Performances, 256 Sounds (onboard)
• Wavetables: 128 total (64 Factory preset, 64 User programmable)
• Waves per Wavetable: 64 waves

Voice Architecture

• Oscillators: 2 per voice
• Waveshapers: 2 per voice (driven by oscillators)
• Noise Generator: Yes
• Mixer: Combines oscillator/waveshaper outputs, noise, and optional external inputs
• Filters:
  • 4-pole 24dB/octave low pass analog filter
  • 12dB/octave high pass analog filter
  • Four filter modes: Low Pass, High Pass, Band Pass, and Dual mode
• Amplifier: With dedicated envelope generator
• Panning: Stereo positioning with modulation capabilities

Modulation System

• Envelope Generators: Multiple, including Amplifier Envelope, Filter Envelope, Wave Envelope, Free Envelope
• LFOs: 2 (LFO1 and LFO2)
• Control Modules: Control Ramp, Control Mixer, Control Delay, Control Shaper, Control Sample & Hold, Control Comparator
• Performance Modulators: Keytrack, Velocity, Released Velocity, Aftertouch, Poly Pressure, Playspeed, More Keys, Less Keys
• Controllers: Pitchbend, Modulation Wheel, Free Wheels, Sustain, Pedals 1 and 2, Buttons 1&2
• Modulation Routing: Extensive cross-modulation capabilities with Source and Control options

Wave Editing Capabilities

• Harmonic Editing: Specify levels of individual harmonics up to the 64th
• Graphic Editing: Draw waveforms using display faders
• FM Synthesis: 8-operator FM algorithm for creating waves
• Wave Processing: Blending, mixing, multiplying, dividing, and indexing of waves
• Clipping Techniques: Digital clipping, analog clipping, and inverse clipping
• Wave Analysis: Extract wavetables from sampled sounds (Sound Designer I format)

Hardware Architecture

• CPU: Motorola 68000 running at 16MHz (main CPU plus one per additional voice board)
• Memory: 512Kb of S-RAM (with battery back-up) and 1Mb of workspace RAM
• Digital Tone Generation: Two ASICs per voice board (each ASIC equivalent to the digital tone generation board of a PPG Wave 2.2/2.3)
• Conversion: Individual D/A converter per voice
• Filter Hardware: Curtis filter chip per voice (includes 24dB/octave and 12dB/octave filter networks)

Storage

• Floppy Disk Drive: 3.5-inch DD/HD, MS-DOS compatible
• System Loading: Operating system loaded from floppy disk at startup (ROM option available)

Connections

• Audio Outputs:
  • Main Out (stereo pair)
  • Sub Out 1 (stereo pair)
  • Sub Out 2 (stereo pair)
  • Aux Send (mono)
  • Aux Return (stereo pair)
  • Headphones
• Audio Inputs: Analog In (x4)
• MIDI: In, Thru, Out (x2)
• Control Inputs: Sustain, Pedal (x2)
• Power: Mains Power In

Special Features

• Real-time just intonation
• Master keyboard facilities to control up to 32 external MIDI devices
• Sequencer transport controls for external sequencer operation
• Software expandable architecture
• Hardware expandable architecture (up to 48 voices)
• Dynamic panning
• Aux Send modulation capabilities