Best wavetable synth

[rod_zero]

So Iam looking for a wavetable synth, I tried some:

FAW circle: really nice UI, it can load two wavetables pwer OSC, it has an app for importing others too. But no scaning thrugh and not enough modulation options (i like to modulate envelopes individual stages).

Massive: good gui, limited waveforms (but very good ones), very good modulation options, no scanning through waveforms.

Serum: good GUi, scanning, can import wave forms, the only down side that it is a CPU hog.

Largo, dont elicenser, doesn't import waveforms, cpu hog, and for the price I would better invest in a blofeld,

Any other stuff I should check?

[Cyforce]

If you look for a wavetable synth in general with no load option - Massive is the best option.

If with loading own/custom wavetables - no one beats Serum, even if it sometimes eats your CPU, superb sound, effects, filters and options.

[EvilDragon]

Largo isn't really a CPU hog now that 64-bit version is done properly (no bridging)... It's less of a hog than, say, Serum. And effects in Largo are much better than those in Blofeld. There are also no polyphony issues as you can get with Blofeld. Unfortunately there's no PPG filter model in Largo, nor custom wavetables, nor sample loading.

[masterhiggins]

I wonder why wolfgang palms synths are always overlooked when it comes to wavetable discussions. Wavemapper has become my favorite to date.

-sam

[Ingonator]

I got a bunch of wavetable synths but i could hardly name a best one as all have their own features or sound (while i programmed most own patches with Waldor PPG Wave 3.V so far):

- Waldorf Blofeld desktop (+ sample expansion)
- Waldorf Largo
- Waldorf PPG Wave 3.V
- Waldorf PPG Wave 2.V (from Waldorf Edition)
- Waldorf Nave for PC (currently in Beta)
- PPG Wavegenerator (by Wolfgang Palm)
- PPG Wavemapper 2 (by Wolfgang Palm)
- Synapse Audio DUNE 2
- Waves Codex
- KV331 Audio Synthmaster 2.6
- Tone2 Electra2
- NI Massive

From those Blofeld, Nave, Wavegenerator, Wavemapper 2, DUNE 2, Codex and Synthmaster 2.6 could use custom wavetables (from that collection Synthmaster and Blofeld were the first ones that offered this opportunity).
For Blofeld, Wavegenerator and DUNE 2 the free Audio Term wavetable editor includes comatible output formats:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 7&t=334828
Download link: http://dl.dropbox.com/s/1y0d88ts8zy1um7/Audio-Term.zip

Waldorf Nave for PC/Mac is currenty in Beta. Informations are available here:
https://twitter.com/nlogmusic (PC/Mac Beta)
http://www.waldorf-music.info/nave-overview (iPad/iOS version)
Specs: http://www.waldorf-music.info/nave-specifications (iPad/iOS version)
Not allowed to give additional informations about that one at the moment. I could just mention that like the latest Waldorf updates (Largo, PPG Wave 3.V, Waldorf Edition), this will include all available plugin formats including VST3 and AAX.



If you already got PPG wave 3.V maybe you do not need PPG Wave 2.V from Waldorf Edition except if you need teh other Waldorf edition pligins like Attack and D-Pole.
Wavemapper 2 seems to be superior to Wavegenerator while in Wavegenerator you have a dedicated wavetable/Waveform editor. Wavemapper 2 could import Wavegenerator wavetables (also those craeted with Audio Term).
With DUNE 2 for custom wavetables you either need Audio Term or the wavetable tool from Synapse Audio that still seems to be in Beta.
Waves Codex could import wavetables as WAV files (like Serum) and you could export a compatible WAV file with Audio Term (suing the right settings).


Xfer Serum seems to be nice in terms of features but it uses huge amount of CPU (FWIW in comparison Largo uses almost no CPU, at least with the recent update) and i also do not really like the sound.

Sound wise wavetable synths could be quite different (like with analog synths). This could be also true for some Waldorf synths, even when theoreticlly using similar wavetables.


Ingo

[rod_zero]

Didn't know about Wolfang synths, I will try them out today.

[Astralp]

Another plus for Largo from me, it's a joy to use, I find it very light on CPU by todays standards. My only gripe is the Arpeggiator is very difficult to program, I wish it had the same interface as Complexor. Also I do keep hoping that Wavetable import will be implemented. Soundwise I think it's very distinctive and prefer it to a Blofeld.

I also really love PPG 2.V, it's just so gritty and unique, uses nothing CPU wise and is very cheap to buy. One day I will probably get 3.V

I find Massive too cold for my taste, every now and then I try and get on with it but... maybe one day.

I was playing with the Serum Demo a few days ago and I like it, but it uses a lot of CPU.

WaveMapper II is also on my wants list.

[Trancit]

Another very cool option, which loads up to 1024 user defineable waveforms is MUX Modular from MuTools:

http://www.mutools.com/mux-product.html
http://www.mutools.com/info/docs/mux/multiformosc.html

Very easy on CPU with tons of possibilities!!!

[fmr]

Another very cool option, which loads up to 1024 user defineable waveforms is MUX Modular from MuTools:

http://www.mutools.com/mux-product.html
http://www.mutools.com/info/docs/mux/multiformosc.html

Very easy on CPU with tons of possibilities!!!

I may be wrong, but I don't think the Oscillators scan through the wavetable

BTW - Zebra can be considered a wavetable synth too. Limited to 16 waves, but it does wavetable scanning.

A Largo 2.0, with more filter choices (the filters from Microwave, for example) and wave import / wavetable editing would be fantastic

[Lotuzia]

Largo cpu hog ? Not ime. I could easily load more than 20 instances of it, with the cpu still alive and well.( unless you use full unison for all the sounds + long releases maybe ).
Massive is good as well, with some unique and pôwerfull modulators ( even if they are a bit cumbersome/long to use ).

This said, I dont see 'lack of import WT' as important as some other people might see it : There's already SO MUCH to do with Massive and Largo included WaveTables that it really doesnt matter for me. What I mean by this is that all the other features/benefits of these synths ( global unique sound, workflow etc) exceed by far the loss of this function, wich can btw be found in numerous other WT synths if desperatly needed/desired. Ymmv of course.

[Ingonator]

I agree about this, using the wavetables included with Largo and PPG Wave 3.V (this includes around 100 additional wavetables compared to the old 2.V version and also has sample import...) could take some time and could be used for tons of new patches.

Once the Waldorf Nave plugin is finished this in combination with Largo and PPG Wave 3.V will be extremely powerful and Nave also allows using custom wavetables (like in the iPad version).
As already mentioned i currently could not give additional informations about the Nave plugin.

[penguinfromdeep]

If you want oldskool sound like vintage house: PPG Wave 3
If you want modern sound like EDM or Future House (Tchami etc): Serum

[liv]

I'll vote for Massive and Absynth.

[Ingonator]

If you want oldskool sound like vintage house: PPG Wave 3
If you want modern sound like EDM or Future House (Tchami etc): Serum

A new EDM soundset for Largo was just released:
http://www.waldorfmusic-shop.de/epages/ ... ts/wsetl05
http://www.waldorfmusic-shop.de/epages/ ... ts/wsetl03

There is also an old one by Rob Lee:
http://www.waldorfmusic-shop.de/epages/ ... ts/wsetl03

The upcoming Waldorf Nave PC/Mac plugin (like the iPad version) has an "Überwave" oscillator mode for the VA oscillator (additional to the two wavetable Oscs) that could sound similar to a Roland Supersaw but could also use other waveforms than a Saw (again like already found in the iPad version).

[basslinemaster]

I recommend Codex, and Dune 2, I didn't like Serum as much, but that's probably a preset problem - many of them have a lot of high end to them, that spoils the specific preset I was listening to, and made them sound 'Serumesque'. Codex, for me, had much better presets. (As did the wonderful Dune 2!)