Waldorf Quantum - 8-voice hybrid synth

[EvilDragon]

When you compare them to digital filters on board, they sure do add "things" to the sound. That's not to say digi filters are bad in it, quite the contrary, but analog ones do add "oomph" overall.

[justin3am]

It sounds damn good to me.

But more important than that, I find it inspiring to work with and very quick to get usable results.

[tehlord]

I don’t know, those last two demos from Genshi sound pretty great to me, though I’m still not hearing those analog filters adding much of anything. Seems to me that they could have done this synth all digital and sold it for half the price.

I think they sound good, just not 'expensive'. I don't think the additional of analogue filters adds that much to the retail price of this thing.

It sounds damn good to me.

But more important than that, I find it inspiring to work with and very quick to get usable results.

Don't get me wrong, I WANT to like it. I think the UI is incredible, no expense spared incredible.

There's isn't a single store within driving distance that has one of these things on demo.

[justin3am]

Don't get me wrong, I WANT to like it. I think the UI is incredible, no expense spared incredible.

There's isn't a single store within driving distance that has one of these things on demo.

I totally understand. I count myself lucky that I wasn't as tempted by the Moog One, as I was by the Quantum!

I think part of what you are hearing is the fact that the signal path is not stereo all the way through (at least, not when using the analog filters). Instead there is a weird stereo effect post-VCF which doesn't sound that great to me (I just turn it off). It appears that you can use the 'unison index' mod source to get stereo spread but you use up a second voice to do so. I haven't tried that. I think a lot of digital synths these days have their whole signal path in stereo, so the sound stage can be much wider. I will do some experiments with the VCFs bypassed and see if the oscillators pass through in stereo.

[tehlord]

Don't get me wrong, I WANT to like it. I think the UI is incredible, no expense spared incredible.

There's isn't a single store within driving distance that has one of these things on demo.

I totally understand. I count myself lucky that I wasn't as tempted by the Moog One, as I was by the Quantum!

I think part of what you are hearing is the fact that the signal path is not stereo all the way through (at least, not when using the analog filters). Instead there is a weird stereo effect post-VCF which doesn't sound that great to me (I just turn it off). It appears that you can use the 'unison index' mod source to get stereo spread but you use up a second voice to do so. I haven't tried that. I think a lot of digital synths these days have their whole signal path in stereo, so the sound stage can be much wider. I will do some experiments with the VCFs bypassed and see if the oscillators pass through in stereo.

You might be on to something there. The best I can describe it is that all the demo's I've heard sound a little phasey, as though what I'm hearing is a mixture of direct and mic audio signal. Perhaps that's the weird stereo effect you speak of.

I might have to drive a bit to get hands on. Rob is WAY too far away for me to knock on his door

[vurt]

stay for the week
worth the drive then.

[tehlord]

stay for the week
worth the drive then.

I couldn't take the lager and kebab poisoning.

[vurt]

[pdxindy]

I will do some experiments with the VCFs bypassed and see if the oscillators pass through in stereo.

My understanding is if you bypass the analog filters and use the digital ones, it stays stereo the whole way

[Touch The Universe]

How many soundset releases would it take to cover the cost of the quantum?

Sell your sound expansions at €55 and you'll soon pay for the Quantum.
Rob

If there is a chance, this become much more interesting. Hardware is new territory for me. If there is a possibility to recoup the cost of entry with sales, a new realm might open up for me to explore, for business and fun. Cutting my teeth on a quantum might be a stretch. I do have a Nord 2, however which I picked up for freakin 250 dollars. That might prove a better proofing ground so to speak, even though that synth is almost vintage, I think That's the good part with hardware, it doesn't become outdated so easily (you can't upgrade your hardware).

[chk071]

It sounds damn good to me.

But more important than that, I find it inspiring to work with and very quick to get usable results.

Don't get me wrong, I WANT to like it. I think the UI is incredible, no expense spared incredible.

There's isn't a single store within driving distance that has one of these things on demo.

Just wondering, but, do you generally like the Waldorf sound?

Thing is, i do, it's just the Quantum, and other newer synths from Waldorf (Nave as well) that don't do it so well for me. I mean, yeah, they sound good, but, not GREAT, IMO.

Maybe i'd think different if i try it in person. I did with Nave though, and i didn't like it as much as i like Largo or Blofeld, for example. Or their older synths (even more).

[zerocrossing]

I don’t know, those last two demos from Genshi sound pretty great to me, though I’m still not hearing those analog filters adding much of anything. Seems to me that they could have done this synth all digital and sold it for half the price.

I think they sound good, just not 'expensive'. I don't think the additional of analogue filters adds that much to the retail price of this thing.

It sounds damn good to me.

But more important than that, I find it inspiring to work with and very quick to get usable results.

Don't get me wrong, I WANT to like it. I think the UI is incredible, no expense spared incredible.

There's isn't a single store within driving distance that has one of these things on demo.

Yeah, I’m in agreement. I think it sounds about as good as Omnisphere, which is to say, great, but not $4300 great. My off-handed assessment of the overall character is that it’s coming from a $2000-2500 instrument. I guess this is all subjective. The Prophet 12 and Modal 002 sound really expensive to me. I feel like I hear the character of the filter doing really obvious things that make me really feel the expense was worth it. I hear it on the Microwave 1. I don’t hear it on the Quantum. I just don’t.

[rob_lee]

I'm so excited about the new 1.2.3 firmware version

Don't know what I'm doing wrong here but mine won't update this morning. I haven't changed anything I updated fine last time with the last firmware plus INIT unit but this is what I get trying to update to 1.2.3



Any ideas?

PS

The card is upside down too

Rob

[rob_lee]

Sorted...

I was dragging and dropping the update to the SD card instead of copy & pasting it

[pdxindy]

Another Quantum video - focused on the resonators

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDGh3YiM3kA