No MPE, but polyphonic aftertouch and a nice big chunk of sample RAM.
https://waldorfmusic.com/quantum-mk2/
Waldorf Quantum MK2
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- KVRAF
- 4590 posts since 7 Jun, 2012 from Warsaw
I've been waiting for this...
...new features are not impressive though. No MPE, no CV connectivity either.
Mostly just improved quality of materials and components.
...new features are not impressive though. No MPE, no CV connectivity either.
Mostly just improved quality of materials and components.
Blog ------------- YouTube channel
Tricky-Loops wrote: (...)someone like Armin van Buuren who claims to make a track in half an hour and all his songs sound somewhat boring(...)
Tricky-Loops wrote: (...)someone like Armin van Buuren who claims to make a track in half an hour and all his songs sound somewhat boring(...)
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- KVRAF
- 10362 posts since 7 Sep, 2006 from Roseville, CA
Not something that interests me, but it looks beastly!
Logic Pro | PolyBrute | MatrixBrute | MiniFreak | Prophet 6 | Trigon 6 | OB-6 | Rev2 | Pro 3 | SE-1X | Polar TI2 | Blofeld | RYTMmk2 | Digitone | Syntakt | Digitakt | Integra-7 | TR-8S | MPC One | TD-3 MO
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- KVRian
- 793 posts since 30 Oct, 2003 from Pacific NW, USA
The design looks amazing!! I imagine it sounds pretty cool too considering the price tag. Out of curiosity, I wonder how the sound engine compares to wavetable and granular synths like Pigments, Dune or Falcon. Because someone could buy a modern computer and load it up with the latest plug-ins for that kind of money.
I've been seriously debating about getting a high end hardware synth sometime this year. I bought KORG's Modwave hardware and software synth and it reminds me of why I used to love hardware synths to begin with. I've had my eye on Waldorf's lineup but there aren't any dealers close to me so that I could get some hands on experience.
Are there any Quantum or Iridium users that would be willing to share your opinions about how the sound engines of these hardware synths stack up to VST plug-ins? Thanks
I've been seriously debating about getting a high end hardware synth sometime this year. I bought KORG's Modwave hardware and software synth and it reminds me of why I used to love hardware synths to begin with. I've had my eye on Waldorf's lineup but there aren't any dealers close to me so that I could get some hands on experience.
Are there any Quantum or Iridium users that would be willing to share your opinions about how the sound engines of these hardware synths stack up to VST plug-ins? Thanks
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Constructed Identity Constructed Identity https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=288890 - KVRian
- 678 posts since 29 Sep, 2012 from Minnesota
It's interesting that they did this because of their Iridium keyboard. The Iridium keyboard was a better choice than the old Quantum and I would have thought they would just discontinue the Quantum, but they obviously decided they needed a synthesizer priced above the Iridium. Perhaps Hanz Zimmer wanted this, because I can't think it will sell in high numbers.
The Quantum is probably four synths in one, but still.
The Quantum is probably four synths in one, but still.
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- KVRian
- 719 posts since 9 May, 2005
For $5200, I'd like to see significantly higher polyphony (32-64 notes) and less aliasing on the classic waveforms.
When talking about playing samples, 16 note polyphony (to me) feels pretty limited.
This would broaden the appeal to cover more traditional sounds (acoustic piano, etc).
The original Quantum sold fairly well. It's in a lot of studios.
When talking about playing samples, 16 note polyphony (to me) feels pretty limited.
This would broaden the appeal to cover more traditional sounds (acoustic piano, etc).
The original Quantum sold fairly well. It's in a lot of studios.
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- KVRAF
- 12379 posts since 7 May, 2006 from Southern California
I love my quantum. I kinda prefer the color scheme of the original but I'm glad they fixed the issue some folks were having with the display. I'd say it's a nice upgrade and I appreciate that the new features that I care about are part of the v3 firmware that can be loaded in the mk1 version. It's really cool that they added a keybed with Polyphonic after touch. For MPE, I generally play the quantum from my Linnstrument.
In terms of comparing sound to VSTs, I wouldn't bother. I'm sure you can get similar sounds from plug-ins. The draw for me is the instrument itself. The interface is very well thought out. It's a joy to play.
In terms of comparing sound to VSTs, I wouldn't bother. I'm sure you can get similar sounds from plug-ins. The draw for me is the instrument itself. The interface is very well thought out. It's a joy to play.
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- KVRist
- 176 posts since 28 Dec, 2002 from Naperville, IL, USA
It's truly a beautiful instrument. I have no use for it now, but if I ever performed live I'd be pleased to have this on stage with me.
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- KVRer
- 3 posts since 29 Dec, 2022
Man it would be great to own one of these. So many possibilities. And now with 16 dig voices and PolyAT. Very nice. A classy beast!
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Funkybot's Evil Twin Funkybot's Evil Twin https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=116627
- KVRAF
- 11557 posts since 16 Aug, 2006
Take all that synth sh*t out and knock several grand off the price and that'd be my ideal MIDI controller. 
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- KVRist
- 77 posts since 16 May, 2021
I played one of these in a store yesterday and it was quite an experience. I had it for 1,5 hours (until they closed), in that time I made two quite simple patches, auditioned some presets and tweaked the AT response. Not the most intuitive workflow imo, but I'd get used to it.
I really wanted to love it, since I'd love to buy a nice-looking, European-made synthesizer with lots of knobs and keys.
It really does have a premium feel, the keybed is very good and would sit nicely between my piano keys and too-light-action synth keys. In the store I briefly tried the keys on the Polybrute and they felt nowhere near the Quantum. The touchscreen felt much better than my Fantom 08, no lag or double-clicking at all.
I auditioned some presets but most where showing off many things at once in a way that only made them really usable as cool one-shots in a specific spot in an already half-ready production. I wanted to see what it would be like to write melodies and harmonies on this thing.
I focused on the wavetable engine and added the resonator to get a more complex sound. I focused on the analog filter because that's a big part of the insane premium over the Iridium keys. I felt the sound was cool but kinda thin, added some chorus and diode distortion in the fx section and that was quite nice.
Then I changed the analog filter from "clean" to dirty and wow... It was a completely new synth. I have heard lots of A/B tests on YouTube but actually playing a sound with nice envelope shapes, LFO-movement and chorus seems to greatly elevate the differences to my ears. In the YT videos the "dirty" sounded mainly like a ridiculous boost in the low mids, but in the store I was blown away, turned off the distortion in the fx section, managed some levels and just felt that yes, this is the sound. This was with a single 12db dirty analog filter per voice, no digital former and only chorus in the fx section.
It was cool to be able to quickly swap between digital and analog filter. To say the difference was obvious is an understatement. Apart from the sound being different, the digital filters were identical for each voice, the analog ones were alive. However, I don't know if the digital filters have any analog emulation function like in most VA synths. Something like that might close the gap a bit.
I have never owned a regular AT keyboard, only tried and failed to learn a ROLI Block many years ago. I really wanted to feel a musical need for poly-AT but it was quite limited to be honest. Hopefully I just need lots of practice. Tweaking the AT response was cool, you have a lot of control, and the response I needed varied greatly depending on the playstyle in general, am I holding chords and fading in AT for different keys with both hands, or am I soloing over a chord and naturally hitting the AT much harder with stronger fingers? Velocity often feels weird to me when not playing piano-keys, but it had a good response I guess.
In summary I was really impressed with the Quantum, although I really wanted to love it, so there's that. I didn't have time to try the waveform, particle or kernel engines, the second filter, digital former... You get it. Anyway, as it seems at the moment I'll give myself at least a few months to think this through. I don't need it. For my purposes, my various plugins and Moog Grandmother is probably enough already. But do I want it enough to justify the cost? Yeah, probably.
I really wanted to love it, since I'd love to buy a nice-looking, European-made synthesizer with lots of knobs and keys.
It really does have a premium feel, the keybed is very good and would sit nicely between my piano keys and too-light-action synth keys. In the store I briefly tried the keys on the Polybrute and they felt nowhere near the Quantum. The touchscreen felt much better than my Fantom 08, no lag or double-clicking at all.
I auditioned some presets but most where showing off many things at once in a way that only made them really usable as cool one-shots in a specific spot in an already half-ready production. I wanted to see what it would be like to write melodies and harmonies on this thing.
I focused on the wavetable engine and added the resonator to get a more complex sound. I focused on the analog filter because that's a big part of the insane premium over the Iridium keys. I felt the sound was cool but kinda thin, added some chorus and diode distortion in the fx section and that was quite nice.
Then I changed the analog filter from "clean" to dirty and wow... It was a completely new synth. I have heard lots of A/B tests on YouTube but actually playing a sound with nice envelope shapes, LFO-movement and chorus seems to greatly elevate the differences to my ears. In the YT videos the "dirty" sounded mainly like a ridiculous boost in the low mids, but in the store I was blown away, turned off the distortion in the fx section, managed some levels and just felt that yes, this is the sound. This was with a single 12db dirty analog filter per voice, no digital former and only chorus in the fx section.
It was cool to be able to quickly swap between digital and analog filter. To say the difference was obvious is an understatement. Apart from the sound being different, the digital filters were identical for each voice, the analog ones were alive. However, I don't know if the digital filters have any analog emulation function like in most VA synths. Something like that might close the gap a bit.
I have never owned a regular AT keyboard, only tried and failed to learn a ROLI Block many years ago. I really wanted to feel a musical need for poly-AT but it was quite limited to be honest. Hopefully I just need lots of practice. Tweaking the AT response was cool, you have a lot of control, and the response I needed varied greatly depending on the playstyle in general, am I holding chords and fading in AT for different keys with both hands, or am I soloing over a chord and naturally hitting the AT much harder with stronger fingers? Velocity often feels weird to me when not playing piano-keys, but it had a good response I guess.
In summary I was really impressed with the Quantum, although I really wanted to love it, so there's that. I didn't have time to try the waveform, particle or kernel engines, the second filter, digital former... You get it. Anyway, as it seems at the moment I'll give myself at least a few months to think this through. I don't need it. For my purposes, my various plugins and Moog Grandmother is probably enough already. But do I want it enough to justify the cost? Yeah, probably.
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- KVRAF
- 6434 posts since 22 Jan, 2005 from Sweden
But aren't we supposed to see it as an hybrid/analog, having analog filters?Jim Roseberry wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 4:29 pm For $5200, I'd like to see significantly higher polyphony (32-64 notes) and less aliasing on the classic waveforms.
When talking about playing samples, 16 note polyphony (to me) feels pretty limited.
- they made it expensive due to that, even mk1 was expensive
16-voices analogs is decent, I think.
EDIT: 8 analog only + the rest digital, not so good
But maybe do as Nordleads, go 96k inside?
- that would take care of some aliasing
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- KVRian
- 719 posts since 9 May, 2005
There's a lot to like about the Quantum and Quantum 2.
IMO, to do more accurate analog emulation, aliasing needs to be reined-in a bit.
I'm sure up-sampling would help with that.
I use the Nord Stage 4 to play gigs.
While it's great for that purpose (has loads of polyphony from the various engines), it suffers from some odd limitations.
No velocity cross-switching on samples used in the Synth engines, preset keyboard split-points, pitch-bend range, etc.
I'd say Nord really "distilled" the Stage 3 (and now Stage 4) to the bare necessities.
While it's certainly not a deep VA implementation, it's quick/easy to achieve most classic synth sounds.
IMO, to do more accurate analog emulation, aliasing needs to be reined-in a bit.
I'm sure up-sampling would help with that.
I use the Nord Stage 4 to play gigs.
While it's great for that purpose (has loads of polyphony from the various engines), it suffers from some odd limitations.
No velocity cross-switching on samples used in the Synth engines, preset keyboard split-points, pitch-bend range, etc.
I'd say Nord really "distilled" the Stage 3 (and now Stage 4) to the bare necessities.
While it's certainly not a deep VA implementation, it's quick/easy to achieve most classic synth sounds.
