street priceThe Waldorf Quantum is a flagship eight-voice analogue/digital hybrid polysynth that combines multiple synthesis engines in one powerful instrument. Despite Waldorf's history of releasing occasionally unfinished products, the Quantum stands as their most complete flagship synthesizer to date. It offers extraordinary synthesis depth with four different oscillator types (with a fifth coming in v2), sophisticated filtering options, extensive modulation capabilities, and high-quality effects processing.
The Quantum is a substantial instrument, measuring 1006 x 401 x 131mm and weighing 17.8kg. It features a stylish design with a clean, functional layout that includes firm knobs, positive buttons, clear graphics, and a 61-note semi-weighted keyboard that provides a pleasant playing experience. The large touch-sensitive screen provides deep access to the synthesizer's many parameters, with color-coded controls helping to navigate the complex architecture.
At the heart of the Quantum are three oscillators per voice, each capable of using any of four different synthesis methods:
Wavetable Synthesis: Drawing on Waldorf's heritage, the Quantum includes 85 factory wavetables with 128 stages each. Users can create their own wavetables through text-to-speech conversion or by analyzing audio files. Parameters include table selection, pitch, key tracking, pan, spectral envelope position and brightness, noise amount, drive, gain, and detailed control over wavetable movement.
Waveform (Virtual Analogue): Generates classic analogue waveforms (sine, triangle, sawtooth, square) with additional white and pink noise options. Each oscillator can utilize up to eight "kernels" with independent pitches and stereo positioning, allowing for rich, complex sounds that rival classic polysynths like Prophets, Oberheims, Jupiters, and the Memorymoog.
Particle (Sample-Based/Granular): Based on stereo multi-samples, this engine allows conventional sample playback or granular synthesis. The Quantum includes a 1GB sample library within its 4GB internal memory and supports importing WAV, AIFF, and AIFC samples, with built-in recording capabilities for both external sounds and resampling.
Resonator: This synthesis type uses an Exciter (clicks, noise bursts, samples) to energize a Resonator, creating sounds that would be difficult to synthesize by other means. It excels at plucked strings, bells, chimes, and electro-mechanical pianos when excited by impulses, while extended exciters can produce unique sustained sounds.
The Quantum offers three filters in two blocks:
Dual Analogue Filter Block: Features two filters with selectable types (12dB/oct and 24dB/oct low-pass filters with or without overdrive) and eight different modes (Single, Boost, Twin Peaks, Escaping, Opposition, Endless, Independent, and Linked). These can self-oscillate at high resonance settings.
Digital Former: Provides 23 processing types including comb filters, decimator, various 12dB/oct and 24dB/oct filter types (low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, band-reject), overdrive, and gain.
These filter blocks can be arranged in parallel or series (in either order), with flexible routing of oscillator signals to both filters and directly to the amplifier section.
The Quantum features an exceptionally deep modulation architecture:
Six DADSR Contour Generators: Velocity-sensitive envelopes with multiple attack, decay, and release curve shapes, plus looping capability and a Single Trig mode for paraphonic response.
Six LFOs: Each offering six waveforms (including S&H), with Warp and Slew parameters for additional shaping. Frequency ranges from one cycle every four minutes to 100Hz, with clock synchronization.
Komplex Modulator: Generates two waveforms that can be blended, smoothed, warped, and modified with jitter. Three modes allow global application, per-note modulation, or use as a 32-step custom contour generator.
Modulation Matrix: 40 slots drawing from 43 possible sources and directing to 158 possible destinations, with 43 controller options for modulation amplitude.
The Quantum provides five effects blocks in series, each offering the same selection of effects: phaser, chorus, flanger, delay, reverb, four-band EQ, overdrive, and compressor. The output section features a global compressor and volume control affecting the main outputs and headphones, but not the auxiliary outputs.
The performance panel includes pitch and modulation wheels, octave transpose buttons, latch and chord functions, and a mono button for monophonic operation. The Quantum also includes a sophisticated arpeggiator with seven patterns, up to four-octave range, and 31 factory rhythm patterns. Additionally, there's a five-row, 32-step sequencer with the first row for note data and the remaining four for control sequences usable as modulation sources.
Within its eight-note polyphony limit, the Quantum offers two complete synthesizer layers that can be split or layered across the keyboard. These layers can be directed to different MIDI channels, have independent effects, and can be routed to separate output pairs, making the Quantum truly bi-timbral. External audio can be processed through either or both layers.
In 2023 Waldorf has introduced the v2 firmware that added "Kernel Synthesis" as a fifth oscillator type. This will offer six kernels per oscillator with each kernel freely selectable from virtual analogue, wavetable, sample, and noise sources, with cross-modulation capabilities including AM, FM, phase distortion, and ring modulation.
This synthesizer has no competitors in its class. It is not cheap, but it is a superb synthesizer. In any case, this represents a bid for leadership for the whole decade. It's a full-featured 8-voice hybrid synthesizer whose sound engine is based on wavetables, while the filters are analog, and almost all control is carried out through controllers on the front panel. It's a tribute to the Waldorf Wave, or a modern interpretation of it, if you wish. In the Quantum, there is everything that a super professional needs to create the highest quality and unique sounds, and it can be expanded. This is one of those rare electronic musical instruments that will never become cheaper, so "buying a Quantum" is not a waste of money - it is an investment.
Country of origin / production: Germany
Recommend product to a friend| Usage area | |
|---|---|
| Synthesizer | |
| Performance Synthesizer | |
| Usage Design/ Form Factor | |
| With Keys | |
| Archetype | |
| Hybrid, Digital+Analog | |
| Polyphony | |
| Voices | 8 |
| Multi Timbral Capacity | 2 part(s) |
| Tone Generator / Sound Synthesis | |
| Synthesis Method | Analog Subtractive |
| Synthesis Method | Digital Subtractive |
| Synthesis Method | Re-synthesis |
| Synthesis Method | Wavetable 1 , 1 |
| Oscillators overall | 24 |
| Oscillator Type | Digital 1 , 1 |
| Technology of Sound Generation | PCM |
| Oscillators per voice | 3 |
| Waveform/ Spectral form (main generator) | Sine |
| Waveform/ Spectral form (main generator) | Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) |
| Waveform/ Spectral form (main generator) | Triangle |
| Waveform/ Spectral form (main generator) | Saw |
| Waveform/ Spectral form (main generator) | White Noise |
| Waveform/ Spectral form (main generator) | Pink Noise |
| Filter | |
| Voltage Controlled Filter (VCF) | |
| 2-pole | |
| 4-pole | |
| 12dB | |
| 24dB | |
| Envelope Generator (EG) | |
| Assignable | 6 |
| Delay+ADSR | |
| Modulation | |
| LFO: LFO Count | 6 |
| Effects | |
| Reverb | |
| Chorus | |
| Flanger | |
| Compressor | |
| Delay | |
| Phaser | |
| Overdrive/ Drive | |
| Equalizer | |
| Parametric | |
| Bands | 4 |
| MIDI in/ out | |
| IN | |
| OUT | |
| THRU | |
| Keys | |
| Type | Semi-weighted |
| Velocity Sensitivity | |
| Aftertouch | |
| Size | 5 |
| Number of Keys | 61 |
| Display | |
| Touch Screen | |
| Case/ body | |
| Metal&wood | |
| Color | |
| Black | |
| Production start | 2017 |
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