3rd Wave // Keyboard vs Desktop

[@Riistube]

Your content is godsend for the synth community. Thank you!

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks ever so much. Lovely to hear.

[@DankePlace]

Bob did an amazing job on both synths, great support and really wonderful, talented people. Glad you did this for them Starsky.

[@SaintKristofer]

Just the video I was hoping for, not that I can afford either for now…but eventually. Thank you.

[@JohnnyADi]

I'm literally looking to buy this synth. I've been recently watching all the 3rd wave videos and just saw this. Thank you. I think this is the best hardware synth money can buy.

[@garyholden8469]

Very nice, got the keyboard version a couple of weeks ago myself off the back of your last video on the module. Looking forward to seeing more of your content on this great sounding and versatile synth.

[@ultramet]

I’m definitely buying the desktop as I have no more room in the studio. The ARP 2600 pissed my wife off beyond measure. Thanks for your great comparison. Great to know I’m not sacrificing much by going with the desktop and that my marriage will survive 😂.

[@strictlybeats]

I have the desktop because of issues with space - Nice to know I'm not missing out on too much

[@StarskyCarr]

yeah, thats why I got it originally. There really is very little difference.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

I can relate to that also. I’ve got a multitude of keyboard synthesizers in my own equipment arsenal. Both of my current modules are analog DCO models. I would definitely consider getting this one if I wanted another wavetable synth.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

In essence, the desktop edition is more consolidatory (okay, not a real word) with way fewer redundancies. Thank you, Starsky.

[@StarskyCarr]

Consolidatory is good. it should be a word. Maybe it is now?

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

😊

[@ClarityJustin]

Wow thank you so much for the run down!

[@ClarityJustin]

Do you have or know of any songs that are made predominantly with 3rd wave?

[@FakeGlasses]

How is the Keybed in the full version? Sequential and UDO both have done a good job of always putting quality keybeds in their synths. I guess Arturia, novation and others try to save on keybeds to get a lower price point, but the result is to make their flagships feel cheap.

[@jwalkermed]

It's a FATAR. Good keys

[@boxoftextures]

I've been wondering about desktop vs keyboard and you've totally sold me on the keyboard version! I do understand it's the same thing, except, well, it isn't quite exactly the same.

[@infestedalien]

I have the keyboard version and cannot think of the desktop version after experiences it as a keyboard. It would not feel like an instrument if I had it as a desktop. Beside of that I would go crazy over the missing duplicate knobs and not having wavesurfer as a knob to reach easy for. For me the workflow is important :). The hardest decision for me now is OBX8 as a desktop or a keyboard... Wish I could accept it as a module since the keyboard version has a crazy spacious design :)

[@SandyZoop]

Once again, I am somebody somewhere who was helped by this. Thanks!

[@andreievkalupniek5717]

Thanks for this. I needed it before deciding

[@bullydully7428]

@@andreievkalupniek5717 what have you decided

[@ogasi1798]

nice 1 fella, kbd for me really is the full experience on any synth

[@marzzz1]

I was one of the people who preordered the 3rd Wave at NAMM, if a desktop version had been available I would have wanted it instead because I have polyAT controllers. But now there is no way I would part with the keyboard, I just lurve it too much! I will just have to continue controlling it from a separate polyAT keyboard (maybe a PolyBrute 12? ugh, but that color...) or pray to the MIDI gawdz that Groove somehow someday offers an update/upgrade for the 3rd Wave keyboard. Well, they did surprise us with the desktop...!

[@dingbatjack1234]

Best designed desktop I’ve seen by far!

[@infestedalien]

This was kind of hard decision for me. But what made me spend some extra money and space was to pick the keyboard version for a simple reason that to me modules never feels like an instrument. I like to have a keybed when picking one to sit down with and program. But today I have a much harder decision for keyboard vs desktop when it comes to the OBX8 that thing is HUGE as a keyboard :). However today I am still satisfied over having the 3rd wave as a keyboard and it's such a beauty to both play and look at.

[@unisonosc1617]

Really nice comparison, seems like the desktop is pretty ideal. The only thing I would have done different is went all endless encoders. imo they are ideal for anything with presets.

[@klstay]

The interface on both is good, but not great and they did a fine job with the choices getting it into a desktop package. With the synth responding to MPE the desktop with maybe a Keystage or even Hydrasynth seems a viable combination.

[@falangistavaleroso9689]

One of the few good synths made in the last decades, I would like to own the smaller version.

[@watchaddicts1213]

I can buy 3rd Wave desktop + Rise 2 for Wave Keys money. I think that’s my pick! I presume, all things appearing to to be equal, that desktop will get all the goodness that is the Prophet VS waves update AND the new Sampling/sample editing update, announced at Superbooth 24 ? Now, if they will announced their new Granular Engine in time for Christmas, this synth will be the best value of the decade!

[@StarskyCarr]

yeah the desktop is functionally identical - the camping works the same.... granular would be great.

[@vertigev]

How is the viewing angle on the screen? I'm wondering since it's not centered on the desktop.

[@AudioLomtik]

It's an OLED screen so no issues whatsoever. I have the desktop, and in my current setup it is to the right of another module, such that the left most edge is directly in front of my face and the screen is FAR to my right. Yet I have no issues reading or working with it.

[@StarskyCarr]

I can second that. Its viewable from pretty much any angle.

[@JohnnyADi]

I'd love to see how many Synths the 3rd wave can replicate. Should be able to do everything except the sound of the filter. Maybe the moog filter can be similarly replicated, along with of course the prophet and digital oberheim filter. Would love to hear it pull off a moog one, cs80, or Roland jupiter 8/16

[@StarskyCarr]

I've tried a fair few now including the PPG, Juno 60, Prophet 6 and Prophet VS. the PPG and VS are very similar tones to the 3rd wave. Its probably the only one you can do these on,, although ive. not paid as much attention to thenWaldorf M which could probably get v close too. You can get the 'standard' prophet, Juno and OB tones. You don't get the Juno 60 resonance or the prophet 6 FM .. in other words it doesn't emulate the specific characters but does easily fulfill standard duties.

[@JohnnyADi]

​@@StarskyCarr that's fine, I have external fx and synths to compliment it. This is kind of the "analog" machine of my instruments. It can do literally everything most analog Synths can do, with external units it's power is unlimited. It's the best base for ultimate flexibility and complex patches that isn't a Waldorf. I'd rather have a 3rd wave over the M.

[@jamesc9862]

The multi part confuses the f out of me. If you could do a video on multi part sequencing and editing both (on the desktop specifically) that would be great

[@DankePlace]

You have 4 layers, so you switch between them. Each layer has its own sequencer, so you can do a bunch of diff and crazy things. Think of it as like 4 synths in 1 unit.

[@StarskyCarr]

I know what you mean, but actually once you wrap your head around it everything falls into place. I’ll make sure I do a bit on it.

[@unduloid]

The first impression I get is that the keyboard version has a keyboard, while the desktop version doesn't. Yes, I'm sharp like that.

[@StarskyCarr]

haha.. I wish I had those skillz.. I had to buy them both to work it out!

[@88keyz]

I noticed the buttons sizes are different that makes me sharp also 🫡👍🏾🫡😅😂

[@synthsamuraiproductions]

Brother the twins!!! The Arnold and Danny Devito !!!

[@DankePlace]

What?

[@entropybentwhistle]

@@DankePlaceThe disparate sizes of the two synths.

[@DankePlace]

@@entropybentwhistle still makes no sense because they're exactly alike when it comes to sonic capabilities. The reference makes no sense what so ever.

[@pablowentscobar]

Good stuff fren.

[@logiclust]

lol, i had just added this to my shopping cart an hour ago!

[@StarskyCarr]

Go back and use an affiliate link 😂😂

[@logiclust]

@@StarskyCarr touché

[@watchaddicts1213]

HERE''S a QUESTION: Can the 3rd WAVE sound Beautifu-Magical like this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2PMpZKgq5V8i5Isi=IffN4IX4FBjaLZdg ? My brain says: Don't be STUPID....but the 3rd Wave; it blows away the SUPER GEMINI Spec Sheet to Spec Sheet...no comparison. Meanwhile, my heart is Completely Captured by GEMINI. Just to hit it out of the park, I'm confident that GROOVE will add a granular engine as their next treat. why not1

[@StarskyCarr]

That's lovely. Yes it could do that. To replicate binaural mode you would copy the patch to the second layer and pan L+R.

[@klstay]

For me the choice between the two is not nearly as much the sound "spaces" of each so much as what priority is a fully "live" interface to you? If you mostly load patches and tweak not all that much while playing 3rd Wave is fine. If you love starting from init and tend to tweak many parameters a lot while playing then Super Gemini currently has no peers.

[@watchaddicts1213]

@@klstay agree completely! One thing about WAVE that is very attractive: besides sounding like a PPG (old and modern) it can sound like a wide variety of synths. I have noticed that Gemini always seems to sound like a Gemini. Not that THAT is a bad thing. You seem to always HEAR GEMINI in its patches, whereas WAVE could fill in for a dozen other synths. FEATURES-wise, Gemini kind of gets left it the dust. Gemini, however, is clearly the one which produces a recurring thought in my brain: “THIS MUST BE WHAT MUSIC IN HEAVEN SOUNDS LIKE.”

[@klstay]

@@watchaddicts1213 if you lean a fair bit more to the "song creator" side of things using a lot of the great sounding factory and packaged patches then the breadth of 3rd Wave is really only exceeded by Quantum/Iridium which to me it beats in other ways; but not by a ton. If you lean to the "sound creator" side preferring to start from init for patches and "explorations/noodles" then the SG interface in live mode leaves it (and almost every other synth) in the dust.

[@watchaddicts1213]

@@klstay spot on correct. THAT is the decision to be made. I would drown in Iridium and end up with a nagging feeling that WAVE bests Waldorf at their own game. The next update on WAVE will a Granular engine , I made that up just now, but that may well occur.. Do I want to compose song or soundtrack…OR do I want to make Gemini patches for fun snd to make sample libraries to offer to others? How could it be a bad day if I the box I open contains either a WAVE or a GEM, right?

[@pilotdrift05]

I’m gonna wait for behringer 😉

[@dingbatjack1234]

Always one of these guys…..

[@DankePlace]

GL with that, you'll be waiting a long long long LONG time for something that will never happen.

[@Bin909able]

A second hand Waldorf M would get you very far for a behringer price. If money allows I will ad a 3rd wave. (Also) a beautiful synth

[@Owid1]

too bad the screen on the desktop is not centered, my OCD really kicked in :D

[@StarskyCarr]

if it was central it would freak you out even more. The distribution. of knobs and buttons would be an unscratchable itch. As it is it makes sense where everything is.. you'll never get a perfect distribution because of the different number of parameters on the wavetable, oscillators, FX and LFO - so actually I think your OCD would appreciate the balance :)

[@LesFarrington]

I loved your Iridium Keyboard review. I bought one. Now I’m loving the 3rd wave videos. Would you say that there is too much overlap between iridium and 3rd wave, or do they compliment each other?