From The Studio - Microwave XT : A Digital Classic

[@juno6]

One of my all time favourite synths. Pure magic.

[@MrDiscobitch]

@Owlbearman you’re

[@admininnertickets5475]

The only synth I ever owned that I regret selling. Such a huge, distinctive, personality. Selling it was like losing a friend.

[@dan.downing]

I was a synth "sales person" and musician when this was on the market. I setup a Wave XT (Orange) and a Q Rack (Yellow) in our main room at Sam Ash Cerritos, CA. Every day I would come in and want to play with toys after hours. Waldorf XT, Waldorf Q Rack and Access Virus had a permanent place in the "lineup of classics" along with the 1080/2080 Rolands.

[@luisfinch3586]

Great review. Love your passion and clear understanding of the synth.

[@ropeburn6684]

I have to admit, in the first second I thought your were gonna say "Hi, Barry Scott here, and this is Cillit Bang" 😂

[@anonymusum]

I began with one MW2, now I have four of them. It has such a clear, crisp, somehow "natural" sound quality that later Waldorf synths like Blofeld or Micro Q didn´t reach. And if you want to create massive sounds just use the Multi-Sounds, set the Single Sounds at the same Midi Channel and you get real big sounds - or crazy sound combinations etc. It´s by far my fav synth and I don´t give a damn if it´s digital or analog, that´s only a predicate. The main issue is the sound and here the MW2 is just unique and magnificent.

[@KulshanStudios]

oh man... this continues to be on the synth bucket list... someday... someday

[@AlchemicalAudio]

Get a Microwave II, same sound engine and buy the Monstrum Wave XT editor.

[@KulshanStudios]

@@AlchemicalAudio can the patches be ported easily from one to the other? Or is the architecture too different?

[@AlchemicalAudio]

@@KulshanStudios same

[@anthonyrothercom]

Great to see this proper review on this monster synth. I own the XTK. I love it.

[@KordTaylor]

Your videos are so great. I share them with my kid BTW, who’s also a synth nerd. You’re all multigenerational and stuff! 😂

[@jmdavison62]

What are the pin/barrel dimensions of the Waldorf MicroWave XT's power jack?

[@YOGIGER]

Just bought one

[@glyn5385]

nice, niiiiiiiice!!!!

[@GearAddict90210]

Envious! It must be good, I doubt you will regret it

[@doctorauxiliarymusic]

thanks much for this breakdown. this synth calls me in the night... & in the morning... & I'm the afternoon.

[@SeverityOne]

Good to have it confirmed that the Microwave II is essentially the same box, but more compact.

[@juno6]

They're not *exactly* the same... The XT have more ram, so it have more effects. Converters are also different, depending on the rev of the XT.

[@SeverityOne]

@@juno6 Thanks for letting me know. In the meantime, I've decided to save up for an Iridium instead.

[@pablosmith5473]

Fantastic one of a kind digital vintage synth. Wish I would own one. Don't have the money nor the physical space anymore. @ Starsky Carr or anyone, any VST instruments you know that can come close to the Microwave XT sonically? I'm surprised no developer has recreated & emulated this incredible synth on the virtual side.

[@adriano_sp]

just Google: The Usual Suspects Xenia

[@TheCbone1979]

I love my XT, it’s a keeper.

[@sK3LeTvM1]

Remarkable that the Microwave II is the lesser wanted one where as the XTK hits the ceiling in price. And even stranger is the Q, a very difficult seller, but smacks the XT in the corner with its Comb and PPG filter. Thats why I own a 32-voice Q. Oh, and there is the Blofeld. What a mistake. Compared to the Q and/or the XT, it sounds like a bad VST in a hardware box.

[@timothydahlin5321]

Amazing how much these are selling for ($1500-3000. I had one in the early 2000s I picked up used for $500.

[@mikegeary8056]

Looks like a minivan console from the 90’s. Sounds killer.

[@worldofmuu]

I caved when I found a non-nextel paint XT the other day. Mint even.

[@conrad3k]

That A033 SaintlyBend sound is so frigging good! Any tips how to recreate this with some other synths? Wondering how the wavetable sounds in that

[@foxholeartist]

Hey, Starsky, what's your opinion of Nova engine from Novation? Looking at Circuit Tracks now, but interested in harsher sound, and you definitely good at creating harsh goodness from anything that produces any basic sound

[@Roland_Tr909_Swing]

Since 808 state had one of these I always wanted one.

[@glyn5385]

i got a 30 voice XTK fuck me its an alien being, ive never heard anything like it in my life

[@shpongled587]

lovely synth and video!

[@Synthsound]

Yeah, that's a cool synth

[@Vincefromsin]

Can you test the MicroWave I please?

[@Normanion]

I'm surprised that you didn't mention Modal 001/002. I have all three - Modal 001, Modal 002 and Microwave XTK - and also Solaris, and had Blofeld. And I must say that Modal 001/002 together with XTk are dripping with character. Actually, when XTk is giving me unapologetic digital sound, not achievable with more modern digital synths, Modal 001/002 went different route and is giving me digital wavetables but... they sound like VCOs (there is reason for that and I would have to make long post about it, but let's just mention that oscillators are clocked by RC circuits that are essentially VCOs, all independent and flowing like VCOs should :]). And they are best modern oscillators one can get, excluding Korg Prologue's oscillators in narrow use case. Each voice has two independent oscillators so they are drifting like they should, each oscillator has sub oscillator that can be square or parent's wave; each can be DeRez'ed (lower resolution); and do not forget variable sample rate. Add to that stunning mixer section with unique drive (I actually love how it saturates and regenerates when backed - no demo to be found here, when I looked for it), then great filter. Enough modulation for a VC components. Sequencer, animator and what not. All this adds to make one of those never to be sold instruments. I am shocked how it is not widely known and looked for.

[@tmxband]

Used price is ridiculous tho. I mean for the same price you can get far better ones.

[@emmarossignol4445]

Hopefully there will be a day where we can get Microwave XT's for around $1000 or maybe lower.

[@Coneman3]

Defo one you'd save from a house fire!

[@PilferMusic]

1:28 had to pause... wipe away the tears

[@willswitchcraft]

Great upload. I LOVED my MWXT, but finally sold it, as I began to have problems with the encoders - same problem with my Blofeld........Too bad, because I was and otherwise excellent piece of kit....

[@vampolascott36]

Yeah I own the Blofeld, and the encoder problem is the reason I don't play it anymore. I'm getting a brand new Iridium tomorrow and I already know I'm going to love it. Blofeld is a brilliant instrument that was cut off at the knees by a very serious hardware issue. You can use the mod wheel for smooth and accurate mod control on my keyboard version, but the knobs are really bad. None of the firmware updates helped either. I'm glad Waldorf survived that fiasco and are still putting out great one-of-a-kind instruments. No other synthesizer company specializes in wavetable synthesis like Waldorf, and I wouldn't buy a wavetable synth from anybody else. Same reason I won't buy an FM synth from anybody but Yamaha. The Montage FM engine is miles beyond what anybody else is selling.

[@willswitchcraft]

Wow, Christmas is coming early!!! I hope I haven't drooled on my laptop too much while reading that.

[@vampolascott36]

@@willswitchcraft The M looks like a winner for Waldorf too and it's not quite as expensive as the Iridium.

[@willswitchcraft]

Yes, however I'm drawn to the Iridium..................more my style

[@VincentPresley]

I've seen so many horrible videos of this synth and then stumbled across this. The nasty sounds you made and the fact that you used the word "disgusting" in a positive way, several times, just made me buy the keyboard version. I was about to buy the Fizmo for the 2nd time but people are asking crazy prices. The XTK is shockingly way cheaper now.

[@jasonbeatty831]

first

[@df4630]

kind of late to the game and didn't even really scratch the surface on this one...

[@AlchemicalAudio]

Where else should I look? Thanks!!