Thirty-five years ago, Waldorf Music introduced the Microwave, a groundbreaking instrument that captured the hearts of top musicians and producers in the 1990s. Known for its vibrant and distinctive sound, the Microwave seamlessly blended the early wavetable sounds of the 1980s with the burgeoning electronic dance music of the following decade. Its powerful bass lines, enigmatic wavetable modulations, and silky-smooth pads became a staple for generations of artists. The Microwave’s unique hybrid synthesis, combining wavetable synthesis with analog filters, set a new standard in music production.
Waldorf Music has now revived this iconic instrument as the Microwave 1 Plug-in, meticulously recreating the original hardware’s distinctive features. This multi-year project involved extensive analysis and modeling to capture every sonic detail of the original. The Microwave’s unique sound was built on proprietary digital and analog designs, long before modern DSP-based instruments. The original hardware’s custom Waldorf ASIC, designed with input from Wolfgang Palm, the inventor of wavetable synthesis, was faithfully recreated in the plug-in.
The plug-in not only replicates the original’s sound but also enhances it with a modern, intuitive graphical interface. Users can now edit and create wavetables, access the full original waveform catalog, and enjoy new randomization modes for endless sonic possibilities. The multi-mode, once difficult to edit, is now easily accessible for complex sound design. Additionally, the plug-in includes all original factory presets and can control the original hardware. The Microwave 1 Plug-in is available for macOS and Windows at an introductory price of €119,00 EUR.