Waldorf Pulse 2

Back in the 90s, the original Pulse set the bar for raw analog power in a rack unit, delivering those deep basses and searing leads that defined electronic music—and the Pulse 2 refined that legacy into a compact desktop powerhouse that's even more versatile.

At its core, three analog oscillators crank out saw, square, triangle, PWM, and APW waveforms, with hard sync, ring mod, filter FM from Osc 3, and an XOR mode for unique timbres, plus a noise generator for extra grit. A multimode filter offers 24dB/oct low-pass alongside 12dB low-, band-, and high-pass options, shaped by two ADSR envelopes and dual LFOs—one syncable with extras like S&H, the other a versatile triangle. Navigation happens via a 128x64 backlit LCD and eight stainless steel knobs over a deep 54x31 modulation matrix, with paraphonic play up to eight voices, a 16-step arpeggiator, tube/fuzz drive, stereo outs, external audio input, and CV I/O for modular integration—all in a sleek, curved metal chassis measuring 304 x 132 x 54 mm that feels solid yet portable.

Players love its beefy, characterful sound and patch library for instant inspiration, though some note the matrix editing slows hands-on tweaking compared to knob-per-function panels. It's a Waldorf classic that still holds up for anyone chasing that Nineties vibe in modern setups.