Waldorf Wave

Rising from the ashes of the legendary PPG Wave in 1993, this beast redefined wavetable synthesis by blending digital oscillators with warm analog filters, delivering sounds that could morph from glassy pads to snarling leads in ways few synths could match back then.

At its heart, it's a hybrid powerhouse with 16 voices expandable to 48 via add-ons, rocking a 61-key velocity-sensitive keyboard with aftertouch for expressive play. Wavetable engine draws from vast digital waveforms, shaped by dual CEM3379-based filters—a 24dB lowpass and 12dB highpass—that link in series or parallel, complete with resonance, distortion, and self-oscillation. Two LFOs per voice sync to MIDI clock (on later OS), feeding a deep mod matrix, while four stereo outs, 8-part multitimbrality, and 256 patches plus 256 performances make it a modular dream in keyboard form. The panel brims with hands-on knobs and sliders for intuitive tweaking, no menus in sight.

Owners cherish its huge, characterful tones and build quality, often calling it one of the most advanced wavetable synths ever—though its rarity and service needs keep it a collector's gem today.