Is it possible to create the same sounds as the Waldorf Microwave XT with solaris?

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polybonk
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Is it possible to create the same sounds as the Waldorf Microwave XT with solaris?

Post by polybonk »

Basically, the title covers it.

I have really fallen in love with the sound of the Waldorf Microwave XT.

So naturally before going out and getting one I wanted to check in here and see if this synth can be replicated and no doubt bested by Solaris?

I have never owned one and don't know but is there anything special about its architecture that Solaris does not have? I know we have the Waldorf PPG wavetables. But there is something about the constantly morphing and evolving sounds that I am hearing. What is it that makes the XT produce evolving/complex digital soundscapes?

Any opinions would be welcome?
Octupole
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Re: Is it possible to create the same sounds as the Waldorf Microwave XT with solaris?

Post by Octupole »

We had a similar question in this thread: https://forums.johnbowen.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16299, maybe that already helps.

The "constantly morphing and evolving sounds" you mention might be done using a modulation of the position in the wavetable. The Solaris wavetable oscillators offer this as modulation destination, so you can do this kind of modulations with any available source. The Solaris also has a complex multi stage envelope generator, similar to the one the MW has.
Tonefloat16
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Re: Is it possible to create the same sounds as the Waldorf Microwave XT with solaris?

Post by Tonefloat16 »

Yes, yes it very possible to emulate Waldorf XT/PPG Wave sounds on the Solaris ;-)
normanion
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Re: Is it possible to create the same sounds as the Waldorf Microwave XT with solaris?

Post by normanion »

I could never agree with statements like that. Well, there are some characteristics that might be common for two or more synths. But from all my synths I can make sound for each that is unable to be made at another synth. And I am always exploring, what can be done outside from usual types of sound. And as an untalented hobby sound designer, most are ugly and unmusical, but also - unique. :D

That means, that not only my Microwave XTk is unable to be replaced, but also - my Solaris. :]
John Bowen
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Re: Is it possible to create the same sounds as the Waldorf Microwave XT with solaris?

Post by John Bowen »

I'm always very careful about any time someone says “Can X sound exactly like Y?”. One thing I’ve learned over all these years is that everyone’s hearing will greatly affect how they perceive sound quality, so this is quite a subjective thing. When the DX7 came out, I sat in Dave Smith’s office, and listening to a DX7 we had brought in, we both remarked how noisy and harsh it sounded, and were both sure it would not do well compared to the warmth of analog. Guess how many DX7s were sold in it’s product lifetime? :-)

I have a friend who I believe in his claim that he could hear above 20,000 Hz (or at least sense it to a great extent). He hated the way CDs sounded when they came out, while most people were accepting of it (of course, there were enough variables that it was clear that the early CD products had some issues). I was not as critical, and felt he must be wrong...and I think we all know how much things have improved over the early days of digital. Still, as you can see by the resurgence of interest in vinyl recordings, there’s some subtleties that you just are not going to be able to duplicate for a number of customers.

Finally, it’s also about musical taste. Besides the DX7, there’s another very popular synth that I never understood the appeal - it just sounded ‘bad’ to me, noting that the main feature was how hot the outputs were (louder is better, right?). Obviously I was in the minority there as well.
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