Trying to stick with hardware and looking for a wavetable synth to pair with the Syntakt. Anyone using the Blofeld or have any input good/bad to fill this gap for live playing/jamming? Was looking for tabletop modules (have a Keystep 37 for midi) to keep a compact setup. Looks a little more deep divey than prefer but not too bad compared to some other synth workflows.
Thanks for your input,
Hawk
Recently got a Blofeld, found a really good deal on an used one. I kinda wanted it for a lot of time but I was not really sure, a bit afraid of the issues I read on forums and also the price for a new one increased in the last 3-4 years(it used to be 350 or even cheaper on sales). I got a Micromonsta mk1 at some point and kind of forgot about the Blofeld until one week ago when I found a deal.
I must say I’m amazed by the sound this thing has, especially atmo labeled presets and pads. The sound design options are amazing even without the 16 part multitmbral part. I find the matrix style interface quite nice, not so many shift funcs. I had some encoder lag/skipiing issues but once I updated to the latest firmware they vanished. It has it’s own character(some say icy) and it’s unapologetically digital but it sounds so damn good. And if you run it through some subtle analog distortion/saturation and some quality reverb it’s spectacular. The arp is also really good and complex. On the downside I would say that you need to rtfm and watch some yt videos to get what some of the params are doing because some of them are kind of weirdly named.
I have a similar setup to yours: Digitakt, Keystep, Blofeld and a Rackbrute 6U Eurorack system.
Definitely get a Blofeld, you won’t regret it, I also have a feeling that in a few years after the production will stop it will became a classic like the Microwaves or Q’s.
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its a very powerful little synth and has a very diverse range of sounds it can accomplish. it can emulate analog sounds pretty well also, especially with the analog voltage soundset: Waldorf Blofeld - Analog Voltage Soundset - YouTube
if i recall the creator of those sounds did some blind tests an most people couldnt tell the difference between the blofeld and vintage synths
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I had one Blofeld desktop, appreciated it, but I prefered Micromonsta 1, especially for its filters, ergonomics.
User Wavetable for both.
I sold my MM1 knowing MM2 was on the fence, had a Virus TI I didn’t like. Ergonomics and filters again.
Now concerning VAs I have Micromonsta 2 and Hydrasynth Explorer, no user wavetables, but I absolutely don’t need a Blofeld, nor a Virus.
Be aware that wavetable osc significantly reduce the available voices of Blofeld.
I didn’t like knobs feel, nor modulation matrix.
Cheap fx.
One cool thing I appreciated with Blofeld is its behavior with program changes : you can trigger a kind of drum kit with appropriate values, sending program changes and notes.
Avoid different fx settings for that use.
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Worth looking at the many other Blofeld threads that have been going on the forum for a while. Pairing one with your Syntakt isn’t significantly different to using it with any other Elektron device.
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Blofeld polyphony depending on osc settings. Reduced to 10 if you use 2 wavetables, or samples. Comb Filters also reduce polyphony iirc.
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@sezare56
Have been looking at the Hydrasynth Explorer and module also, as well as the Modal Argon and Korg Wavestate. I just found out about the Micromonsta 2 the other day but looks like they are out of stock. Open to all options as long as the workflow is good. Of the two you have now, which one do you get along with better?
Thanks
I got my blofeld for 180€, replaced the encoders for a few bucks and now it’s my most used synth. Paired with the digitakt its multimode is amazing. The UI is shit, but if you map Midi cc to your syntakt or add a faderfox it increases the playability.
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The Hydrasynth has more possibilities, better UI, monotimbral 8 voices. Wavetable morphing, FM with several operators, feedback, ringmod, 32 matrix modulations…my favorite synth.
A journey everytime I experiment it.
The MM2 is very small, bitimbral, 6+6 or 12 voices. FM with 1 os3 modulator, can be a wavetable. Good drive. Good matrix. The essentials of a good VA in a small package. Better reverb I think.
I really like both and planned to to use them together anyway.
20 voices, 3 channels.
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