Waldorf Iridium (16-voice, duo-timbral Quantum desktop)

Peter118 · June 19, 2020, 8:51pm

That knowing, Waldorf should never make that mistake twice.

rennweg · June 19, 2020, 8:52pm

Shock Really curious what their answer will be. Kind of embarrassing for a company like Waldorf, especially at this price point, how could this pass quality control.

phelios · June 19, 2020, 8:54pm

Bi-timbral mode works! It´s like two synths in a box, there is a button for switching between the two layers and is possible to address them on seperate midi channels. You could also layer them on one midi channel if you want. FX is per layer so that the two patches sound exactly like they would in single-layer mode.

I didn´t try external in yet.

I will go to relax-mode now, if you´d like to know something just ask, I´ll get back to it tomorrow.

d2ba · June 19, 2020, 8:54pm

Brian Eno; Aphex Twin DX collection for Waldorf Iridium/Quantum .

DX7 sysex files import into Iridium/Quantum and will create presets for you with the preset names and almost all of the settings perfectly. Its a game changer and the Quantum is now the machine I always thought it could be. The real power comes when you mangle these presets with the rest of the Iridium/Quantum objects (try bit crusher) —This is a portal to a whole new Iridium/Quantum universe!

Iridium/Quantum doesn’t recreate DX7 pitch envelopes or multiple-operator feedback chains but give these a try ,I think they came out great.
User 18081971 (Aphex Twin) posted on Soundcloud a collection of DX9 presets.The audio file is patch data from a Yamaha DX9. It contained 20 voices, the maximum amount of voices in one bank in a DX9, and it was in the cassette tape format.

Here are the ENO ones from Keyboard Magazine and the best of the User18081971 DX9 sounds I have made into presets.
https://mega.nz/file/cggAxAwY#ax83R1RlHz_Fe_dsVdTgBaUxRgq3SCr5-ACsVjpRWME
(138 Iridium/Quantum Presets)

v00d00ppl · June 19, 2020, 9:12pm

Yea I heard not everyone is like this with first batch. Nowadays I think I would like to see that someone turned it on and used it for quality control purposes then repackage it at the factory. This is assembled in Germany too isn’t it ? That’s what my Kyra says and it’s well made.

I think Waldorf rushed this out to see how well it would do on the market compared to other workstation synths. Sell thousands of units now fix the « first batch » later.

NoiseLab · June 19, 2020, 9:13pm

The Iridium has no aux output for a direct way of external audio processing.

v00d00ppl · June 19, 2020, 9:14pm

Everytime you post more gems for this machine I have the desire to get it more and more.

Prints · June 19, 2020, 9:20pm

I was thinking more of using the Iridium’s FX to apply to an external audio source (like a synth running through the Iridium’s audio inputs getting some delay/reverb using its FX).

I was hoping this was possible while still being able to use 2 synth engines. I suspect that the audio input does not have its own FX, and that one of the synth engines must be forfeited to achieve what I desire.

sovietpop · June 19, 2020, 9:27pm

Wonky buttons but nonetheless the GAS is strong with this one , very strong.

NoiseLab · June 19, 2020, 9:27pm

Just zet one osc as audio input and there you go.

sovietpop · June 19, 2020, 9:28pm

You can import Nave patch (ios Waldorf Synth) directly in the Iridium (its from the Manual) thats nice.

Prints · June 19, 2020, 9:30pm

Ok, I think that confirms what I thought when wanting to apply FX to external audio. Can the audio input just be set to thru mode so it acts as a way to mix external audio with the Iridium’s 2 synth engines (no FX applied to external audio)?

NoiseLab · June 19, 2020, 9:35pm

I did not try it so far with external synths and I need to check if its possible to assign the audio input directly into one of the 5 fx slots.

Prints · June 19, 2020, 9:37pm

That would be ideal if possible!

0mega · June 19, 2020, 9:43pm

Wow, sounds great. In 6 months when US retailers are done gouging and the kinks are worked out of the production process, I am all over this.

Snipecatcher · June 19, 2020, 9:57pm

phelios:

I don´t want to sound like the “I spent 2200 Euro so it has to be cool” guy but this synth is sooooo good! First time in a while that I don´t think “I could do this with software faster and better”. A few features that I didn´t see on a hardware synth before:

Filter frequencies, Waveform settings and everything that can be modulated is animated on the screen. I always missed this on hardware after I got used to it with software like Serum or Zebra

It has an Analyzer like EQ Eight in Ableton which helps building sounds a lot

There is an audio recorder which can record the synth´s output. The result can be saved and exported on USB drive or you just load it into the sampler or granular engine

Saving patches is fun: you can easily create your own bank, add attributes, name patches on a virtual keyboard (like on your phone).

FX are really good. There are five slots and it has useful things like a Compressor (also with realtime waveform and gain reduction display) and a precise EQ to eliminate resonances etc.

This is exactly the kind of stuff I want t read Thanks! I would’ve ordered yesterday if I could’ve…once pricing and availability get ironed out in the US, I’m planning on it. Just seems so great

NoiseLab · June 19, 2020, 10:06pm

It works like this and the 5 fx slots are always in series

Ob · June 19, 2020, 10:16pm

Oof, that is terrible. I would send it back. And you shouldn’t feel bad about posting it. Potential customers deserve to know what build standards (for a $2000+ synth!) are.

sabana · June 19, 2020, 10:46pm

Thats dreadful. Not funny but quality control must be really bad for this to pass.

Ob · June 19, 2020, 10:55pm

You’d almost have to not look at the thing to miss this kind of defect. Not a good look for Waldorf. If you’re making the case that your customers pay premium prices for quality that is a cut above other synths, you’d better ensure you’re not letting stuff that Behringer would be ashamed of pass.