Largo vs Blofeld

[poonna]

It seems to me from recent threads that people prefer Blofeld sound over Largo sound, or maybe just prefer Blofeld over Largo in general. Featurewise, they are very similar, and Largo got Brilliance feature from Blofeld in the latest update. I wonder now what makes Blofeld more preferable. Is it just the PPG filter or the quality setting? Largo even has SubOsc. Doesn't that make Largo better at doing bass?

Or maybe it's just my imagination that people prefer Blofeld.

[EvilDragon]

PPG filter, sample memory, user wavetables.

[poonna]

Actually, I'm leaning towards getting a Blofeld, but keep wondering if the lack of SubOsc is anything to think about. Now, if Largo never had SubOsc to begin with, I guess I wouldn't even think about it on Blofeld.

[zerocrossing]

I've been drifting back to some hardware lately and I did entertain the notion of getting a Blofeld desktop model...

I didn't.

Basically, from what I gathered the Blofeld has some stuff that Largo doesn't have, but Largo is already in my VST folder. I listened to all the examples in DocT's example folders of each instrument and in the end I couldn't detect a quality difference at all. So basically for a few extra features it would cost around $400 used and take up a chunk of real estate. I love Largo, but it is the kind of plug in that can easily take over a mix, so for my uses the plug in is fine.

[rob_lee]

It seems to me from recent threads that people prefer Blofeld sound over Largo sound, or maybe just prefer Blofeld over Largo in general. Featurewise, they are very similar, and Largo got Brilliance feature from Blofeld in the latest update. I wonder now what makes Blofeld more preferable. Is it just the PPG filter or the quality setting? Largo even has SubOsc. Doesn't that make Largo better at doing bass?

Or maybe it's just my imagination that people prefer Blofeld.

Largo has 2 sub oscs per layer.. the sound of Blofeld and Largo are about the same.
Largo has 4 band eq.. Blofeld has the PPG Filter etc..There are not many differences although in Largo you can have reverb and delay on both fx 1 and fx 2 whilst you can't on Blofeld..That has the Triple fx.
There are a few differences but the sound is the same..Blofeld has 25 poly whilst Largo has as much poly as your cpu will allow.
Blofeld keyboard has 60mb sample memory Desktop is optional.User Wavetables etc and hardware make it more appealing to me personally.
Largo is a top notch synth without a doubt but if you can afford them get both

Rob

[MaxSynths]

Tried Largo months ago. Tried the Blofeld keyboard some days ago. No way, the Blofeld is far beyond in terms of sound quality and playability IMHO. Don't know nothing about what is running under the hood of both of them, they could be also copy clones, but the hard toy sounds better and gave me an instant and full satisfaction vs. the "ok, these are always the same sounds you can find in any VST" impression I had after testing Largo.

Anyway considered hard and software works in different ways, and the workflow change from VST and hardware instruments, I think the final opinion is very subjective.

[Ingonator]

Tried Largo months ago. Tried the Blofeld keyboard some days ago. No way, the Blofeld is far beyond in terms of sound quality and playability IMHO. Don't know nothing about what is running under the hood of both of them, they could be also copy clones, but the hard toy sounds better and gave me an instant and full satisfaction vs. the "ok, these are always the same sounds you can find in any VST" impression I had after testing Largo.

Anyway considered hard and software works in different ways, and the workflow change from VST and hardware instruments, I think the final opinion is very subjective.

+1

BTW for me the most important features to get really "fat" sounds on the Blofeld are the filter drive (many different drive curves), the PPG filter and the unison (2 voices is enough sometimes) or all together.

Anyway Largo is very nice on it's own so getting both synths is a nice option IMO.

[kilon]

Actually, I'm leaning towards getting a Blofeld, but keep wondering if the lack of SubOsc is anything to think about. Now, if Largo never had SubOsc to begin with, I guess I wouldn't even think about it on Blofeld.

I dont see why SubOscs are important. Blofeld offers 16 timbres which should be more than enough to add all the bassy oscilators one wants.

I have not tried Largo, even though I own blofed. I would be suprised if there is much diffirence in the sound. I still prefer blofeld cause I prefer hardware for the usual reason.

As a software Largo just does not impress me specwise. I chose to buy Camel Audio Alchemy which is thousands time more powerful.

[rob_lee]

Tried Largo months ago. Tried the Blofeld keyboard some days ago. No way, the Blofeld is far beyond in terms of sound quality and playability IMHO. Don't know nothing about what is running under the hood of both of them, they could be also copy clones, but the hard toy sounds better and gave me an instant and full satisfaction vs. the "ok, these are always the same sounds you can find in any VST" impression I had after testing Largo.

Anyway considered hard and software works in different ways, and the workflow change from VST and hardware instruments, I think the final opinion is very subjective.

As i said.. hardware is more appealing to me although i don't have a clue what im going on about with any of these 2 synths really.

If you want one straight answer from me then the hardware *Blofeld* is better than the software *Largo*.. infact any hardware synth is better than software and i don't care how many say otherwise coz it's a personal opinion.

Rob

[surfingo]

dunno soundwise, but the largo features (imho) prevails over the blofeld ones and since i work with software sequencers i prefer to stick with a software synth, unless they're going to make a FULL vst integration

[stikygum]

So after a couple years, I'm curious if any addition have been made to the Largo, possibly the use of samples and user wavetable creation.

I'd just like to add that it makes complete sense to me that people would prefer the Blofeld sound over the Largo mainly because of the DA convertors. They always will make a hardware synth sound better than a software one. Though I would say that I would also think the Largo could be made to sound as hifi as the Blofeld, by running the synth out to a preamp and back in to the computer again. To me it would mainly come down to, do I prefer touching a contained hardware synth to edit and inspire me, or do I prefer using a Mac/PC to edit and get inspired.

...But since the Blofeld can use samples and you can create user wavetables, that seems like a big deal to me because those are indeed the sound sources that you will hear no matter how you edit the synth. Thus, making it have a bigger sonic palette.

So is the state of these 2 synths the same after a couple years later? Any updates to either? I was almost looking at getting a Largo and then realized I could get PPG Wavegenerator and an old ipad for a little more. But the demos of Blofeld definitely impress. The Largo as well.

[V0RT3X]

Having a waldorf synthesizer in your computer is pretty amazing, id go for the Largo. I don't really like the layout and lack of knobs on the blofeld personally.

Since computers have jumped up in power, largo isn't that demanding as it was when it was released. Another thing to consider!

If i had the money i would have jumped on that deal waldorf were doing back a while ago.. bills first though!

[donato]

Isn't Largo still 32 bit? For me that would also heavily favor the Blofeld.

[GruvSyco]

Yeah, Largo is 32 bit. I have both. Purchased Largo first but got tired of what a drag it puts on my 2011 Macbook Pro so I purchased the Blofeld. Largo to me always seems like it needs boosted or something, I usually run it with a compressor and limiter. I'm not sure what the deal is with the load it puts on my Mac but it doesn't seem to be a hit on CPU according to Live but damn, everything gets to lagging so bad. Blofeld, sounds pretty great on its own. I don't have to use the compressor and limiter like I do on Largo. that seems a little weird since everyone says they are basically the same sound. Last night when I was trying to convert a patch from Largo to Blofeld, I noticed some difference in the way the filter sounds too but... in favor of Largo.

[EvilDragon]

Largo will sooner or later become 64-bit, as all other Waldorf plugins. Lector and Edition are 64-bit already, so that leaves PPG V.3 and Largo.