Waldorf Iridium (16-voice duotimbral desktop Quantum)

[zerocrossing]

I’ve not used a Quantum’s FM, but can it be more feature filled than Blue 2 or FM8?

Can Blue2 or FM8 use a wavetable as an FM operator?

They do have exotic waveforms, but not a scannable wavetable. I’d use Serum for that.

I get it. You dig it. I feel like I kind of dig it too... but there’s almost nothing stand-out about it that’s getting my GAS ignited. Every time I hear a demo, I’m less interested in it. Looks beautiful. Sounds beautiful, but I feel I’d be just as happy with my current crop of plugins. I’ve got a friend who’s got the Quantum and while he was over the moon for it when he got it, the honeymoon wasn’t long and now he’s considering ditching it.

[Howard]

I still absolutely love my Quantum.
BTW Kernel mode FM is certainly more feature-filled.

[BONES]

This looks like a bit of a nightmare, exactly the sort of thing that drove me towards software in the first place. And if Waldorf what a good filter, why on Earth would they look any further than Rocket? For my money it is close to the best hardware filter I've used.

[mungbeans]

Here's my conclusions after having the Iridium for 3 weeks:
- its got natural sharp digital DNA, too sharp and too digital for my tastes (in a way which the Blofeld or TI doesn't for example)
- though it can sound very analogy, Don Solaris has some analog patches on it
- but if you want an analog sound why spend a fortune one this, just get yourself an analog synth
- in fact if you want any sort of bread and butter sounds, why are you buying this?
- the touchscreen is a pain in the butt sometimes
- lots of menu diving, or rather screen tapping
- if you're into experimental, drones, ambient, weird stuff, this excels at that, but the ambient is a dark ambient, if you want new age ambient get the Wavestate.

Here's a few examples if you are interested, these are a few minutes long each and many evolve quite a bit if you have patience to listen all the way through. I use the excellent touchscaper to play it.

A psychedelic modular type patch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCrbta60cw8
An ambient drone soundscape:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JZo5v6oBTo


A fairly standard drone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFl3TQvUomE&t=9s


A patch for Nave imported and mangled in the Iridium:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQjiDr7MTiI&t=1s


Something:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbSTmujBdpo

[chk071]

Another vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXBFK2hICjg

[KrisWV]

This is a great take on a software based synth with HW feel - maybe what the Korg OASYS couldn't be. Excited to see how this synth evolves with future updates.