Opinions re. Sound of Waldorf Largo

[D-Fusion]

It sounded okay at the time. It's kinda meh now. I bought it for only $29 bucks so I'm not upset with the purchase.

I paid over €200 when it came out and i still haven't found any use for it

[chk071]

I stick by my statement that Waldorf Largo/Blofeld sound awful.

Ok. Everyone has his opinion. I strongly disagree with yours. Best soft synth I ever heard, alongside Terratec Komplexer.

[chk071]

I find Largo to be a fine software substitute to the Blofeld hardware. You're going to use some EQ anyway, right?

Yeah, I'd suggest that over using the bass boost as well. The bass boost just brings walls down, because it amplifies simply everything in the bass region, a LOT.

Agree that the presets are a bit odd and have a rather "cold" sound.

Frankly, I never heard a soft synth with very good presets. The best probably are z3ta+ (not the factory banks, but, rather the additional banks), Sylenth1 (same, additional banks), and Spire (again, the additional banks ). I often wonder if there's actual music for which the factory soundbanks are usable. They very often sound out of this world, cheesy, thin, you name it. There are a few "usual suspects", which make the presets, which are really usable. Big Tone being the most prominent IMO. His z3ta+ sounds really "wow'd" me, when I tried them out a few months ago.

[pugilistas]

Loved my Blofeld, and it has stayed past several impulses to sell it. But I also initially blew out the presets, and replaced them with a 'best of' collection from a Blofeld user group.

Largo wouldnot install when I first got it, and now has been supplanted by other wavetable softsynths.

[Gadget Fiend]

I stick by my statement that Waldorf Largo/Blofeld sound awful.

Ok. Everyone has his opinion. I strongly disagree with yours. Best soft synth I ever heard, alongside Terratec Komplexer.

I have a fair number of hardware synths (both analog, hybrid, and digital). So that definitely informs my opinion about Largo/Blofeld. Although the MKS-80 and Largo/Blofeld occupy different sonic worlds, my MKS-80 sounds so much richer and sonically rewarding that I would probably naturally find Largo/Blofeld thin and grating by comparison.

[chk071]

I have a fair number of hardware synths (both analog, hybrid, and digital). So that definitely informs my opinion about Largo/Blofeld.

If you say so.

[syntonica]

I'll jump in here and agree. Largo and Blofeld are quite awful sounding. Thin, tinny, lacking in character.

I used to feel the same about the OG Minilogue until I heard a sound set by somebody who knew what they were doing. All my complaints evaporated. I've heard sound sets for Blofeld by people who knew what they were doing. And it still sounded thin, tinny and characterless.

Which is really a pity as the Blofeld is otherwise excellent value for the price.

[kobal]

it sound just digital and sharp , what the point of arguing with taste.. some like muddy dark synth with no details on top ,some like it bright ect.
it s a lot about programing and production skill also, a bright synth is more versatile cause it s easy to make it sound darker and warmer,but a dark synth will never have nice top end details but i can undertand many don t like that sort of glassy sound caractere that you can find on waldorf synth

[kobal]

imo largo can touch a vintage digital sound, while it never happen on others wavetable plugins i own like serum rapid massive ect could be cause of my programing and that i also don t use the same wavetables but i think it could be cause largo has something from the old waldorfs

[chk071]

I used to feel the same about the OG Minilogue until I heard a sound set by somebody who knew what they were doing. All my complaints evaporated. I've heard sound sets for Blofeld by people who knew what they were doing. And it still sounded thin, tinny and characterless.

Just wondering, but what (soft) synth does sound fat and characterful to you then?

IMO, Largo and Blofeld have one of the thickest sound I heard in digital/VA/wavetable. I'm really surprised about the opinions in this thread. It's either me or the people in this thread who left their ears at home.

[LeVzi]

I like Largo, and the presets are OK, nothing special, but some are awesome, others are like, fk it that will do lol

How does NAVE stack up against Largo ?

I have Lector too, another great plugin from them. They are quality imo.

[chk071]

How does NAVE stack up against Largo ?

I have both, and prefer Largo, by far. Nave has a few issues, really. The unison ALWAYS phases, no matter what I do. The envelopes are not as snappy either, no clicky sounds possible at all, and the architecture isn't that much to my liking either (Largo has VA or wavetable oscillators for all oscilattors, Nave only has 2 wavetable oscillators, and one dedicated VA oscillator. The Überwave feature is also only possible for the VA oscillator).

[syntonica]

I used to feel the same about the OG Minilogue until I heard a sound set by somebody who knew what they were doing. All my complaints evaporated. I've heard sound sets for Blofeld by people who knew what they were doing. And it still sounded thin, tinny and characterless.

Just wondering, but what (soft) synth does sound fat and characterful to you then?

IMO, Largo and Blofeld have one of the thickest sound I heard in digital/VA/wavetable. I'm really surprised about the opinions in this thread. It's either me or the people in this thread who left their ears at home.

I've been on an aural journey lately, trying to decide on my next direction when I get a new M1-based Mac. So far, my favorite filters are from Uhe. TAL and Synthmaster are fine, if a tad bland. When it comes to purely digital VA filters, Dune and Spire are my favorites. There's just this ugly digital sheen on Largo that never seems to go away.

Disclaimer: I'm not particularly fond of wavetable synthesis to begin with. There's are a few of PPG patches i truly adore, but in general, WTS gets a solid "meh..." from me.

If you can point me to a demo for Largo/Blofeld that actually sounds good, I can be swayed.

[LeVzi]

How does NAVE stack up against Largo ?

I have both, and prefer Largo, by far. Nave has a few issues, really. The unison ALWAYS phases, no matter what I do. The envelopes are not as snappy either, no clicky sounds possible at all, and the architecture isn't that much to my liking either (Largo has VA or wavetable oscillators for all oscilattors, Nave only has 2 wavetable oscillators, and one dedicated VA oscillator. The Überwave feature is also only possible for the VA oscillator).

Nave goes on sale quite often, I could get it for next to nothing, worth a punt for a cheap price even with its issues ?

[cryophonik]

It sounded okay at the time. It's kinda meh now. I bought it for only $29 bucks so I'm not upset with the purchase.

I bought it when it was first released for full price, never found a use for it in a track, then sold it. Then, gave it another try when it was on sale for $29 a few years ago and still haven’t used it in a track. I always loved the Q series, but the Largo/Blofeld family… nope, not my thing.