Opinions re. Sound of Waldorf Largo

[zerocrossing]

I also bought PPG Wave and I haven't used that in a project either. Maybe because the interface just looks awful AND is tiny, so I don't want to spend the time to actually learn it. Is that one good once you actually learn how to use it?

I personally think so. It actually looks more confusing when you first see it than it actually is. The truth is, it’s just not a very deep synth. Once you’ve spent an hour or so making a patch from scratch, you’ll get the hang of it and then it’s pretty easy. I do agree that they should have just folded the filter and oscillator models into Largo and make it a sort of combo synth.

[zerocrossing]

I went into my favorite burger place and tried out the fried chicken sandwich and it was terrible! It totally lacked the delicious, beefy taste and it was fried instead of grilled! NOT RECOMMENDED.

Hmm, you'd think the fried sandwich would taste better. As a chef friend of mine used to say "fat is taste." Blofeld/Largo are lacking the fat.

Oh, it tasted better, but not like the hamburger which I love.

In my also owning a bunch of hardware informed opinion, Largo sounds great, but I also never expected it to sound like a Microwave 1, or really much like any Waldorf that had come before. Considering that you already have a Microwave 1, I’d think that you’d appreciate having a wavetable synth with a different character. Get that big fatty Microwave 1 burger going and cut that fat with a bit of onion/pickle/mustard/ketchup. Plopping extra cheese, mayonnaise, etc on the burger just ends up too rich. Gotta hit it with some salt/acid.

I personally don’t care what you do or what you like, but this is something I see quite often. Someone sits down with an instrument and due to a failure of imagination, judges it without context. Would I want Largo to be my only wavetable synth? Nope, but I am always thinking of a bigger picture. Salt/Sweet/Fat/Acid/Base/Bitter. Not every synth does everything well. I think Largo definitely adds something to the menu. I also don’t load it up in a project and complain that it doesn’t sound like my Modal 002.

[Gadget Fiend]

I personally don’t care what you do or what you like, but this is something I see quite often. Someone sits down with an instrument and due to a failure of imagination, judges it without context. Would I want Largo to be my only wavetable synth? Nope, but I am always thinking of a bigger picture. Salt/Sweet/Fat/Acid/Base/Bitter. Not every synth does everything well. I think Largo definitely adds something to the menu. I also don’t load it up in a project and complain that it doesn’t sound like my Modal 002.

To use your analogy, Largo is almost all salt and bitter. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

And for the record, I am looking for another MicroWave I, but in software so I can run multiple instances of it for additional polyphony. The hardware MicroWave is only 8 voices and the multimode references the same pool of patches for each separate multi. So that's not very useful at extending the MicroWave. So I run the MicroWave in single mode.

I was hoping I could find an inexpensive software instrument that would get me 80% of the way to a MicroWave I (or hell, even a MicroWave II). But Largo isn't that synth (and neither is Nave or PPG 3.V). So I will probably get another MicroWave I or possibly an M if I can find room for it.

[cryophonik]

Funnily enough, this thread made me fire up Largo again for the first time in a while and I've gotta say, I actually liked the sound way more than I previously did. I'm generally not a fan of wavetable synths, but I found myself noodling around and getting some really nice sounds out of it. On the flip side, I used to like the interface, but now I find myself thinking that it could use some serious refinements to make it more modern and easier on my aging eyes.

[AcrossTheSky]

...things change ...opinions too.. I dont like the sound of virus anymore - blofeld sounds better -
.. no need for nord wave 2 having korg wavestate ...

[lotus2035]

I also bought PPG Wave and I haven't used that in a project either. Maybe because the interface just looks awful AND is tiny, so I don't want to spend the time to actually learn it. Is that one good once you actually learn how to use it?

 

I personally think so. It actually looks more confusing when you first see it than it actually is. The truth is, it’s just not a very deep synth. Once you’ve spent an hour or so making a patch from scratch, you’ll get the hang of it and then it’s pretty easy. I do agree that they should have just folded the filter and oscillator models into Largo and make it a sort of combo synth.

 

I was browsing through the sample content on the PPG Wave V3 and came across a sound I recognized from an Enigma track called "Knocking on forbidden doors" on their first album way back in 1990. I was surprised to find out it's a recording of a Formula One car whizzing past in some Grand Prix, (T770 EF CARS grand prix DB-LL), I would have never guessed that, it was used to very good effect in the song and very prominent in the mix. Was a nice surprise to come across a bit of music history like that.

[zerocrossing]

I personally don’t care what you do or what you like, but this is something I see quite often. Someone sits down with an instrument and due to a failure of imagination, judges it without context. Would I want Largo to be my only wavetable synth? Nope, but I am always thinking of a bigger picture. Salt/Sweet/Fat/Acid/Base/Bitter. Not every synth does everything well. I think Largo definitely adds something to the menu. I also don’t load it up in a project and complain that it doesn’t sound like my Modal 002.

To use your analogy, Largo is almost all salt and bitter. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

And for the record, I am looking for another MicroWave I, but in software so I can run multiple instances of it for additional polyphony. The hardware MicroWave is only 8 voices and the multimode references the same pool of patches for each separate multi. So that's not very useful at extending the MicroWave. So I run the MicroWave in single mode.

I was hoping I could find an inexpensive software instrument that would get me 80% of the way to a MicroWave I (or hell, even a MicroWave II). But Largo isn't that synth (and neither is Nave or PPG 3.V). So I will probably get another MicroWave I or possibly an M if I can find room for it.

It seems to me like you are listening to what Largo isn’t (a Microwave 1 or 2) and not listening to it for what it is (not a Microwave 1 or 2). Since that’s probably the only thing that will make you happy, I’d say you’re on the right track getting one as there really isn’t a software emulation.

One thing that I have had good (but not really Microwave emulation) results is with bringing PPG wavetables into various other synths. Icarus is a good one because you can also bit reduce pre filter and there’s a few decent analog filter emulations including a 24 db ladder, 303 and CEM. I’ve looked for Microwave wavetables but I can’t really seem to find them. I did find Largo’s though, not sure what the overlap is. I’m also going to get an M because I really think its got a great sound, but I’ll still boot Largo up from time to time. I think it’s got an interesting quirky tone. Not really “fat” in any way, but when I have something like my Prophet 6 playing a big pad and some crunchy guitars going on, it does nicely cut though. You know, like a dash of bitters in your drink. Not a shot of them, just a dash. Balance.

What I really wish is that my 002 did wave scanning. I prefer it to any Waldorf. I can wave sequence, but not interpolation.

[Gadget Fiend]

What I really wish is that my 002 did wave scanning. I prefer it to any Waldorf. I can wave sequence, but not interpolation.

Have you ever checked out the wavescanning in Omnisphere? (I think they added it in version 2.5 But I could be wrong.) I wonder how musical Omni's wavescanning sounds?

[hurricaneaudiolab]

I think Largo sounds FANTASTIC. Reminds me of Albino, sorta:

[jacqueslacouth]

To use your analogy, Largo is almost all salt and bitter. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

A pint of lager and a packet of crisps leave a bad taste in your mouth???? Weird

[chk071]

I personally don’t care what you do or what you like, but this is something I see quite often. Someone sits down with an instrument and due to a failure of imagination, judges it without context. Would I want Largo to be my only wavetable synth? Nope, but I am always thinking of a bigger picture. Salt/Sweet/Fat/Acid/Base/Bitter. Not every synth does everything well. I think Largo definitely adds something to the menu. I also don’t load it up in a project and complain that it doesn’t sound like my Modal 002.

To use your analogy, Largo is almost all salt and bitter. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

And for the record, I am looking for another MicroWave I, but in software so I can run multiple instances of it for additional polyphony. The hardware MicroWave is only 8 voices and the multimode references the same pool of patches for each separate multi. So that's not very useful at extending the MicroWave. So I run the MicroWave in single mode.

I was hoping I could find an inexpensive software instrument that would get me 80% of the way to a MicroWave I (or hell, even a MicroWave II). But Largo isn't that synth (and neither is Nave or PPG 3.V). So I will probably get another MicroWave I or possibly an M if I can find room for it.

It seems to me like you are listening to what Largo isn’t (a Microwave 1 or 2) and not listening to it for what it is (not a Microwave 1 or 2). Since that’s probably the only thing that will make you happy, I’d say you’re on the right track getting one as there really isn’t a software emulation.

Yeah, unless you can settle for "close enough". Considering Largo and Nave have all of the Microwave's wavetables, and Largo even has an option to set the resolution of the wavetables, so that it creates similar harmonics with lower resolution, I think you can safely say that it's as close as you can get with software.

Or... you just get the new Waldorf M synth. And, if that still isn't close enough for you, a use Microwave. Ridiculous prices though. A few years ago, you could get a Microwave or a microQ for 200 to 250 €. Now the prices are completely nuts, like everywhere.

[chk071]

I think Largo sounds FANTASTIC. Reminds me of Albino, sorta:

Wonderful. These are exactly the sounds where it shines.

[hurricaneaudiolab]

Wonderful. These are exactly the sounds where it shines.

Definitely.

The factory presets and small GUI aren't doing this synth any favors. I thought I read somewhere that Waldorf are working on a bigger GUI for it though.

[chk071]

I'd be really happy if they still work on Largo. It's been a while since the last update (think 3 years or something).

Well, never say never. I wouldn't have thought that they'd do a new GUI for the Waldorf Edition either.

[fceramic]

Waldorf often abandons older products, unfortunately. I love my Pulse 2 but it was an unfinished product and they just stopped updating it. It still has an empty slot for "future effects" and the giant LCD is mostly used for showing the program number, which is quite useless.