A wavetable synth plugin replacement for my beloved Microwave?

[Supercollider]

I've been searching for a wavetable software synthesizer that could replace my beloved Waldorf Microwave for the past 25 years. And while many wavetable synth plugins have come and gone during that period, nothing has come even close to matching the beautiful sound of my Microwave, IMO. That even includes wavetable softsynths from Waldorf like the PPG 3.V, Largo, and Nave. Those sound thin, weak, and shrill to me.

Even "modern" wavetable synths like Serum, Icarus, Phase Plant, Vital, Hive, etc. (all of which I own) sound terrible, IMO. They don't sound musical at all to me. I suppose if I was doing God-awful Dubstep, then maybe I might find a use for Serum, for instance. But I highly doubt it. A turd is a turd is a turd. Hive is the best of the bunch by far, IMO. Actually, that's a pretty decent-sounding synth. u-he definitely make quality synth plugins.

I was honestly despairing because without a modern software editor/librarian for my Microwave, I was at a loss. And I really, really didn't want to replace my Microwave with the Waldorf M because I don't think the M sounds as good.

But in the end, that's what I have done. I recently sold my original Microwave Rev A that I bought new in the year of its release in 1989 and purchased an M as a replacement. It's really great being able to actually program Microwave-sounding patches again using the M's knobby interface. Although the display on the M is way too small and uses a bunch of cryptic abbreviations, it's infinitely more user friendly than trying to program sounds from the front panel of the Microwave. Plus, I got the 16-voice version of the M which doubles the polyphony. I'm not ecstatic about the modern SSI filter in the M, but that filter still sounds better than every digital filter I have ever heard BY FAR.

But still, the search goes on for a wavetable plugin that can come close to the sound of the Microwave/M. Anything I might have missed in my decades-long quest?

[Supercollider]

Oh, btw, the Microwave is my favorite synth of all time. It truly is my "desert island" synth. Just put a halfway decent chorus and hall reverb on the Microwave and expect to have your mind blown. It's that good, IMO.

[Danilo Villanova]

Have you tried Massive X?

The best sounding soft synth IMO. It has a "hardware digital" type of sound.

The browser is BS and you can't automate every parameter, but sound wise it is the tits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEAa8ugho5U

[BBFG#]

Vavra maybe?
viewtopic.php?t=596134&hilit=Vavra

[Supercollider]

Have you tried Massive X?

The best sounding soft synth IMO. It has a "hardware digital" type of sound.

The browser is BS and you can't automate every parameter, but sound wise it is the tits.

Thank you for your kind suggestion. I mean that sincerely. But I am being exceedingly polite when I say that I am not a fan of Massive X. Like all Native Instruments plugins, it sounds really cold and sterile to me.

If it counts for anything, I do love the look of the Massive X UI. But its usability is actually pretty piss poor, IMO. I honestly wish NI had just updated the original Massive to make it sound better than waste Lord-knows how much time and money developing Massive X.

Having said all that, I don't write/produce the kind of music that Massive seems designed for. So I'm not a good judge of whether it sounds "good" or not.

One of my favorite-sounding "Synth Pop" albums is Depeche Mode's "A Broken Frame" which uses Martin Gore's newly acquired PPG Wave 2.3 all over that record. That's the kind of sound I'm aiming for. Massive X seems to occupy an entirely separate sonic universe.

Oh, I forgot about Korg's modwave native plugin which I own. It's okay as far as it goes. It doesn't sound awful to me the way Serum and Phase Plant do. But modwave is still super thin and digital-sounding to me.

[Supercollider]

Oh yeah, I also own Arturia's Pigments. It's a nice sounding synth plugin, no doubt. But it doesn't sound anything like a Microwave/M to me.

The closest I've ever come to the sound of a Microwave in plugin form is Waldorf's Largo which is basically a software version of the Blofeld. Even though Largo/Blofeld each include all of the original PPG and Microwave wavetables and their synthesis engine is even more advanced than that of the Microwave, I almost can't listen to Largo/Blofeld because they are just so piercing and shrill. I'm not really kidding when I say that I have to check whether blood is coming out of my ears after listening to Largo after a while.

[BBFG#]

Oh yeah, I also own Arturia's Pigments. It's a nice sounding synth plugin, no doubt. But it doesn't sound anything like a Microwave/M to me.

The closest I've ever come to the sound of a Microwave in plugin form is Waldorf's Largo which is basically a software version of the Blofeld. Even though Largo/Blofeld each include all of the original PPG and Microwave wavetables and their synthesis engine is even more advanced than that of the Microwave, I almost can't listen to Largo/Blofeld because they are just so piercing and shrill. I'm not kidding when I have to check whether blood is coming out of my ears after listening to Largo after a while.

That's understandable. Pigments has a characteristic grit to me that sets it apart IMO. Since you mentioned Depeche though, I might also suggest taking a look at Arturia's Synclavier, which was the first of their plugins to impress me and specifically because it reminded me of certain Depeche sounds.

[db3]

Wait for Xenia
https://youtu.be/B6Kr07JyAfg

[Supercollider]

That's understandable. Pigments has a characteristic grit to me that sets it apart IMO. Since you mentioned Depeche though, I might also suggest taking a look at Arturia's Synclavier, which was the first of their plugins to impress me and specifically because it reminded me of certain Depeche sounds.

That's a GREAT suggestion! You know, even though I own the latest V Collection X, I have never checked out the Synclavier V. I'm going to fire it up right now!

Incidentally, have you ever seen that interview with the members of Depeche Mode where they are describing "sampling" to the clueless interviewer? In the segment, Martin Gore rolls a ball down a drainpipe that they then sample into their Synclavier. That's one of the sounds used on the song "Pipeline" off "Construction Time Again"! Those were the days!!!

[seafire]

Even "modern" wavetable synths like Serum, Icarus, Phase Plant, Vital, Hive, etc. (all of which I own) sound terrible, IMO.

Why did you buy a bunch of synths that sound terrible?

[Supercollider]

Wait for Xenia

OMG, if I could have a code-perfect software recreation of the Microwave II/XT, I would be in heaven! I owned one of the last XTs ever made. It was in absolutely mint condition and I sold it like an idiot because I planned to buy another Microwave instead (which I did prefer). That was probably the dumbest gear sale decision I've ever made. The XT is an absolute classic in its own right. I would kill for one now. But at the prices even beat to shit XTs are selling for these days, it's hard to justify that kind of expense. I'd almost rather spend a bit more money on a Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave desktop instead.

[Supercollider]

Why did you buy a bunch of synths that sound terrible?

Because I'm a plugin-hoarding idiot with more cash than sense? Why does anyone get taken in by a con artist?

You asked, I answered as honestly as possible.

Plus, it's easy to get "talked into" this shit when everyone is saying how "amazing" plugin X sounds. So I guess my "strongest" defense is that I'm surrounded by enablers. Ha ha.

[Examigan]

I always demo plugins first.

[BBFG#]

I always demo plugins first.

I only demo the plugins that have demos. And the ones that demo for a specific time only mostly don't get purchased because of that company's short-sightedness.

[zerocrossing]

Sold my M for a 3rd Wave and I’m super happy with it. It’s a different type of wavetable rendering, though, and quite unlike the Microwave or M. It’s more like the PPG Wave, but not even precisely like it. It’s a bit smoother and cleaner sounding. The filter is also completely different, as it’s the same filter as the Prophet 5 r4, though with an optional bass resonance compensation feature, which makes it sound more like the Prophet 6’s filter when engaged.

That said, your claims of various plugins, including Waldorf’s PPG 3, sounding “shrill” or “unmusical” is nonsense. I recently posted a few comparisons between it and my 3rd Wave and only one person ventured to guess, and they couldn’t pick out the hardware. There’s also a good PPG Wave 2.2 vs PPG 3 comparison on YouTube that shows how remarkably close the software gets. Where it misses is that the software sounds a lot cleaner on lower notes. In a sense, I’d argue that the cleaner sound is more to my liking.

I’ve gotten very good “hardware hybrid” sounds out of various plugins, but I’m not expecting anything to be a replacement for anything else. That’s foolish. The only thing that sounds exactly like a Microwave 1 is a Microwave 1, and if that’s your thing, you shouldn’t have sold it. If you spend your day looking for how your M isn’t a Microwave, you will miss all the awesome things about it being an M.

I’ve had excellent results with bringing PPG wavetables into…

Icarus, which I believe has a modeled Microwave filter… not sure how close it is, but it sounds good to me. It’s for lots of great filter models to choose from. I also think it’s wavetable importing from an audio file is the best.

Dune has a great selection of analog modeled filters and really good oscillator unison features. By using the random function in the mod matrix, you can mimic the sound of imperfections in voice card calibration like you find in hardware hybrids. It also has the best quality audio rate modulation, though the filter FM on Massive X gets the blue ribbon at the fair.

impOSCar is another fan favorite, and the recent release adds wave scanning. There’s a bug that causes some waves to sound dull, but it’s a preset translation thing, and if you manually edit the partials you can get it to sound correct. GForce is looking into it. It’s fairly limited compared to the previous recommendations, but so was your Microwave. Anyway, sounds great.

People keep recommending Massive X, and while I agree that it’s a great sounding synth, it’s very modern sounding. Its highlights for me are its filter FM, feedback and per voice distortion, which is second only to Spire.

I also never run a plugin that I’m leaning on for a vintage style sound without also considering the signal path used in the time period. A little preamp and/or tape emulation can really make a difference. An instance of Strymon’s Deco plugin does wonders for a signal that needs a bit of mojo, even a Microwave.