Waldorf MICROWAVE XTK

The Microwave XTK Version extends the Microwave family to include a keyboard version. This unit is basically a Microwave XT spec, with added keys... Same amount of controller knobs & dials, same spec's, poly & multi-parts etc...

Spec's

49 key keyboard, velocity and release velocity, monophonic aftertouch
Pitch Bend wheel
Modulation wheel
12 buttons for selecting multi and sound programs
1 dial for page access
44 dials for parameter changes
2 buttons for parameter changes
1 master volume potentiometer
1 Play / Shift button
5 buttons for mode selection (3 buttons for "Sound", 1 button for "Multi", 1 button for "Global")
1 Standby button with alert function to assure that all edited sounds are stored
Multi Mode with 8 individual instruments
10 voices
128 multis
256 sounds
64 ROM wavetables
32 RAM wavetables
64 waves per wavetable
500 waves
arpeggiator, syncable to MIDI Clock
programmable arpeggiator rhythm pattern per sound
4 integrated effect units (1 Chorus available for any instrument in multi mode, 1 separate effect for each of the first 3 instruments in multi mode)
all parameters real time controllable through MIDI continous controller
MIDI In / Out / Thru
1 stereo input
2 stereo outputs

Parameters Per voice

2 oscillators
oscillator synchronization
oscillator FM, fully modulatable
2 wave generators
noise generator
ring modulator
adjustable quality levels for aliasing, interpolation and clipping
mixer, all levels (Wave 1, Wave 2, Noise, Ring Modulation, External In) modulatable with high resolution
2 multi mode filters, connected serially
filter 1:
- low pass 12dB
- low pass 24dB
- band pass 12dB
- high pass 12dB
- sinus shaper with low pass filter 12dB
- wave shaper with low pass filter 12dB (selected wavetable determines the available shaper waves)
- Sample & Hold with low pass filter 12dB (real time sample rate reduction down to 23Hz)
- dual parallel filter with 12dB low pass and 12dB band pass, cutoff offset parameter for band pass
- 12dB low pass filter with filter FM (cutoff modulation through oscillator 2)
filter 2:
- low pass 6dB
- high pass 6dB
stereo amplifier, fully modulatable
8-time/level wave envelope with loop function, "one shot" mode, times and levels modulatable
ADSR filter envelope, each phase modulatable separately
ADSR amplifier envelope, each phase modulatable separately
4-time/level free envelope, bipolar, one shot mode, times and levels modulatable
all envelopes work with separate trigger- and voice-modes, either monophonic or polyphonic:
single trigger with zero return
single trigger with return to last level
retrigger with zero return
retrigger with return to last level
dual mode (two voices per note)
unisono (all free voices at once)
two LFOs, each with different shapes, syncable to MIDI clock, LFO 2 can be synced to LFO 1
modulation matrix with 16 slots, all sources and destinations of the MicroWave and the Pulse plus new connections
4 freely usable modifiers with several operators and algorithms

Physical Controller knobs & dials

Oscillator 1

Octave (with clicks)
Semitone (with clicks)
Detune
FM Amount

Oscillator 2

Octave (with clicks)
Semitone (with clicks)
Detune
Sync (button)

Waves 1 / 2

Wavetable (with clicks)

Wave 1

Startwave
Env. Amount

Wave 2

Startwave
Env. Amount

Mix

Wave 1
Ringmod
Wave 2
Noise

Filter

Cutoff
Resonance
Type (with clicks)
Keytrack
Env. Amount
Env. Velocity

Amplifier

Volume
Env. Velocity

LFO 1

Speed
Shape (with clicks)

LFO 2

Speed
Shape (with clicks)

Mod Amount

Mod 1
Mod 2

Glide

Time
Active (button)

Envelopes - (8 multi purpose dials)

Wave Env 1-4
Time 1
Level 1
Time 2
Level 2
Time 3
Level 3
Time 4
Level 4
Wave Env 5-8
Time 5
Level 5
Time 6
Level 6
Time 7
Level 7
Time 8
Level 8
Free Env
Time 1
Level 1
Time 2
Level 2
Time 3
Sustain
Release
Rel. Level
Filter / Amplifier
Attack
Decay
Sustain
Release
Attack
Decay
Sustain
Release

Other Microwave II/XT OS features:

Adjustable Aliasing: "listen to aliasing distortion just like in the dawn of the first digital musical instruments like the PPG Wave or the first Microwave."
Adjustable Time Quantization: "sometimes one might wish to add additional harshness to the lower end, just like the first microwave did, and this is what Time Quantization is for: The wave interpolation is overridden in five steps to get this extra fizziness."
2 Clipping Modes:
- Saturate - "This is the kind of distortion classic analog circuits will generate."
- Overflow - "The polarity of the signal's part above the maximum level will be negated."
Random Patch Generator added (OS 1.303)
Oscillator FM added (OS 1.307) - Osc1 is Carrier and Osc2 Modulator
Arpeggiator Notes can be sent to MIDI out. (OS 1.500) - Adjustable globally in Sound Mode or by Instrument in Multi Mode.

Well... all I can say is... I wish I had one... Comments please...

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jad

24-Aug-01

I hust bought one of these bad boys
today and with in 3 hours was
programming away like a mad
scientist! I love it, wicked sounds!!! If
someone else owns one please
e-mail me so we can exchange tips!

jad

Dregg Yolk

16-May-02

I have owned one for over a year now, and love it. No complaints. Splitable keys would be nice, but oh well. There's only 4 octaves anyways. I wish I would have bought the 30 voice version though also. Great synth. If I had to make the decision over again today, I'd still get the XTk. No question.

Last added comment

alieneyes

13-Aug-08

well.. iv had mine for 8 years now and i really dont think any synth matches the insanity of this beautiful orange beast, i had it upgraded to 30 voice a couple of years ago unfortunatly you only still get 4 effects which is a bit lame but hey its still the best thing i have ever bought... im looking to buy a rack version too