Waldorf overhauls its flagship hybrid polysynth with Quantum Mk2, adding a polyphonic aftertouch keybed, more memory, and 16-voice polyphony via firmware 3.0.
Interesting but also a bit sad news from Remagen, Germany. Waldorf has announced the discontinuation of the Quantu MK2 hardware Synthesizer. Indeed, the polyphonic aftertouch update of its flagship hybrid polysynth was released in 2023.
According to Waldorf, no additional units will be manufactured. However, firmware updates, led by Rolf Wöhrmann, are planned for the future that will continue to enhance the instrument’s capabilities. These upcoming firmware updates will also work on the Iridium Synthesizer lineup.
In Waldorf’s words: “This marks the final opportunity to purchase the Quantum MK2. Remaining units are now available through authorized dealers worldwide”. Why this step is being taken after only two years is unknown. It’s certainly a shame.
Article from January 16, 2023
Korg, Yamaha, Roland, Kurzweil… all produce big Synthesizer workstations primarily characterized by gigabytes of sample-based sounds and lots of polyphony. With its Quantum, Waldorf takes a different synth workstation approach that is especially pleasing for Synthesizer sound designers.
Instead of countless multi-sampled acoustic strings, horns, pianos, etc., Waldorf focuses on deep synthesis. From granular, resonator, virtual analog, wavetables, to modular FM synthesis, Quantum covers a huge field of unique sound generation technologies. With the brand-new Quantum MK2, Waldorf expands its hybrid polysynth workstation in new directions.
Waldorf Quantum Mk2
The Quantum Mk1 has been on the market for five years. Now comes a hardware upgrade, a very logical one for me.
Last year, Waldorf released the Iridium keyboard, featuring a newly developed FATAR polyphonic aftertouch keybed for the first time. This is now also coming to the Quantum Mk2. It’s the first instrument with the new 61-key FATAR TP8/SK polyphonic aftertouch keybed.
Waldorf promises that you can explore the full potential of the Quantum multi-engine, especially its enormous modulation capabilities. Alternatively, you can still connect an MPE keyboard to the USB host port of the Quantum Mk2 and play the massive engine with multi-dimensional control.
More Polyphony, More Storage
At the same time as the new hardware release, Waldorf is also introducing firmware 3.0 for the Quantum MK1 and MK2. This unlocks 16-voice polyphony, a long-requested feature of the community. As a reminder, Quantum relies on an 8-voice analog dual-filter (analog/digital) architecture.
The user can combine the analog and digital filters in any combination to create 16 voices. Plus, a new set of allocation modes gives the musicians easy control.
Then, Quantum MK2 users benefit from a major internal sampling storage upgrade. From a few GB, the new version now comes with up to 59GB of internal storage. This also allows sound designers to store even large numbers of complex sample-based sounds in the memory.
New Finish
Not only does the engine shine in improved clothes, but also the hardware. Waldorf’s designers (Axel Hartmann…) have also updated the mechanical design of the MK2 version.
It ships with a new mounting of the high-resolution touch display, providing wider viewing angles and an intuitive way of controlling the more advanced features. Further, the hardware chassis shines in a new classic naval blue finish.
The new Waldorf Quantum also ships with sound content (2GB) and patches from worldwide sound designers, including Richard Devine, Howard Scarr, Joerg Huettner, Kevin Schroeder, Kurt Ader, and more.
Key Features
The other engine features remain the same as the Q Mk1. Same multi-timbral engine with three multi-synthesis oscillators, an analog-digital filter system, a huge modulation engine with 6 freely-assignable LFOs and envelopes, and more.
A solid upgrade for Waldorf’s flagship Synthesizer monster. I like the new navy blue color finish the polyphonic aftertouch keybed will lift the playing experience to a new level.
Waldorf Quantum MK2 is available now for 4819€ (incl. German VAT).
More information here: Waldorf Music
Available at my partner
Replacing the MkI analog filters should have been on the list of updates as well. I love my Quantum but the analog filters bring nothing to the table. They have no character what so ever. I dare say the digital filters have more character.
then, they have to redesign the entire Quantum architecture and synth engine. Maybe with a “next generation” Quantum.
Without the analog filters which nobody needs it’s called Iridium ^^
They made an MKII so clearly allot needs (and love) them.
This synth or paying for rent/food/utilities for 2 months? Still undecided… Will probably take the worst decision of the 2… living expenses.
This synth seems one of the most powerful ever made. Nice to see Waldorf continuing support for MK1 owners with OS updates too.
Love the color!
better then kyra ?
I wish it had 16 analog filters with a pluggable architecture like the Gotherman stuff or Studio Electronics. Also more analog inputs would be great.
16 analog filters would also increase the price of the Quantum to probably over 6K. They also needed to redesign the hardware architecture and engine, not an easy task. Maybe in a “next-generation” Quantum
Hmm, Waldurf. Spend thousands on a synth, watch development and support wither away after a year, then try and contact their support team and be rewarded with tumbleweed.
I’ll pass.
Waldorfs customer support was and it’s poor. the firmware support for their devices also. i’ve selled my Kyra after waiting 2 years for bugfixing and optimizing. they don’t get my money anymore!
I’ve actually found waldorf support to be superb. Problems with my quantum were addressed within days or even hours. Looking forward to seeing more updates for mine, shame I can’t get the key bed upgraded.
Nope, they’re garbage, they took $$$$$ from people for the Kyra then abandoned it, even worse, when you ask them, they straight up admit that you can go and suck it. Tough luck. We have your money. You have an unfinished product. Don’t expect anything from us.
Think i’m joking, ask them yourselves.
They’re a bunch of douchebags.
Bugs in complex machine doesn’t means it’s not a “finish products”, all complex instruments have some bugs, long after they discontinued. Being transparent about it is admirable, maybe you just use to have American sucked up style service?
The Kyra was bought in as the Valkyrie project by Manuel Caballero.. unfortunately part of that acquisition seemed to be that only Manuel could work on the firmware
For whatever reason he has not been updating the firmware.. it could be Waldorf couldn’t afford to pay him to do so, or he lost interest in doing so.. but Waldorf ended up in the position of knowing about Kyra bugs but not being able to fix them.. even if they had the technical expertise themselves
This answer needs to be at the top of threads about Kyra. It was an externally developed project that went wrong, probably because not enough people bought it and the money dried up.
What a pity. I think the Iridium was too strong a competitor in-house.
I have the Iridium Desktop, wonderful synth. In my case, support has always responded very quickly and solved problems.
Not going to give any $ to Waldorf after the Waldorf fiasco.
It was a terrible way of dealing with a product under their logo and with us, the people that paid for it.
Kyra was the end for them. Bad company who ripped off their customers.
I owned a Quantum Mk1 which I sold mainly due to what could have been an expensive touch screen fall in repair. It was a great synth with lots of sound possibilities. MkII was expensive and maybe for Waldorf too expensive to make. I do wonder if we are seeing the gradual retirement of all Waldorf hardware synths?
I loved my quantum mk2 I did a gig that made me a nice chunk of change .But when I started importing my own samples things started to get saved into the wrong directory or wouldn’t play without the sd card in it. They upgraded the sample utility but it was still very clunky and primitive. ( 1010 tangerine can do multi samples automatically and point the map and wave to the correct location for four hundred dollars) certainly that method of sampling in the quantum didn’t justify the enormous increase in the price of the Mk2. So it went back and now I’m using a prophet X which has a much more robust sample utility that works very well with sample robot and just has more BEANS interms of the sounds I’ve created with my own samples. It’s also been discontinued but for that kind of hybrid system I definitely recommend the prophet X if you can find one like I did new in the box. I hope sequential will reissue the X with a more robust sample utility that doesn’t need additional software to do multi samples automatically within itself. Keeping my fingers crossed because using my own samples and being able to layer huge synth waves with filers envelopes effects etc is really a great way to do sound design and get to new places sonically 👽✌️
This is the same company who filed for insolvency twice already and abandoned multiple devices with no updates, hardware and software both. Caning their flagship after two years isn’t surprising at all. Almost 5k for a device that wants to do it all, with OK-ish UI at best. Good riddance just get fleshed out versions of whatever synth and sampler you really need, add a two week vacation and you still come out on top.
they are stopping producing it but not updating it. These are different things. So it’s not end of live. The Quantum Mk2 uses the same engine as the MK1, and the Iridium synths who stay in production. The Quantum MK2 is probably to expensive to produce vs the amount of demand.