Waldorf Music has turned its vintage-inspired hardware string Synthesizer Streichfett into a plugin for macOS, Windows, and now iOS.
After the obvious teaser over the weekend, it’s now official. Waldorf has released the Streichfett plugin for iOS today.
It’s a direct port of the macOS and Windows versions.
It offers the same dual sound engine of the hardware and plugin with a fully polyphonic String Section and an eight-voice Solo Section. There is also the ensemble effect, which adds movement and depth to the string section.
Also onboard is the effects section with adjustable phaser and reverb. The Animate function can be used to modulate the Strings Registration, enabling gradual sound morphs.
I was able to preview the iOS three days in advance, and yes, it is fun to play and work with.
Waldorf Streichfett for iOS is now available for an introductory price of $9,99/9,99€ instead of $14,99/17,99€ on the Apple App Store. It runs as a standalone app and an AUv3 plugin.
More information here: App Store
Update from June 27, 2025
Waldorf just published a teaser on Facebook indicating that the Streichfett plugin will soon be available as an AUv3 plugin for iPad and iPhone.
According to the teaser video, which sounds like Streichfett, the price will be 9,99€ in the introduction phase. We’ll see if it’s true, but I’m almost certain it’s the Streichfett for iOS.
Article from November 17, 2022
String machine sounds belong to the 70s and 80s like pizza/pasta to Italy. With the new wave of Synthwave and Italo music, the layered, juicy sound has experienced a modern revival. However, that didn’t give a boost to new hardware string synthesizers. There are only a few on the market. In analog the Behringer VC340, and in digital the Waldorf Streichfett, for example.
The latter is especially popular when you want fast, great-sounding string sounds that you can take with you and edit for an affordable price. Exactly the same Streichfett is now also available for the DAW as a plugin.
Waldorf Streichfett Plugin
Waldof has turned its beloved and best-selling Streichfett into a string Synthesizer plugin. It comes with the same sound engine and user interface as the original hardware.
The plugin combines the best of the previously extinct species of String Synthesizers of the 70s and early 80s. It hosts a dual sound engine that offers a fully polyphonic string section and an 8-voice solo section. There is also an ensemble effect that provides depth and movement, especially that creamy character to the string section. Plus, you get an effect section with adjustable phaser and reverb effects.
Then, you can work with an animate effect that modulates the string registration. With this, you can create unique effects and sound morphs not possible with vintage string machines.
Streichfett’s solo section consists of different tone presets: bass, e-piano, clavi. However, these have little to do with the name. Instead, these are shimmering and slightly percussive sounds that blend well with the string section. On the bottom right side, the plugin also includes 16 quick-reachable programmable presets.
According to the developer, the plugin UI is continuously scalable and works on smaller displays but also big 5K monitors without problems.
First Impression
An interesting release that makes the lovely vintage Streichfett engine available to more people, courtesy of Waldorf.
Waldorf Streichfett plugin is available now for a special Waldorf 33rd anniversary introductory price of 33€ instead of 99€ (incl. VAT). It runs as a VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (Intel + native Apple Silicon) and Windows.
More information here: Waldorf
33e is steep. 99e is outright taking the… (mod: no dirty language)
The DJ’s right tho. For a regular plugin it is fine, but these are not iOS/iPadOS prices
Waldorf couldn’t find their way to add in a resonant filter and for this kind of money??
it’s an emulation of the Streichfett hardware and they keep it 1:1 as the original.
So many great synths out there which do way better stuff by now. This recreation of old stuff, especially for these ridiculous prices is more of nostalgia milking, than an actual value, isn’t it?
10eur is ridiculous? What is way better?it does its own thing
Do your own research, please, I’m not a recommendation algorithm.
I love the idea of having this in software.
I love string machines, and this plugin sounds great, but it’s almost unusable in iOS with AUM because the keyboard covers half the plugin and can’t be obviously removed. This is not quite a deal breaker but is a bit frustrating.
in AUM, you can scale the window. By reducing the height of the windows (bottom part), you can remove the keyboard from the interface