Waldorf Microwave 1 v2 is a major paid upgrade for the rack-mount hybrid wavetable Synthesizer emulation with new creative features.
In the middle of Summer 2024, Waldorf released the Microwave 1 plugin, an authentic emulation of its iconic rack-mount wavetable Synthesizer with analog filters. Of all the Waldorf plugins, this one quickly became my favorite. The iOS version followed shortly after.
Almost two years later, two updates are available simultaneously. One is free for all users, and the other is separate, introducing the Waldorf Microwave 1 v2 as a paid upgrade.
Update 1.3 Vs Version 2?
The microwave 1 v2 is a major upgrade for the beloved emulation of the iconic hybrid wavetable synth from 1989.
Access to the new features is behind a “paywall” that can only be unlocked by purchasing the microwave 1 v2 upgrade through the official Waldorf website or a retailer. But there is also news for all existing users.
Update 1.3 is free for all users of version 1. It introduces a new preset browser that significantly improves patch management. This is something I criticized in my 2024 review. It’s good that this has now been addressed and improved by the Waldorf developers.
The new preset browser features three columns: banks, single sounds, and multis. Additionally, there is an extra section in the banks column that gives you direct access to your own sounds. A favorite function is also available.
Version 2 users can also leave the arpeggiator and effects section enabled when switching patches. This ensures consistent settings for every sound. The new preset browser is a great improvement, and thanks to Waldorf for offering it as a free update.
What’s New In The Waldorf Microwave 1 V2?
At its core, the microwave 1 v2 is the same excellent-sounding Synthesizer as the v1. It’s an emulation of the microwave hardware with all the same features: two oscillators with the same wavetable, modeled filter, wave/filter/amp envelopes, and more.
The 49€ (29€ intro) Version 2 upgrades the engine with new features that extend the plugin’s capabilities beyond those of the original hardware. This starts with the voice architecture.
You can now activate three additional virtual voice cards, extending the original polyphony from 8 to 32 voices while preserving micro timing and variations.
On the global page, you can activate this new option. Take a look at the new analyzer section, which includes a spectrum analyzer and real-time visualization, with dedicated VUs for each voice. Polyphony is shared among all activated parts for multis.
The new 32 voice option enables the creation of richer, multi-timbral sounds, with each instrument playable in its original full polyphony. The original 8-voice limitation has thus become obsolete.
Then, the new architecture also brings an upgraded multi-timbral engine with new multi-layer modes found in the latest Waldorf hardware synths, Protein and Iridium.
On the reworked multi-instrument page, you can now choose between three trigger modes: “all” triggers all the voices at the same time, then round robin cycles the parts in order, and random robin makes the same but randomly.
It also improves the workflow. You can now enable quick individual instruments in the mixer. A new option to edit in absolute and relative values is also now available.
Creative V2 Features
In addition to voices and multi-timbral extras, Waldorf has implemented more creative features in the Microwave 1 v2 plugin.
At the bottom, you can now find a poly arp button with two new arpeggiators. The first is a global arpeggiator that triggers all voices simultaneously.
Adjustable step length, selectable pattern and algorithm, swing, release gate, and reset offer advanced customization options.
The second is a polyphonic arpeggiator for each instrument part, similar to the poly arp on the Iridium hardware. There are various polyphonic modes to choose from, selectable voices, transpose, and more.
As a bonus, the plugin also has a piano roll visualizer for the poly arp. If needed, the arpeggiator settings can also be kept while scrolling through the other presets.
Wait, there’s another feature. Up until now, the Microwave 1 plugin was effect-free, as the goal was to keep it as close to the original as possible. With the Microwave 1 v2 plugin, Waldorf is taking a new route.
Version 2 introduces a new creative global delay effect processor with dedicated send controls in the multi-page, allowing you to route the delay to each part individually.
The processor combines a multimode delay with a diffusor and pitch shifter. You can choose among four distinct modes (normal, ping-pong, swing, and repeat), each with a different set of features. Modulation and freeze give you more sound design options.
Additionally, you can insert a pre-/post delay multimode filter, a low/high cut EQ, and a two-mode tremolo into the signal path. The new delay works great for both classic and sophisticated effects. Delay settings can also be carried over when scrolling to other presets.
Further, Microwave 1 v2 also ships with four new sound banks from Rapid Flow, 10 Phantom Rooms, Benjam Wild, and Chuck Zwicky.
Waldorf Microwave 1 v2 First Impression
Users who choose the upgrade path will receive a Microwave hardware emulation with the same excellent, authentic sound, but with a creative feature boost that goes beyond the original feature set.
Waldorf Microwave 1 v2 is now available at an introductory price of 99€, down from 149€. Existing Microwave 1 v1 users can upgrade for an intro price of 29€ instead of 49€. Version 1.3 is available now as a free update for existing users.
It runs as a VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows.
More information here: Waldorf
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Thomann
Paying for voice cards wtaf
shiddy update
Paying extra for a higher voice count and multi-timbrality after they barely updated the first version in the last 2 years is wild, especially given the high price of the plugin. Pigments is at version 7, and Arturia never charged anything for updates. This is not the way to go
29 EUR is a reasonable amount for a small company to charge for an update. If you don’t thing the features are valuable, you can still use the previous version.
Pigments probably has a much larger user base and is part of a broad softsynth ecosystem at Arturia.
They did a free feature update last year and the paid update also includes effects and polyphonic arpeggiators and various multi modes. Quite reasonable. Better get your facts right before complaining.