At SynthFest France 2024, Romain of Kiviak Instruments showcased Synth Anatomy the pre-production model of its upcoming Wofi portable keyboard sampler.
Big news from France. Kiviak Instruments has released the WOFI keyboard sampler. It’s now available to everyone. First, the backers were delivered, and now the Wofi is officially available at the dealers.
Here is my first look and sound demo video, including a little live sampling demo using the new Waldorf microwave 1 Synthesizer on iPad.
Available here
Thomann
Update From April 23, 2024
I’m back from Nantes, where I attended this year’s SynthFest France 2024. I brought you some exciting news that I will present to you in videos and articles every day.
The first is not completely new, but some of my readers are already waiting impatiently for their Wofi, the keyboard sampler that was available to support and pre-order on Kickstarter last October. Romain, the founder of Kiviak Instruments, showcased the pre-production model of the Wofi at SynthFest.
Kiviak Instruments Wofi Is Almost Ready
The Wofi is about to be officially released. According to Kiviak Instruments, the hardware is ready, but the firmware is not yet. It is currently being put on track for release. Final corrections are still being made, bugs are being fixed, etc.
Some changes have also been made since SynthFest France 2023 and Superbooth 23. Because of noise problems with USB, they have now installed a classic power supply; some buttons have been renamed, the engine is getting more envelopes soon, etc.
Also, at SFF 24, Romain showed the visitor and me the included mywo.fi software, which can be used to manage samples. A free cloud service with unlimited sample space is also part of the package. Everything in detail and a big sound demo can be found in the new linked video.
Kiviak Instruments will begin shipping the first batch of the Wofi at the end of May/June 2024. This first batch includes units for all Kickstarter supporters and retailers. The official retail price is 799€.
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Article From October 17, 2023
In March, the first information about the new WoFi sampler keyboard from Kiviak Instruments came to light. From April onwards, the young French company, led by Romain Giannetti, began showing the Wofi to the audience. At SynthFest France, Superbooth 23, Machina Bristonica 2023, and others.
Seven months have now passed since the first pictures, and Wofi is in the final stage of development. Now, you can support the Wofi project on Kickstarter and pre-order your unit with a discount.
Key Features
- sampling with sound shaping option à la subtractive synth, sequencer and audio effects
- recording via the internal mic or stereo input, managing, and browsing samples effortlessly directly from the machine
- play any recorded sample chromatically with 10-voice polyphony
- cloud management without any subscription required
- emulating classic samplers to enjoy different flavors of lofiness
- Texturer granular reverb
- extensive I/O with MIDI, CV/gate, stereo audio and analog sync
- built-in WiFI for sample import, patch sharing, etc.
- …
The Kiviak Instruments WoFi project is now available for support on Kickstarter for $599/599€ until November 15, 2023. The public price of the WoFi post-campaign will be $799/799€. Shipping will start at the end of Q1 2024.
More information here: Kickstarter
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Update: Kiviak Instruments from France will also be at Superbooth 23 this week. You can visit them at booth W335.
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Article April 26th, 2023
Last weekend was the SynthFest France 2023 in beautiful Nantes—the come together of the French synthesizer community. Musicians and developers met here to exchange ideas, make music, showcase new products, and have an excellent time.
In addition to the Omega poly physical model synthesizer, another new product celebrates its premiere. The Wofi keyboard sampler from new company Kiviak Instruments, which popped up in February, could be seen here in real for the first time. I got a first look,
Kiviak Instruments WOFI First Look
WOFI is a new cute-looking portable sampler keyboard that follows in the footsteps of vintage samplers like the Casio SK-1. These were mainly known for their direct workflow. No long menu rummage, but everything is directly under your fingers. Kiviak Instruments wants to bring this way of working back with Wofi.
All main functions are implemented with a knob or button and do not require menu diving. For some deeper functions, there is a shift function but Romain from Kiviak promises that everything is easy-to-use.
The WOFI engine is based on a hands-on 48kHz, 16-bit sampler engine with 10-voice of polyphony and direct streaming from flash. Sounds can be sampled directly via the stereo input (L/R) or the built-in microphone.
Alternatively, they can be loaded via the cloud or via newly developed small-sized cartridges. Kiviak promises a direct connection to the engine and, thus, lightning-fast loading times.
Cloud WTF And Storage
Forget Adobe, Roland Cloud, or Waves Cloud nightmares. A WIFI module is built into the Wofi that can be switched on/off at any time, with which you can communicate with the cloud. Patches (sample, parameters, sequence) can be saved on this, loaded from it, or exchanged with the community.
According to Kiviak, the entire service will be free for the user. And not a must. You can also use the Wofi without modern wireless technology.
In addition to the cloud, there is 100MB of internal storage. That’s not much, but the engine uses tiny PCM samples similar to those found in a Korg M1 or Roland D-50. It gives you space for up to 18 minutes of audio, and with the optional flash cartridges, you can expand it with another 100MB.
Engine
The 10-voice polyphonic sample engine consists of different sections: It starts on the left with the player, allowing you to shape and color your sound with emulations of vintage samplers, and different interpolation modes (sample & hold, linear, whittaker-shannon). Plus, you can apply pitch-shift, time-stretch, glitch, and more to the sounds. Some of the algorithms come from the French institute IRCAM.
Then, the signal goes in a newly developed (no emulation) resonant state variable filter with 12dB/oct and 24dB/oct characteristics. After the filter, it goes in the texturizer, an effects processor based on a mixture of reverb, granular sampling (8-grains), and multi-tap harmonizer. With this you can make sounds float and generate very lush, endless atmospheres.
Modulation, you get a single envelope mappable to the filter, VCA, or both, and multi-wave LFO. These functions can also be controlled from the interface without searching long in a menu. WOFI also features a hands-on step sequencer with 16 steps and parameter automation.
Hardware
Kiviak Instruments chose a two-octave velocity/aftertouch keyboard for the WOFI. A small format, but they explain that they want to keep the device very portable. There are also built-in speakers and a battery that should provide up to 4 hours of sampling fun.
On the back side, you can find the stereo line in/out on L/R sockets, headphones, full MIDI in/out/thru, DIN+USB, sync clock + start/stop, and modular connectivity (CV/Gate input, and CV output, mod output, and gate output).
First Look Video
First Impression
An exciting portable sampler. Some would like to see more features or a bigger keybed. Yes, I understand these wishes. But I find the format very neat, especially for mobile setups. I like direct access to the parameters. I’m not a menu fetishist in hardware at all; then, I can also use a DAW (hardware MPC hello).
For everyone who wants more keys, I can say: Kiviak is open to making a large sampler in the future, a kind of WOFI Pro with more keys etc, if the WOFI becomes a success.
Kiviak Instruments Wofi will be available in early 2024—price TBA but estimated between 600€-800€.
More information here: Kiviak Instruments
funny design :D.
looks like its from toys`R`us with a sticker on it
for the age recommendation “5y+” ;D
This seems like an updated Korg Microsampler. And I love my Microsampler, so I guess I need one of these.
Nice design. The gear on Superbooth is 100% more interresting then the namm.
Ugly. No analog filters. Not for me.
GAS is triggered because this device uses new never seen features for being creative. But my space for new gear is limited and my wife would kill me. So I will have another thought about it…
No analog component-> save money, get iPad!
and how goes audio in/out of the machine? maybe with the analog inputs and outputs on the back and plus the CV in/out connectivity are just an analog illusion 😉
Played with it at Superbooth 2023 and it sounds amazing. A bit pricey for me though at that price…
It’s available but no retailers yet have it in stock yet – so not available- maybe in a week or so!
some retailers have already shipped the pre-orders according to users. So, the first batch is available depending on the retailers. And October 30 was the official release and the go for the retailers to sell it.
Finally in stock! First thoughts – initially a little frustrating but after a couple of sessions with it it’s growing on me. Construction is fine. I’m not a fan of inbuilt speakers and they are nothing to shout about here. I also don’t like the memory card thing. They have Kiviak designed ones, you get one in the box and can buy more from their website, but they just stick out of the side of the unit. Personally a poor design choice as a simple SD card would have just as effective and could have been out the way. A lot of work is done by the main encoder next to the screen. I could see this eventually given up after a lot of use. Over Sampling is easy, there is a good selection of connections at the back. I’ve plugged in personal tape recorder and CD player. Hit sample, recorded a second or so and produced some interesting new loops. Editing is a little limted, you can edited in the cloud on mywofi but it’s very basic. Hopefully they may develop this? Connection between the sampler and nywofi at times can be a little frustrating. There are no effect which is a shame. I’d say a interesting piece of gear. Some design features I would not personally make and some omissions that maybe could be fixed in future firmware updates. I think it boils down to if you can work around the current limitations while given the company room to develop the project as I’m sure future upgrades tp the sampler and the cloud environment will refine the instrument.