Comparing the small Waldorf synthesizers
Created 2015, latest update 2017-10-18.
A German company Waldorf has come up with a set of interesting small form factor hardware synthesizers: Blofeld, Pulse 2, Rocket and Streichfett. All the three boxes have their own fields where they shine.
| Waldorf Blofeld | Waldorf Pulse 2 | Waldorf Rocket | Waldorf Streichfett | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A digital general-purpose synthesizer offering wide sonic possibilities | A modern approach to an analog synth | An affordable little monosynth for strong analog sounds | A synth for generating vintage synth string and choir sounds |
| How it sounds | Bright and a little bit metallic but in a pleasing way | Analog in a modern way | Strong and analog | Vintage |
| What it can deliver | Almost any sound you wish for, if you know how to set the parameters | All you can expect from an analog synth | Analog leads and basses | From a tiny beep to a massive wall of choiry synth strings |
| What it can't deliver | Analog instrument imitations (pianos, violins, horns) based on sample banks | Digital sounds | Soft pad-type sounds | Not a general-purpose synthesizer so farther you drift from synth strings less is what you get |
| What I use it for | Complex pads and atmospheric ambient sounds | Anything analog I might need | Analog lead and bass | Synth strings |
| What would I compare it against | Any general-purpose digital synthesizer | Full-fledged analog synths | All those new affordable analog monosynth boxes | There is nothing to compare it against as it defines an instrument class of its own |
| Read more | Waldorf Blofeld Desktop | Not yet written | Waldorf Rocket | Waldorf Streichfett |