NEW Waldorf Blofeld Keyboard !

[cosmos]

Yeap Yeap Yeap !

Here it is : ( Thanks to Jesse Juup for the info thumbsup )




Waldorf New Blofeld Keyboard Synthesizer!| Dolphin Music

599 GBP

[SWAN808]

pretty cool

however seeing as the desktop is around £300 - an extra £300 is quite steep for a set of keys...

EDIT: ok it has sample memory..

[csl]

They could surely have made a little more of the interface, given all that space. Perhaps doubled the knob-count for half the switching.

[JesseJ]

Yay! Looks like I got here before me.. lol..

It looks awesome, doesn't it?
I hope the black keys will be silvery gray instead of black black!

The pic is obviously a cgi mockup, lacking octave up/down.
I'd love to see wooden side panels, or atleats screw holes t make own custom ones

The 60meg sample memory is intriguing...

And the MIDI in/out is a nice addition

Features:

* 60 Megabyte sample memory
* Class compliant USB MIDI for PC,Mac and Linux
* 16 part multimode
* maximum 25 voices polyphony
* highest quality standard keybed with 49 weighted keys and aftertouch
* Internal power supply
* Pitchbend and modulation wheel
* Virtual analog, wavetable, and sample based oscillators
* MIDI in/out
* Sturdy metal case
* Stainless steel rotary encoders
* Backlit 128x64 pixel LCD
* Over 1000 sounds
* 3 oscillators, 2 filters per voice
* Selectable drive curves
* Frequency modulation for oscillators and filters
* Three LFO, four envelopes per voice
* Extensive modulation capabilities
* Complex arpeggiator
* Powerful effects section
* weight: apprx 8,-- kgs
* weight in carton: apprx 9,5 kgs



- jessej -

[Getafix]

Hmmm that would look real nice next to my TI Polar! Does anyone know if the Blofeld offers enough diversification if you already have a Virus TI?

[JesseJ]

Originally Posted by s-cube

Hmmm that would look real nice next to my TI Polar! Does anyone know if the Blofeld offers enough diversification if you already have a Virus TI?

You could have a listen at the mp3 demos on the waldorf site / blofeld and then play along with the TI Polar and see how they fit sonically.. Visually they would fit very nicely indeed! !)

I have the blofeld as a 'sidiekick' to my Roland Fantom G and they work together very well. Kind of a dynamic duo.

[Dubreak]

More knobs!! or else I'm staging a dirty protest. I've already skipped showering today.

[clusterchord]

pity they didnt add more knobs. at least 4 more dammit. guess theyre holing onto old Waldorf tradition: entry level models - 4knobs, flagship kbds like Q/Q+/Stromberg? - shitload of knobs. wish there was an intermediate version..



never the less, this seems like a god send product for me, when u consider i was on the verge of buying Blofeld (desktop) as it is, on account of its original sound as well as posibility of leaving my microwave home when on gigs (not that they sound the same, but..). second, i was looking for small controller kbd 3 or 4 octaves, which this product kinda fullfills too, if a bit skimpy on the controllers.

and finally, which i didnt expect and is absolutely fantastic - sampling. no need to hover a sampler on gigs either. i can cover wavetabling AND sample playback elegantly from a single small keyboard. imagine : layering a wavetable sweep with a mellotron or somthin.. beauuuutiful.



i hope Waldorf doesnt phk up as bfr, by delaying the release for a year or so. that this is not vaporware. now is the time (because i need it ) . all things considered, the price and features, i think its a great move on their part. also, another similar hybrid product, that offers onboard samples, costs three times more (Nord WavE)..

[pyvnd]

It will be interesting to learn how sampling will be integrated into the synth engine.

This probably won't be for sale for another 6 months though. I'm thinking end of first quarter next year, although I'm sure we'll get the full info at NAMM.

[Silver Sonya]

I think the lack of knobs is meant to be "elegantly minimalist."

- c

[F5D]

Looks nice, although should have more knobs as has been mentioned. Actually this is a good move by Waldorf. I hope they can sell enough Blofelds to make Stromberg possible. That synth I will absolutely buy. Already bought the blofeld desktop to support the great company.

[cosmos]

Originally Posted by Dubreak

More knobs!! or else I'm staging a dirty protest. I've already skipped showering today.

lol

i agree.

we

need

more

knobs

.

[e6400ultra]

Give it 61 keys, the ability to faithfully produce Wave and Q sounds, a real analog filter, real tube overdrive, up to 100 voice poly, price it accordingly, and call it Stromberg. Then you've got something I'll buy, Waldorf.

[DocT]

Originally Posted by Drone

More knobs are definitely needed because well, this is a virtual analogue. Why the hell do you need a digital synth that doesn't have hands on control ?

Which knobs for what particular parameters would offer which advantages over the current matrix ui ?

[wax808]

If they were going to add a ton of features it wouldn't still be called a Blofeld. It would take a significant amount of R&D and manufacturing monies to completely re-do the Blofeld. This is just a way of slapping it into a different housing with keys and a few extra features.

Extra knobs would be nice, and the shot you are seeing is just a rendering. Hopefully it will have them, but I completely understand if it doesn't. If we ever want to see the beast that will be the Stromberg it makes sense that Waldorf is taking a light & lean approach to their current product development.

I know it's normal to always want more, and to cry about it on the web when a rumored product doesn't meet your expectations. But if you have any business sense whatsoever you can understand where Waldorf is coming from.

[e6400ultra]

Originally Posted by wax808

If they were going to add a ton of features it wouldn't still be called a Blofeld. It would take a significant amount of R&D and manufacturing monies to completely re-do the Blofeld. This is just a way of slapping it into a different housing with keys and a few extra features.

Extra knobs would be nice, and the shot you are seeing is just a rendering. Hopefully it will have them, but I completely understand if it doesn't. If we ever want to see the beast that will be the Stromberg it makes sense that Waldorf is taking a light & lean approach to their current product development.

I know it's normal to always want more, and to cry about it on the web when a rumored product doesn't meet your expectations. But if you have any business sense whatsoever you can understand where Waldorf is coming from.

Read between the lines. We want the not-rumored Stromberg.

[DocT]

Originally Posted by Drone

For starters I would suggest that the oscillator, filter & modulation sections would each have their own dedicated knobs ...

There are 16 parameters for each of the three oscillators, 15 for each of the 2 filters and 4 for each of the 16 modulation slots. Envelopes and LFOs not yet covered.
You want a knob for each ? If not, for which parameters exactly ?
Lets say you are the ui designer and the financial department of Waldorf says there is room for 10-15 more encoders. Now I'd like to see your detailed layout for a UI that is better than the current interface

Or is it just more knobs ?

[e6400ultra]

Originally Posted by DocT

There are 16 parameters for each of the three oscillators, 15 for each of the 2 filters and 4 for each of the 16 modulation slots. Envelopes and LFOs not yet covered.
You want a knob for each ? If not, for which parameters exactly ?
Lets say you are the ui designer and the financial department of Waldorf says there is room for 10-15 more encoders. Now I'd like to see your detailed layout for a UI that is better than the current interface

Or is it just more knobs ?

The Stromberg rendering covers those sections with minimal knobs. How about a similar concept to that?

[DocT]

I#ve read a lot of reviews about Waldorf Q and microQ. Most reviewers agreed that the microQ's interface is more logical and faster than the Q's.
It's less impressive however.

[e6400ultra]

Originally Posted by DocT

I#ve read a lot of reviews about Waldorf Q and microQ. Most reviewers agreed that the microQ's interface is more logical and faster than the Q's.

Ever the fanboy. Eh, Doc?

[e6400ultra]

Looking at pics of the Micro Q keyboard, I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the Blofeld keyboard interface. I do think they should have gone with 37 keys and spread the controls out on the Blofeld keyboard as well, though.



I will hereby shut up about the new Blofeld Keyboard, but damnit, Waldorf, I want a Stromberg, Please!

[cosmos]

Originally Posted by DocT

I#ve read a lot of reviews about Waldorf Q and microQ. Most reviewers agreed that the microQ's interface is more logical and faster than the Q's.
It's less impressive however.

I own both, the Q keyboard is much more faster to edit, and controling the parameters on real time recording is a big advantage.

ps. soundwise the kayboard/rack is better sounding the then the Micro, i have no idea why ..

[Dave Peck]

Originally Posted by DocT

There are 16 parameters for each of the three oscillators, 15 for each of the 2 filters and 4 for each of the 16 modulation slots. Envelopes and LFOs not yet covered.
You want a knob for each ? If not, for which parameters exactly ?
Lets say you are the ui designer and the financial department of Waldorf says there is room for 10-15 more encoders. Now I'd like to see your detailed layout for a UI that is better than the current interface

Or is it just more knobs ?

One good way to do this would be to have a long display with eight encoders above the display and eight encoders below the display. The functions (and values) of the 16 encoders are shown on the display. So you can see and access all 16 osc parameters at the same time, press a button and access all 15 filter parameters, press a button and access the first group of mod parameters, etc.

The idea is to determine an optimum balance between number of simultaneous parameters and build cost. A low cost tabletop box like the Blofeld has to have a low cost user interface. But it seems to me that the new larger synth would have been more appealing to more buyers if it had not kept the same bare-bones low cost user interface design from the Blofeld.

[clusterchord]

well, if they screwup and leave it with only those 4 knobs, we could always place that new miniscule Korg thingie w sliders n pots on the free panel real-estate to the right.. not as elegant but.. a q: does blofeld allow for editing of most of its parameters, via midi cc's ?



Doc, relax, of course knob-per-parameter is impossible. how about this, 10 knobs, user configurable. for example, i could choose filter, reso, filt2 , reso2, filt env, wave1, wave2, wavetable selection, filt attack, filt decay, fx wet/dry.. i could do shtload with this setup. i just love tweakin my XT while playing - transforming the sound completely. its Waldorf trademark. they should stick to this philosophy.

[Absent1]

Originally Posted by clusterchord

. i just love tweakin my XT while playing - transforming the sound completely. its Waldorf trademark. they should stick to this philosophy.

I agree, I had an original Microwave II when they came out and loved it. Than when I upgraded to the XT it opened up a whole other world.

I too am another sucker just waiting for the Stromberg.....


Cheers, Rob

[DocT]

Originally Posted by T71

Ever the fanboy. Eh, Doc?

Yes

[sizzlemeister]

I wonder how much of the Blofeld code would need to be changed to accomodate not only the sampling features, pitch & mod wheels, keybed, MIDI out, but a new set of knobs as well? And how much time it would take to accomplish the latter in addition to the things that MUST be done to meet the spec-list/goals of the product?

I mean, while they're adding the code and an additional PCB to the design, couldn't they just add a few extra knobs and code them in with the rest of the new code at the same time? It's not like they'd have to change the main-board design - assuming they're using the same core set of Blofeld PCBs (and code, for that matter) to build the keyboard version around.

[e6400ultra]

Until the Blofeld keyboard is up on the Waldorf website, I'm gonna consider it a rumor.

[rasp]

Originally Posted by DivineChemical

I don't think they added sampling inputs, so I have a feeling that the 60mb sample memory is ROM and it's just a rompler slapped on. I'm surprised Waldorf doesn't have anything on their website about this at all.

It won't have sample inputs because people don't know to sample anymore; that or they just don't care to.

And the lack ov knobs, in my opinion, probably has something to do with the fact that a lot ov people don't care about programming interface as much as they care about having a million presets with the ability to load presets via USB.

But I realize my opinion is kind ov pessimistic so I apologize for that.

[plaid_emu]

Originally Posted by T71

Until the Blofeld keyboard is up on the Waldorf website, I'm gonna consider it a rumor.

I'm with you on this one.