I just found your channel a bit ago trying to learn about the TD-3 from Behringer. Your videos are so in depth and show information that most others skip over, including comparisons. They've been a godsend my guy, thank you so much :)
Spreadsheet Synth featuring buttons from a Beat Thang :P ......I jest. Had a Pulse ages ago and like the mW XT, just haven't been so keen on digital waldorf since then.
4:34 - Van Allen’s Belt stabs (Fila Brazillia). Nice! between this and the MC-707, Yamaha’s sleeping on the job. They could answer with an ‘FMX-200’, a complete redo of their amazing/underrated DX-200.
Dreux Donelan Id kill for a modern RS-7000....what happened to Yamaha synths/sequencers? They have some legends but nothing interesting in current production.
@@magnus2230 They put out the FM-X platform and pretty much ceased all other development (at least it seems that way). Meanwhile, Roland, Korg, Behringer, and even stodgy Sequential keep making new stuff. I think they just gave up, and to be honest, maybe they feel they can't compete with stuff like the $800 Korg OPsix, let alone the even cheaper WaveState. Sad. It seems we're witnessing the end of a synth giant.
Honest question, what would be the main reason to get this over a Summit? It seems like a nice synth but in that price range the Summit seems to loom over this.
The additional synth engines that Summit doesn't have and this does - sampling, resonator, kernels, more than 5 waveforms per wavetable. I'm not saying you should get this over Summit, I'm just saying why one would.
I have so much respect for this guy. His ability to deep dive into so many complicated synths and explain them so well makes him probably my favorite reviewer these days. By the end you understand more than any other reviewer if this is for you or not. I still want you to review the Essence FM or give your brief impressions. I wish the Iridium had 4 parts, that would make me pull the trigger much easier. I could get rid of several synths to fund one if it had that feature.
this piece of gear is waaay beyond me and my needs, but man, your reviews are the most thorough and comprehensive of all the channels I've watched....the companies must either be thrilled or frightened sending you items :)
This synth absolutely IS overkill, which is exactly my kind of synthesizer. I'm going to put this on a stand with my Kronos and just overkill the universe.
Does loopop interface directly with all this hardware? I swear he plugs himself in and is like "get the camera rolling, I've developed a full usability interface demo... "bleep bloop bleep...sorry let me convert to English".
Sequential, Novation, Waldorf, and probably many others: Why is it so easy to lose your sound design work on synths from all of these manufacturers by accidentally pressing a button, with no undo? C'mon folks, we've only been doing presets for 40 years, it's not rocket science ! 😃
If you consider the varying UI/UX monstrosities (like the Kronos etc.) it's as if the hardware synth engineers have learned nothing from decades of software design, even when their new product is a pure software solution on some dedicated hardware like e.g. this one. Undo seems to be a million years away when most manufacturers forgot that there once was a quite useful "compare" function on many synths, which doesn't exist anymore on any modern synth and could be considered half the way to "undo".
@@Leo9ine You're right, the Montage/MODX has edit/compare too. But my Fantom doesn't have that, so learning that the Iridium I'm eying a lot doesn't have that either struck a nerve there. :)
What I like about your reviews is that they're very structured, deep and sober, everything is straight to the point. No aaahs and ummms, no attempts at explaining things to people who see a synth for the first time in their life at the expense of depth, no wallowing in marketdroid superlatives. That's an hour well spent.
My only regret about Iridium is that I hesitated for two years before buying it. I thought the learning curve was too steep, but it turned out to be accessible and instantly gratifying.
I thought so too, but after creating a particular sound, I rush to perform and record it, and then essentially have laid down the foundation of my entire new track, which I think enhance, sculpt and chisel at for another few days and boom! A pure source of inspiration!
I always thought that the Yamaha EX5 would be the most crazy digital synth ever made, but Waldorf totally warps the EX5 (I own one, rack version, it's amazing, will never sell it) this synth is so bonkers, sounds amazing, endless possibilities I really want one. I prolly need a month or so to figure the thing out, but I want it. Great presentation!
Well, people probably said that about the Waldorf Wave, except those sadly started dying and Waldorf the company died with it as they weren't able to help users fix them.
From VintageSynth: " have a sad story to say about my Wave. I felt in love at first sight and bought it directly from the company. My s/n was XXXX153 Played for 5 years but using it live was a nightmare because Wave randomly went crazy during gigs I sent 3 times to Waldorf to repair it, the fourth time they told me to have no more IC spare parts available to repair it so that they proposed to exchange my useless Wave with a Q+, a MicroWave and a written agreement about the possibility to buy their next "big synth" Stromberg when out at factory cost. Few months later Waldorf goes bankrupt!"
Had this beast of a synth for a few days and it is absolutely amazing.I have scaled down my set up to get this as it can do so much. Anyone complaining about the price should go out and test this, you will not be disappointed.
We are in a pandemic and though it looks amazing it's digital which should mean that it should not be that expensive. My DSI Tempest is a thing of electronic wizadry , I can understand why it's so expensive. This is basically a music computer in a plastic box, ALOT cheaper to make
@@cheekoandtheman It's actually a metal chassis. Since it's digital it should be cheap? So anything digital is overpriced? Your Tempest is an analog drum machine and though an excellent one, it isn't doing anything special, you just like what it does. The truth of the matter is all of these machines we love can be replaced with a laptop or desktop for less cost and much more power and capabilities. You and I all those like us buy these machines for the experience of using them, the tactile feedback and feeling of the machines, that's what we are paying for.
cheekoandtheman what has a pandemic got to do with this synth? I have one and there is no computer available that could give the same tactile feel and ease of use. With your train of thought why bother buying a tempest when there are some amazing free drum vst’s and some definitely cheaper than the tempest that can do more...
I thought that too until I launched Massive X. This one is way more powerful! Think about all the synthesis modes plus the complex FM routing, and the sheer number of LFOs, plus the full-blown sampler. Not to mention CV in for my modular hookup... This is the thing to get locked in the closet with for a day - no mouse required! :)
@@mikelazarev5833 Thanks for reminding me I need to have a look at the new Massive. Tho I use Bitwig and you can add infinite amount of LFOs, Envelopes, CV control from moduar and other modulation to any VST instrument out there.
I've had mine for a while and because it can't seamlessly sound switch that's a big no no for modern gear that are not analog components. Since this unit is 16 voice and capable of two layers it should be possible to enter an 8 voice only mode that will seamlessly sound switch to a second voice. That's not rocket science but not sure why it can't do that currently as most high end units of this price point can sound switch. Waiting for seconds for a voice to load is extremely interruptive and annoying even when doing nothing more than voice auditioning. It's the primary reason I would get rid of it. Not many circumstances allow for a single voice not to be switched to another voice in a performance unless all it is being used for is a single voice rompler. That's a lot of money for a single voice rompler. So even if it can do 5 engines in 2 layers it's still a single entity unless you can flip on/off engines to pretend to be switching. Many if not most people might prefer only 2 engines as long as they can sound switch. Seems like it's capable but not implemented. Anyone know why not? My friend always laughs about this limitation and claims his 1980 Casio could sound switch. I greatly prefer switching like on my PA5x, M8x & YC73 because that's what a real instrument is supposed to do. I think you can switch from voice 1 to 2 but not move on continuously changing to other voices. Maybe you can be playing voice 1 and shuffling through voice 2 but I'm not sure about that as I'm thinking out loud. I'm not sure pressing the second voice button also doesn't cut off the first voice.
About its computational power: 16 voices and 2 part multitimbral?!.I really don't get the granted cpu power. To me the flagship digital synthesizers of a decade ago used to be a bit stronger. I still want the Iridium based on its synth engines, but it is expensive for 2 part digital synth.
A great video. At 44:00 you mention the panning of the dual filters and how the Quantum cannot do this. That feature is in the 3.0 update for the Quantum, which was just released as a beta version.
Guess I need to get uses to riding the bus because I'll have to sell my car to afford this or the Quantum.. man this is why I fell in love with Waldorf back in 1999..... they just make amazing synths... I 💘 my microwaveXT
I like how connectivity is one of the first things you address because often it’s one of the main factors that determines weather or not I’m interested in a synth.
In my opinion., its overkill. Isn't it the limitations and the workarounds that make the dawless great? And now we have a synth with sd-card and Touchscreen. In my opinion a synth must be great to play and not offer the most features. If I want that, I buy a PC, load some vsts, have a Controller and have limitless Options... Besides that: I Love your Videos and that your focussing on the Instrument and not talking about random Shit :D
For some, limitations breed creativity. For others, limitations are just a pain which destroys a creative process by adding friction. It can really go both ways. Regardless, it's important to make sure instruments are designed as _instruments_ -- and prioritize their ability to be played... instead of just packing in as many features as possible at the cost of usability. It seems like Waldorf tends to focus more on the engineering side of things than the instrument design side of things, but they're not too bad. An Iridium wouldn't be my first choice for a poly synth, but it's far from my last choice. It would, for example, be a nice upgrade from my Blofeld. But it wouldn't be as enjoyable to use as a Peak or a Hydrasynth.
@@ToyKeeper thankyou! I agree on that. I got more the feel, its an pc with controller instead of a synth. But yea the possibilities are probably amazing with it
WALDORF NEEDS TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS ASAP: •The screen touch response is pretty BAD, first and foremost •Fix Multisampling workflow •Latch to external Keyboards •Visual feedback on the Wavetable scroll •Step Sequencer increase (32 steps is too short for the SEQ) •Undo feature (at least one step)
Tony Scharf // LOL Indeed, I was saving for the Quantum. So I have the savings ready to buy the Iridium but I will hold up until they fix that screen and those issues.
@@MeAlexSenna Having owned many Waldorf boards over the years...I wouldn't count on it ever happening. If you can't live with it as it is, don't live with it. My Blofeld and Xtk knod in agreement.
4 года назад+3
What's scary is its from Waldorf (They were my favorite company for years) . if anything goes wrong especially with the screen. And a repair is needed......oh boy. After my blofeld experience. That thing was a mess! Bricked a second time and dump ed it. Now i still.have my q+ and microwave. And never had an issue with them. Still Work like new.. But have i have reservations about them now.. But in 2020 every synth should have sd,usb,cv,...etc ...
Amazing tutorial so inspiring. Just one question At around 22 minutes in you need Timor’s their were two ways to prevent samples from speeding up and slowing down. Chip monkey. However you only illustrated one method. What is the other one please.
for such a machine, the lack of more physical I/O seems rather limiting; e.g. send&return jacks and additional stereo out would be beneficial (otherwise seems like squashing creativity through a thin straw)
Waldorf has always been on the cutting edge of creativity. Sounds absolutely stellar!! Would have voted to replace touch pad section with some other synth features/functionality. Couldn't see if there was a plucked string resonator.
Within a few hours after watching i decided to sell my Prophet Rev2 and another Eurorack Module and pre-ordered this beast. This is my kind of a modern workstation, wow!
It's sometimes hanging and you have to tap a few times so it registers.. It doesn't happen too often. Mixed feelings about it. The iridium still delivers for me so i think i will stick around.
It’s very frustrating, more than people care to admit. I’m at the point where I have second thoughts on turning it on because does so many misfires, Waldorf Needs to fix the screen touch
I just can't unsee those wonky buttons. If I owned this synth (which I never will...) I'd probably spend half the time making sure I didn't make them wonky and making them straight if I did :-D
Ouch, no famous Loopop screens are needed to show this beaut :) esthetically I’ll hate my white Keystep, your black looks much better, but I got Beatstep Pro in black for it! Will be enjoying your detailed review while mine is traveling home, thank you Sir Loopop :) ... I thought there is a way to bulk load samples by special file naming already, maybe for Quantum only yet. Looking forward to drop Hangdrum and guitar in multi velocity with round robin to tweak those further. Sold anything else in my studio, and a kidney to have it all :) cheers!
Amazing review as always. Looks impressive and would love to own one. Possibilities seem endless (actually feel overloaded), but unsure of the actual sound signature. Definitely on the want list, but would need to justify the cost mentally. One heck of an instrument or is it a machine/tool. Feels slightly cold in it's implementation. Just my initial reaction while hearing/watching videos. Not a hater just a point of view from a possible buyer.
Update - bought one. Wow is all I can say. Interface is quite intuitive after you get use to it. The sound design possiblites are endless. So much packed into one box. Currently run it through the Analog Heat which is not needed, but allows me to spice it up even more whenever I want. Glad I took the leap. Still in the honeymoon phase, but zero buyers remorse. Can't say that about all the gear I have purchased over the years.
I’ve been eagerly waiting for this to show up to my door!! You’ve really went into detail with this which I appreciate. Between this and a novation summit this summer I think this will cover my poly needs.
At 8:02 LoopOp says, ". . . I think that after about a day of getting yourself oriented with what's going on here it's actually faily straightforward . . . " May I interpret this statement ? For most of you out there, after about a year of intense study things will be fairly straightforward.
@@loopop My post was meant as a compliment. This particular skill you possess is without doubt embedded in your DNA - which is not fair to us others when it comes to figuring out the maze of routines and second guessing what the heck the manufacture has developed. It is documented that when it comes to equipment with many options, most of us will only relegate ourselves to a smaller portion of its capacity because the options are not easily accessible (or the layout does not make sense). So you pay a few thousands for an instrument and then at some time discover over the years, you are using a fraction of it. What is that about? Which brings up another point, an instruction course I would gladly pay to enroll. When a video review is a catalyst to purchase an instrument, I gladly give a donation.
I see the Iridium firmware has been updated a few times since that review, but I can't find a changelog of the various firmware updates online. Does anyone know where the various fixes/new features are listed?
One of the first Loopop videos I didn’t watch through the end. That isn’t because of Loopop (he does wat he is good at) but just the device. This is something I would never buy, that screen is such a pain in the arse. Every time I see Loopop fiddle on that screen I get the urge to stop the video and I finally did around minute 25. If I want to look at a screen when making music I start up my DAW. That is the main reason I work Outside of the box. That this thing can do a lot sure but with that much time on a screen And that much money I would choose a DAW any day. A lot cheaper with more possibilities.
Agree! Even after a little time testing the quantum, I don't like using this touchscreen (or any touchscreen). Much more precise and quick with a mouse for designing sounds
Just watching the first bits shows the touchscreen to be tedious and that continues throughout. Loads of retries there. Filters sound meh and so do the effects. I'd have preferred analog filters at this price. "Nice ok" is a euphemism.
Hell na, this thing cost more that my MPC X!!!!! what the???? just for a synth??? no drums Hell No... Really nice sounds but just not worth it for the price to me!! The learning curve seems High as well.. 😢😵
There making the costs ridiculous, only trust fund babies can afford this, especially during a pandemic. Because it was digital I was hopeful for a second. . Imagine if it was affordable it would of taken the music world by storm
Beautiful synth, so many features, some odd limitations though and the price. Struggling as to why such an advanced synth is only Bi-Timbral when Blofeld is multitimbral. Iridium is just screaming for multitimbral. Also the pads could’ve been something really special with after touch, so it’s a slight missed opportunity. Thanks for showing more of the Particle/granular engine and I’m wondering how it compares with GR-1 (dedicated) granular. Anyhow, if the price were $1800 I’d be more inclined to save up. The pricing for a desktop is a bit high for me.
This synth keeps calling "Buy me!". I can afford it, but I have to keep coming back to this video to remember why I'm not smart enough to own this synth. Thanks, I'm sure I'll have to come back here again next month for another humbling experience.
The Iridium doesn't sound like anything else that I'm aware of. It doesn't have "that sound". It's something entirely different, and I had trouble identifying with it. It has a distinctly "Waldorf" sound. It's digital AF, but it's capable of hitting hard and going deep. I've sampled it to create some pretty interesting drum kits. My advice: Be patient with it. If you decide to purchase an Iridium, don't judge the synth based on its presets. There are well over 2,000 of them, and many of them aren't particularly "musical". In fact, some of them should have been omitted. Had I judged the instrument based on its presets, I would have returned it. Spend time creating your own sounds. Exploit the extensive mod matrix and sampler to their fullest potential. Kernel mode is wild. It's complicated, but fun. Explore the Komplex modulator and different filter modes. Use Live Granular to turn your mono synth into a poly.
Great overview thanks! Shallow I know but , Aside from how amazing this is sounds it’s & feature-set its a fantastic looking thing 😍......( so now I really don’t understand why the Kyra ended up so ugly😏)....
This.................this is godriffic. I might sell my car for this! But aside from that, Loopop, you're the greatest gear reviewer of music of all time. You deserve a full television network.
Clearly Waldorf have spent lost of time developing this, but the price seems really high compared to what else is on the market. Some things seem quite average. Eg granular and sampler seems pretty basic compared to an MPC or Clouds. Though I prefer hardware, I think in this instance I would probably use a software synth with a dedicated midi controller rather than this simply because of price.
I have the greateshit respect and admiration for Mr Loopop. I have never and I no doubt will never ever see a better reviewer. He is mind boggelingly good at his job - his attention to detail is wonderous to behold. Many times I have found help from one of his videos at a time when I'm stuck for a workaround whilst using some piece of studio gear or another - and then added to which - whatever instrument I'm using I can rest assured that Mr Loopop will have reviewed it which is awesome!!! Mr Loopop for President.
I can confirm on the quantum that it's not as reactive as it should, and sometimes not very precise. Maybe I do have too big fingers :) Had to try two or three times to click some small icons like for instance "mod" below the parameter you want to modulate. It's due to its rather old screen technology
I don't get people keep whining about the price of this and any other synth that's not made by Chininger in a communist country. A certain domestic 3-OSC mono synth lacking an LFO set you back almost $2,000 in 1978-1980, which was still on the cheaper side of synths back then and that was half of the average for a shiny new car - in today's inflation-corrected dollars that would be $8,700. A cheap (by comparison) 8-voice poly from Japan would've been $3,300 in 1983, that's $9,400 today. Conversely, the $2,700 for the Iridium (made in Germany) would translate to $780 in 1980, while a cheap (by comparison) DX-7 would still have have cost you $1,700 (today $5,000) in 1983. In fact, even with prices adjusted for inflation and purchasing power, cars are at least 3 times more expensive today, just like beer, and $2,700 will barely buy you a decent used car anymore and much less beer than $780 would've bought you in 1980. At the same time, even the prices for handbuilt analog synths e.g. made in the UK were cut into fractions of what they had cost back then, due to the pricing pressure created by you guys preferring cheap stuff made by people who'd just disappear if they publicly disagree with their government and mind you, synth makers in the free world want to buy a beer too once in a while. [/rant]
![Cody Johnson - I'm Gonna Love You (with Carrie Underwood) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yy9PuYMU29g/mqdefault.jpg)
Can I afford this $2500 synth? Nope.
Am I going to watch all 72 minutes of this and pretend like I can? Yep.
Same here, hehehe
That’s how much?! Sorry but I’m not watching past the 2 min mark!
Spoken like a true master of GAS
maybe i can get it at the library.
And that's the "lower price tag" they were referring to.
I just found your channel a bit ago trying to learn about the TD-3 from Behringer. Your videos are so in depth and show information that most others skip over, including comparisons. They've been a godsend my guy, thank you so much :)
Iridium killed the computer star? As always, your outro was amazing.
indeed. i want more from that outro!
If you "need more sounds" than this has just to make good music then you dont belong anywhere near a synth...
Spreadsheet Synth
featuring buttons from a Beat Thang :P
......I jest. Had a Pulse ages ago and like the mW XT, just haven't been so keen on digital waldorf since then.
En el menu actions, no me aparece la opcion import. Alguna Idea? No puedo importar samples ni grabarlos a la unidad flash....
4:34 - Van Allen’s Belt stabs (Fila Brazillia). Nice! between this and the MC-707, Yamaha’s sleeping on the job. They could answer with an ‘FMX-200’, a complete redo of their amazing/underrated DX-200.
Dreux Donelan Id kill for a modern RS-7000....what happened to Yamaha synths/sequencers? They have some legends but nothing interesting in current production.
@@magnus2230 They put out the FM-X platform and pretty much ceased all other development (at least it seems that way). Meanwhile, Roland, Korg, Behringer, and even stodgy Sequential keep making new stuff. I think they just gave up, and to be honest, maybe they feel they can't compete with stuff like the $800 Korg OPsix, let alone the even cheaper WaveState. Sad. It seems we're witnessing the end of a synth giant.
anyone knows when rack ears will be available? thanx
Honest question, what would be the main reason to get this over a Summit? It seems like a nice synth but in that price range the Summit seems to loom over this.
The additional synth engines that Summit doesn't have and this does - sampling, resonator, kernels, more than 5 waveforms per wavetable. I'm not saying you should get this over Summit, I'm just saying why one would.
@@loopop Thanks for the answer! Yea Kernals does look pretty unique!
I have so much respect for this guy. His ability to deep dive into so many complicated synths and explain them so well makes him probably my favorite reviewer these days. By the end you understand more than any other reviewer if this is for you or not. I still want you to review the Essence FM or give your brief impressions.
I wish the Iridium had 4 parts, that would make me pull the trigger much easier. I could get rid of several synths to fund one if it had that feature.
Yeah, I have no clue how he does that either. Feel so stupid watching this channel...
this piece of gear is waaay beyond me and my needs, but man, your reviews are the most thorough and comprehensive of all the channels I've watched....the companies must either be thrilled or frightened sending you items :)
You need a few 1000 years to test all these synths thoroughly...
This synth absolutely IS overkill, which is exactly my kind of synthesizer. I'm going to put this on a stand with my Kronos and just overkill the universe.
makes sense. i'll prob do the same thing. we have a problem.
Destroy only the bad things in the universe. I'll help!
Is the hydrasynth the best controller if you have the desktop version?
A Kronos and an Iridium is everything you'll ever need. I haven't scratched the surface on my Kronos II.
I’m going add this to my YamahaMODX setup
Can I afford it? Yes. Do I want it? Yes. Do I need it? Nope...
Can you give me some green bro? I'm a poor musician ;)
Really appreciated your comparison to the Quantum sir! 🙃
You’re so necessary in my education on new and complex instruments!
🙌🏻🙏🏻
Does loopop interface directly with all this hardware? I swear he plugs himself in and is like "get the camera rolling, I've developed a full usability interface demo... "bleep bloop bleep...sorry let me convert to English".
Hehe his reviews are like video manuals...must have a v good memory...
And thus began the age of mini computers to get away from mini computers.
Right!
yeah going back to self contained mini laptop synths!
Sequential, Novation, Waldorf, and probably many others: Why is it so easy to lose your sound design work on synths from all of these manufacturers by accidentally pressing a button, with no undo?
C'mon folks, we've only been doing presets for 40 years, it's not rocket science ! 😃
If you consider the varying UI/UX monstrosities (like the Kronos etc.) it's as if the hardware synth engineers have learned nothing from decades of software design, even when their new product is a pure software solution on some dedicated hardware like e.g. this one. Undo seems to be a million years away when most manufacturers forgot that there once was a quite useful "compare" function on many synths, which doesn't exist anymore on any modern synth and could be considered half the way to "undo".
@@gerdpfeil Polybrute still has compare, and a "set all to panel settings" button!
@@Leo9ine You're right, the Montage/MODX has edit/compare too. But my Fantom doesn't have that, so learning that the Iridium I'm eying a lot doesn't have that either struck a nerve there. :)
Programmers everywhere wander into total nightmares because they look at a problem and say "this should be easy to fix."
What I like about your reviews is that they're very structured, deep and sober, everything is straight to the point. No aaahs and ummms, no attempts at explaining things to people who see a synth for the first time in their life at the expense of depth, no wallowing in marketdroid superlatives. That's an hour well spent.
subharmonic kernels is the name of my new band
Yo can I join? Not to brag, but I am a great triangle player.
I’d go for, The Subharmonic Colonels.
@@watercolourmark badum tsh :D :D
What type of popcorn is that then? Lolol.
My only regret about Iridium is that I hesitated for two years before buying it. I thought the learning curve was too steep, but it turned out to be accessible and instantly gratifying.
I just got the keyboard version and I am amazed how initiative the whole system is to use, between the screen and the physical.
same here, but the core was a lot cheaper so ... i dont like the factory patches - but i really liked the first patch, i did on my own. Top synth.
Great video! And thank you Loopop for having introduced some of my FM presets! 41:07
Thanks for sending them over!
Go make a nf-1 only video
Hogman 5000 😊👌🏻
I don't think it has enough features. Pity.
With this machine i would leave the realm of making music really quick.
I thought so too, but after creating a particular sound, I rush to perform and record it, and then essentially have laid down the foundation of my entire new track, which I think enhance, sculpt and chisel at for another few days and boom! A pure source of inspiration!
Yup way too many menus...pass....
My feeling too. It would be a great sound design tool for going deep with, though. For those so inclined.
Yup. Sofa noodling
Same. You gotta take that and resample
I'll wait 15 years from now , and buy it used
Probably cost more then lol
I don't know if I've ever seen a Waldorf synth drop in price!
That how I have an Attack rack, microQ, and a SE microwave., didn’t pay more than 300 for synths that cost well over 1000
Looks really awesome.... way too much menu diving for my taste. I’ll end up messing with a single sound ALL NIGHT,
so amazing. only thing i don't like are those hideously colored pads.
Got one. No more time to spend on RUclips now. WHAT A SYNTH !!!
I always thought that the Yamaha EX5 would be the most crazy digital synth ever made, but Waldorf totally warps the EX5 (I own one, rack version, it's amazing, will never sell it) this synth is so bonkers, sounds amazing, endless possibilities I really want one. I prolly need a month or so to figure the thing out, but I want it. Great presentation!
Oh I forgot to ask - how does the granular compare the the GR-1? Does it have the fixed / absolute grain length you were looking for?
I hope to see Jexus get his hands on one of these...or better yet, a Quantum.
he did already and found a time warp back to the future. where he was from.
Been watching your channel for years. I just noticed....you sound curiously like Ernie from Sesame Street!
Not the one of ours
guess you can spend a lifetime to design a sound with all those parameters....
Well, people probably said that about the Waldorf Wave, except those sadly started dying and Waldorf the company died with it as they weren't able to help users fix them.
From VintageSynth: " have a sad story to say about my Wave. I felt in love at first sight and bought it directly from the company.
My s/n was XXXX153
Played for 5 years but using it live was a nightmare because Wave randomly went crazy during gigs I sent 3 times to Waldorf to repair it, the fourth time they told me to have no more IC spare parts available to repair it so that they proposed to exchange my useless Wave with a Q+, a MicroWave and a written agreement about the possibility to buy their next "big synth" Stromberg when out at factory cost.
Few months later Waldorf goes bankrupt!"
was gonna comment "oh my god why is it $2,500 that's so overpriced" and then he said it's basically 5 synth engines in one
Had this beast of a synth for a few days and it is absolutely amazing.I have scaled down my set up to get this as it can do so much. Anyone complaining about the price should go out and test this, you will not be disappointed.
Same. I’m about to sell some gear because this is so damn capable.
i gonna buy the behringer system 100 and syatem 55 modulars instead.. i have the vst version of this already.
We are in a pandemic and though it looks amazing it's digital which should mean that it should not be that expensive. My DSI Tempest is a thing of electronic wizadry , I can understand why it's so expensive. This is basically a music computer in a plastic box, ALOT cheaper to make
@@cheekoandtheman It's actually a metal chassis. Since it's digital it should be cheap? So anything digital is overpriced? Your Tempest is an analog drum machine and though an excellent one, it isn't doing anything special, you just like what it does. The truth of the matter is all of these machines we love can be replaced with a laptop or desktop for less cost and much more power and capabilities. You and I all those like us buy these machines for the experience of using them, the tactile feedback and feeling of the machines, that's what we are paying for.
cheekoandtheman what has a pandemic got to do with this synth? I have one and there is no computer available that could give the same tactile feel and ease of use. With your train of thought why bother buying a tempest when there are some amazing free drum vst’s and some definitely cheaper than the tempest that can do more...
This machine is like the Hardware equivalent of Xfer Serum.
I’ve been wishing for a Syrum hardware synth.
@Furz Hardly. Serum is a wavetable synthesizer. Quantum/Iridium has 4 other synth engines besides wavetables...
a hardware(massive+serum)😍
I thought more about the direction of Serum x Dune3 ???
I thought that too until I launched Massive X. This one is way more powerful! Think about all the synthesis modes plus the complex FM routing, and the sheer number of LFOs, plus the full-blown sampler. Not to mention CV in for my modular hookup... This is the thing to get locked in the closet with for a day - no mouse required! :)
@@mikelazarev5833 Thanks for reminding me I need to have a look at the new Massive.
Tho I use Bitwig and you can add infinite amount of LFOs, Envelopes, CV control from moduar and other modulation to any VST instrument out there.
I've had mine for a while and because it can't seamlessly sound switch that's a big no no for modern gear that are not analog components. Since this unit is 16 voice and capable of two layers it should be possible to enter an 8 voice only mode that will seamlessly sound switch to a second voice. That's not rocket science but not sure why it can't do that currently as most high end units of this price point can sound switch. Waiting for seconds for a voice to load is extremely interruptive and annoying even when doing nothing more than voice auditioning. It's the primary reason I would get rid of it. Not many circumstances allow for a single voice not to be switched to another voice in a performance unless all it is being used for is a single voice rompler. That's a lot of money for a single voice rompler. So even if it can do 5 engines in 2 layers it's still a single entity unless you can flip on/off engines to pretend to be switching. Many if not most people might prefer only 2 engines as long as they can sound switch. Seems like it's capable but not implemented. Anyone know why not? My friend always laughs about this limitation and claims his 1980 Casio could sound switch. I greatly prefer switching like on my PA5x, M8x & YC73 because that's what a real instrument is supposed to do. I think you can switch from voice 1 to 2 but not move on continuously changing to other voices. Maybe you can be playing voice 1 and shuffling through voice 2 but I'm not sure about that as I'm thinking out loud. I'm not sure pressing the second voice button also doesn't cut off the first voice.
About its computational power: 16 voices and 2 part multitimbral?!.I really don't get the granted cpu power. To me the flagship digital synthesizers of a decade ago used to be a bit stronger. I still want the Iridium based on its synth engines, but it is expensive for 2 part digital synth.
Waldorf Presents: Time-Waster
time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time...
@@LdotSdot210 amen
@@LdotSdot210 procrastination theme song
A great video. At 44:00 you mention the panning of the dual filters and how the Quantum cannot do this. That feature is in the 3.0 update for the Quantum, which was just released as a beta version.
Guess I need to get uses to riding the bus because I'll have to sell my car to afford this or the Quantum.. man this is why I fell in love with Waldorf back in 1999..... they just make amazing synths... I 💘 my microwaveXT
A movie length review. I am trying to imagine the effort needed to make a video like this! Impressive.
I can't begin to fathom how long it must have taken to plan and make this video, with so many features to cover. yeesh! great review
thinside AWESOME REVIEW! It is amazing how touch’s on literally everything the synth does and how to edit it, in every video he does!
I like how connectivity is one of the first things you address because often it’s one of the main factors that determines weather or not I’m interested in a synth.
In my opinion., its overkill. Isn't it the limitations and the workarounds that make the dawless great? And now we have a synth with sd-card and Touchscreen. In my opinion a synth must be great to play and not offer the most features. If I want that, I buy a PC, load some vsts, have a Controller and have limitless Options...
Besides that: I Love your Videos and that your focussing on the Instrument and not talking about random Shit :D
For some, limitations breed creativity. For others, limitations are just a pain which destroys a creative process by adding friction. It can really go both ways. Regardless, it's important to make sure instruments are designed as _instruments_ -- and prioritize their ability to be played... instead of just packing in as many features as possible at the cost of usability.
It seems like Waldorf tends to focus more on the engineering side of things than the instrument design side of things, but they're not too bad. An Iridium wouldn't be my first choice for a poly synth, but it's far from my last choice. It would, for example, be a nice upgrade from my Blofeld. But it wouldn't be as enjoyable to use as a Peak or a Hydrasynth.
That's total nonsense, go into a professional recording studio and ask them about dAwLeSs.😂😂😂😂
@@ToyKeeper thankyou! I agree on that. I got more the feel, its an pc with controller instead of a synth. But yea the possibilities are probably amazing with it
@@Heathcliff_hensel thats your opinion. Lucky people differ from each other 😘
Jan F some want to have the power of a computer without being sat down at the ever distracting actual computer.
I wonder how these new synths will last compared to old classics.
my Waldorf MicroQ still goes.
old classics being forced to live past their intended life by cannibalizing parts from other synths of the same kind?
That wonky envelope button though ...........
I could barely afford that black Keystep tbh
4GB internal storage seems ridiculously stingy given that the cost of going from 4gb to 8gb at manufacturer quantity would barely cost $1
Totally!
As you have to load it into the 4gb, maybe it’s something to do with how the memory is addressed rather than cost?
WALDORF NEEDS TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS ASAP:
•The screen touch response is pretty BAD, first and foremost
•Fix Multisampling workflow
•Latch to external Keyboards
•Visual feedback on the Wavetable scroll
•Step Sequencer increase (32 steps is too short for the SEQ)
•Undo feature (at least one step)
It wouldn't be a Waldorf if it were perfect.
Tony Scharf // LOL Indeed, I was saving for the Quantum. So I have the savings ready to buy the Iridium but I will hold up until they fix that screen and those issues.
@@MeAlexSenna Having owned many Waldorf boards over the years...I wouldn't count on it ever happening. If you can't live with it as it is, don't live with it. My Blofeld and Xtk knod in agreement.
What's scary is its from Waldorf (They were my favorite company for years) . if anything goes wrong especially with the screen. And a repair is needed......oh boy.
After my blofeld experience. That thing was a mess!
Bricked a second time and dump ed it.
Now i still.have my q+ and microwave.
And never had an issue with them. Still
Work like new.. But have i have reservations about them now..
But in 2020 every synth should have sd,usb,cv,...etc ...
As you have Microwave (XT?) what do you think compared to the Iridium ? :)
This together with a MPC is a hardware version of ableton
Akai force more so
We are soldiers. Go deep. Save humanity.
Hi, have there been any upgrades on the Iridium?
Thanks @@QETInet I was wondering as this looks like such a good system, but hadn't noticed any updates.
I was waiting for this!
Oh I need 1 of these in my life
@@agreen9903 Absolutely
My wallet was dreading this
me 2!
Neither velocity or pressure... struggling to get past that at this price point (the buttons are pretty though)
You can hook up a midi keyboard with after touch and program the after touch same with velocity. Just make sure the board is capable of those things.
too bad that a complete digital synthesizer has no digital I/O so that the sound is even clearer ... every computer has a digital s / pdif output
Can you load custom samples for Resonator engine? And can you use long samples for it?
Amazing tutorial so inspiring. Just one question At around 22 minutes in you need Timor’s their were two ways to prevent samples from speeding up and slowing down. Chip monkey. However you only illustrated one method. What is the other one please.
Chip monkey?
for such a machine, the lack of more physical I/O seems rather limiting; e.g. send&return jacks and additional stereo out would be beneficial (otherwise seems like squashing creativity through a thin straw)
My wallet..... ooooof
WHOA. This is almost overwhelming! It's amaaaazing, this is from the year 2098!! It's like having Serum in your hands on steroids
Waldorf has always been on the cutting edge of creativity. Sounds absolutely stellar!! Would have voted to replace touch pad section with some other synth features/functionality. Couldn't see if there was a plucked string resonator.
it looks expensive....it sounds expensive...im getting a bit too expensive for myself lately...
Within a few hours after watching i decided to sell my Prophet Rev2 and another Eurorack Module and pre-ordered this beast. This is my kind of a modern workstation, wow!
How'd that work out?
@@SomeOne-pd6vm exactly like planned. loving the Iridium, not missing my Prophet
Touchscreen appears unresponsive. Everything else looks and sounds ace
It's sometimes hanging and you have to tap a few times so it registers.. It doesn't happen too often. Mixed feelings about it. The iridium still delivers for me so i think i will stick around.
It’s very frustrating, more than people care to admit. I’m at the point where I have second thoughts on turning it on because does so many misfires, Waldorf Needs to fix the screen touch
I just can't unsee those wonky buttons. If I owned this synth (which I never will...) I'd probably spend half the time making sure I didn't make them wonky and making them straight if I did :-D
Ouch, no famous Loopop screens are needed to show this beaut :) esthetically I’ll hate my white Keystep, your black looks much better, but I got Beatstep Pro in black for it! Will be enjoying your detailed review while mine is traveling home, thank you Sir Loopop :)
... I thought there is a way to bulk load samples by special file naming already, maybe for Quantum only yet. Looking forward to drop Hangdrum and guitar in multi velocity with round robin to tweak those further. Sold anything else in my studio, and a kidney to have it all :) cheers!
Imagine this + the Hydrasynth desktop together...game over and how cool would they look side by side?
Brilliant thanks! Just about to dive into one of these and this is a big help!
Realy love what you do, that's help a lot to understand what is about synth we can get hands on, on sometime manual are not realy clear... 👌💯
Amazing review as always. Looks impressive and would love to own one. Possibilities seem endless (actually feel overloaded), but unsure of the actual sound signature. Definitely on the want list, but would need to justify the cost mentally. One heck of an instrument or is it a machine/tool. Feels slightly cold in it's implementation. Just my initial reaction while hearing/watching videos. Not a hater just a point of view from a possible buyer.
Update - bought one. Wow is all I can say. Interface is quite intuitive after you get use to it. The sound design possiblites are endless. So much packed into one box. Currently run it through the Analog Heat which is not needed, but allows me to spice it up even more whenever I want. Glad I took the leap. Still in the honeymoon phase, but zero buyers remorse. Can't say that about all the gear I have purchased over the years.
This thing would make me scratch my head more than Nick Bat.
Nick Batt makes you scratch your head?
@@theacochrane5441 Its a joke, Nick Bat always scratches his head when he's either really into or confused by a synth.
i hoped that this was a virus ti alternative, but sadly it's not multi-timbral
Bi timbral at least
This is like a Microfreak for adults :)
I’ve been eagerly waiting for this to show up to my door!! You’ve really went into detail with this which I appreciate. Between this and a novation summit this summer I think this will cover my poly needs.
How is it going since you received the synth?
At 8:02 LoopOp says, ". . . I think that after about a day of getting yourself oriented with what's going on here it's actually faily straightforward . . . " May I interpret this statement ? For most of you out there, after about a year of intense study things will be fairly straightforward.
ouch
@@loopop My post was meant as a compliment. This particular skill you possess is without doubt embedded in your DNA - which is not fair to us others when it comes to figuring out the maze of routines and second guessing what the heck the manufacture has developed.
It is documented that when it comes to equipment with many options, most of us will only relegate ourselves to a smaller portion of its capacity because the options are not easily accessible (or the layout does not make sense). So you pay a few thousands for an instrument and then at some time discover over the years, you are using a fraction of it. What is that about? Which brings up another point, an instruction course I would gladly pay to enroll. When a video review is a catalyst to purchase an instrument, I gladly give a donation.
I see the Iridium firmware has been updated a few times since that review, but I can't find a changelog of the various firmware updates online. Does anyone know where the various fixes/new features are listed?
One of the first Loopop videos I didn’t watch through the end. That isn’t because of Loopop (he does wat he is good at) but just the device. This is something I would never buy, that screen is such a pain in the arse. Every time I see Loopop fiddle on that screen I get the urge to stop the video and I finally did around minute 25. If I want to look at a screen when making music I start up my DAW. That is the main reason I work Outside of the box. That this thing can do a lot sure but with that much time on a screen And that much money I would choose a DAW any day. A lot cheaper with more possibilities.
Agree! Even after a little time testing the quantum, I don't like using this touchscreen (or any touchscreen). Much more precise and quick with a mouse for designing sounds
I’m with you guys .... I do think it’s pretty tho
This synth is incredible!
Just watching the first bits shows the touchscreen to be tedious and that continues throughout. Loads of retries there. Filters sound meh and so do the effects. I'd have preferred analog filters at this price. "Nice ok" is a euphemism.
so complex its spelled with a k :D
Hell na, this thing cost more that my MPC X!!!!! what the???? just for a synth??? no drums Hell No... Really nice sounds but just not worth it for the price to me!! The learning curve seems High as well.. 😢😵
I fear for my wallet every time I see a new post here.... with good reason this thing looks fantastic!
There making the costs ridiculous, only trust fund babies can afford this, especially during a pandemic. Because it was digital I was hopeful for a second. . Imagine if it was affordable it would of taken the music world by storm
Beautiful synth, so many features, some odd limitations though and the price. Struggling as to why such an advanced synth is only Bi-Timbral when Blofeld is multitimbral. Iridium is just screaming for multitimbral. Also the pads could’ve been something really special with after touch, so it’s a slight missed opportunity. Thanks for showing more of the Particle/granular engine and I’m wondering how it compares with GR-1 (dedicated) granular. Anyhow, if the price were $1800 I’d be more inclined to save up. The pricing for a desktop is a bit high for me.
This synth keeps calling "Buy me!". I can afford it, but I have to keep coming back to this video to remember why I'm not smart enough to own this synth. Thanks, I'm sure I'll have to come back here again next month for another humbling experience.
Get your hands on a super udo6 for review
The Iridium doesn't sound like anything else that I'm aware of. It doesn't have "that sound". It's something entirely different, and I had trouble identifying with it.
It has a distinctly "Waldorf" sound. It's digital AF, but it's capable of hitting hard and going deep. I've sampled it to create some pretty interesting drum kits.
My advice: Be patient with it. If you decide to purchase an Iridium, don't judge the synth based on its presets. There are well over 2,000 of them, and many of them aren't particularly "musical". In fact, some of them should have been omitted. Had I judged the instrument based on its presets, I would have returned it.
Spend time creating your own sounds. Exploit the extensive mod matrix and sampler to their fullest potential. Kernel mode is wild. It's complicated, but fun. Explore the Komplex modulator and different filter modes. Use Live Granular to turn your mono synth into a poly.
Digital Airy... Analog broad.
Great overview thanks! Shallow I know but , Aside from how amazing this is sounds it’s & feature-set its a fantastic looking thing 😍......( so now I really don’t understand why the Kyra ended up so ugly😏)....
This.................this is godriffic. I might sell my car for this! But aside from that, Loopop, you're the greatest gear reviewer of music of all time. You deserve a full television network.
Thanks, and go LoopFlix!
Clearly Waldorf have spent lost of time developing this, but the price seems really high compared to what else is on the market. Some things seem quite average. Eg granular and sampler seems pretty basic compared to an MPC or Clouds. Though I prefer hardware, I think in this instance I would probably use a software synth with a dedicated midi controller rather than this simply because of price.
sounds freezing cold
really ?
@@Asmotiv well. thats my opinion dude :D
Tempting....might have to look into that affirm financing lol
lol 😂
I have the greateshit respect and admiration for Mr Loopop. I have never and I no doubt will never ever see a better reviewer. He is mind boggelingly good at his job - his attention to detail is wonderous to behold. Many times I have found help from one of his videos at a time when I'm stuck for a workaround whilst using some piece of studio gear or another - and then added to which - whatever instrument I'm using I can rest assured that Mr Loopop will have reviewed it which is awesome!!! Mr Loopop for President.
Man a monster review for a monster synth! I may need to pop out for beer and snacks!
Crazy Question: Can I anyhow Sequence samples? ala Octatrack/MPC?
While I do love the power - I see you struggling with the touch screen a bit. Gives me concern. Tim Shoebridge mentioned similar in his quantum review
I can confirm on the quantum that it's not as reactive as it should, and sometimes not very precise. Maybe I do have too big fingers :) Had to try two or three times to click some small icons like for instance "mod" below the parameter you want to modulate. It's due to its rather old screen technology
Hey just FYI you don’t need to press the small mod button, anywhere on the control works. Also, long taps work better than short ones
wow they made serum a real thing
Yes this is what I was thinking lmao
I don't get people keep whining about the price of this and any other synth that's not made by Chininger in a communist country. A certain domestic 3-OSC mono synth lacking an LFO set you back almost $2,000 in 1978-1980, which was still on the cheaper side of synths back then and that was half of the average for a shiny new car - in today's inflation-corrected dollars that would be $8,700. A cheap (by comparison) 8-voice poly from Japan would've been $3,300 in 1983, that's $9,400 today.
Conversely, the $2,700 for the Iridium (made in Germany) would translate to $780 in 1980, while a cheap (by comparison) DX-7 would still have have cost you $1,700 (today $5,000) in 1983. In fact, even with prices adjusted for inflation and purchasing power, cars are at least 3 times more expensive today, just like beer, and $2,700 will barely buy you a decent used car anymore and much less beer than $780 would've bought you in 1980. At the same time, even the prices for handbuilt analog synths e.g. made in the UK were cut into fractions of what they had cost back then, due to the pricing pressure created by you guys preferring cheap stuff made by people who'd just disappear if they publicly disagree with their government and mind you, synth makers in the free world want to buy a beer too once in a while. [/rant]
Hey! How about to get rid of the pads and put a double sized or dual screen isntead waldorf :)