Waldorf Delivers PPG Wave 3.V

Waldorf Music has announced availability of its new PPG Wave 3.V soft synth plug-in.

The PPG Wave 3.V is a virtual recreation of the PPG Wave series, arguably amongst the most coveted high-end synthesizers of the Eighties.

Waldorf PPG Wave 3v

The Waldorf PPG Wave 3.V reproduces the combination of digital waveforms and analogue filters of the original hardware PPG Waves. In addition to the PPG Wave 2.2, the new Waldorf PPG plug-in also simulates the 1984-vintage, multitimbral PPG Wave 2.3, as well as Waldorf’s own PPG Wave 2.V plug-in, originally released back in 2000. Alternative aliasing can be chosen, since it sounded different on the PPG Wave 2.3 compared to the PPG Wave 2.2. Users can even set cutoff and resonance deviations to simulate the inexactness of real analogue filters.

Depending on the host computer, the Waldorf PPG Wave 3.V can produce up to 256 voices per instance, offering two wavetable oscillators per voice with selectable 8-bit (similar to the original PPG Wave 2,2), 12-bit (similar to the original PPG Wave 2.3), or up to 32-bit (similar to the PPG Wave 2.V plug-in) sample playback. Additionally, analogue ‘imperfection’ of sorts is simulated to help supplement the basic warm, fat sound.

To enhance the plug-in’s sound library further still, users can load samples via drag and drop or the file selection dialogue; with the eight-way multi-mode, it’s even possible to play back multi-samples and refine the sound along the lines of the original PPG Waveterm, which offered user sampling and DIY wavetable creation (as well as advanced — for the time — sequencing capabilities), as the heart and brain of PPG’s Music Computer System.

The audio signal path flows through a 12dB/oct or 24dB/oct low-pass filter, a recreation of that found in the PPG Wave 2.2/2.3, with an overdrive providing additional sound characteristics.

Alongside the LFO modulation sources are three additional envelopes, corresponding to the originals’ slightly coarser resolution. Users can also select finer settings, if needed.

The original PPG Waves distinguished themselves from the competition of the day by virtue of a unique user interface — the Multiple Function Analog Control Panel providing convenient hands-on access to the most important sound parameters, while the adjacent Multiple Function Digital Control Panel displayed deeper digital access, both numerically and via a series of not-quite-so-convenient cryptic abbreviations; the Waldorf PPG Wave 3.V effectively recreates this intuitive interface — albeit with easier-to-read/understand values and wording!

Additionally, almost all parameters can be accessed via host automation; most also support MIDI controller information, so the Waldorf PPG Wave 3.V can easily integrate into any existing production environment.

Waldorf PPG Wave 3.V is available for 169€ (including VAT for EU countries). Waldorf is also offering the PPG Wave 3.V Upgrade from all versions of its PPG Wave 2.V plug-in, including the LE version and the Steinberg-distributed Waldorf Edition plug-in suite, at a special Christmas discounted price of 99€ from December 15 to 31; thereafter, it will cost 119€. More information about the Upgrade can be found in the Waldorf online shop: http://shop.waldorfmusic.de

An unrestricted evaluation license (100 hours over 100 days) is also available from here: http://www.waldorfmusic.de/en/ppg-3-evaluation.html

System requirements: Mac OS X 10.3.9 and above (running as a 32-bit plug-in); Windows XP and above (can be installed on 64-bit Vista/Windows 7, but runs as a 32-bit plug-in).

21 thoughts on “Waldorf Delivers PPG Wave 3.V

  1. I don't feel like requesting an evaluation license by giving away my name and address. Otherwise I'd have done a side-by-side comparison of different patches on both the old and the new PPG Wave plugin. But I guess someone else will do that now; if no one has already done it, that is.

  2. I don't feel like requesting an evaluation license by giving away my name and address. Otherwise I'd have done a side-by-side comparison of different patches on both the old and the new PPG Wave plugin. But I guess someone else will do that now; if no one has already done it, that is.

  3. I don't feel like requesting an evaluation license by giving away my name and address. Otherwise I'd have done a side-by-side comparison of different patches on both the old and the new PPG Wave plugin. But I guess someone else will do that now; if no one has already done it, that is.

  4. I don't feel like requesting an evaluation license by giving away my name and address. Otherwise I'd have done a side-by-side comparison of different patches on both the old and the new PPG Wave plugin. But I guess someone else will do that now; if no one has already done it, that is.

  5. I don't feel like requesting an evaluation license by giving away my name and address. Otherwise I'd have done a side-by-side comparison of different patches on both the old and the new PPG Wave plugin. But I guess someone else will do that now; if no one has already done it, that is.

  6. I don't feel like requesting an evaluation license by giving away my name and address. Otherwise I'd have done a side-by-side comparison of different patches on both the old and the new PPG Wave plugin. But I guess someone else will do that now; if no one has already done it, that is.

  7. Been playing around with this the past day or so. I’m really happy Waldorf decided to make an evaluation license available. I’m absolutely blown away by the sound. I’ve got tons of softsynths (Komplete, GForce stuff, Zebra2, etc.) and the 3.V is right at the top of the list. The inclusion of the Waveterm library is a bonus. The price is just a bit more than I would have hoped, but you do get what you pay for. In this case, it’s emulations of the 2.2, the 2.3 and the Waveterm as well as the 2.V. I might just end up selling my actual 2.2.

  8. Well.. it looks like the previous version – alright. but does it have to look different? I don't recall the previous version to offer chosing the resolution of the wavetables in bits. I'm definitely taking it for a test-drive.

    Its just a pity that there is no 64-Bit native version.

  9. Well.. it looks like the previous version – alright. but does it have to look different? I don't recall the previous version to offer chosing the resolution of the wavetables in bits. I'm definitely taking it for a test-drive.

    Its just a pity that there is no 64-Bit native version.

  10. Well.. it looks like the previous version – alright. but does it have to look different? I don't recall the previous version to offer chosing the resolution of the wavetables in bits. I'm definitely taking it for a test-drive.

    Its just a pity that there is no 64-Bit native version.

  11. Well.. it looks like the previous version – alright. but does it have to look different? I don't recall the previous version to offer chosing the resolution of the wavetables in bits. I'm definitely taking it for a test-drive.

    Its just a pity that there is no 64-Bit native version.

  12. Well.. it looks like the previous version – alright. but does it have to look different? I don't recall the previous version to offer chosing the resolution of the wavetables in bits. I'm definitely taking it for a test-drive.

    Its just a pity that there is no 64-Bit native version.

  13. Well.. it looks like the previous version – alright. but does it have to look different? I don't recall the previous version to offer chosing the resolution of the wavetables in bits. I'm definitely taking it for a test-drive.

    Its just a pity that there is no 64-Bit native version.

  14. It's quite different from the previous version. The aliasing behavior of the 2.2/2.3 has been more accurately reproduced, there's a boatload of brand new wavetables not found in the original PPG or any previous Waldorf synth, 12dB filter mode, filter drive, sample playback, etc. I've seen a PPG Wave 2.2 owner describe it as sounding very close to the real thing. I definitely think it's one of the most distinctive and characterful softsynths out there right now.

Leave a Reply to Seth Priske Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *