Bought one a few months ago. The oscillators are very clean, and the built in overdrive seems to do sweet FA except increase the volume. But as Starsky has pointed out the fm, routing and modulation possibilities really add bags of lovely character. Ironically i bought it to use as a typical analogue mono, but actually mainly use it for lovely pads and keys in the paraphonic mode. Highly recommended!!
If you use this synth with the available app you can run from an iPad, it is freaking insane❕you have everything at your fingertips and you’ll see how massive this little thing is🤙🏼
I own a original Pulse and the Pulse 2. I prefer the Pulse 2 for its encoders vs the original Pulse with pots. But there is one thing you need to be aware of, if you don‘t like those techno like sounds: keep the mixer levels down. If you use them below 50%, you here the much Moog like ladder filter character. With some detuning and some low level modulations to change the pitch just slightly for a vintage feeling, you get reasonable analog sounds of the good old vintage character as well. There is an connector named Extension Board inside. Now that the Pulse 2 is at the end of production, I would love to know what they had in mind, when adding this connector. Some analog FX? Maybe we will never know.
I owned one, very nice synth. Always found myself wishing they'd make a similar one with Sawtooth being the main oscillator shape - would make for some great unison patches. The filter's very nice too, lots of character
Website is looking good! In the spirit of feedback: The one thing that mildly annoyed me, is that it took time for the things to "phase into visibility" while I scrolled down. So on one side: People spend more time on your site. On the other side: They may be mildly annoyed if they "scan" for something specific.
I love mine, the Blofeld has a wider pallet of a Waldorf range all round in it as sounds. But I'm often more impressed, & have to work on less... To find my Pulse 2 more rewarding. It's the same Pulse analogue synth as the early racks are. But the desktop is better imo to have & tweak on hand, than programming these in a rack unit version. Pulse 2 gives u extra filter options or filter slopes. A bandpass filter is always something I want as a filter option on synths. It's the best type of filter to use when layering or adding some depth in production of tracks. A stack of synths with only low pass filters, & a odd one or 2 with a extra but secondary hpf. Are not as useful as the things with bpf's, especially after you have those main parts & sounds to carry the arrangement thru worked out... Those lpf only synths are likely best for those elements. But bpfs are ace for filling in the more interesting things u can make work in with stuff too. Makes the Pulse 2 a good choice of the range
I almost got one back in the day, the stupid thing is I could never justify the price as it was more expensive than what I paid for my Blofeld Keys new. It looks like a fun unit and I fear the prices may go up once all new stock is sold out. Blofeld still reigns supreme for what I paid, that Fatar keybed is tops. Thx for the sad news lol.
It’s DCO as far as I can tell, and they can use pulses for timing and for waveshaping. I’m assuming - because I really have no idea! - threat internally there’s 8 pulses doing ‘stuff’ and if you limit the potential wave shapes and detuning etc then you can use them all as voices. But I’ve no idea really 😂
@@StarskyCarr Not sure but I think it is not using timer ICs like older DCO synths, but instead let the microcontroller do the timing pulses itself. And since many modern microcontrollers have plenty of timers, having 8 timers directly out of the microcontroller was essentially free. Adding waveshapers to get the other waveforms + the additional routing circuitry would have added significant cost so they only used three. That's my theory.
Great design, sounds, and price. Horrible interface. I am just too old and set in my ways to accept anything other than almost 100% knob per function. I state honestly if someone gave me an OB-X8 (which is a higher percentage knob per function rig, but NOT close enough IMHO) I would play it a few days, sell it and get a P10rev4 desktop paired with a Hydrasynth which would itself play mostly presets since it is mostly there for the PolyAT.
I own a Pulse 2. I keep it. One of the best Waldorf Synths. The new one like Iridium ans Quantum sounds like shit. Waldorf M is great. Everything of Waldorf what is build on the nave, iridium shit engine is sounding shit.
So is the pulse 2 I had it does sound nasal however for some in the face sound is good it does sound extremely huge some behringer analog stuff sound so quiet and back in the mix that u are better with u he plugins
Bought one a few months ago. The oscillators are very clean, and the built in overdrive seems to do sweet FA except increase the volume. But as Starsky has pointed out the fm, routing and modulation possibilities really add bags of lovely character. Ironically i bought it to use as a typical analogue mono, but actually mainly use it for lovely pads and keys in the paraphonic mode. Highly recommended!!
If you use this synth with the available app you can run from an iPad, it is freaking insane❕you have everything at your fingertips and you’ll see how massive this little thing is🤙🏼
Excellent review. I love my pulses 1 and 2!
OMG! Track #1 so beautiful
great review!! love the pulse 2
It's back (at least, temporarily). Blue version from Thomann, as part of their 70th Anniversary sale.
I own a original Pulse and the Pulse 2. I prefer the Pulse 2 for its encoders vs the original Pulse with pots. But there is one thing you need to be aware of, if you don‘t like those techno like sounds: keep the mixer levels down. If you use them below 50%, you here the much Moog like ladder filter character. With some detuning and some low level modulations to change the pitch just slightly for a vintage feeling, you get reasonable analog sounds of the good old vintage character as well. There is an connector named Extension Board inside. Now that the Pulse 2 is at the end of production, I would love to know what they had in mind, when adding this connector. Some analog FX? Maybe we will never know.
10 years is a much longer run than many of the analog synths of yesteryear.
I owned one, very nice synth. Always found myself wishing they'd make a similar one with Sawtooth being the main oscillator shape - would make for some great unison patches. The filter's very nice too, lots of character
Website is looking good! In the spirit of feedback: The one thing that mildly annoyed me, is that it took time for the things to "phase into visibility" while I scrolled down. So on one side: People spend more time on your site. On the other side: They may be mildly annoyed if they "scan" for something specific.
Thanks…. Not something I’ve done deliberately tbh. I’ll have to look at the settings. Cheers.
I love mine, the Blofeld has a wider pallet of a Waldorf range all round in it as sounds. But I'm often more impressed, & have to work on less... To find my Pulse 2 more rewarding. It's the same Pulse analogue synth as the early racks are. But the desktop is better imo to have & tweak on hand, than programming these in a rack unit version. Pulse 2 gives u extra filter options or filter slopes. A bandpass filter is always something I want as a filter option on synths. It's the best type of filter to use when layering or adding some depth in production of tracks. A stack of synths with only low pass filters, & a odd one or 2 with a extra but secondary hpf. Are not as useful as the things with bpf's, especially after you have those main parts & sounds to carry the arrangement thru worked out... Those lpf only synths are likely best for those elements. But bpfs are ace for filling in the more interesting things u can make work in with stuff too. Makes the Pulse 2 a good choice of the range
pulse 3 next?
I was going to buy this soon. It was in my "next 3 synths I want to own" -list. Well maybe I find it used in a mint condition.
Do i need a MIDI controller or can it be played without it? Loving this thing.
Does all kinds of interesting things. Take one of the oscillators and reverse key track the pitch as just one example...cool results
Always loved my mk1, and often considered the mk2. Not sure why I never went for it tbh…
If they used the screen properly, and put a better filter on it, it would be killer.
you probably mean the character but I don't like how it lowers the volume of the patch when you work the filter and resonance.
I almost got one back in the day, the stupid thing is I could never justify the price as it was more expensive than what I paid for my Blofeld Keys new.
It looks like a fun unit and I fear the prices may go up once all new stock is sold out.
Blofeld still reigns supreme for what I paid, that Fatar keybed is tops.
Thx for the sad news lol.
Its now selling for more than what I paid for it years ago.
That opening track sounds like an elevator version of a BOC tune.
One year later: Waldorf Pulse 2 Thomann 70th Anniversary Limited Edition.
😂
The vampire revision
How on earth did they achieve an eight voices paraphony with 3 osc??
It’s DCO as far as I can tell, and they can use pulses for timing and for waveshaping. I’m assuming - because I really have no idea! - threat internally there’s 8 pulses doing ‘stuff’ and if you limit the potential wave shapes and detuning etc then you can use them all as voices. But I’ve no idea really 😂
@@StarskyCarr Not sure but I think it is not using timer ICs like older DCO synths, but instead let the microcontroller do the timing pulses itself. And since many modern microcontrollers have plenty of timers, having 8 timers directly out of the microcontroller was essentially free. Adding waveshapers to get the other waveforms + the additional routing circuitry would have added significant cost so they only used three. That's my theory.
8 voice paraphonic is like the Holy Trinity; it's a mystery!
think its divide down like the old string machines
I remember reading somewhere it has actually got eight oscillators.
I think they all have one shape and are combined to form the various shapes.
Great design, sounds, and price. Horrible interface. I am just too old and set in my ways to accept anything other than almost 100% knob per function. I state honestly if someone gave me an OB-X8 (which is a higher percentage knob per function rig, but NOT close enough IMHO) I would play it a few days, sell it and get a P10rev4 desktop paired with a Hydrasynth which would itself play mostly presets since it is mostly there for the PolyAT.
I own a Pulse 2. I keep it. One of the best Waldorf Synths. The new one like Iridium ans Quantum sounds like shit. Waldorf M is great. Everything of Waldorf what is build on the nave, iridium shit engine is sounding shit.
So is the pulse 2 I had it does sound nasal however for some in the face sound is good it does sound extremely huge some behringer analog stuff sound so quiet and back in the mix that u are better with u he plugins
The Pulse is too good to deserve a Jacob Rees Mogg thumbnail
haha... I was thinking blood sucking vampire
I got to click the Like at 69. Niiice.
Sold mine for 200 bucks had always this nasal shit waldorf sound had the same feeling with the Blofield simply not waldorf fan maybe