Microwave 1 Plugin
by Waldorf · Synth · Hybrid wavetable synth emulation
Not rated yet
Microwave 1 Plugin recreates Waldorf's original Microwave hybrid synth, modeling its wavetable ASIC and the Curtis analog filter chips, with the engine running internally at 250 kHz.
Version 2 adds voice cards that raise polyphony from 8 to 32, round-robin modes, per-part and global arpeggiators and a creative delay, for €149 (about $169).
Best for: Keys & Synths, Bass, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Pop, Ambient & Cinematic.
Keywords: wavetable, hybrid, arpeggiator, hardware emulation, polyphonic, 80s, analog, creative, resizable UI, round-robin, digital classic, vintage, basses, pads, randomize, sound design, subtractive, textures, undo/redo.
What it does
The Microwave 1 Plugin recreates Waldorf's 1989 hybrid synth, which paired digital wavetables with analog filters. The developer calls it "a multi-year effort and a labor of love" to capture the original's quirks.
- ASIC engine: a recreation of the Waldorf wavetable ASIC, checked bit by bit against the hardware and running at 250 kHz regardless of the DAW's sample rate.
- Wavetables: all original wavetables and waveforms, plus user-made wavetables and randomization modes for creating new ones.
- Curtis filters: models of both Curtis filter chip revisions (A and B), including their non-linearities and tone colour.
- Voices: 8 voices as on the original, expandable to 32 with virtual voice cards, keeping the micro-timing and voice variation.
- Multi mode: layer and split parts, with Round Robin and Random Robin voice modes added in version 2.
- Arpeggiators and delay: a polyphonic arpeggiator per part plus a global one, and a delay with filter, tremolo, diffusion and pitch shifting.
- Presets and hardware: all original factory sounds, new presets by Chuck Zwicky, import of MIDI and SysEx dumps, and use as a graphical editor for an original Microwave.
Version 2.0 also brings a scalable GUI with animated wavetable, envelope and filter displays, a new preset browser with favorites and search, multi-level undo and editing of several parts at once. A trial is available.
When to use it
The Microwave 1 Plugin is the pick for the authentic late-80s Waldorf wavetable sound: glassy, metallic and digital, but run through modelled analog filters. Compared with Serum 2 or Vital it has far less modulation and visual editing, and the character comes from the hardware's limits rather than from flexibility. Next to the Blofeld Plugin it is less flexible but more characterful, and next to Nave it is gritty and vintage rather than clean and modern. Version 2 removes the main gaps of the first release by adding arpeggiators, a delay, 32 voices and a better browser.
- Best for: authentic Microwave basses, pads and digital textures, and owners of the hardware who want it in the box or a graphical editor for it.
- Genres: electronic, techno, synth-pop, industrial and ambient.
- Look elsewhere if: you want a modern layout and many modulation sources (Serum 2 or Pigments 7) or a free wavetable synth (Vital).
- Tip: try the Glissando option for glides that step in semitones, and use filter resonance carefully, as it distorts quickly (MusicRadar).
What producers say
Reviewers agree it sounds like the hardware; their criticisms of the first release were mostly fixed in version 2.
- MusicRadar (Roland Schmidt, 2025) called it "an important and truly engaging synthesizer plugin", praising the oscillator and filter modelling, glide and the inspiring wavetables.
- Sounds of Revolution (Oliver Schmitt, 2024) gave it 80% and said "the plugin sounds just like the hardware", with a scalable GUI and SysEx import.
- Criticisms: MusicRadar noted the 8-voice limit; Sounds of Revolution missed an arpeggiator, effects, a random patch generator and browser favorites. Version 2 adds 32 voices, arpeggiators, a delay and favorites.
Where to buy
- Waldorf: $169.19 (Listed at €149 incl. VAT; converted at €1 = $1.1355 (ECB rate, 29 Sep 2026))
Tutorials and reviews
- Waldorf Microwave 1 Synthesizer Plugin: First Look & Sound Demo
- Microwave 1 Plugin - Walkthrough, Sounddesign and hardware remote
- Waldorf Microwave 1 Plugin Presets Play Through
- The Microwave 1 from Waldorf is now a plugin!
- Waldorf Microwave 1 Plug-In: The 90s machine - Let's create a song!
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