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Waldorf PULSE

19-Mar-2024

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Waldorf PULSE



Category:  Products / synthesisers / analog synthesisers

Added: 19-Dec-98  |  Author: admin

New price: £ 499  |   S/H price: .....£ 250-350 depending on luck and location


Waldorf PULSE

The 'Pulse' is a monophonic analog MIDI synth coming out of Waldorf Electronics GMBH, a small company which began launching products some 8 years ago with the Wave & micro-wave synths, and has since grown in a short time to become a highly respected synth company who's products have an excellent reputation.

The 'Pulse', is Waldorf's cheapest synth module.

I have never heard this unit or used it, so this page is really just to show you the thing, give you the spec', and generally let you know this unit is out there as a well regarded unit in the new analog monosynth market......Also, this page is here cos' Bjorn keeps bugging me about it !!!.. (hello Bjorn !)

I have contacted the distributors today, and we are going to try to get a review unit, and in the meantime, some Real-Audio of the 'Pulse' in action will be added soon... Meantime, here's the spec's, and hopefully someone who owns a 'Pulse', will give us some more in depth user comments further down the page.....So here's the spec's.......




  • Three Oscillators with variable waveforms
    • Oscillator 1, frequency range from 2Hz to 8.5kHz
      • pulse with variable pulse width
      • saw
      • triangle
    • Oscillator 2, frequency range from 2Hz to 8.5kHz
      • pulse with variable pulse width
      • saw
      • triangle
      • cross modulation (pulse waveform that is xor-ed with oscillator 3)
      • sync to oscillator 3
    • Oscillator 3, frequency range from 2Hz to 4.25kHz
      • pulse
      • saw
      • triangle
  • New Waldorf 24 dB lowpass filter with resonance up to self-oscillation, frequency range 25Hz to 35kHz.
  • 100 programs, divided into 59 ROM presets, 40 user programs and one random sound
  • Two envelopes each with selectable trigger modes
  • Two LFOs
    • LFO1
      • tri
      • sin
      • saw
      • pulse
      • sample&hold
    • LFO2
      • tri
      • delay parameter
  • LFO frequency range from 0.008 Hz up to 261 Hz
  • internal Arpeggiator
    • tempo from 50bpm to 300bpm
    • note values from 1/1 dotted, 1/1 tuplet, 1/1, 1/2 dotted, 1/2 tuplet ... to 1/32 note
    • 16 predefined rhythm patterns
    • four arpeggio modes, each with ascending note assignment or manual note assignment depending on the incoming note order
      • up
      • down
      • alternating
      • random (only one assignment mode)
    • 10 octave maximum range (automatic repetition)
    • hold function
  • All parameter changes sent/received as MIDI controller
  • Four routable modulation units with adjustable source, amount and destination
  • 16 modulation sources:
    • off
    • LFO1
    • LFO1 * Modwheel
    • LFO1 * Aftertouch
    • LFO2
    • LFO2 * Envelope
    • Envelope 1
    • Envelope 2
    • Velocity
    • Keytrack
    • Pitch follow
    • Pitchbend
    • Modwheel
    • Aftertouch
    • Breath Control
    • Control X
  • 16 modulation destinations:
    • Pitch
    • Osc1 Pitch
    • Osc2 Pitch
    • Osc2 Pitch
    • Osc1 Pulsewidth
    • Osc2 Pulsewidth
    • Osc1 Level
    • Osc2 Level
    • Osc3 Level
    • Noise Level
    • Cutoff
    • Resonance
    • Volume
    • Panning
    • LFO1 Speed
    • Mod1 Amount
  • Large 3 x 7 segment LED display
  • six knobs and four buttons for convenient editing
  • 19" 2HE Rackmount
  • Stereo Line out
  • MIDI In/Out/Thru
  • External 12V DC Power supply





Well, there you go.... The Pulse has gained a great reputation, and is the main competitor to the new Super Bass-Station, as they both have similar specs..... So c'mon someone, give us some user comments, and I'll get some audio examples up here as soon as possible...... L8ers...















Product Manuals or Files





Product Resources










User Comments

Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Jonathan Block
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 19-Jan-99

This is really an excellent synth. I don't own one yet, but have used it a bit. As you can see from the specs above the Pulse is pretty impressive. The attack time really is the best I've heard on a synth and lends itself to some real good percussive sounds. This baby is capable of some really wild sounds, as well as your typical analog leads and basses. I believe the filters are analog. The arpeggiator is really good and you can get some wild ones panning back and forth and going up and down 10 octaves. The only minuses are that volume is stored with each patch so that you can go from a really soft patch to one that'll blow your speakers, so you need to watch out. Also there less than 50 user slots for patches. Not that bad since you can send patches to the sequencer via sysex, but I know that the Novation Superbasstation can hold 150 user patches. The only other comparison I can make to the Novation is that the construction of the Pulse is a bit more solid, especially the knobs. It's also a little bit cheaper here in the U.S. for the Pulse, but they really are comparable units and both sound great. I may end up getting both.

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Kilo
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 19-Jan-99

wicked mate !!.....shag me that was quick... I only posted this a couple of hours ago !!.. Nice one ...

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Avene
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 19-Jan-99

The Pulse is awesome. It uses the same sort of filter as the Minimoog and the sound is incredible. There's an arpeggiator in there also which is very useful. I haven't heard the new Bassstation, but I'm sure it would sound much the same as the old one. I had the 2 together here at one stage and the Pulse just killed it. The difference would be like comparing a 44.1 khz 16 bit sample to a 22khz 8 bit sample. Seriously !!! Go check it for your self.

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Mathew
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 19-Jan-99

This is probably a dumb question but do you need a keyboard of some sort to use the Pulse(or the bass station)?

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Pierre Zeeman
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Jan-99

I've had a Pulse-plus







for a few months now and am in a position to say that it is probably the best analog synth I own and one of the best I have ever heard and I've worked with moogs, arps, prophets, obies and the like.



The third oscillator really makes a huge difference from the point of view of being able to create a wider range of sounds than just two allows. The Pulse-plus








also has an external input which allows you to add other synths, drum machines, samples, etc. to the patch and to send those sounds through the 24db analogue filter.



As you can see from the modulation routings kilo has listed above, the modulation possibilities are enormous and you can create some really wild, wild noises with a little injudicious routing. But even 'vanilla' patches with the usual VCO-VCF-VCA structure sound fantastic.



The Pulse seems capable of making an extraordinary wide range of sounds, from growling, rumbling analogue basses to metallic, digital-sounding clangs. The envelope is easliy fast for percussive sounds as well and the LFO even breaks into the audible range at the top end.



Oh, it's been posted on Analogue Heaven that in the next version of the Pulse's operating system it will be possible to chain Pulses together in a master-slave mode to produce a polysynth of frightening power... If you like that sort of thing.



The Pulse has its quirks, for one thing the modulation matrix can be a bit annoying at first, but then so do all real musical instruments. A superb machine and worthy of a close look if you're interested in going beyond sampleland...

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: KILO
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 19-Jan-99

thanks for the cool informative comments people..... just what we need !!!

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Chad Gould
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Jan-99

I, too, have a Waldorf Pulse, and I must say it's already one of my favorite synths. Out of all the "new" analogs and virtuals, this one blows all of them away, and even competes extremely well with older analogs, blowing many of them away in terms of features. Sound wise, it's incredibly lively and full of energy. Buzzy leads is no problem; Minimoog-style snappy bass is unbelievably easy. With the quick envelope times, you can even do nice analog drum sounds. The matrix modulation allows you to get very weird quick, in addition. The only real drawback is the 40 user patches and the slightly-clumsy programming interface (which is a heck of a lot better than most digitals!). But the sound makes up for it.

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Jörg Hansche
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Jan-99

OSC 1 &








2 are internally doubled; the unit sounds very big and punchy; the filter-sound ist OKAY, but the resonance sounds too nice. It´s complicate to make the unit scream (therefore: use analog distortion and the pulse is bombing your head away!). It sounds really near to the Moog. Actual NEW price in Germany: 600 DM

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Paul
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Jan-99

I'd give this 6 out of 5 if I could! These things are SO damn cool! It's another very good reason not to go hunting out all those rusty and creaky old analog dinosoars when this does the job! Buy 5! I only have one but am about to get another 3 so I can chain them up and use them as one polyphonic unit. SUPER!

Paul.

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Wouter van Beek
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 19-Jan-99

The Pulse is great. It got some good presets and many parameters that can be edited. All parameters are send to the midi out port so you can record all the knob movements.



I made a universal midi editor for windows with a setup available to control all the parameters of the Pulse. The demo version can be found at http://homepages.diva.nl/wouter/

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Alan Brown
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 19-Jan-99

Fantastic bit of kit - I have to agree with everyone else. This is the sort of synth you fall in love with, the only problem is that I spend so much time twidling its knobs that I sometimes forget to do any music.

They've come down in price now and I'm seriously

considering getting another.

One is just not enough.

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Rob Papen
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 19-Jan-99

Great machine,

Look at the Waldorf webpage,there you can download a soundset from me. Don't forget to download also the text file. Enjoy it. (especially sound 13, very low bass, great under a 909 kick.

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: 3
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Jan-99

get one of these from Thomann in Germany for a measley £245.

Uk dealers pissed off, dropping prices but not that far.

see www.thomann.de if you're deutsche savvy

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Rene
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 19-Jan-99

I´ve bought a pulse








in January, that sound...that filter... - heard it and fell in love. Using the Pulse
plus







´s audio-in even my QS-300 sounds excellent.

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Eric
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Jan-99

Hey..

I've heard A LOT of good things about the pulse.. and i'm going to get one soon i hope =).. but first.. i'd like to hear a demo.. or something.. i've downloaded all those "1 shot packs" of it.. but i'd like to hear.. well.. in action.. i wanna see what it can do. Anyone help me out? feel free to email me!



Eric

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Jason
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Jan-99

This is one stonker of a monosynth! For a start, the sound is MUCH fatter than a basstation. The front panel controllers/matrix make programming it a breeze and the FULL midi spec (inc. all edits sent out as midi!)

Some people call it better than the minimoog!!

I love it! (Cheaper now too!!!! £299)

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Rick
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Jan-99

Let me say one thing. Vince Clarke uses the pulse. As a matter of fact it is his primary bass synth for live shows. I can't believe how powerful this synth is. I wouldn't compare it to anything. I still plan to purchase an SE-1 to complement my pulse not replace it. Well, I guess I ended up saying 3 or 4 things instead of one. By the way it is not a physically modeled synth. It has DCO's a VCF, VCA and an attack time of 1.9 milliseconds. Wow thats fast!

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: EFTHIMIS
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Jan-99

This unit simply kicks ass.You can create amazingly

agressive sounds using the sync function(with a little bit ENV2 modulating OSC2 pitch),or even very powerfull kicks depending on the fact that the attack

time is THE BEST you have ever heard in your life.The sound creation possibilities are amazing as you can route any modulation source to any modulation destination.If only this baby had a resonant HI-PASS filter!!!

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Ryan
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 19-Jan-99

The pulse definitely rocks and I agree with most of the comments here. My only caution would be to someone looking for an exclusively bass/lead synth. Although the pulse blows away the bass station, it was not meant to sound like a TB303 (and beleive me, I've tried to coax it into a passable imitation with little success). If you're looking for an acid bass sound, check out an ATC-1 with the 303 filter or one of the straight-up 303 knock-offs. Also, even though the pulse filter is similar to a moog, it won't get as fat as an SE-1 or the real thing. Remember, this thing was built by some extremely high-tech Germans and every circuit in it is just about perfect - maybe too perfect for some. What makes the pulse an amazing and unique synth (among other things) is the mind-bending modulation matrix. If words like clean, warm, and detailed turn you off and what you're really after is fat, dirty, and wicked (but simple) then make sure you set up a pulse next to (ideally) an ATC-1 before you buy. Anyway, I have used my pulse for bass/lead parts in the past and the sound is indeed heavy and solid even straight into the board, but my new SE-1 wants to take over that territory in the worst way and let the pulse do what it does best - make some of the most bizarre and complex crystalline pure analog tones that couldn't possibly come out of a 2U high, 4" deep box. Check it out, niggas!

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: low
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.io.com/~low/
Activity: part-timer
Date: 28-Apr-99

excellent - you must hear it

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: wojtek jakobczyk
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 15-Jun-99

nothing special to add, i just wonder why this synth is placed in analog modelling section? it's not virtual analog, it's a real one, so why put it near korg prophecy?

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: DJLord
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.kase.fi/~panusa
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 26-Aug-99

God damn this rocks and rules etc etc!
Great FAT (if u want) and GREAT leads.
And something really weird noises and
stuff! I love it!

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: scott m
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 01-Feb-00

I've owned a pulse plus for about a year now and i love it! It has the smoothest analog filter i've ever heard. I work on dub productions mostly and this Waldorf represents to me the best of new and old for just about any musical style. The factory preset sounds are utterly worthless to me but I don't care. The bass absolutely kills and the random program function is entertaining- most of the time when you land on this patch you'll wind up with something that will be pretty close to unlistenable noise, but with a little fiddling, brilliant noise! -then save it as a user preset. I can't imagine enjoying it nearly as much without the signal-input feature (regular pulse does'nt have it). When it's not being used for bass or weirdness, I keep it warm by patching an outside signal through the VCF and VCA which still gives you the mod matrix routing options as well. External signal fattening accounts for about 75% of its workload in my studio. I like having the ability to also mix an external signal (try a rhodes, mellotron, or hammond for a change) with any combination of the three oscillators, or mix in some white noise, or both simultaneously (very moog-like). I guess this feature is common with any decent synth these days...but how many are all analog? Not many. I'm not an analog-only freak but you can't deny the sound. (have you tried a Sherman Filterbank or a Jomox Xbase09 yet?) Midi implementation is a breeze and the CV and Gate ins/outs work with my old Roland CR8000 even though I was told it would'nt. Talk about adding some thump!
I would say that if you're looking for a great filter for not too much money, and would'nt mind a great sounding monosynth to boot, you owe it to yourself to check out this unit.

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Brutal_chud
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 11-Jan-01

Oh man, i just got mine today, it is so awesome. It has a very distinct sound, somewhere between an old analog and a new alalog modelling, though i am told it uses VCO's with digital stabilization. It is very easy to use, everything is editable in one step. No menus to bog through. And These things are CHEAP! i got mine for 400, and thats on the pricy side for a S/H one. GO BUY ONE!!!

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: rocksteady
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 13-Apr-01

Cant comment in depth yet,(just got it second hand for £200). But I feel moved to share my initial thoughts.
Basically this thing packs a MAJOR wallop! This is my third synth, and compared to the others (an EX5 and a matrix 1000-both of which are great in their own right)it is a piece of p**s to program. Its simple to use, but you can mess with the mod matrix to add as much complexity as you want. Three fat oscillators have led some folks to rate it above the holy minimoog, esp. considering that all parameters transmit midi. Obiously you probably need to add some external fx to the recipe, but compared to the virtual analogs i've heard, this thing has much more poke, and if you have a pulse +, you can feed external audio through its juicy filter! Yum!

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Tom Eales
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Sep-01

I heard one a few years ago, and knew that I needed one.
So I went and got a Pulse Plus, and it still amazes me, the thing is so fat, It has changed my style completely.
Can produce earthshaking bass, and really eardrumbursting sounds, watch your speakers.
But I've also made some lush sounding leads with it, as well as really metallic noises, glassy noises and sharp percussion sounds.
The modulation matrix is great, 4 levels of modulation, as in you can assign 4 different modulation routes at any time.Its all very straightforward and easy to use.
I don't even use much effects with it, the sound is very pure and fat, and will give anyones songs a nice/rough analogue edge,
very recommended! Last thing I would sell in my house if I had to (after my girlfriend)

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: Jules
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 20-Sep-01

Where do I begin....well we are talking deep down dark earth with this one. The pulse gets right to the core....There is not much that is subtle about it, though it can be gentle at times. Its about here I am in your face bass , lead or weird fx...think nine inch nails arp bass/seq, and yet it can go to the other extreme...lyle mays/pat metheny. All in all its not a minimoog, yes it shares characteristics, you can program it to come as close as its electronically possible, but the pulse has its own unique & beautifully raw sound.

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Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: joe michalski
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 12-Dec-01

can someone please help me, i
need a photo of the inside of a
waldorf pulse +, to solder some
wires that have come away, can you
help. e-mail joelyn@ntlworld.com

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Last added comment

Product:  Waldorf - PULSE
Name: DrDream9
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 20-Mar-05

Waldorf Pulse Plus......

I bought a second-hand Pulse Plus.... mid 2004....
It was in very nice condition.... $375? I'm pleased with it....
2 space rack mount.....mono...minimal...grey understated appearance....
Basic programming fuctions found on retro-synths...
Not too many bells and whistles to re-learn.....
Many features beside it's analog punch caught my attention.....
Originally.. I was looking for a midi/CV converter....
A Synth and a Converter...plus external signal filtering ... I took the plunge.....

There a few negatives.......
Light-weight feeling rotary (encoders?) pots could prove fragile if abused....
Recessed pots.... not physically mounted to, the front plate... but...
Have non-robust, flex-feel of direct PC brd mount...
The six level mode jumping is a pain in the butt... Why are fewer pots better...?
Programming is a chore.. jumping....forward....back.. no...up...?..down....?
I got rid of a Moog Source in 1985...because of it's multi-control-level design...
With the Pulse + program a ballpark sound to work with...tweak it later...
A wall-wart power supply, flimsy power jack, low force connection in back...
There is no power switch on the front panel... very anoying...
I drilled out a 1/4" hole and mounted a toggle switch to internal power jumpers...
My Pulse + now has a front panel power switch..... ;)~
A factory manual is a good idea.... The bonus features are not self-evident...

The positives out-weigh any negatives.... so far.... ( fingers crossed... )
I'm hoping for a long life for my Pulse +.... Time will tell.....

Is there a hardware/midi/remote controler that can connect to a Pulse +...?
Program the controler to emulate the Pulse's encoders/pots....?
Have a pot for every function..... Avoid all the level/mode jumping......?
If all the functions of a Pulse were covered...at a resonable price....
That option of remote control...would make it a Pulse + + + + ...

MG

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