Waldorf Protein – Nutritious Wavetables in an Easily Digestible Box!
4,8 / 5,0 | 
The wavetable revival continues in the form of the new Waldorf Protein, a compact, affordable wavetable synth that packs quite the punch. Have they just made another desktop classic?
- Compact unit, affordable price
- Oscillator based on the original Waldorf ASIC chip
- Includes all original Microwave 1 wavetables
- 8 voice polyphony, 4-part multitimbral
Waldorf Protein
We are, without doubt, firmly in the grip of a wavetable revival, be it in software or hardware, but Waldorf, the spiritual successors to the PPG legacy, have created a little gem of a synth that will encourage you to dive into that gritty digital goodness once more.
The Waldorf Protein is a compact 8-voice polyphonic wavetable synth that gives you the ability to spread those voices across four different layers to build some pretty epic sounds. With oscillators based on Waldorf’s original ASIC chip, it includes all the original Microwave 1 wavetables, many of which hail from the original king of wavetable synths, the PPG Wave.
They’ve also emulated the 8-bit quantising and aliasing, so you can get that classic PPG/Waldorf digital crunch. Furthermore, they’ve modelled a CEM filter with adjustable decalibration to truly replicate the wavetable sound of yore. You could say that this is their recently released Microwave 1 plugin, shoved into a box with a tactile interface thrown on top.
Modulation and Performance
Three envelope generators, two LFOs with tempo sync and sample and hold, and an 8-slot modulation matrix give you plenty of sound shaping options. There are also two effects slots where you can choose from reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, drive, EQ, compressor and tremelo.
Performance-wise, the Waldorf Protein has an arpeggiator and step sequencer with up to 32 steps, plus both chord and scale modes. It comes with 100 built-in factory presets built in for you to get started.
The user interface is delightfully simple and unfussy, with simple, clear and straightforward access to all aspects of the synth engine, with a small OLED screen for feedback and information
Connectivity
Around the back, there’s a stereo pair of 6.4mm jacks, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 3.5mm Type A MIDI IN and Out sockets (DIN adapters are included) and a USB-C connection for both power and MIDI. All of this is house in solid plastic housing with a tough metal front panel.
The Waldorf Protein looks like a super easy, very affordable way to get that classic wavetable sound without having to get too complicated and all for an incredibly good price. It looks very much like Waldorf have got another hit on their hands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. “How big is the Waldorf Protein?”
It is very compact and measures 252mm x 170mm x 48mm. It weighs in at a mere 750g!
Q. “Does it support polyphonic aftertouch?”
Yes! Hook up a poly AT keyboard or controller and get expressive!
Q. “Does it have an user memory slots for my own patches”
Absolutely! There are 250 user memory slots.
The Waldorf Protein is a compact 8-voice polyphonic wavetable synth with four-part layering, built on Waldorf’s original ASIC with classic Microwave 1 and PPG Wave wavetables, plus authentic 8-bit crunch and a modelled CEM filter accessed via a clean, unfussy interface with a small OLED display. It’s an affordable, highly portable route into classic wavetable tones.
In Conclusion
Waldorf has a canny habit of producing sonic behemoths and surprisingly powerful compact synths, and the Waldorf Protein is definitely the latter. Whilst some may dismiss it as simply the Microwave plugin in a box, it brings that much sought-after crunchy wavetable sound in a small form factor with a brilliantly simple, hands-on user interface.
When it comes to affordable and authentic wavetable synthesis, the Protein makes for a compelling option. Pair it up with a controller, and it might even work out cheaper to buy than Behringer’s Wave, which does a great job of emulating the PPG, right down to its confusing OS!
Price and Availability
The Waldorf Protein is available to order now for just €329!
*This post contains affiliate links and/or widgets. When you buy a product via our affiliate partner, we receive a small commission that helps support what we do. Don’t worry, you pay the same price. Thanks for your support!
This might also interest you
