Advanced Wavetable Synth Module

THE 3RD WAVE IN A DESKTOP MODULE

The 3rd Wave Advanced Wavetable Synth was created out of love for the classic wavetable synths of the past — and a desire to update and improve on that concept. It’s a powerhouse of real depth and beauty, yet it’s simple to use.

The 3rd Wave Synth Module, the second iteration of the product, is a powerhouse wavetable synth with 24-voice polyphony and 4-part multi-timbral capability: like having four independent 6-voice synthesizers, with separate stereo outputs at your fingertips, in a more compact desktop design.

Each of its 3 oscillators per voice can be:

A classic PPG-era wavetable
A high-resolution complex wavetable
An analog-modeled waveform

Create up to 64 custom wavetables of your own using the built-in Wavemaker. With sample-to-wavetable capability, you can connect an audio source to the audio input and generate a wavetable at the touch of a button.

CLASSIC LEGACY. MODERN SOUND

While the 3rd Wave has roots in the classic digital wavetable synths of the past, it takes that concept into the 21st century with a lush, expansive sound that’s a product of its expanded wavetables and warm, organic-sounding analog filters

It boasts not only a punchy, Dave Rossum-designed 2140 analog low-pass filter with variable saturation, but a second, SEM-style state-variable filter (low-pass, high-pass, notch, and band-pass) for additional tone-sculpting. Run both filters in series for harmonically complex textures.

“The 3rd Wave makes many other modern hardware synthesizers sound like software in comparison.” – David Frank, Synthesist, pianist, music producer, programmer, songwriter (The System – ‘You Are In My System’, Genie in a Bottle/Christina Aguilera, ‘Coming to America’/the movie, etc.)

SOUND ENGINE

3 High-resolution Digital Oscillators Per Voice

64 total user wavetable positions with 48 wavetables that contain 64 waveforms per table (32 legacy PPG waves with room for another 16 of this type)
32 original 8 bit wavetables from the PPG 2 series instruments with room for 16 more user created 8 bit wavetables
7 high-resolution modeled analog waveforms (sine, saw, triangle, supersaw, pulse, white noise, pink noise)
VCO sync
Linear FM
6-stage wave envelope per oscillator with variable time and position that can be looped
Optional wave flow section that allows for no wavetable as well as no waveform interpolation
Upper wavetable mode as with the original PPG 2 series
Unison mode and chord mode with variable voice count

Analog Low-pass Filter

Dave Rossum designed, classic, 2140 low-pass resonant filter
24 db per octave slope
variable saturation amount
optional resonance compensation

State-Variable Filter

12 db per octave slope
Continuously variable between low-pass, notch, and high-pass, operation with optional band-pass mode

4 x ADSR+ Delay Envelopes

Filter, Amplifier, plus 2 additional envelopes switchable between exponential and vintage PPG-style response
Freely assignable to multiple modulation destinations

4 x Low-Frequency Oscillators

Triangle, sawtooth, reverse sawtooth, square, pulse 1, pulse 2, pulse 3, and random (S&H)
Variable delay
Note reset
Syncable to master clock BPM

2 x Digital Effects

BBD, stereo delay, tape delay, chorus, phaser, flanger, distortion pedal, rotating speaker, ring mod, room reverb, hall reverb, super plate reverb – most modeled on famous hardware devices
Syncable to master clock BPM
Parameters modulatable via mod matrix

WAVEMAKER TOOL

Built-In Custom Wavetable Maker

“Sample-to-wave” functionality. Connect an audio source to the 3rd Wave’s Audio In port, press “Make Waves” and the synth samples the audio to create a custom wavetable
Samples to convert can also be brought in as a 96 kHz wav file through USB
Store up to 32 custom wavetables
64 waveforms per wavetable
Accepts pitched or un-pitched material as input
96 kHz sampling rate
16-bit resolution
1024 cycles per waveform, converted automatically to cover entire keyboard range
Flexible wave-sampling length
Imports Serum™ wavetables

SEQUENCER

The 3rd Wave’s sequencer is an inspiring tool for both composers and sound designers because it is pattern-based and can sequence notes, songs, and parameter changes.

For composing and performing, enter notes and chords in real time with or without quantization for maximum groove and arrange up to 24 patterns of up to 32 measures in length into songs just as easily.

Performs both Note and Parameter Sequencing

4 parts per sequence
24 sequences per preset
Up to 32 measures per sequence
Variable quantization resolution per sequence (32nd, 16th, 8th, quarter, half, whole note, or quantization off), that is settable in real time
Variable swing

ARPEGGIATOR

1 Arp per Multi-part

Up, down, up/down, and assign modes
Variable range (1, 2, or 3 octaves)

MOD MATRIX

16-slot Modulation Matrix Per Multi-Part

16 slot modulation matrix with 27 mod sources and 114 mod destinations
12 additional fixed-source mod paths
Modulation assignment buttons enable quick and easy modulation routing
Mod Matrix runs at audio rates
Sequencer can record and play mod parameter changes in real time

CONTROLS

41 knobs and 43 buttons enable deep, comprehensive editing with minimal menu diving
Pitch and Mod Wheels
Responds to MPE
Responds to polyphonic aftertouch

PROGRAMS

500 factory programs. User rewritable

IN/OUT

4 Stereo outputs (2 x 1/4″ phone jack per part)
Headphone out (stereo 1/4″ phone jack)
MIDI In, MIDI Out, and MIDI Thru
USB port for bidirectional MIDI communication
Audio Input for creating user wavetables from external audio source (1/4″ phone jack)
Audio Input can also route audio through the filters, output chain, and effects
Sustain/footswitch input
Volume pedal input
Expression pedal input

POWER

1 universal IEC AC power inlet for internal power supply
Operates worldwide on voltages between 100-240v, 50-60 Hz, 65 watts maximum power consumption

Dimensions

Shipping Box Dimensions: 70 x 39 x 29 cm, 7 kgs
Synth Dimensions: 52 x 21.5 x 8 cm, 4.7 kgs