3rd Wave LLC, Groove Synthesis - 3rd Wave 8M

This is not something you come across every day. This is a synthesizer that takes you back to the legendary PPG Wave days while also featuring some “modern” enhancements. Developed by Groove Synthesis, this beauty offers a digital/analogue hybrid experience that has the potential to leave its mark on this decade.

At the center is – of course – the Wavetable Engine. It features 32 classic PPG wavetables that retain all those beautiful growly artifacts that were an important part of the original character. It also has 48 custom high-resolution wavetables, and seven analog-modelled waves. A best-of waveforms, so to say. On top of that, you get the ability to import your own wavetables, and as of firmware version 1.8 there is also a sampling option.

Navigating the 3rd Wave is a joy. If you ever had the pleasure of programming a Prophet 12, you’ll immediately find similarities in their design. This is not a coincidence—Bob Coover, one of the founders of Groove Synthesis, used to work for Sequential and was part of the team that developed the Prophet 12. They definitely did not skimp on build quality either, this thing is S-O-L-I-D!

The original 3rd Wave keyboard was a 24-voice, four-part powerhouse. The new 3rd Wave 8M brings that same character into a compact desktop format with 8 voices and two parts (bi-timbral). It’s designed for those who don’t need a full keyboard or the maximum polyphony, but still want the complete sound engine, analog filters, and patch compatibility. It’s also more affordable, at pretty much half the price! The new interface features fewer dedicated knobs but a larger display and six encoders for deep control over oscillators, filters, and envelopes. And since it’also patch-compatible with the keyboard version, you can easily swap sounds between the two—just keep in mind that four-part patches will be reduced to just two parts here.

A feature not to be missed in a wavetable synth is the Wavetable Envelope. This synth has three of these and it is a six-stage variety. It allows you to sweep through the 64 waveshapes within a wavetable, adding movement to your sounds. Combined with its multi-timbrality and lush analog filtering, the results are often nothing short of epic.

The list of features is extensive, and Groove Synthesis is constantly working on improvements. The latest addition being a Sample Option. We just urge you to take a listen to the sound demos to get an impression—or better yet: visit our showroom for a test ride.

Features:

• Classic PPG-inspired wavetable synthesis in a compact desktop form
• Two-part multi-timbrality with 8 voices of polyphony
• Three oscillators per voice with 96kHz high-resolution wavetables
• Six-stage Wave Envelope for dynamic sound movement
• Importable custom wavetables via Wavemaker software
• Sample-to-Wave functionality
• Import Serum wavetables
• Onboard arpeggiator and dual effects per part
• Extensive modulation matrix with 16 assignable slots per part
• 64 user wavetable positions with 48 high-resolution wavetables (64 waveforms per table)
• 32 PPG2 8-bit wavetables
• 7 VA waveforms (Sine, Saw, Triangle, Supersaw, Pulse, White Noise, Pink Noise)
• VCO sync
• Linear FM
• Analog low-pass filter (Dave Rossum 2140 low-pass resonant filter)
• State-variable filter (SEM-style)
• 4 × ADSR + delay envelopes
• 4 × LFOs (Triangle, Sawtooth, Reverse Sawtooth, Square, Pulse 1–3, Random/S&H)
• 2 digital effects processors per part (BBD, Stereo Delay, Tape Delay, Chorus, Phaser, Flanger, Distortion Pedal, Rotating Speaker, Ring Mod, Room Reverb, Hall Reverb, Super Plate Reverb)
• Sequencer with per-part note/parameter sequencing
• Larger screen with 6 encoders for intuitive editing
• MIDI via 5-pin DIN and USB
• Footswitch, volume, and expression pedal inputs
• Rackmountable with included rack ears
• 500 factory presets (user-overwriteable)