https://github.com/mo0kid/wave
Wave Emulation:
A High-Fidelity Recreation of the Legendary Waldorf Wave The Waldorf Wave stands as one of the most ambitious and expensive synthesizers of the early 1990s. A flagship wavetable instrument with up to 48 voices (expandable), a large graphic LCD, sophisticated multi-timbral capabilities, and a unique hybrid digital/analog signal path, it remains highly sought after by collectors and sound designers. Original units are rare, complex, and costly to maintain—making accurate software recreations especially valuable.Enter Wave Emulation, an open-source JUCE-based research instrument developed by mo0kid (also associated with DJW Audio). This project carefully recreates the documented signal path of the Waldorf Wave rather than simply approximating its sound.What It EmulatesWave Emulation models key elements of the original hardware architecture:250 kHz 8-bit/time-multiplexed wavetable voices
The ES2 ASIC’s signed mixer overflow behavior and 12 dB digital high-pass filter
CEM3387 three-pole reconstruction filters and separately saturating nonlinear resonant four-pole low-pass sections
12-bit control-voltage stepping
VCA and panning stages
The distinctive 480 × 64 monochrome graphic LCD
When authenticated Wave OS 1.700 firmware is loaded, the emulation uses the firmware’s own routines to generate all 64 original factory wavetables. Without firmware, it falls back to decoded PPG V6 samples and procedural tables.Features and User ExperienceThe interface is a detailed recreation of the Wave’s front panel, based on high-resolution SVG artwork. Transparent hit regions map to the original controls, while a live framebuffer renders the authentic LCD display. Additional highlights include:Fully playable 61-note on-screen keyboard (C2–C7) with visual feedback and glissando
Performance faders that retain physical positions and apply assignments only after movement
Zoomable interface, hideable keyboard section, tooltips, and fine-adjustment (Shift + drag)
Support for alternative SVG panel skins
Disk image mounting (.img, .ima, .dsk, .st), conversion tools for .SET and .WTB files, and emulated floppy operations
Multi-threaded voice processing (up to three threads) for higher polyphony
Availability and RequirementsCurrent version (0.1.12) offers:Windows x64: Standalone EXE + VST3
macOS 13.0+ (Apple Silicon and Intel): Standalone app + AU, VST3, and AAX
Important: The release does not include any firmware, ROM archives, or factory sound sets. Users must supply their own Wave OS 1.700 files (w2sys.bin and wdv.sys)—available from Waldorf’s legacy Wave page—and optionally their own sound disks or images. The plugin remembers the firmware folder for convenience.Installation is straightforward: extract the Windows ZIP or run the signed/notarized macOS installer, then load firmware via the System menu.Development Approach and HonestyThe project is notably transparent about its accuracy boundaries. It runs original firmware binaries on emulated 68000 CPUs, models shared memory, LCD hardware, and voice-card behavior in detail, and prioritizes sample-accurate processing for MIDI, envelopes, filters, and VCAs. At the same time, it openly states that the internal oscillator ASIC remains a behavioral proxy based on available documentation, and certain low-level aspects continue to be refined against real-hardware measurements.Recent updates (0.1.12 and earlier) have focused on wavetable loading, Store/Total Recall reliability, voice allocation, MIDI routing, disk handling, and overall stability.Why It MattersLike other recent high-fidelity hardware emulations, Wave Emulation goes far beyond typical soft-synth modeling. By loading and executing authentic firmware while carefully reconstructing the analog and digital signal path, it aims to preserve both the sonic character and the distinctive workflow of one of synthesis history’s most iconic instruments.If you own (or can legally obtain) the required firmware and sound material, this project offers an exciting opportunity to experience the Waldorf Wave in a modern DAW environment. Development is active, and support via Ko-fi is available for those who enjoy the work.Explore the project, download the latest release, and dive into the detailed documentation on the GitHub repository.Happy wavetable exploring!