Waldorf Microwave 1 Plugin V2: What's New and Is It Worth It?
Waldorf Microwave 1 Plugin V2 jumps to 32-voice polyphony with two arpeggiators and a new delay. Here's what's new in the wavetable classic and the price.
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Waldorf released Version 2 of its Microwave 1 Plugin, the software recreation of the 1989 hybrid wavetable synth. The big change is headroom. V2 takes the original eight-voice instrument up to 32 voices.
What's new in Waldorf Microwave 1 Plugin V2?
The original Microwave defined Waldorf's take on hybrid synthesis — wavetable oscillators feeding analog-style filters. The plugin recreated that voice; V2 expands what you can do with it.
The headline is polyphony. By emulating additional voice cards, V2 lifts the count from 8 voices to 32, while keeping the micro-timing and per-voice variation that gave the hardware its character. On top of that, the update adds:
- Round Robin and Random Robin multi-modes for cycling or randomizing voice behavior across notes.
- A polyphonic arpeggiator for each instrument part, plus a global arpeggiator over the whole patch.
- A creative delay effect with filter, tremolo, diffusion, and pitch shifting.
Together these turn what was a faithful reissue into a more playable, more layered instrument. The extra voices matter for dense pads and evolving wavetable sequences, where eight voices ran out quickly.
Waldorf's own deep-dive walks through the plugin and compares it to the hardware:
Is Waldorf Microwave 1 Plugin V2 worth it?
The Microwave's appeal has always been its grit — the digital-into-analog signal path that makes its wavetables sound rougher and more alive than cleaner modern emulations. V2 keeps that grit. It also removes the main limitation, the voice count.
If you already own the V1 plugin and play it polyphonically, the jump to 32 voices and the two arpeggiators is the clearest reason to upgrade. If you are coming fresh and want classic Waldorf wavetable character with enough polyphony for modern arrangements, V2 is the version to buy. Producers chasing pristine, hi-fi wavetables may prefer a newer engine; those after vintage Waldorf bite will find it here.
How much does Waldorf Microwave 1 Plugin V2 cost?
Microwave 1 Plugin Version 2 is priced at €99, reduced from a regular €149. It is distributed as a software instrument plugin through Waldorf's official store.
You can browse synth deals and alternatives at Plugin Boutique.
