D3
Wolfgang Palm PPG-Wave 2.3
Year of manufacture
1984
Production period
4(1984-87)
Polyphony
8
Oscillators
2(2 Wavetable Oscillators)
Waveforms
1920(30x64 (64 Waves per 30 Wavetables))
Modulation
1(1 LFO)
Filters
1(Low-pass -24dB/octave)
Keys
61
Features
10(Glide, Aftertouch, Sequencer, Arpeggiator, Pitch-, Mod-Wheel, Mono-Stereo-Knob, LFO Delay, Touch Sensor, MIDI)
Sound-Memory
200
Wolfgang Palm's PPG-Wave 2.3
The first of PPG’s “Wave 2” series, the PPG-Wave 2 got released in 1981 and was the first ever synth to use wavetable synthesis. It was designed by German Wolfgang Palm. The synth’s second re-issue was released in 1984, labeled the PPG-Wave 2.3.
The Wave 2.3 features 12 bit resolution, supports MIDI and has a built-in multitimbral sequencer. Each wavetable consists of 64 waves. To give the synth some analog warmth, which it lacks completely, it has a 24dB/octave analog Low-pass filter.
Due to its refreshingly new and unused sounds, the PPG Wave advanced to quite some popularity, despite its high price of 15.000 DM ($5263 US).
After PPG’s end in 1987, the PPG Wave was transformed and re-issued as 19” expander under the name “Microwave” by German company Waldorf.