PPG Wave 2.2, Wave 2.3 Hybrid Synthesizer + advanced sequencer

ABOUT the Wave 2.0 was very much ahead of its time, it had a full multi mode and you can record filter changes etc onto the sequencer! while the 2.0 had one OSC it had Curtis filters, the later models 2.2 and 2.3 had 2 OSCs and a bit less good sounding filters. The very first Wavetable-System with filters that introduced Wolfang Palms Wavetable Synthesis to a bigger market. the basic idea is "drive" through a set of wave in a table that finally makes the sound and timbre. bt: even the very first Wavetable synth Wavecomputer 360 had very few and ultra rare forerunners called Wavecomputer 340 and 380, well they look very much like.. computers (the waveterm).. analogue filter (SSM), only late versions had midi, but can be retrofitted.

DETAILS 60 Waves + (4 basic waves) make one Wavetable, each Wave and the transition is made of additive mirrored single cycle waves (digital) . those waves are generated by additive 32 harmonics, the 360 and Wave 2 had 32 Wavetables, they simulated a filter sweep and lots more (formant sweeps etc.),On the Waveterm A you could create your own waves and wavetables and even analyse samples (8bit).

filter: SSM2044. the 2.3 had an additional WT. nteresting "upper wave" feature for wave trips - controlled by the Waveterm A (big floppy drives 8') or B (3 1/2').. the Waveterm C is a PC-based project (see below).. well, ppg invented the WAVETABLE synthesis. 60 spectral "snapshots" can be scanned through by an envelope generator.. Waldorf (also german company like PALM PRODUCTS GERMANY = PPG) did a rack 1989, the microwave.. and.. well.. you know the Wave and microWave series.. check waldorf section (they also used the ASICs (chips) that wolfang palm (founder of ppg) developed before for his wave series... the "most typical" wave may be the wave 2.0. and: well it is the most stable one. ppg's name became "panic products germany" just because of the problems (the board: narrow and dense and thermo probs..) so: I do not recommend this for live!!.. there is a small company (virtual music) offereing some updates and maintainance kits like keyboard mod and another OS can be found here but: it is one of the most interesting sounding synth that has been made those times! (early 80ies!). bands like propaganda, depeche mode and art of noise used the "blue system" for about 33000DM (deutsche mark = about equivaltent of about16500Euros!).. the very special things introduced with the wave 2.X series: sampling (using the waveterm) with 12bits max. it was THE HI-END DREAM MACHINE of that time.. there is also a software ppg 2.V by waldorf trying to emulate it's sound.. but listen yourself!!.. PPG Wave (Waveterm!) disk format - disc format: format, or at least a raw driver that can be customized or so.With Windows, you will probably don't have a chance...related to the OS/9 that runs on the old Radio Shack Color Computers, which have 6809E's in them. It was a Unix-like OS that could multitask even on that little 2 MHz (as far as I remember) machine. It would be cool if you could read the PPG disks using one of those . . . As far as I know, it was OS 9 (not to confuse with MacOS 9 ;-)) which was developed by some German programmers. There was a computer based on this OS and the Waveterm B used the same main board.

Hardware:
Wave 2.2 / 2.3
4 CEM3320 VCF
4 CEM3310 EG

Wave 2.0
8 SM2044 VCF - info: - ssm2044.pdf
4 CEM3360 Dual VCA
The PPG Wave (2.0) series used the SSM filter.

SOUND digital, very new Atmospheres and lots of ppphantasy-stuff. loves to be at a repair station, so don't conside to take it on stage.

VERSION later Versions with different filters, more waves and sample feature / 12/8bit. Wave 2: 1981, Wave 2.2: 1982, Wave 2.3: 1984.