Waldorf’s Iridium synths are seriously powerful machines. While the top-end Iridium Keys and Desktop have the most bells and whistles, the cut down Iridium Core still has a hell of a lot of power for the money – and right now Sweetwater has it available for just $1,499, which is a full $900 less than its usual price.
The Iridium Core is a 12 voice digital synth with three oscillators per voice. It makes use of a variety of really interesting synthesis approaches, ranging from flexible wavetable and granular capabilities to the unique Particle, Resonator and Kernel synthesis modes. There’s a ton of deep modulation and filtering options on offer too.
Sonically, it owes an obvious debt to Waldorf’s iconic synths of the ‘80s and ‘90s, such as the Microwave and Wave. While it can do the retro-digital sounds we associate with those synths, its advanced capabilities and the inclusion of various subtractive and virtual analog elements mean that it has real sonic breadth.
When we reviewed the Iridium Core earlier this year, we described it as offering “boundless amounts of creativity in the smallest of footprints”. If you’re looking for a deep synth to get lost in, this should keep you occupied for a very long time.
What is Superbooth 2025?: Everything you need to know ahead of the Berlin music tech showcase
“It's probably my Behringer Model D monosynth. So simple and obviously cheap, but it’s just so versatile. I’ve used it on basically every track that I’ve created”: 10 producers share the tech they can’t live without
