Overview
The Quantum is Waldorf’s flagship keyboard synth, and one manual covers both the original Quantum and the Quantum MK2, noting where they differ (the MK2 adds polyphonic aftertouch, for one). Its digital oscillators feed a dual analog filter and a Digital Former section. Each of the three oscillators can run as a wavetable oscillator, a waveform oscillator, a particle generator (which plays samples), a resonator, or in kernel synthesis mode, so a wavetable is one sound source among several.
In wavetable mode the oscillator steps through a table of single-cycle waves. The manual describes a Quantum wavetable as a sequence of up to 128 waves. Position can follow the keyboard, an envelope, an LFO, or a controller like the mod wheel, and the Travel parameter runs through the whole table cyclically. Spectrum, Brilliance, and Phase controls reshape the result further.
Samples and user content live in internal flash, and both an SD card slot and a USB port take FAT or FAT32 media for import and export.
Wavetables on the Waldorf Quantum
The Quantum’s wavetable Tools button is where custom tables come in. Import from .wav builds a wavetable from a WAV or AIFF file with a constant sample period, and you set that period in the import dialog anywhere from 64 to 4096 samples (the manual points out that many synths use 2048). Load Single Cycle turns one short file into an 8-position table that morphs toward a sine, Analyze Audio resynthesizes any audio file into a table, and Save Wavetable and Load Wavetable move tables between the Quantum and a card or drive.
That import is the same one the Iridium uses; the Quantum and Iridium manuals describe the Tools menu in the same words, period range included. WaveStack’s Waldorf Iridium / Quantum target (also used for the Iridium) writes a mono WAV with 2048-sample frames and caps tables at 128 frames, which is the Quantum’s documented maximum too. Use that target and set the import period to 2048.
The period setting is the one thing to get right. The file has no marker the Quantum reads for frame size, so if a 2048-sample table is imported at 1024, every frame gets split in two and the table plays back wrong. That’s why WaveStack’s target always exports at 2048: the period for its files is always the same. Our notes on wavetable files explain why the frame size has to be stated somewhere. After a file loads, Prev and Next buttons step through the other files in the same folder, which makes it quick to audition a batch of exports.
Specifications
| Import formats | WAV, AIFF |
|---|---|
| Import period (samples per wave) | 64–4096, set in the import dialog |
| Waves per wavetable | Up to 128 |
| Single-cycle import | 200–1024 samples suggested; builds an 8-position table |
| Media | SD card or USB drive, FAT/FAT32 |
| Models | Quantum and Quantum MK2 (one manual) |
From WaveStack to the Waldorf Quantum
- Build or import your table in WaveStack, then open Export and choose Waldorf Iridium / Quantum. It writes 2048-sample frames.
- Save the file to a FAT32 SD card or USB drive, or link the card as a folder and export straight to it.
- Insert the card or drive in the Quantum, switch an oscillator to Wavetable, and open its display page.
- Tap Tools, choose Import from .wav, and pick your file.
- In the import dialog, set the period to 2048 and import.
- Use Save Wavetable if you want a copy stored in the Quantum’s internal memory, then save the patch.
Frequently asked questions
What format does the Quantum import for wavetables?
WAV or AIFF files made of waves of one constant length. In the oscillator’s Tools menu, Import from .wav lets you set that length, the period, anywhere from 64 to 4096 samples, and the manual notes that many synths use 2048. The file can come from internal flash, an SD card, or a USB drive formatted FAT or FAT32. A Quantum wavetable holds up to 128 waves, so keep tables at 128 frames or fewer.
Can I use WaveStack’s Iridium export on the Quantum?
Yes. Waldorf’s Quantum and Iridium manuals describe the same wavetable import, with the same 64 to 4096 period range, and WaveStack’s Waldorf Iridium / Quantum target writes exactly that kind of file, with 2048-sample frames, capped at 128. Export with that target, copy the file to a FAT32 card or USB drive, and import it from the wavetable oscillator’s Tools menu with the period set to 2048.
Does the import work the same on the Quantum MK2?
Waldorf publishes one manual for both models and says it points out the differences where they occur, such as the MK2’s polyphonic aftertouch. The wavetable Tools menu, including Import from .wav and its period setting, is described once for both, with no MK2 exception. A file exported from WaveStack’s Iridium / Quantum target should import the same way on either model, from an SD card or a USB drive.
Why does my imported wavetable sound wrong?
The usual cause is a period setting that doesn’t match the file. The Quantum cuts the file into waves of whatever length you enter, so a 2048-sample export imported at 1024 gives you half-waves, and imported at 4096 it gives you pairs of waves joined together. Re-import with the period set to the frame size of the file. Files from WaveStack’s Iridium / Quantum target are always 2048.
What does Load Single Cycle do?
It turns one short file into a small wavetable. The Quantum reads the whole file as a single wave, ideally 200 to 1024 samples (odd lengths are fine, and longer files are averaged down to 1024), and builds an 8-position table that morphs from your wave into a sine. Use it for single-cycle waves. For a full table from WaveStack, use Import from .wav instead.