We say...
We’re huge fans of the PPG-inspired Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave here at Signal Sounds, and the 8M is great news for anyone whose wallet couldn’t quite stretch to the flagship model. This is a compact desktop (or rack-mountable) synth with an identical sound engine to its big brother, but with eight voices and a streamlined interface based around a large 7” screen.
Manufacturer's description
You’ve discovered the synth industry’s best-kept secret: the 3rd Wave 8M — bringing Groove Synthesis’ award-winning wavetable technology to more studios, stages, and creative spaces than ever before. This isn’t a watered-down version. This is 8 voices and 2 parts of pure, uncompromised 3rd Wave DNA in a more accessible, compact package. Same premium sound engine. Same analog filters. Same innovative synthesis. Just more accessible to more producers and musicians.
ACCESS ALL AREAS
The performance-oriented control set featuring a generous 7” display with six encoders gives you the confidence to create the sounds you’ve always envisioned.
COMPLETE SYNTHESIS TOOLKIT
Choose from wavetable synthesis, analog-style synthesis, FM, and sampling for each of the three oscillators to create rich and expansive soundscapes.
- 8 Voices of full 3rd Wave sound engine with complete patch compatibility
- Bi-timbral operation with two independent parts
- Premium analog filters and output stages—identical to our flagship models
- Multiple synthesis types: wavetable, analog-style, FM, and sampling
- Streamlined interface with larger, more intuitive display
- Compact desktop format that fits your creative space
- Rackmountable and ships with 19″ rack ears for mounting
CLASSIC LEGACY – MODERN SOUND
While the 3rd Wave has roots in the classic digital wavetable synths of the past, it takes that concept into the 21st century with a lush, expansive sound that’s a product of its expanded wavetables and warm, organic analog filters. It boasts not only a punchy, Dave Rossum-designed 2140 analog low-pass filter with variable saturation, but a second, SEM-style state-variable filter (low-pass, high-pass, notch, and band-pass) for additional tone-sculpting. Run both filters in series for harmonically complex textures.
Features
NUMBER OF VOICES (without part layering)
- 8 Voices
MULTITIMBRAL
- 2 Part Multitimbral
SOUND ENGINE
- 3 High-resolution Digital Oscillators Per Voice
- 64 total user wavetable positions with 48 wavetables that contain 64 waveforms per table (32 legacy PPG waves with room for another 16 of this type)
- 32 original 8 bit wavetables from the PPG 2 series instruments with room for 16 more user created 8 bit wavetables
- 7 high-resolution modeled analog waveforms (sine, saw, triangle, supersaw, pulse, white noise, pink noise)
- VCO sync
- Linear FM
- 6-stage wave envelope per oscillator with variable time and position that can be looped
- Optional wave flow section that allows for no wavetable as well as no waveform interpolation
- Upper wavetable mode as with the original PPG 2 series
- Unison mode and chord mode with variable voice count
- 1 Analog Low-pass Filter
- Dave Rossum designed, classic, 2140 low-pass resonant filter
- 24 db per octave slope
- variable saturation amount
- optional resonance compensation
- 1 State-Variable Filter
- 12 db per octave slope
- Continuously variable between low-pass, notch, and high-pass, operation with optional band-pass mode
- 4 ADSR+ Delay Envelopes
- Filter, Amplifier, plus 2 additional envelopes switchable between exponential and vintage PPG-style response
- Freely assignable to multiple modulation destinations
- 4 Low-Frequency Oscillators
- Triangle, sawtooth, reverse sawtooth, square, pulse 1, pulse 2, pulse 3, and random (S&H)
- Variable delay
- Note reset
- Syncable to master clock BPM
- 2 digital effects (per part)
- BBD, stereo delay, tape delay, chorus, phaser, flanger, distortion pedal, rotating speaker, ring mod, room reverb, hall reverb, super plate reverb – most modeled on famous hardware devices
- Syncable to master clock BPM
- Parameters modulatable via mod matrix
WAVEMAKER TOOL
- Built-In Custom Wavetable Maker
- “Sample-to-wave” functionality. Connect an audio source to the 3rd Wave’s Audio In port, press “Make Waves” and the synth samples the audio to create a custom wavetable
- Samples to convert can also be brought in as a 96 kHz wav file through USB
- Store up to 32 custom wavetables
- 64 waveforms per wavetable
- Accepts pitched or un-pitched material as input
- 96 kHz sampling rate
- 16-bit resolution
- 1024 cycles per waveform, converted automatically to cover entire keyboard range
- Flexible wave-sampling length
- Imports Serum™ wavetables
SEQUENCER
- Performs both Note and Parameter Sequencing
- 2 parts per sequence
- 24 sequences per preset
- Up to 32 measures per sequence
- Variable quantization resolution per sequence (32nd, 16th, 8th, quarter, half, whole note, or quantization off), that is settable in real time
- Variable swing
ARPEGGIATOR
- 1 Arp per Multi-part
- Up, down, up/down, and assign modes
- Variable range (1, 2, or 3 octaves)
MOD MATRIX
- 16-slot Modulation Matrix Per Multi-Part
- 16 slot modulation matrix with 27 mod sources and 114 mod destinations
- 12 additional fixed-source mod paths
- Modulation assignment buttons enable quick and easy modulation routing
- Mod Matrix runs at audio rates
- Sequencer can record and play mod parameter changes in real time
CONTROLS
- 24 knobs and 36 buttons enable deep, comprehensive editing with generous 7 inch/17.75 cm display.
PROGRAMS
- 451 factory programs. User rewritable
IN/OUT
- 2 Balanced/Unbalanced Stereo outputs (2x 1/4″ phone jack per part)
- Headphone out (stereo 1/4″ phone jack)
- MIDI In, MIDI Out, and MIDI Thru
- USB port for bidirectional MIDI communication
- Audio Input for creating user wavetables from external audio source (1/4″ phone jack)
- Audio Input can also route audio through the filters, output chain, and effects
- Sustain/footswitch input
- Volume pedal input
- Expression pedal input
POWER
- External universal input power supply (100-240V) 15 volt 45 watts
RACK MOUNTABLE
- Yes, Rack Ears Included
- Packaging dimensions: 53 cm x 29 cm x 20cm
- Weight including packaging: 4.6kg
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK it's normally around £4 for order values under £150, and free above that. Shipping to mainland EU is typically between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of Parcelforce, DPD, Royal Mail and UPS for the UK, and for international orders it's either Royal Mail, UPS, DHL or FedEx depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we normally dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 15:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes FedEx or UPS may come a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Shipping times
Since April 2020 the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer.
There is absolutely nothing we can do about this unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Saturday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 15:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday delivery (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). The success rate with DPD is about 95% so it's worth a punt most of the time. Please note that if you select Saturday shipping on an order placed earlier in the week, we'll wait until Friday to ship it.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
Product Overview
We say...
We’re huge fans of the PPG-inspired Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave here at Signal Sounds, and the 8M is great news for anyone whose wallet couldn’t quite stretch to the flagship model. This is a compact desktop (or rack-mountable) synth with an identical sound engine to its big brother, but with eight voices and a streamlined interface based around a large 7” screen.
Manufacturer's description
You’ve discovered the synth industry’s best-kept secret: the 3rd Wave 8M — bringing Groove Synthesis’ award-winning wavetable technology to more studios, stages, and creative spaces than ever before. This isn’t a watered-down version. This is 8 voices and 2 parts of pure, uncompromised 3rd Wave DNA in a more accessible, compact package. Same premium sound engine. Same analog filters. Same innovative synthesis. Just more accessible to more producers and musicians.
ACCESS ALL AREAS
The performance-oriented control set featuring a generous 7” display with six encoders gives you the confidence to create the sounds you’ve always envisioned.
COMPLETE SYNTHESIS TOOLKIT
Choose from wavetable synthesis, analog-style synthesis, FM, and sampling for each of the three oscillators to create rich and expansive soundscapes.
- 8 Voices of full 3rd Wave sound engine with complete patch compatibility
- Bi-timbral operation with two independent parts
- Premium analog filters and output stages—identical to our flagship models
- Multiple synthesis types: wavetable, analog-style, FM, and sampling
- Streamlined interface with larger, more intuitive display
- Compact desktop format that fits your creative space
- Rackmountable and ships with 19″ rack ears for mounting
CLASSIC LEGACY – MODERN SOUND
While the 3rd Wave has roots in the classic digital wavetable synths of the past, it takes that concept into the 21st century with a lush, expansive sound that’s a product of its expanded wavetables and warm, organic analog filters. It boasts not only a punchy, Dave Rossum-designed 2140 analog low-pass filter with variable saturation, but a second, SEM-style state-variable filter (low-pass, high-pass, notch, and band-pass) for additional tone-sculpting. Run both filters in series for harmonically complex textures.
Features
NUMBER OF VOICES (without part layering)
- 8 Voices
MULTITIMBRAL
- 2 Part Multitimbral
SOUND ENGINE
- 3 High-resolution Digital Oscillators Per Voice
- 64 total user wavetable positions with 48 wavetables that contain 64 waveforms per table (32 legacy PPG waves with room for another 16 of this type)
- 32 original 8 bit wavetables from the PPG 2 series instruments with room for 16 more user created 8 bit wavetables
- 7 high-resolution modeled analog waveforms (sine, saw, triangle, supersaw, pulse, white noise, pink noise)
- VCO sync
- Linear FM
- 6-stage wave envelope per oscillator with variable time and position that can be looped
- Optional wave flow section that allows for no wavetable as well as no waveform interpolation
- Upper wavetable mode as with the original PPG 2 series
- Unison mode and chord mode with variable voice count
- 1 Analog Low-pass Filter
- Dave Rossum designed, classic, 2140 low-pass resonant filter
- 24 db per octave slope
- variable saturation amount
- optional resonance compensation
- 1 State-Variable Filter
- 12 db per octave slope
- Continuously variable between low-pass, notch, and high-pass, operation with optional band-pass mode
- 4 ADSR+ Delay Envelopes
- Filter, Amplifier, plus 2 additional envelopes switchable between exponential and vintage PPG-style response
- Freely assignable to multiple modulation destinations
- 4 Low-Frequency Oscillators
- Triangle, sawtooth, reverse sawtooth, square, pulse 1, pulse 2, pulse 3, and random (S&H)
- Variable delay
- Note reset
- Syncable to master clock BPM
- 2 digital effects (per part)
- BBD, stereo delay, tape delay, chorus, phaser, flanger, distortion pedal, rotating speaker, ring mod, room reverb, hall reverb, super plate reverb – most modeled on famous hardware devices
- Syncable to master clock BPM
- Parameters modulatable via mod matrix
WAVEMAKER TOOL
- Built-In Custom Wavetable Maker
- “Sample-to-wave” functionality. Connect an audio source to the 3rd Wave’s Audio In port, press “Make Waves” and the synth samples the audio to create a custom wavetable
- Samples to convert can also be brought in as a 96 kHz wav file through USB
- Store up to 32 custom wavetables
- 64 waveforms per wavetable
- Accepts pitched or un-pitched material as input
- 96 kHz sampling rate
- 16-bit resolution
- 1024 cycles per waveform, converted automatically to cover entire keyboard range
- Flexible wave-sampling length
- Imports Serum™ wavetables
SEQUENCER
- Performs both Note and Parameter Sequencing
- 2 parts per sequence
- 24 sequences per preset
- Up to 32 measures per sequence
- Variable quantization resolution per sequence (32nd, 16th, 8th, quarter, half, whole note, or quantization off), that is settable in real time
- Variable swing
ARPEGGIATOR
- 1 Arp per Multi-part
- Up, down, up/down, and assign modes
- Variable range (1, 2, or 3 octaves)
MOD MATRIX
- 16-slot Modulation Matrix Per Multi-Part
- 16 slot modulation matrix with 27 mod sources and 114 mod destinations
- 12 additional fixed-source mod paths
- Modulation assignment buttons enable quick and easy modulation routing
- Mod Matrix runs at audio rates
- Sequencer can record and play mod parameter changes in real time
CONTROLS
- 24 knobs and 36 buttons enable deep, comprehensive editing with generous 7 inch/17.75 cm display.
PROGRAMS
- 451 factory programs. User rewritable
IN/OUT
- 2 Balanced/Unbalanced Stereo outputs (2x 1/4″ phone jack per part)
- Headphone out (stereo 1/4″ phone jack)
- MIDI In, MIDI Out, and MIDI Thru
- USB port for bidirectional MIDI communication
- Audio Input for creating user wavetables from external audio source (1/4″ phone jack)
- Audio Input can also route audio through the filters, output chain, and effects
- Sustain/footswitch input
- Volume pedal input
- Expression pedal input
POWER
- External universal input power supply (100-240V) 15 volt 45 watts
RACK MOUNTABLE
- Yes, Rack Ears Included
Technical Specs
Shipping Details
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK it's normally around £4 for order values under £150, and free above that. Shipping to mainland EU is typically between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of Parcelforce, DPD, Royal Mail and UPS for the UK, and for international orders it's either Royal Mail, UPS, DHL or FedEx depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we normally dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 15:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes FedEx or UPS may come a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Shipping times
Since April 2020 the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer.
There is absolutely nothing we can do about this unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Saturday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 15:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday delivery (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). The success rate with DPD is about 95% so it's worth a punt most of the time. Please note that if you select Saturday shipping on an order placed earlier in the week, we'll wait until Friday to ship it.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
