The same sound engine as its bigger siblings makes the eight-voice Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave 8M an attractive and accessible new desktop wavetable synth.

Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave 8M

We all knew Groove Synthesis was working on something new. The California company is even calling it “the synth industry’s best-kept secret” on its website. But the cat is now out of the bag at Superbooth. It’s the 3rd Wave 8M, and it’s a surprisingly more affordable eight-voice version of the big 3rd Wave – with just a few nips and tucks here and there.

Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave 8M: Not Watered Down

Groove Synthesis is careful to say that the 3rd Wave 8M is not a watered-down version. It’s the same sound engine as the two previous versions, with wavetable synthesis, analog-style synthesis, FM and sampling in each of its three oscillators. It’s also got the same analog filters. In fact, it will feature patch compatibility with the full keyboard and desktop versions. Nice.

The main difference in terms of what it’s lost is voices – there are now eight – and two parts of multitimbrality. Where the big boys have four, the 3rd Wave 8M has two, with bi-timbral operation of its two independent parts. And, of course, keys and many of the knobs, with just a single oscillator section to handle all three and a single envelope area.

Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave 8M: Check Out That Screen

To make up for the lack of hands-on control, Groove Synthesis has done us a solid by increasing screen real estate to seven inches. This is accompanied by six encoders and buttons to aid in programming and getting around the operating system. To give “you the confidence to create the sounds you’ve always envisioned,” in Groove Synthesis’s words.