Spectrum by Wave Alchemy Kontakt synth instrument interface

Spectrum: Hybrid Waveform Synth Instrument for Kontakt by Wave Alchemy Free Download

Rated 4.0/5 on Plugin Boutique (63 ratings)

Spectrum is a hybrid waveform synthesizer instrument for Kontakt by Wave Alchemy. It layers up to four multi-sampled patches, drawn from vintage analogue and early digital hardware synths, into one single-file instrument.

REQUIRESKontaktHost player sold separately
KontaktWindowsmacOS64-bit
AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique
Free trial available from the developer
01Overview

Spectrum is built on 175 patches designed from a collection of vintage analogue and early digital hardware synthesizers. Wave Alchemy describes it as an attempt to bring the sounds of several well-known instruments under one roof. Its samples were recorded at 96 kHz and then looped and cleaned for noise, so the instrument can be played across its range with a wide dynamic range. Producers who want classic synth textures inside a modern workflow will find the most to work with here.

Best for

  • Analogue bass and leads
  • Evolving pads
  • Vintage-style chords
  • Analogue sequences
  • Sound design starting points
Developer
Wave Alchemy
Requires
Kontakt
Store
Plugin Boutique
02Key features

What you get

  • 175 patches designed from vintage analogue and early digital hardware synths
  • Over 250 custom presets in Kontakt Snapshot format
  • Blend and layer up to four patches simultaneously
  • 9,969 samples recorded at 96 kHz, edited for noise removal
  • Single .nki file holds the full instrument and all features
  • Dice Mode generates new sounds in a single click
  • Internal 32-step, 9-lane sequencer with independent lanes
  • Mono, legato and polyphonic voice playback up to 64 voices
03In depth

Sound Design and Analogue Character

Each patch is built from multi-sampled waveforms, and up to four patches can be layered at once. This makes it possible to blend the character of different hardware synths, or to combine older analogue timbres with more modern tones.

The instrument includes filters, envelopes, LFOs and waveform editing parameters. Wave Alchemy says the samples capture the sound and character of analogue synthesis in a way purely digital synthesis cannot fully reproduce. A Dice Mode button generates new combinations automatically, which can be a fast way to find starting points for a sound.

Workflow, Sequencing and Mixing

Spectrum keeps the whole instrument in a single .nki file, so presets can be browsed without loading and saving multiple instruments. A built-in 32-step, 9-lane sequencer controls note, pitch, length, LFOs, velocity and filter parameters independently.

The internal chord memorizer supports easy and advanced modes for chords and stacked sounds. Chorus/Flanger, Delay and Reverb can be routed to external busses, and a global option turns off the internal effects for mixing in your DAW. Voice playback supports mono, legato and variable polyphony up to 64 voices. Every parameter is mapped to Maschine and Komplete Kontrol hardware.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

DeveloperWave Alchemy
TypePlugin
CategoryKontakt Instrument
RequiresKontakt
FormatsKontakt
Operating systemsWindows, macOS
Architecture64-bit
Free trialYes
05FAQ

Questions, answered

What do I need to use Spectrum?

Spectrum requires the full version of Kontakt 5.5.1 or later. It will not work in the free Kontakt Player, which puts it in demo mode.

Which operating systems does Spectrum support?

Spectrum runs on Windows and macOS in 64-bit form. The listed minimum requirements include 2 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended) and about 11 GB of free disk space.

Does Spectrum come with presets?

Yes. It includes over 250 custom presets in Kontakt Snapshot format, with support for Maschine 2 and Komplete Kontrol keyboards.

Is there a trial version?

Yes, a trial is available for Spectrum.

07Developer

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