Waldorf MicroQ or Korg Radias R

Waldorf MicroQ or Korg Radias R? Which one would you guys suggest as a first hardware synth.

As a FIRST hardware synth? Get something with a lot of knobs. Actually the MicroQ was my first hardware synth, but I ended up upgrading to one of its bigger brothers about a year afterwards. Get a Q rack if you can.
 
Thanks. Looking really at the microQ and Radias though as I can get them for around the same price used. Let me know which one you think I would benefit the most from. I am a little skeptical at the lack of knobs on the Micro which has me leaning towards the Radias. Although I loved the sound of the Micro when I played it.....
 
Thanks. Looking really at the microQ and Radias though as I can get them for around the same price used. Let me know which one you think I would benefit the most from. I am a little skeptical at the lack of knobs on the Micro which has me leaning towards the Radias. Although I loved the sound of the Micro when I played it.....

How much are you getting the MicroQ for? I wouldn't recommend paying more than $350 for one.
 
330 and the Radias for 350. Both pretty much in the same price range although I think the radias goes for more new.
 
I'd go with the radias. It's got a better interface and would be a much better first synth. Not only would it be easier to learn on, but it has an arpegiator and several effects. Start with it and if you want the micro q later, it will be easy to add to your setup.
 
^ Thanks man. Why would you choose the Radias over the MicroQ. Just because of the interface an arp or anything else? Also just found out a local music store has a Q Rack for 499 which isnt too bad.
 
The differences in sound will be fairly minimal, thus I would judge them for you by the ease of learning, the Radias would be much easier to learn and use. It also has additional features that will be very useful as your first synth, like effects and an arpegiator.
 
I'd go with the radias. It's got a better interface and would be a much better first synth. Not only would it be easier to learn on, but it has an arpegiator and several effects. Start with it and if you want the micro q later, it will be easy to add to your setup.

The MicroQ also has an arpeggiator, actually a particularly excellent one, as well as an FX section, though the FX do leave a lot to be desired.
 
^ Thanks man. Why would you choose the Radias over the MicroQ. Just because of the interface an arp or anything else? Also just found out a local music store has a Q Rack for 499 which isnt too bad.

$499 for a Q rack is an absolute steal. Go for it if you still can!
 
I know you're a big Waldorf fan, but you can't really think that a waldorf rack would be better for a beginner than a Radias rack right? The Radias will offer far more flexibility and ease of use, you could always add a Waldorf rack later.
 
I know you're a big Waldorf fan, but you can't really think that a waldorf rack would be better for a beginner than a Radias rack right? The Radias will offer far more flexibility and ease of use, you could always add a Waldorf rack later.

I don't think either the MicroQ rack or the Radias are ideal for a beginner. The MicroQ's interface is too cumbersome, and I don't think the Radias really sounds all that great. The Radias would probably be a lot easier to learn on though.

The full Q rack, on the other hand, would be a "never sell" addition to any studio. Not only does it sound amazing, have a ridiculously deep voice architecture, but it also has an amazing interface. I'd go as far as saying that, in terms of digital synths, the Q is only second to the Nord Lead 3 in the ease of use department.

I completely disagree with the "far more flexibility" statement, by the way. As far as VA's and digital synths in general, the Q has the deepest voice architecture out of any product in that category, barring those which require a PC editor to fully utilize (such as the Nord Modular series).
 
Last edited:
I think you're being a bit fanboyish, I've used Q's before and I've never thought it was that much better than most other VAs.

I think the Radias would be much better for this situation.
 
I think you're being a bit fanboyish, I've used Q's before and I've never thought it was that much better than most other VAs.

I think the Radias would be much better for this situation.

That depends a lot on how you are using it, does it not? Any VA will do a decent bass, lead, supersaw, etc. whether it's a Virus, an JP8000, an MS2000, whatever. The Q shines in that, not only does it really have a unique timbre to it when designing the aforementioned sounds, it also lets you do some nice DX-style FM patches, wavetable synthesis, some limited physical modeling by way of the comb filters, etc. etc. etc. What other synth will let you combine all of those features in a single patch, all the while giving its user modular-like levels of control over just about every parameter?

I don't think that anyone in their right mind would take a Radias over a full blown Q. The Radias was another "me too" attempt by one of the Big 3 companies, which was in fact priced and positioned to compete with the Virus TI. It failed miserably on the market. Contrast that with a Q which is an extremely well thought out digital synth which is the direct descendant of the original digital synth manufacturer, PPG. To put it another way, the Radias was a lame attempt to capitalize on whatever brand name recognition Korg has (Tritons and MicroKorgs, yo!), all the while trying to bask in the Virus' limelight, while the Q was built by synth enthusiasts for synth enthusiasts.

Don't take my word for it, though. Just look at the demand for each product on the used market. Radias prices are plummeting to joke-like levels, while the resale value of the Q and Q+ continues to grow.
 
Any VA will do a decent bass, lead, supersaw, etc. whether it's a Virus, an JP8000, an MS2000, whatever.

And that's probably what a beginner is going to use the most, so why not judge them by features and interface? Say what you will, but the matrix interface is difficult to use and is not something that really inspires sound creation.

The Q shines in that, not only does it really have a unique timbre to it when designing the aforementioned sounds, it also lets you do some nice DX-style FM patches, wavetable synthesis, some limited physical modeling by way of the comb filters, etc. etc. etc.

Radius has that too, pretty much standard for any higher end synth.

The Radias was another "me too" attempt by one of the Big 3 companies, which was in fact priced and positioned to compete with the Virus TI.

Not really, it was priced at less than 1/2 of a virus.

Contrast that with a Q which is an extremely well thought out digital synth which is the direct descendant of the original digital synth manufacturer, PPG.

Funny how you put one down by calling it a "me too" while praising another by calling it a "me too".

To put it another way, the Radias was a lame attempt to capitalize on whatever brand name recognition Korg has (Tritons and MicroKorgs, yo!), all the while trying to bask in the Virus' limelight, while the Q was built by synth enthusiasts for synth enthusiasts.

That's just rabid fanboyism. They are both synths, they work the same way, and they do pretty much the same thing, you're just all wrapped up in synth-geek street cred, which Waldorf has more of because they are a small business and went out of business for a while.

Don't take my word for it, though. Just look at the demand for each product on the used market. Radias prices are plummeting to joke-like levels, while the resale value of the Q and Q+ continues to grow.

Most new synths do while having been in production for a while. JP-8000's did it, MPC's did it, even Waldorfs did it (the first time they were in production), as the used market expands and the option to buy new still remains, the price drops. By the way, Waldorfs have been dropping quite a bit lately now that you can buy new ones (as this very thread is proof of).

When trying to help new people, it's best to look at their needs rather than automatically recommending the synth that comes with the most cool points.
 
And that's probably what a beginner is going to use the most, so why not judge them by features and interface? Say what you will, but the matrix interface is difficult to use and is not something that really inspires sound creation.

You must have missed the part where I said that, when compared to the MicroQ, the Radias would probably be a better product to learn on. As far as the Q interface, where do you see any semblance of matrix editing?

438341820_62508a2b53.jpg


Radius has that too, pretty much standard for any higher end synth.

You curiously omitted addressing the part where I said that the Q could do all of those things simultaneously in one patch, all under semi-modular control. Picking and choosing which parts to attack me on makes you look like an ass.


Not really, it was priced at less than 1/2 of a virus.

Yes really. The Radias rack debuted at $1700. The Access Virus TI desktop cost $1895 at the same time. Hardly half the price. The Radias' price dropped like a stone when Korg realized that consumers weren't as dumb as they hoped they would be.


Funny how you put one down by calling it a "me too" while praising another by calling it a "me too".

I don't understand how you think a flagship, bar raising, no corners cut, synth like the Q can be considered a "me too" product. Somehow I don't think that term means what you think it does.



That's just rabid fanboyism. They are both synths, they work the same way, and they do pretty much the same thing, you're just all wrapped up in synth-geek street cred, which Waldorf has more of because they are a small business and went out of business for a while.

Kias and Ferraris are both brands of cars as well. They work the same way, and they do pretty much the same thing. They both have engines, run on gas, and can get you to the grocery store when you run out of milk. Am I right?

You know what other company went out of business for a while? Korg, and they were bailed out by Yamaha. Alesis went out of business for a while too. Is it OK for me to say that you are getting wrapped up in synth-geek street cred every time you recommend an Andromeda to someone?

When trying to help new people, it's best to look at their needs rather than automatically recommending the synth that comes with the most cool points.

This thread is the equivalent of someone coming in and saying "Hey, I'm on a budget, which car should I get, a used Galant or a used Civic? By the way, I can get a Porsche for $100 more" and you coming in and screaming your head off for the guy to get the Civic because apparently it's "fanboyish" for me to tell someone to jump on a great deal when they see one.
 
We were talking about the microq rack compared to a radias.

Just so you know I own and recommend the andromeda because it's a great keyboard, not to up my geek street cred.

I'm not getting into a big thing with you, I'd just like to suggest that when people ask for advice, you tell them what would work better for them, not which one you like better.
 
We were talking about the microq rack compared to a radias.

Maybe you were, but the OP and I were not:

^ Thanks man. Why would you choose the Radias over the MicroQ. Just because of the interface an arp or anything else? Also just found out a local music store has a Q Rack for 499 which isnt too bad.


Just so you know I own and recommend the andromeda because it's a great keyboard, not to up my geek street cred.

And I own a Q and recommend it because it's a great synthesizer. I'm not quite sure what you are getting at here. Why do you keep pushing that "geek street cred" phrase? Are you suggesting that I got a Q because it was somehow trendy to do so? It's not like I'm telling him to go out and get a Buchla or a Serge.

I'm not getting into a big thing with you, I'd just like to suggest that when people ask for advice, you tell them what would work better for them, not which one you like better.

I also don't understand why what I like has to be mutually exclusive from what I think might also work for someone else.
 
Last edited:
I'm just saying that a lot of time you reccomend the hipper synth rather than the more fitting one.
 
Back
Top