Waldorf Iridium Keyboard

It’s Korg being the official distributor for the North America market. And I believe you can swap out the power cable and you should be good. So with the Euro at a 20 yr low against the dollar minus the Korg distributor fee is where you see the difference in pricing

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I just got a B-stock from Thomann and the import fees were ~$100 - still made it worth buying from them except for the fact that the screen popped out of place during shipping. Debating if I return and get one that’s brand new or just suck it up. Also trying to see if I can get a new screen altogether and re-install.

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You mean the Iridium Keyboard ? I presume you do.

Is this an issue with the keyboard ? I read it occurred with some of the early desktops at some point.

nope, sorry - desktop. Must have gone through some shipping trauma as it was not in place when I first opened the package seemed like it fell out of the styrofoam/plastic meant for holding it.

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Low volume and historically poor QC on Waldorf’s part goes a long way to explaining Korg’s pricing. I would be tempted to order from Thomann if it weren’t for all the reports of Waldorf issues.

Instead, I should make better use of the wavetables on my Virus & Blofeld. :innocent:

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The Iridium Desktop has its own thread.

Problems, particularly with early production of the Iridium Desktop doesn’t have a strong correlation for determining the manufactured quality of the Iridium Keyboard.

Not saying that the quality of the WIK is good or bad, just that from my manufacturing experience, the mechanical quality of a manufactured product, has many more factors involved than may be expected.

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Agreed. Also, I don’t know how you can blame shipping on Waldorf. I bought a MatrixBrute and when it arrived, there was a huge dent on the outside (shipping box) and a hole on the inside box, and then when I removed it, one of the knobs was completely bent to the side and there were other obvious signs of trauma. I returned it the same day (not fun with a MatrixBrute). Similar story with my Iridium (desktop). The first one was wonky (and I think a return that got rerouted to me). Second one has been flawless for the past 5 months.

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According to Loopop the screen size is exactly the same size on both Desktop and Keyboard versions. He also noted the greater distance between knobs, but also noted, like me, that this is the price you pay for keeping the desktop as small as possible, especially given all the immediacy the Iridium offers despite its incredible complexity and depth. Beats every other instrument I’ve ever used in this regard.

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I want one.
Really seems like the ultimate digital synth and bitimbral is the way to go vs Waldorf’s hap-hazard multitimbral attempts in the past.

Will slowly save up, as I don’t want to sell things I love to make it happen (and then regret the loss of those things).

I see it as a modern XTK with mostly expanded features and the fewest possible corners cut, and that really is a dream come true.
Plus while I save up for it, I have two great Nords and an Opsix to keep me happy.


I do have a question for IrKB owners… are the parameters that get changed by the macros instantaneously heard? Or is there some load time?

Because it sounds like these could be expanded versions of NL4 impulse morphs (or Rytm Scene macros, for example). Nifty that you can use them to load different screens on the display.

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Oh, it’s not out yet? What’s the price?

My aftertouch seems to get disabled when local is off, does anyone else experience this?

I want to be able to use it with plugin synths and other hardware.

Back in March of this year ( 2022 ), i concluded, being pretty sure, that the Waldorf Iridium Keyboard’s keybed, did not have a Note OFF Velocity, or using the ROLI terminology “LIFT” as a usable parameter.

Does anyone know this to be an absolute fact, or not true ? Has this changed since March. Any more definite information on this is appreciated.

I finally ordered the iridium keyboard from Juno. Now I have the Kyra, M, and Iridium. This will be a lot of fun layering all three synths.

Any good Iridium reading I should do besides the manual ?

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I’ve checked the midi out from iridium and it does not send velocity information for note off.

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Thank you west.

Wasn’t expecting this…

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Looks awesome if they fix the bugs on the synth and support it.

Really glad to see this because it seems to indicate that Waldorf has continuing plans to support the quantum/iridium line of sense for quite some time to come.

Hello all Iridium Keyboard owners!
I am on my 20 years since my first synth and also I’ll turn 40 this year…sooooo this Waldorf looks like a good gift to make to myself. But I’m pretty scared about FAULTY units!!!
@blipson have you had otehr issues?

There is a used unit (shoud be 3 months since bought) which appeals me. But it’s on the opposite side of Italy, so I cannot try it by myself.
Really on an edge…but really cannot waste those huge amount of money

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My replacement unit hasn’t had any kind of problem (knock wood).

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