Meet the 3rd Wave 8M: Overview by Bob Coover
If you’ve been curious about what makes the 3rd Wave 8M tick, there’s no better guide than the person who designed its sound engine.
In our latest video, Groove Synthesis co-founder Bob Coover takes you inside the 8M for a comprehensive 20-minute walkthrough that answers the question we’ve been hearing since launch: “What exactly can this thing do?”
The answer, as Bob demonstrates with sound examples throughout, is considerably more than most people expect from an 8-voice desktop synth at this price point.
Bob and the 8M
Bob isn’t just another synth demonstrator. He’s the DSP engineer behind the 3rd Wave’s sound engine, with decades of experience designing instruments at Sequential (working alongside Dave Smith) before starting Groove Synthesis. When he explains why the 8M sounds the way it does, he’s talking about decisions he personally made in the signal processing chain.
That technical credibility shows up in how he presents the instrument. This isn’t a marketing pitch. It’s an engineer and musician walking you through what he built, why he built it that way, and how to get the most out of it.
What You’ll Learn
The video is structured around the five synthesis methods built into every 8M voice:
PPG wavetables get the most attention, and for good reason. Bob explains the specific character of classic PPG wavetable synthesis, including the importance of the anti-imaging filter (or lack thereof). If you’ve wondered what makes the 3rd Wave’s PPG emulation different from software or other hardware implementations, Bob breaks it down clearly.
Modern wavetables show the other side of the coin: contemporary wavetable synthesis with the ability to create and morph your own wavetables, and to import Serum wavetables. Bob demonstrates how the 8M can generate wavetables automatically from samples or other sources.
Virtual-analog waveforms prove that the 8M isn’t just a wavetable synth. Bob shows how the analog filters interact with classic subtractive synthesis waveforms to create fat, warm sounds that live up to the expectations you might have for an analog synth.
Sampling capabilities might surprise people who think of the 3rd Wave primarily as a wavetable synth. Bob demonstrates how you can use samples as oscillator sources and what sample sequences sound like.
Linear FM synthesis rounds out the toolkit, showing how the 8M can venture into metallic, bell-like timbres and complex harmonic structures.
Throughout these demonstrations, Bob keeps returning to a key point: all five of these synthesis methods are available per oscillator, in each of the 8M’s eight voices and across the two parts. That’s not five synthesis methods you choose between. That’s five methods you can combine, layer, and morph between in a single patch.
Which 3rd Wave is right for me?
Perhaps the most valuable section comes at the end, where Bob addresses the question every potential customer asks: Should I get the 8M, the 24M, or the 24K?
His guidance is refreshingly practical and honest. He discusses voice count needs, keyboard versus desktop preferences, and budget considerations. If you’re on the fence about which 3rd Wave fits your setup, this section alone is worth watching.
If you’re considering the 8M, this video should be your starting point. If you already own one, you’ll probably learn something new about what’s possible.
Watch the full overview above, and if you want to experience the 8M in person, find your nearest dealer here.