The new Kyra synth from Waldorf is finally here

Back in January, at NAMM 2019, Waldorf dropped by with an upcoming new kind of analog synthesizer to show off. And as event-goers dropped by one by one to be introduced to Kyra, the synth in question, jaws dropped on the spot. Kyra was a new kind of synthesizer, with an ambition only Waldorf would have been able to pull off. From there, we only had to wait for its release. Now, Kyra has dropped and is available to purchase and let your own jaw drop to the floor.

The most talked about thing circling Kyra right now is its power. This synth can function with up to eight independent parts, each containing two oscillator groups, two sub-oscillators, filters, modulation, and even more. Every part can be sent to your DAW at a rate of up to 24bit/96kHz. This may seem a bit disappointing in the day and age of recording where more and more manufacturers are embracing sample rates up to 192k, but for a synthesizer that in most uses will be functioning as a background supporting instrument, we’d say 96k should suffice for most.

Kyra has an OLED display screen top and center, where all of your inner software controls will show up for visual feedback. Waldorf has also included a whopping four pairs of stereo outputs to send your synth tones anywhere you need to. Of course, it also includes MIDI In/Out/Thru, and USB 2.0. Which is, to be frank, quite disappointing to see a new synth in 2019 not running USB-C, but you can’t win ’em all.

For what it does pack inside, the Kyra from Waldorf should definitely be worth every penny for synth lovers who need a compact powerhouse to work from. And with eight available parts to use, that’s quite the understatement. If you want to learn more about Kyra, head on over to Waldorf’s website. Otherwise, if you’re ready to dive in and grab a Kyra synth for yourself, you can do so for $2,299 over at Sweetwater.