AudioPilz vs. Waldorf Protein: Retro Grit Meets Modern Misses

14. February 2026

SPARKY

AudioPilz vs. Waldorf Protein: Retro Grit Meets Modern Misses

AudioPilz is back in the Bad Gear bunker, this time grilling the Waldorf Protein—a synth that promises retro lo-fi charm with a dash of modern sauce. But does this blue box deliver the meaty punch its name suggests, or is it just another diet synth in disguise? Expect sharp wit, surgical teardown, and the kind of sonic street wisdom only AudioPilz can serve. If you want to know whether this thing slaps or sags, you’re in the right rave bunker. Spoiler: you’ll want to see the video for the full flavour (and the face-pulling envelope crimes).

Retro Vibes, Modern Ambitions

Waldorf’s Protein lands on the table with a look that’s more budget gym snack than synth legend—blue plastic, metal face, and a whiff of 90s nostalgia. AudioPilz sets the scene: this box is trying to channel the fat, gritty energy of classic wavetable hardware, but with a modern twist. It’s a synth that wants to bridge the gap between the golden age of digital and today’s plugin-soaked reality.

Under the hood, you get those lo-fi 8-bit wavetables that’ll make any synth nerd’s heart skip a beat, plus a UI that’s clearly aimed at the hands-on crowd. But don’t let the retro packaging fool you—this isn’t just a nostalgia trip. Protein is gunning for a spot in the modern DAW-less setup, promising unique tones and a compact form factor that could fit in any rave bunker or bedroom studio.


Ergonomics: The Envelope Fiasco

Here’s where the Protein starts to wobble like a cheap folding table at a warehouse party. AudioPilz doesn’t mince words: the physical interface is a mess, especially when it comes to the envelopes. You get one knob per envelope, but to actually shape your sound, you’re forced to do a clumsy dance with the main encoder and stare at a tiny display that’s more squint-inducing than inspiring.

The workflow is anything but fluid. Adjusting envelope stages means endless menu-diving and button-pushing, killing any hope of quick, one-handed tweaks mid-jam. If you’re after a synth you can play like an instrument rather than program like a spreadsheet, this will grind your gears. The display and control scheme feel like a missed opportunity—a classic case of style over substance.

You need to use the main encoder to select another stage making it inconvenient to dial in tones one-handed or without staring at the…

"You need to use the main encoder to select another stage making it inconvenient to dial in tones one-handed or without staring at the display like you just found an untouched Mauritius 2 pens blue while tripping."

© Screenshot/Quote: Audiopilz (YouTube)

Sound Palette: Unique but Unmemorable

That's a weird mix of vintage digital grit and plug-in like cleanness.

"That's a weird mix of vintage digital grit and plug-in like cleanness."

© Screenshot/Quote: Audiopilz (YouTube)

Despite the ergonomic headaches, Protein does have its own sonic flavour. The oscillators follow the classic Microwave playbook, with two independently tweakable sources and a dirt-infused noise generator lurking in the filter section. There’s a certain digital grit here—vintage, but with a modern sheen—that stands out in a crowded field of wannabe retro boxes.

Still, AudioPilz can’t help but notice that, for all its quirks, the Protein struggles to deliver truly jaw-dropping sounds. The patches are usable, sure, but nothing leaps out and demands attention the way its legendary ancestors did. If you’re hoping for a synth that’ll blow your socks off and leave plugin users weeping, this isn’t quite it. It’s more kitten than apex predator.

FX: The Silver Lining in a Cloudy UI

Just when you’re ready to write Protein off, the internal effects section steps up and saves the day—at least a little. AudioPilz gives props to the FX units, which add a welcome layer of polish and character to the otherwise middling sound engine. The reverb and delay are genuinely useful, and the modulation options aren’t half bad either.

But here’s the rub: getting to those tasty FX still means wrestling with the same fiddly interface. Patch creation and navigation remain a chore, and you’ll be glued to that tiny screen more than you’d like. It’s a classic Waldorf move—great sounds buried under odd UI choices. If you want to hear what this synth can really do, you’ll need to watch the video and catch the jams for yourself.


Final Verdict: Protein’s Place in the Food Chain

So, does the Protein earn its spot in the synth hall of fame? Not quite. AudioPilz is clear: while there’s plenty to like—compact size, hands-on controls, and a few tasty tones—the overall experience falls short of the hype. The ergonomic missteps and underwhelming sound palette mean it can’t live up to the Microwave legacy it so clearly wants to channel.

If you’re desperate for a hardware wavetable fix and can live with a fiddly UI, Protein might add some flavour to your DAW-less rig. But for those who’ve tasted the real Waldorf classics, this synth is more snack than main course. Watch the video for the full roast—some things, like envelope rage and FX magic, just don’t translate to text.

But having spent quite some time with its orange ancestor it just seems like a little kitten compared to the roaring steampunk apex…

"But having spent quite some time with its orange ancestor it just seems like a little kitten compared to the roaring steampunk apex predators from the 80s and 90s."

© Screenshot/Quote: Audiopilz (YouTube)

This article is also available in German. Read it here: https://synthmagazin.at/audiopilz-vs-waldorf-protein-retro-charme-trifft-moderne-schwaechen/
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