Vavra, from the developer The Usual Suspects, is a plugin that supports emulations of the Waldorf MicroQ.
It is well known that The Usual Suspects consistently produce high-quality work. Their plugins, Osirus, OsTirus, and Vavra, today’s focus, are highly regarded in many productions.
There is something about the sounds of these synth emulations that goes a cut above some of the other soft synths available.
Vavra emulates the Waldorf MicroQ, an unusual wavetable synthesizer with a fully digital signal path. With the proper firmware files, users can harness a mighty and nostalgic synth.
The synth itself has a selection of common waveforms as well as some built-in wavetables. While these may not impress users looking to create the latest Color Bass or dubstep tracks, the synth can produce some unusual and wonderful sounds.
Although Vavra does not come with presets installed, free banks are readily available on the internet for those who know where to look.
As with all products from The Usual Suspects, it is heavily recommended to read the official manual of the synth. This is because all features are emulated on a 1:1 basis, unlike the more creative interpretations seen with other emulations.
On the plus side, this means that any programming tricks found will likely translate over identically.
Interestingly, Vavra excels not in the trance and dance styles it might have been intended for but as a wonderful ambient pad machine. The motion imparted on the waveforms, the dual filters, and the stunning chorus and delay create a potent combination for dialing in those 1990s digital pads.
Vavra works on Windows, Mac, and Linux, with confirmed installations on all three operating systems.
For a unique experience, it was installed on a Steam Deck alongside Renoise, and there were zero issues once the file paths were properly defined. Supporting The Usual Suspects is highly recommended, as it provides early access to alpha versions of upcoming releases.
Download: Vavra (FREE)