Okay, you might already know about the Waldorf Collection, an update of three popular plug-ins once distributed by Steinberg. The latest news is that Waldorf has returned to the hardware arena. In addition to limited-edition models of the MicroQ, Q, and Q+, Waldorf is showing three new hardware instruments: the Blofeld, the Stromberg, and the Zarenbourg.

The Blofeld is probably best described as a MicroQ in a small tabletop device with only eight knobs, five buttons, and a backlit display. It should be available in the springtime with a street price around $500, including a Mac/Win editor/librarian.

The Stromberg is a full-tilt keyboard synth specializing in wavetable and virtual analog synthesis. It is a thing of beauty to behold and probably deserves to win many industrial design awards. It’s said to render Wave, Microwave, and Q sounds, but it was behind glass and I didn’t get to hear it. It’s supposed to be available in autumn for under $4,000.

The Zarenbourg was the only Waldorf instrument available for anyone to play. It’s a physical- modeled electric piano that physically resembles a Wurlitzer (right down to its size and weight, thanks in part to 76 real wood keys). It felt and sounded great, though no ship date or pricing information is available. Long live Waldorf!