Thanks for coming back to give your feedback up to this point.  I don't recall having the load-time issues, and I never had the opportunity to load samples.  I think the USB connection is version 1.slow, so if a large file is uploaded, then it could indeed take awhile.
 
It's good to hear confirmation on the keybed!  I'm glad Waldorf didn't cheap out despite their financial difficulties at the time of designing the Blofeld.