KVR Audio

Gavvo · Post by **Gavvo** » Sun Aug 17, 2014 6:07 pm

Anyone had any experience with them?
I've currently got an MPK25 but it clearly does more than I'm ever gonna need it to do as I prefer to manually map filters and what not, so I'm thinking if selling up to buy a Xiosynth 49. It's used for making Trance music with Live Suite 9 and I'm also gonna have the added benefit of the audio interface that's built in this freeing up £100 more towards monitors...or is this a bad idea and I should stick with the mpk?

Monib · Post by **Monib** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 9:02 pm

I've heard not so good things about the audio interface of the xiosynth. Also its discontinued so OS support may be a problem.

Why not get a Novation Ultranova? Its a synth and audio interface as well. Only 37 keys though.

Beazlebug · Post by **Beazlebug** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 9:14 pm

I've been using one for 5 years - no problems as such, except erratic midi messages occasionally. The audio interface is okay - but not great. The synth itself is pretty good, but the keyboards dodgy. I like mine but I'd hesitate about recommending it as it's quite old now.

idfpower · Post by **idfpower** » Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:26 pm

The "age" of the instrument is irrelevant. A lot of iconic synths are from the 70s and 80s and ppl still cherish them & use them daily. Anyway, back on topic...

I have the 25 keys version. IMO this was built with the bedroom artist on a tight budget in mind - it was dirt cheap when it was released. This means they had to cut some corners (the main issue - as previously posted = the dodgy/flimsy keys). That aside, to me it sounds very good and is capable of meaty/aggressive sounds (it excels at basses and leads) if you push it a bit (check also the additional banks). The editor is not that great, but the unit has most of the parameters layed down in a very simple way to understand and operate. I also like the arp - simple, but efffective. It also has a very small footprint (at least the 25 keys model does) so it's easy to find a space for it

But the thing with Xio is that it can load X-Station presets

Another cool thing is the X/Y touchpad - same for the pitch/modulation joystick - I love that thing

It was Novation's attempt to come up with the cheapest yet most full-packed synth possible - and IMO they succeded (kind of what Korg is trying now with Triton Taktile now).

IMO as long as you don't have unrealistic expectations from such a cheap (pricewise) unit, you will be pleased by Xio

I love it

Chopper · Post by **Chopper** » Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:59 pm

Cheap. Amazing sonic possibilities ( the best novation virtual analogue by far... Yes, it loads the xstation sounds, but the filter(s) are better, the overdrive miles ahead in credibility, and has got faaaaar more osc waveforms than any other novation synths). Editing is a nightmare due to sub menues and so on, but there is a free editor floating around that a kvr member made a while ago that is pretty good. Build quality? Rubbish. The worse novation ever built and i had them all. Their build quality is always dodgy, but with that one they reached a new low. Sad, because i love the sound and capabilities of the xio. I sold my supernova when i got this. Still can't bring myself to get rid of it, even if half the switches and knobs are dead and the pitch thingy triggers by itself... A big plus of any novations for me always been how effortlessly they fit in any mix. Try to blend an overpowering Access Virus...

Novation Xiosynth?