Who's going to do a EMS Synthi 200 Emulation?

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:borg:

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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2_LGjetEcCY

Highly doubtful an emulation of such an ultra rare 200 series synth will be made, for a number of reasons to do with the owners.

However, as you probably know, its much smaller sister, Synthi A, has been made into plugins by some developers:
https://blog.wavosaur.com/free-ems-vcs3 ... mulations/

And XILS Labs did a great job emulating its EMS cousin synths, EMS VSC3 and VSC4.
For my money, the first version of XILS 3 (not the updated version; I have both) is the best sounding plugin in the same ballpark.

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dark water wrote:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2_LGjetEcCY

Highly doubtful an emulation of such an ultra rare 200 series synth will be made, for a number of reasons to do with the owners.

However, as you probably know, its much smaller sister, Synthi A, has been made into plugins by some developers:
https://blog.wavosaur.com/free-ems-vcs3 ... mulations/

And XILS Labs did a great job emulating its EMS cousin synths, EMS VSC3 and VSC4.
For my money, the first version of XILS 3 (not the updated version; I have both) is the best sounding plugin in the same ballpark.
Hm maybe I’ll have to give the Xils a second look.

Thx
:borg:

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Afaik Soniccouture has a lot of samples from Synthi A in their Attic library.

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Xils 4 replicates a lot of the following, including the 256 sequencer :

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Xils 3 V2.0 is an augmented Synthi (VS3). The close emulation of the VCS3 is the Xils 3 LE version, wich is 'more than very affordable'
http://www.lelotusbleu.fr Synth Presets

77 Exclusive Soundbanks for 23 synths, 8 Sound Designers, Hours of audio Demos. The Sound you miss might be there

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dark water wrote:For my money, the first version of XILS 3 (not the updated version; I have both) is the best sounding plugin in the same ballpark.
Woah, is actually there a difference between the two (X3 and X4) sound-wise? I know the default preset sounded different but I then found out that was because a few of the parameters had been tweaked a little bit - but wasn't aware there was a bigger change in the sound engine ...

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Sine Waveshaping on the Xils 3 1rst version wasn't working properly, as a few other things on some LFOs for example (using the sine wave). This have been corrected, at the price of some patches sounding different on the two versions.
Other than that, they are, and sound identical, besides the fact that the Xils 4 has 2 *augmented* VCS3 on board, and the Xils 3 only one.
http://www.lelotusbleu.fr Synth Presets

77 Exclusive Soundbanks for 23 synths, 8 Sound Designers, Hours of audio Demos. The Sound you miss might be there

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mcbpete wrote:
dark water wrote:For my money, the first version of XILS 3 (not the updated version; I have both) is the best sounding plugin in the same ballpark.
Woah, is actually there a difference between the two (X3 and X4) sound-wise? I know the default preset sounded different but I then found out that was because a few of the parameters had been tweaked a little bit - but wasn't aware there was a bigger change in the sound engine ...
I'm not as synth savvy as others here, however if I recall correctly, people such as the sound developer aMUSEd have previously commented technically about the changes in sound between version 1 and version 2 of XILS 3.
I have both of those versions and to my ears, the first version of XILS3 sounds a bit murkier and dirtier (these are of course my subjective adjectives) than the updated version 2 of XILS3, and I prefer using the first version.

I also have XILS4 and there is a big difference in scope and possibilities between it and XILS3 version 2 in terms of functionality but not in sound.
Tbh, I didn't appreciate until Lotuzia's post today that it was based on a different machine to that which XILS3 was based on. I just (wrongly it turns out) thought that it was a super-XILS3 on steroids :oops:

Don't get me wrong: I love using all my XILS plugins, which number around 10 synths and effects in total. And I would happily use version 2 of XILS3.
It's just that as one of the early buyers of XILS3, I got/get to play with the earlier "flawed" version (in XILS Labs' eyes) which sounds murkier and more to my tastes.
:phones:

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dark water wrote:I just (wrongly it turns out) thought that it was a super-XILS3 on steroids :oops:
Yeah that's what I'd thought to -> Like XILS4 = 2x(XILS3) + Polysequencer

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Actually it's a bit more (and less) than 2 Xils3, because both base synth engines (the VCS3s) share things like the additional enveloppes and some modulators, and have access to the sequencer. An architecture wich is quite powerfull. Then you can cascade the 1rst VCS to feed the second engine. And a few other things like that.
http://www.lelotusbleu.fr Synth Presets

77 Exclusive Soundbanks for 23 synths, 8 Sound Designers, Hours of audio Demos. The Sound you miss might be there

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Haha, now I'm even more confused - So should I have both Xils3 and Xils4 installed for the most flexibility, or would I be able to do everything (and sound the same) in Xils 4 that I could with Xils 3 if I use just one of the synths and ignore the second ?

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mcbpete wrote:Haha, now I'm even more confused - So should I have both Xils3 and Xils4 installed for the most flexibility, or would I be able to do everything (and sound the same) in Xils 4 that I could with Xils 3 if I use just one of the synths and ignore the second ?
So to be as clear as possible :)

* Xils 4 can do anything that the Xils 3 V2.0 does. No need to install both
* For those who prefer the sound of the original Xils 3 v1.0 , or have existing presets/projects that require this version, they'll get everything by installing Xils 4 AND any Xils 3 version prior to to V2.0.
http://www.lelotusbleu.fr Synth Presets

77 Exclusive Soundbanks for 23 synths, 8 Sound Designers, Hours of audio Demos. The Sound you miss might be there

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GOTCHA - Thanks, makes sense :)

Are there still download links to X3 v1.x in the archives, would they work with my iLok account with X3 & X4 licences on it ? Just curious to know quite how different it sounded :)

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mcbpete wrote:GOTCHA - Thanks, makes sense :)

Are there still download links to X3 v1.x in the archives, would they work with my iLok account with X3 & X4 licences on it ? Just curious to know quite how different it sounded :)
Although I can't answer the above question (which is for XILS Labs to answer), I can provide a very short and quick test of the old and new XILS 3 versions for your listening pleasure!

https://soundcloud.com/user-434633776/o ... 01/s-zE6br


As per the notes on the above Soundcloud page:


This was a very small test just now over four presets to check out differences in the sound between the two XILS 3 versions (V153 vs V201).

* Always the old V153 plays the notes over four bars first.
After a brief pause, the Modern V201 always plays the same notes second *

Midi boshed together quickly from some Sample Magic midi files.

The presets in order for both synth versions were:

KY Backing Keys Ltz
BA Dj SavedMyLife Ltz
BR PolyPorta Ltz
PA Silky Ltz


No effects, not even a limiter, were used.

All tracks set at exactly same levels for each comparable preset.
See photo on that Soundcloud page for proof.

Audio recorded directly using Voxengo Recorder on the Master channel.

Cheers.

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Apparently EMS never made a Synthi 200. The guess is that it is a Synthi 100 then modified by Ludwig Rehberg.

I haven't found the XIL emulation particularly true - it just sounds like an average soft synth. The oscillators seem to lack the power and the filter character doesn't seem right.

I found the Reaktor ensemble SIAC somewhat closer to the spirit of the VCS3/A/AKS.
Pastoral, Kosmiche, Ambient Music https://markgriffiths.bandcamp.com/
Experimental Music https://markdaltongriffiths.bandcamp.com/

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