KVR Audio

Brother Charles · Post by **Brother Charles** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 2:08 am

Oh drat! It's been much too long since I published a new review. Well, better late than never, as they say.

Up on the keyboard rack this time is the pheonominal PolyKB II from XILS-Lab. Loads n' loads of phat, rich analogue charm here, kids. If you have a bit of time, you're invited to drop by Reviewer's Revival and check out the review.

XILS-Lab PolyKB II Review - Get Your Analogue On

Thanx & Luv to KVR Krew, my fellow KVRians, my developer pals, and RR readers.

donato · Post by **donato** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 4:37 am

I own (and love) all the XILS synths, but if I had to choose just one it would probably be the PolyKBii. On one hand I wish they were more interested in continuing improving current products rather than developing new ones. On the other, the existing products are already spectacular.

rasscass · Post by **rasscass** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:09 am

Great review of my favorite XILS synth. Nicely done!

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:35 am

Many thanks for this review.

I got all Xils lab synths too and PolyKB II is indeed very special. I love it too. Since having done Beta tests for both Oxium and V+ i got an even more special connection with the Xils Lab synths...

I also got most (or all??)of the available soundbanks for PolyKB II including the Kobold collection from Julian Ray:
http://www.julianraymusic.com/sounds/main.php

BTW for those who don't like dongles and are using presets mostly there is the PolyKB II player:
http://www.xils-lab.com/pages/PolyKB-II-Player.html

I have never used the Player version myself but it seems you could freely assign 8 synth parameters to the knobs.

Ingo

Brother Charles · Post by **Brother Charles** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:42 am

rasscass wrote:Great review of my favorite XILS synth. Nicely done!

Thanks a million, rasscass.

Brother Charles · Post by **Brother Charles** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:44 am

Thanks much, Ingonator. Thanks for the soundbanks tip as well.

Ingonator wrote:Many thanks for this review.

I got all Xils lab synths too and PolyKB II is indeed very special. I love it too. Since having done Beta tests for both Oxium and V+ i got an even more special connection with the Xils Lab synths...

I also got most (or all??)of the available soundbanks for PolyKB II including the Kobold collection from Julian Ray:
http://www.julianraymusic.com/sounds/main.php

Ingo

Brother Charles · Post by **Brother Charles** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:45 am

donato wrote:I own (and love) all the XILS synths, but if I had to choose just one it would probably be the PolyKBii. On one hand I wish they were more interested in continuing improving current products rather than developing new ones. On the other, the existing products are already spectacular.

Tru dat! It's usually tough to find much to complain about XILS-Lab stuff.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:53 am

Brother Charles wrote:Thanks much, Ingonator. Thanks for the soundbanks tip as well. ]

You're welcome.

Other PolyKB II sounbanks i got are here:
http://www.xils-lab.com/pages/PolyKB-II-Sound-sets.html

http://www.soundsdivine.com/polykb.html

The Kobold collection of Julian Ray also seems to be available here:
http://xenossoundworks.com/polykb.html
http://soundsforsynth.com/5__julian-ray

Don't know about others currently. Those who know about more PolyKB II banks copuld post a link here.

I had planned to do my own full bank for it for a while but was always distracted by other projects (including several Beta tests) or plugins. Hopefully i could finally manage to do a bank for it within the next 12 months...

BTW same about e.g. Synthix. A few of my sounds are already included in the first official bank for it.

Ingo

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 10:36 am

AFAIK like all Xils Lab synths also PoylKB II got an earlier implementation of the famous "Zero Delay Feedback" filters. Synthix and Oxium got more advanced versions of that technology.
Based on this PolyKB II could do self-oscillation. With non-0df filters this usually doesn't work or will sound very unpleasing and/or "strange".

You could check self-oscillations easily by loading an Init patch (e.g. "Init One_Osc", turning off the oscillators (with the Volume buttons/switches at the oscillator section), cranking up Resonance to the maximum and play with the Cutoff knob.

This would lead to the same pitch for all keys but you could route the keyboard to the Cutoff like in this screenshot (filter keytrack at maximum leads to a different result):

The Cutoff knob could be used to adjust the overall pitch and tuning.
You could also use a controller (Modwheel in the example at the screenshot) to play the synth which results in a "Theremin" like sound. Of course you could combine playing the keys and using the Modwheel.

Here is the PolyKB II file with the patch in that screenshot:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... %20IW.epkb

I have adjusted the Cutoff to a value (around 527.5 Hz) where C3 is "in tune" (using a tuning plugin). The Attack has been slightly increased to avoid clicking noises.

Here is a modified patch where you could use aftertouch and/or the Modwheel for vibrato:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... %20IW.epkb

I had also done the test that is published at the Xils Lab website. A link and screenshots of the test are included in this PDF file i have created:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... st%201.pdf

Ingo

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 2:32 pm

donato wrote:I own (and love) all the XILS synths, but if I had to choose just one it would probably be the PolyKBii. On one hand I wish they were more interested in continuing improving current products rather than developing new ones. On the other, the existing products are already spectacular.

Thanks Don

This year were released major updates for Le Masque Delay 1.5, Oxium 1.5, both with a lot of new features, and additional library content wich make use of these new features. All free. Then another Xils instrument will soon see its v 2.0 version released. There were also a some quick fix updates for various products. Not too bad for a year that is not finished yet

I think it's safe to say that people who invest in Xils-Lab instruments will see better possibilities and new content, as well as possibilities to get some new content from 3rd party vendors, like all the soundsets released for Oxium.

Xils-Lab politics is that all products will see major updates in the future. And I hope some of you will be happily surprised, because there are a lot of innovations and never seen features in the lot

Cheers,

L/

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 2:37 pm

Ingonator wrote:

BTW for those who don't like dongles and are using presets mostly there is the PolyKB II player:
http://www.xils-lab.com/pages/PolyKB-II-Player.html

I have never used the Player version myself but it seems you could freely assign 8 synth parameters to the knobs.

Ingo

Thanks Ingo,

yes you can freely assign 8 crucial parameters like envelopes segments, cut off, rez etc, to the knobs. So its much more than the average player.

The PKBII player can also import the add on soundsets made for the PolyKB II. All in all, its very easy and affordable to have it with around 700 1rst class presets in it, tweak them easily to adapt to context, and it is a synth especially targeted for those who prefer to play music than program their own presets, or want to benefit of the unique PKBII analog warmth and wait they are more funded to get the full version.

LtZ

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 2:41 pm

Ingonator wrote:AFAIK like all Xils Lab synths also PoylKB II got an earlier implementation of the famous "Zero Delay Feedback" filters. Synthix and Oxium got more advanced versions of that technology.
Based on this PolyKB II could do self-oscillation. With non-0df filters this usually doesn't work or will sound very unpleasing and/or "strange".

You could check self-oscillations easily by loading an Init patch (e.g. "Init One_Osc", turning off the oscillators (with the Volume buttons/switches at the oscillator section), cranking up Resonance to the maximum and play with the Cutoff knob.

This would lead to the same pitch for all keys but you could route the keyboard to the Cutoff like in this screenshot (filter keytrack at maximum leads to a different result):

The Cutoff knob could be used to adjust the overall pitch and tuning.
You could also use a controller (Modwheel in the example at the screenshot) to play the synth which results in a "Theremin" like sound. Of course you could combine playing the keys and using the Modwheel.

Here is the PolyKB II file with the patch in that screenshot:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... %20IW.epkb

I have adjusted the Cutoff to a value (around 527.5 Hz) where C3 is "in tune" (using a tuning plugin). The Attack has been slightly increased to avoid clicking noises.

Here is a modified patch where you could use aftertouch and/or the Modwheel for vibrato:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... %20IW.epkb

I had also done the test that is published at the Xils Lab website. A link and screenshots of the test are included in this PDF file i have created:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... st%201.pdf

Ingo

True, Ingo. All Xils-lab have 0df filters for ...... many years.

PolyKB is the second generation. Synthix and Oxium are third, wich includes more optimisation.

Thanks for the test also

L.

donato · Post by **donato** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 3:03 pm

Thanks for the info, Laurent!

The_Hidden_Goose · Post by **The_Hidden_Goose** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 3:07 pm

If anything could tempt me into dongleism, it'd be Xils 3. Keep meaning to check out PolyKBII but I'm terrified that I'll like it too much and end up with another on my wishlist!

liquidsound · Post by **liquidsound** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 3:16 pm

The ONLY DONGLE I own. I hate them!!!

But...

the ":love:" for the Xils stuff is stronger.

In order
PolyKB
Xils 3
Oxium
Synthix