Xils 4 The Pin Matrix Modular Analog Synthesizer [V1.5 released + Intro Price offer]

[Lotuzia]

I downloaded the demos of both. The Xils 4 GUI is very small! The settings and manual suggest that a larger size is forthcoming, though.

Trying them out...

Yes a big size, where you can see the three panels at once is schedulled. The two switchable panel is actually the result of beeing compliant with Laptops screens, especially Apple ones. Also, if you dont use layering with the second *extended* VCS3 engine, you'll only need two panels with simultaneous view : First VCS3, and the panel with all the extended mods ( Lfos, EVs giant pin matrix 2, effects ) and the sequencer. Sof for large part of presets, two panels is OK. Even when layering, you can still see the two VCS3 main panels and their matrixes, giving you a *view* with more than a thousand possible modulations.

Note : You can zoom in all the Pin Matrixes whith mouse wheeling. Makes it easier to fix the mod ammounts.

[thetechnobear]

Do you think you might have a special offer on Xils 4, to celebrate/capitalize on your good reviews
(I'm sure a few like me, missed your introductory offer, but now have had our interest raised)

Well, a lot of people have bought the Xils 4/Xils 3 at full price since the introductory offer has ended, be it because of the mouth to ear buzz, or reviews like theses ones.

Redoing a promo such a short time after would not be fair towards these people. They could feel betrayed, and have food reasons for that.
So unfortunately, no promo at this point

No problem, I tend to just keep an eye out for these things when I notice them, and they spark my interest
Ive not got a shortage of synths to use (Im still digging into Kaivo,Aalto and Bazille to name but a few).

Ive signed up for your newsletter, so perhaps if a promo comes along, or something else entices me

[Robmobius]

I want the Poly KB as well. Just saving for a bit of doh.

Love Oxium, Synthix and especially Xils 4 (that one, was the reason I sold my Oberheim).

Thanks Rob,

I hope you will not be disapointed by the PolyKB II. Its very warm sounding, and a full goldmine for vintage sounds.

I've tried the demo and was very impressed, the filters are class. At the time I could only afford Xils 4. But Poly KB is next on my hit list.

One thing, it's sad to see that SynthX is not talked about here very often as it's amazing.

[audientronic]

PolyKB is my favorite. Although I need to take the time to wrap my head around XILS4.

Any word on a Xilistics update?

[Lotuzia]

PolyKB is my favorite. Although I need to take the time to wrap my head around XILS4.

Any word on a Xilistics update?

Thanks

Xilistics was updated and the version for XIls 3 v2.0 released a few months ago iirc. With some additional free patches ( around 40/50 iirc ) . It works the same in Xils 4, except some patches are a bit too loud and distort. So in case you meet one of these patches, just reduce the general gain and its ok. When time allows the Xils 4 specific version will be released, fixing these volumes issues.

Xilistics v2 if free for all existing Xilistics users. ( you'll find it in your account on Xils site )

[Lotuzia]

I want the Poly KB as well. Just saving for a bit of doh.

Love Oxium, Synthix and especially Xils 4 (that one, was the reason I sold my Oberheim).

Thanks Rob,

I hope you will not be disapointed by the PolyKB II. Its very warm sounding, and a full goldmine for vintage sounds.

I've tried the demo and was very impressed, the filters are class. At the time I could only afford Xils 4. But Poly KB is next on my hit list.

One thing, it's sad to see that SynthX is not talked about here very often as it's amazing.

Thanks. I think the Syn'X, ex Synthix, suffered a bit form the fact that we had to change its name. Well, not beeing able to just *name* a synth probably makes it a bit more difficult to speak about it.

Syn'X is an exceptional synth imho. You can build HUGE leads with 8 completely independant mono layers, different filters, enveloppes, oscillators etc for each layer. Its one of the very few polytimbral analog synths.

I also think some people have hard times programming it. It can be a very complex beast.

[sfd]

A scaled down version of Syn'X would make it more true to the Elka Synthex.

And whenever XILS-Lab releases such a version - I'm first in line to buy it!

[Robmobius]

I want the Poly KB as well. Just saving for a bit of doh.

Love Oxium, Synthix and especially Xils 4 (that one, was the reason I sold my Oberheim).

Thanks Rob,

I hope you will not be disapointed by the PolyKB II. Its very warm sounding, and a full goldmine for vintage sounds.

I've tried the demo and was very impressed, the filters are class. At the time I could only afford Xils 4. But Poly KB is next on my hit list.

One thing, it's sad to see that SynthX is not talked about here very often as it's amazing.

Thanks. I think the Syn'X, ex Synthix, suffered a bit form the fact that we had to change its name. Well, not beeing able to just *name* a synth probably makes it a bit more difficult to speak about it.

Syn'X is an exceptional synth imho. You can build HUGE leads with 8 completely independant mono layers, different filters, enveloppes, oscillators etc for each layer. Its one of the very few polytimbral analog synths.

I also think some people have hard times programming it. It can be a very complex beast.

I didn't think about the name change thing until you mentioned it. It's just one of those synths that has it all imo. Thick bass, leads and pads (what more could I want).

I guess it's a little bit daunting at first, but I saw a few tutes on youtube which really helped me out. I was going mad to get my head round the arp - but it's actually really easy once you know how.

The other cool thing, is that you can coax really complex sounds, as you said. However, it's great for less complex stuff. I mean, it still sounds class with just one layer because the Oscillators are fantastic (IMO) and that filter - with that drive! ....

But it would cool to see it get more attention then it does. I was pretty surprised that it wasn't in Music Radar's Top '54 synths'. I know those polls are only a basic barometer, but still...

Cheers,

R.

[Lotuzia]

Hi Rob, It will hopefully be on Music Radar next top.

11/11/2014 : New version for the XIls 4

1/ The THREE PANEL VIEW is now available, for those who are lucky enough to work on BIG monitors with HI resolutions
2/ Choice of colours for those who had visual disabilities ( two colors with hi contrast )
3/ A Short Special Sales period to celebrate all this, and to close this big cycle of development for the Xils n series. ( Ending Nov 21st so be quick )

and of course,

4/ You can now purchase the Xils 4 with soft Ilok protection ( means no more obligatory hardware dongle, though HW Ilok and Elicencer are always available )

[BlackWinny]

Hi Rob, It will hopefully be on Music Radar next top.

11/11/2014 : New version for the XIls 4

1/ The THREE PANEL VIEW is now available, for those who are lucky enough to work on BIG monitors with HI resolutions
2/ Choice of colours for those who had visual disabilities ( two colors with hi contrast )
3/ A Short Special Sales period to celebrate all this, and to close this big cycle of development for the Xils n series. ( Ending Nov 21st so be quick )

and of course,

4/ You can now purchase the Xils 4 with soft Ilok protection ( means no more obligatory hardware dongle, though HW Ilok and Elicencer are always available )

Hello Laurent!
Choosing simultaneously the three panel view AND the yellow color seems to not work, it remains in red. It is special to the yellow color, with the blue color the three panel view works.
I have opened a thread on the Xils-Lab internal forum two days ago but it remains still in moderation... I hope Xavier reads this present post.

[scook]

I just tried the three panel view with all three color options and they all worked for me in two different 64bit hosts on Win7.

[BlackWinny]

I just tried the three panel view with all three color options and they all worked for me in two different 64bit hosts on Win7.

I haven't tried in 64-bits. Please scook, can you try with Xils 4 32-bits to see if it is the same?

[KingTuck]

How does the soft iLok protection work? It obviously doesn't require a hardware dongle, I get that, but is it C/R activated? Can I install the software on my desktop and laptop? Stuff like that. In any case I'm glad to see the XILS Lab stuff accessible without a hardware dongle.

[VariKusBrainZ]

How does the soft iLok protection work? It obviously doesn't require a hardware dongle, I get that, but is it C/R activated? Can I install the software on my desktop and laptop? Stuff like that. In any case I'm glad to see the XILS Lab stuff accessible without a hardware dongle.

You set up an iLok account.
You rub the PACE software, installed during the XILS install, enter the code youre given for XILS, it connects to a server and authourises that particular computer. To run on another computer you use the PACE software to de authourise the first computer and then follow the above again for any subsequent machines you want to authourise.

Only one computer can be authourised at a time.

This is where XILS LE comes in handy

Not all the Xils Lab products require iLok or eLisencer though

[BlackWinny]

How does the soft iLok protection work? It obviously doesn't require a hardware dongle, I get that, but is it C/R activated? Can I install the software on my desktop and laptop? Stuff like that. In any case I'm glad to see the XILS Lab stuff accessible without a hardware dongle.

You set up an iLok account.
You rub the PACE software, installed during the XILS install, enter the code youre given for XILS, it connects to a server and authourises that particular computer. To run on another computer you use the PACE software to de authourise the first computer and then follow the above again for any subsequent machines you want to authourise.

Only one computer can be authourised at a time.

This is where XILS LE comes in handy

Not all the Xils Lab products require iLok or eLisencer though

For those who don't like and want at all any iLok and eLicenser protection, yes, there are also other awesome instruments which don't require them and simply use a serial number:

• Xils 3 LE V2 (with more than 650 presets).
• PolyKB II Player (with the same 250 factory presets than the full PolyKB II, but the player is not simply a player, your can attribute a modulation at your liking to 8 knobs and it contains the arpeggiator and a section of effects). With its big brother the PolyKB II it is an emulation of the 1981's french RSF PolyKobol II which was a kind of "super-minimoog" having at this epoch many features which were not implemented in the Minimoog Model D.
• Oxium (with 250 presets) which is one of my preferred synths, very, very, very underrated with many abilities of modulations like the XILS 3 but working totally differently. Look at its incredible features (and a details of the features which were added in the version 1.5).
• And all the huge effects Vst's made by Xils-Labs are also only protected by serial number.

They all have MIDI learn.
And they all are OSX compatible and Win 64-bit compatible.

And:

• Xils 3 LE V2 can load the bank Xilssential (140 presets). And of course you can make your own presets/banks.
• PolyKB II Player can load the two banks Analog Bag I and Analog Bag II (for a total of 288 presets)
• For Oxium there are several wonderful banks:
  • Examples by Le Lotus Bleu (Lotuzia, Nori Ubukata...): "Inspired by Jupiter-8" (65 presets very close to the factory sounds of the Jupiter 8, and if you buy the bank before buying the synth you get a €10 discount coupon to buy the synth), Pandemoxium" (270 presets), "Xtrem Tweaker" (300 presets).
  • Example by aMUSEd: OXIdation (64 presets).
  • Example by SoundDivine: "Event Horizon" (119 presets).
  • Example by Vintage Synth Pads (VSP): "Vintage Hardware for Oxium" (180 presets very closely inspired by the Roland Juno-60, Korg Polysix, SCI Prophet 5, Oberheim Ob-Xa, Yamaha Dx-7 and Moog Minimoog)
  • And of course you can make your own presets/banks.

And all these three synths are very cheap!

Sorry if it looks like an advert... but all these 3 synths are really among my preferred instruments... by far!!!