KVR Audio

Niowiad · Post by **Niowiad** » Sat May 18, 2019 7:51 pm

shonky wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 7:37 pm How long is the discount offer continuing?

Until June 19th, at least from the Xils website.

Sinisterbr · Post by **Sinisterbr** » Sat May 18, 2019 8:22 pm

Nice, so glad to see XILS Labs did listen to their customers about the GUI!

Examigan · Post by **Examigan** » Sat May 18, 2019 9:59 pm

Lotuzia wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 1:01 pm

Version 3.5 new features :

Make each note write it's own story : The PATH function

The Voice XY and Space XY offer PER VOICE modulation since version II. Wich means each note can be different, in the stereo field, as well as for it's 4 modulation targets.

In version 3.5, you can now freely draw a modulation PATH for each note in the Voice & Space XY squares. You can create some precise sweeps of all kinds, or very fast Filter/Envelope/Oscillators modulations for each note. Or everything inbetween, and get a wild range of new sounds, that you can taylor in the deepest detail to adapt them to context, and even … invent new playing techniques.

More effects : A natural sounding reverb has been added to the existing effects.

New GUI/UI : The GUI has been revamped : No more knob shadows wich made the serigraphies sometimes difficult to read, and the Tab selector has been redrawn from scratch, as well as the tabs content. Synthesis blocks are now clearly separated by grey lines to make the unit more intuitive to use.

New Preset manager : With hundreds to thousands of presets on board, content management is quickly becoming a keypoint of a fully enjoyable experience when playing synthesizers. Following Stix and the Xils 4, PolyKB 3.5 has inherited the new Xils One Window integrated Preset Manager : Find the right preset in seconds, create your own tags; multiselection/multitagging, export/import & manage banks, projects, or selections : Everything is there to make your work easier, faster, and more productive.

We also added plethora of small details : like new modulations targets, or fixing a number of small bugs : The list would be too long, but here again, a lot of time was dedicated to transform your musical experience with the PolyKB 3.5 into a totally flawless immersion into the sound.'

Awesome! A great synth gets even better.

Doc Brown · Post by **Doc Brown** » Sat May 18, 2019 10:21 pm

Are Xils going to continue down the path of hardware dongles for copy protection? My 8 year old system is about to be updated and sadly I won't be putting any Pace or e-licenser back on the new system. I have poly kbii and want to upgrade to 3 especially after the new revisions but I will be wasting money if they are staying with those CP methods.

There are just too many great devs these days that don't use intrusive copy protection methods for me to stay loyal to hardware dongles. I love Xils as a company and their products are top shelf but their protection methods are less than ideal. This isn't an anti ILok / e-licenser rant it's just an evolving opinion based on the competition and my desire to have a fresh start on a new system. They have every right to use whatever they deem necessary to protect their products in the end but I wish they would consider a simple key file like other leading devs in the field.

Niowiad · Post by **Niowiad** » Sat May 18, 2019 10:34 pm

Xils supports software iLok now, without hardware dongle.
I also won't deal with VSTs requiring dongles, but software ilok never gave me problems up til now.

c_voltage · Post by **c_voltage** » Sat May 18, 2019 10:58 pm

Good update, but strange, i install update, and see only "Show path" word (with lightbulb), not a "Draw path" as in video

So, tried various ways (incl "Right click etc" shortcut for Drawing path, as specify in help UI button), nope. How to switch to drawing mode ? And user manual pdf it seems not updated yet.

Examigan · Post by **Examigan** » Sat May 18, 2019 10:58 pm

About the copy protection...

From their website:

Protection:
iLok (iLok1, iLok 2 and Soft)
USB-eLicenser

sbj · Post by **sbj** » Sat May 18, 2019 11:28 pm

c_voltage wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 10:58 pm Good update, but strange, i install update, and see only "Show path" word (with lightbulb), not a "Draw path" as in video So, tried various ways (incl "Right click etc" shortcut for Drawing path, as specify in help UI button), nope. How to switch to drawing mode ? And user manual pdf it seems not updated yet.

If you look where it says off - with DYN underneath you can choose path and then with "Show Path" activated you can see what you draw and then it should work.

Niowiad · Post by **Niowiad** » Sat May 18, 2019 11:33 pm

c_voltage wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 10:58 pm Good update, but strange, i install update, and see only "Show path" word (with lightbulb), not a "Draw path" as in video So, tried various ways (incl "Right click etc" shortcut for Drawing path, as specify in help UI button), nope. How to switch to drawing mode ? And user manual pdf it seems not updated yet.

The DYN entry (inbetween the knobs Y1 and X1) must be set to "Path", then you can draw it with the right mouse button.

edit: sbj already said that

btw, it is also possible to "rectangle select" (only working with top-left to bottom-right motion) multiple voices and draw (or delete) the path for all of them simultaneously

c_voltage · Post by **c_voltage** » Sun May 19, 2019 12:03 am

Oh, happened finally heh. Yes, before i tried with enabled DYN too, but just now understood taht need start draw from "ball" exactly, ie not a near or at empty field (that although it is logical, I'm sometimes dumb a little) then it works.
Ok good.

Added: Found some UI glitches during use sequencer, during edit\delete notes. Sometime deleted note still continues to sound, then if you just move vertical scrollbar - such ghost note become visible and need it delete again. Did not catch pattern of this behavior, seems randomly character.

electro · Post by **electro** » Sun May 19, 2019 2:28 am

What separates PolyKB 3.5 from the other polys (Syn'X2, Repro-5, OP-X ProII, TAL)

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Mon May 20, 2019 8:06 am

Noumena wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 2:01 pmmpe?

No MPE ... yet. But there's the PATH function now. Path and MPE are different though, what one can do the other can't. Both powerful imho.

Good news are : You don't need an expensive controler to get path running, and get experience to play with it, you can use your regular keyboard.

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Mon May 20, 2019 8:13 am

Niowiad wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 3:35 pm Very pleased with the update.

Tasteful improvements to the gui, also on a functional level (eg. the tabs as "buttons" rather than being controlled from the fader which I was never able to catch with the mouse on 1st try).

The new modulation targets are are super useful in my case and will allow the use of an expression pedal.
Also a new hidden feature is "Settings > Misc > Midi expression as aftertouch", for anyone (such as myself) with an expression pedal connected to a keyboard with no aftertouch capabilities.
Both things were added to XILS4 as well.

Big surprise, the knobs keep turning even if the mouse pointer goes out the plugin window, I happened to ask about this to Xavier months ago but I wasn't expecting it in this update.

Very cool

edit: video of the new path feature
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKJTQL0Zcnk

Thanks. Video was made before the new Show Path, and Show numbers function were implemented by Xils on my [demand+design]. You can draw a path with Right Click.
Show/Hide Path & numbers are mostly aesthetic toggles (it saves a bit of cpu as well).
Otoh I proposed to Xils to display the ball/voices number, and the ball coordinates, because I think it makes Path a lot more useful/predictable when you elaborate precise/complex scenarii for your part playing/preset programming , and greatly helps to position the balls related to XY 'neutral' axis.

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Mon May 20, 2019 8:15 am

Niowiad wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 7:51 pm
shonky wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 7:37 pm How long is the discount offer continuing?
Until June 19th, at least from the Xils website.

This. PolyKB II users can also upgrade from PolyKB II to PolyKB III for a discounted price btw (21€) Fully worth it imo.

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Mon May 20, 2019 8:18 am

Doc Brown wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 10:21 pm Are Xils going to continue down the path of hardware dongles for copy protection? My 8 year old system is about to be updated and sadly I won't be putting any Pace or e-licenser back on the new system. I have poly kbii and want to upgrade to 3 especially after the new revisions but I will be wasting money if they are staying with those CP methods.

There are just too many great devs these days that don't use intrusive copy protection methods for me to stay loyal to hardware dongles. I love Xils as a company and their products are top shelf but their protection methods are less than ideal. This isn't an anti ILok / e-licenser rant it's just an evolving opinion based on the competition and my desire to have a fresh start on a new system. They have every right to use whatever they deem necessary to protect their products in the end but I wish they would consider a simple key file like other leading devs in the field.

Thanks for your input. Like Examigan said, you can since a few years use the Soft Ilok solution. No hardware dongle needed, and you can install it on several computers simulataneously (up to 2 iirc ?) I see this solution (soft Ilok) as very similar to NI Service center, or Arturia etc solutions. Ymmv.

Xils-Lab PolyKB III -Official Thread- [v3.5]