Xils-Lab X-505 String Machine 'The Analog Orchestra' : Released + intro price

[Lotuzia]

Roland RS-505 Paraphonic.

chorus was first vague hint, well, it features a freaking quadruple-BBD Ensemble chorus, a real piece of art.

not emulated before, not very obscure, famous company. name brand starts with R.....

And our winner is : Mr STRINGZY

Short after I gave the second row of clues. Which he used extremly well.

You'll note that Mr Stringzy to win in a contest for a very special String Machine was close to predestined.

[fmr]

You'll note that Mr Stringzy to win in a contest for a very special String Machine was close to predestined.

[WatchTheGuitar]

Oberheim OB12 as made by Italian builders Viscount

Soft synths + physical control surface FTW

Btw Lotuzia, while I have your attention - I love your synths, but could Xils please consider using larger open/close panel views for their synths' inbuilt sequencers?

They are really fiddly to use and hard to read. An option to use bigger piano roll for those of us without 20/20 vision and the motor control of a fine artist would be appreciated.

I read And will transmit this to Xils.

That's all I ask. Thank you.

[zerocrossing]

Was the world really chomping on the bit for another string machine emulation, especially this one? By all means, make what you want, but there are some big glaring holes that would surely generate more attention and sales than this synth.

[Lotuzia]

Was the world really chomping on the bit for another string machine emulation, especially this one? By all means, make what you want, but there are some big glaring holes that would surely generate more attention and sales than this synth.

Like I said on the other forum recently ZC :

'Well, the RS-505 is way more than a -gorgeous- String machine à la Solina (not the very rare ARP Solina synthesizer, but the more spread and glorious String Machine only) In this area, i.e strict String Machine, well, it's simply a different sound.

It was advertised by Roland as a Symphony Orchestra at that time (old advert I found).

Actually, as it combined a bass section, a string section, and a 'synthesizer' section , it should be compared more to instruments like the ARP Quadra, or the Crumar Trilogy.

Add to this that Xils has included a 4th section, and many many bonuses.

Then, it's a very special keyboard with a strong and distinct personnality, and as such, will interest some people, and less some other people.

Also, yes, there are other machines. I especially would like a Chroma for example. But I think I'll still use the X-505 a lot. The sound is simply great, and it's more versatile one could think at first view. So it's not really a one trick pony.

[boombaxx]

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Roland+RS-505 ... mEMTPd2VgY.

[simmo75]

Roland RS-505, that’s a bit of a let down.

Somebody please make a Fizmo and Andromeda...

[epiphaneia]

Also, yes, there are other machines. I especially would like a Chroma for example. But I think I'll still use the X-505 a lot. The sound is simply great, and it's more versatile one could think at first view. So it's not really a one trick pony.

I probably missed that bit (my apologies in advance), but when will it be released?

[wagtunes]

FWIW, I went to Youtube and listened to the 505. I can't even begin to tell you how underwhelmed I was. In comparison to the Solina, IMO of course, if the Solina sound is the one to die for (which, IMO, it is) and a 10, the 505 is a minus 6. I have heard very few keyboards of any kind that sound that bad. It doesn't even sound like synth strings. Hell, I don't know what it sounds like. But I wouldn't use one if somebody gave it to me for free. I'd sell it and use the money to buy something that sounds good.

Again, just my opinion.

But really, THIS is the best XILS could come up with, with ALL the great synths that have NEVER been emulated?

This one is a real head scratcher if you ask me.

[JonSolo]

The XILS V+ emulated the VP330. It seems to do a good job at that. The only other company that has something from the RS-505 is GForce VSM which is sampled as far as I know...so no true parameter playing/editing.

I can see this product being awesome with the bells and whistles that will likely be added. I too am curious about the release date.

Any xmas sales coming??

[ftech]

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Roland+RS-505 ... mEMTPd2VgY.

Was a bit indifferent to it being the RS-505, but after watching and listening to some of those videos I'm almost sold.
If it sounds that good (and swirly and crunchy) it will be fun.
And it's Xils, so it probably will.

[BlackWinny]

Being a string-synth lover for decades (they were my first hardware devices during several years at the end of the 70s and the beginning of the 80s) I can affirm that the RS-505 hardware was way more gorgeous than what many people think today (especially with the pitiful sounds we get on Youtube !) I still listen very frequently old gems from Camel, Jethro Tull, Genesis, Isao Tomita, Billy Joel, etc. with awesome pads from the RS-202 or the RS-505. And it had one of the best chorus ever with the one from the VP-330 (perhaps even the same BBD device, I haven't checked back in my docs).

Pads which were emotional crying jewellery! To die for!

For someone who makes EDM/techno/trance/hip-hop etc. music it is sure that it won't have the least sex appeal. But for amateurs of good old prog-rock and cosmic rock and krautrock (especially Berlin School) and also in synthwave (Depeche Mode used it among many others, and among the most recent bands Goldfrapp uses it intensively) it remains still today a real gem !

[boombaxx]

I don't think Xils has ever made a bad anything. So i am inclined to wait and see before throwing the dummy out of the pram.

[JerGoertz]

Xils synths are a special bunch (I own all of 'em) and look forward to hearing this one as well.

[sacer]

sounds realy boring,
This will safe me money, a roland sh-5 or system 100 / 700 would have taken my money.