XLN Audio - XO - Improvement, Pros, Cons

VST, AU, AAX, CLAP, etc. Plugin Virtual Instruments Discussion
Post Reply New Topic
RELATED
PRODUCTS
XO$148.00Buy

Post

Biome_Digital wrote: Tue Jul 19, 2022 6:33 am Atlas has some extra timing features, have you seen that?
I've taken a look at it, but haven't had a chance to try it yet. Are its suggestions any better than XO, or is it just doing basic pitch/length proximity too?

Actually, XO seems to be even worse than that. I'm amazed at how it consistently puts almost identical samples of the same drum from the same drum machine as further away than others that are remarkably different. I've also done a couple of experiments where all I did was trim silence or normalize or something like that to samples that have no influence on the sonic characteristics of the samples, but on resorting, XO changes their suggestion rankings. It's just not good at the primary feature of what it's supposed to do.

I keep finding myself wanting to just browse through the subfolder I loaded into XO like I would in any other drum machine since that's guaranteed to let me hear all the sounds I already know are closely related.

It does have some nice fatures though like Haas, transient, etc per pad. Too bad there isn't some control there like ms for the Haas, etc.

Post

Annabanna wrote: Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:31 pm
I've never seen the point in such a sequencer. How is it nut just easier and better in every way to sequence within DAW blocks, then re-arrange them like Legos?
You could use Xfer Nerve, its workflow is excellent and it does everything you want but it is like £150+. It doesn't have a map of samples, but then you already have XO anyway, you could use XO to choose a kit then put then kit in Nerve.

If you have any questions about Nerve then fire away!

But basically Nerve you have 12 patterns and you can "nudge" (make a note late or early), then you can also use the pianoroll on top of the patterns to make fills and variations.

Post

Damn.. I really wish I hadn't demo'd this.. This is good. I have Battery 4 and Logic's native drum solutions, but I can totally see this being a one stop solution for me and forgetting the other two.

Post

Edit:
I forgot the Most DOPE Feature: switching out all Sounds is super easy. So if you have Programmed a sequence and Wanna know How it Sounds with other Sounds -> it wohnt get easy than That.
Also you can Hit a Button That lets their AI figure out similar sounding One White as a whole drumKIT.
Again
If you own dedicated Sounds this is major. If you just have Sounds in dedicated Folders don’t Buy. You Need to have an overview first

Pro‘s

- best UI in the Game
- two versions available (XO&XO lite)
- Their „crunch“- knob is so fcking unique. The Saturation it does for me on Kicks Leaves me speechless sometimes.

That’s how we get to my
Con‘s

- to Play a C-tuned-Kick in F for example, I have to automate the pitch knob or waste a slot on the Same Sound pitched up
- it is really JUST 8 channels. If you don’t already own curated sounds, dedicated to specific genres -> don‘t Buy! This Software Makes it impossible to Layer Sounds and still have a Kick lol
- the Stock Sounds That Home with XO are useable, but all of the presets are sh*t in my opinion. No Groove feels organic, but as Said some Sounds are quite nice!



All in all I will keep it. It was my third Plugin Overall because I like the looks of it. After using it for a While I only usw it to browse Sounds (and That is a sign of not having Organized Sound Folders)
So I really only use XO as my ONLY Solution for drums in a project, when I already layered , Mixed and bounced my 8 sounds.

I am patiently waiting for an Upgrade on the pitch and Numbers of Sounds That can be processed, only then this Product will be a Game Changer I think. I am not using XO and another Sampler Instrument for a hihat Roll. Then Ill use all Samplers, it’s better Workflow.

Post

I wish that XO can play/stop the sequencer lanes of tracks via midi notes.

Post

It is great to have a VST3 version :D , but that message that pops up saying your binary is not in the location specified in the installer, is so annoying. I know the intension is to be helpful. but surely we all know our PCs well enough these days not to be treated like babies.

Why can't I put it where I want. :x I've been doing that with all my vsts for years.

Yes, Steinberg have sensibly forced VST3 files to be put in Program Files\Common Files\VST3 but they don't say you can't use sub folders in that location.

I just want it in Program Files\Common Files\VST3\XLN
which I can do, but it gives this annoying popup everytime you open a project.
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX, 32GB, 2TB Nvme

Post

Rod Staples wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:40 pm Why can't I put it where I want. :x I've been doing that with all my vsts for years.
Contact XLN support. I contacted them about this and they provided a satisfactory resolution.

Post

yellowmix wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:35 am
Rod Staples wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:40 pm Why can't I put it where I want. :x I've been doing that with all my vsts for years.
Contact XLN support. I contacted them about this and they provided a satisfactory resolution.
Will do.

Thanks
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX, 32GB, 2TB Nvme

Post

Any other drum vsts out there that a similar to XO? It's so inspiring, I'd love to find similar products for variety.

Post

mikeyfam1 wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 1:18 pm Any other drum vsts out there that a similar to XO? It's so inspiring, I'd love to find similar products for variety.
Main competitor I can think of: https://algonaut.audio/

- Mario

Post

mabian wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 1:19 pm
mikeyfam1 wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 1:18 pm Any other drum vsts out there that a similar to XO? It's so inspiring, I'd love to find similar products for variety.
Main competitor I can think of: https://algonaut.audio/

- Mario
Looks great. I'll have to dive deeper on this.

Post

mikeyfam1 wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 1:18 pm Any other drum vsts out there that a similar to XO? It's so inspiring, I'd love to find similar products for variety.
I like both Atlas 2 and XO for the random kit generation mainly. When I'm actually looking for a certain snare sound or something I get much better results with Sononym though: https://www.sononym.net/. All those fancy maps only take you so far IMO and I find the sample grouping in both of them is okay but not downright magical.

Being able to search for or filter by similar samples and then scroll through them is a better 'sample search' workflow for me than clicking around some map hoping to stumble on something.

Post

wasi wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 2:03 pm
mikeyfam1 wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 1:18 pm Any other drum vsts out there that a similar to XO? It's so inspiring, I'd love to find similar products for variety.
I like both Atlas 2 and XO for the random kit generation mainly. When I'm actually looking for a certain snare sound or something I get much better results with Sononym though: https://www.sononym.net/. All those fancy maps only take you so far IMO and I find the sample grouping in both of them is okay but not downright magical.

Being able to search for or filter by similar samples and then scroll through them is a better 'sample search' workflow for me than clicking around some map hoping to stumble on something.
Didn't think about this approach. This looks very useful. Will check it out!

Post

Anyone running XO in Cubase Pro 12 on a Mac? I'm demoing Cubase and I get the spinning disk after clicking anything in the GUI. It's unuseable for me.
The groove baby, the groove...

Post

wasi wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 2:03 pm Being able to search for or filter by similar samples and then scroll through them is a better 'sample search' workflow for me than clicking around some map hoping to stumble on something.
You use XO's filter and similarity lists? XO's filter can be leveraged if you provide more individual/granular folders. For example, don't point to to your top-level samples folder, point it to subfolders. That way, you can toggle specific ones on/off. Personally I do it by brand/developer since they tend to stick to one genre, or the good drum samples like Samples By Mars and Zenhiser are applicable to anything.

Then in the map find a sample in the ballpark then the similarity list pops up on the bottom. You can browse that, then recenter the similarity search on whatever is closer, and keep iterating.

I have Sononym as well, but I find the search for this goal takes a lot longer. But it certainly finds the most similar even if it isn't the same type of instrument so I use it in rare cases (e.g., copyrighted sample replacement). I have a massive library though so YMMV.

Post Reply

Return to “Instruments”