The Eighty gives Andromeda vibes. Obviously very different synths but the end results are often closer to each other than to anything else I've tried.
XILS Lab CS-80!!!!!!
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- KVRAF
- 20656 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
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- KVRAF
- 2737 posts since 28 Feb, 2015
C'mon, don't make me buy itUncle E wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 8:01 amThe Eighty gives Andromeda vibes. Obviously very different synths but the end results are often closer to each other than to anything else I've tried.
I have a bad history of going all in with a developer, and it would be expensive since I currently don't have any plugins dom Xils-Lab.
Mac Mini M4 Pro | 14 Cores (10P/4E) | 48GB RAM | Studio One | Reason | Bitwig Studio | Logic Pro | FL Studio | Cubase Pro | Waveform | Reaper | Renoise | ~1000 VSTs/AUs | ~350 REs
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- KVRAF
- 1866 posts since 8 Jan, 2022
It makes sense since the A6 was heavily influenced by the CS80. There are a few factory presets on the A6 that take advantage of the ribbon controller that are the best CS80 like sounds I've heard.Uncle E wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 8:01 amThe Eighty gives Andromeda vibes. Obviously very different synths but the end results are often closer to each other than to anything else I've tried.
They really nailed the searing ring mod sound that the CS80 was famous for.
Also I think one thing about Xils is that they're not afraid to include imperfections in their synths.
The PolyKB emulation is one of the most analogue sounding emulations I've heard.
The one thing that would keep me from getting the Eighty is that I find the UIs on their synths pretty clunky.
How do you find the eighty in use?
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- KVRAF
- 1866 posts since 8 Jan, 2022
So I downloaded it.
UI is very Xils. Kind of early 2000s vibes but I actually found it easier to use than say the Cherry Audio or Arturia emulations. It's a little cramped and I think the real estate could be used better. It seems like it could be a little wider in ratio.
There are also some weird design choices. The orginal mixer and the new mixer panel seem to fight each other. I think the mixer panel is a better choice in general for a VST so it's not a deal breaker.
Some of the text elements like the browser are a bit jumbled. Like for example, the "Done" button in the preset browser is in the middle of the window and is black on black.
The FX routing and engagement is weird and unclear. I made a preset from scratch and every time I engaged the FX there was definitely some weird comb filtering/ringing like it was getting both wet and dry signals simultaneously along with the main signal.
The manual says: "Each effect has its own input which can be chosen from among the other effects or the two layers thanks to the menu at the upper left of the effects."
Two layers? What? Unless I'm missing something the only thing I can think of is that this originally had 2 layers and they added the third. Otherwise it makes no sense.
The Arp is kind of weird and fiddly but does the job.
Overall, It still has some of that Xils jankiness that can be a little frustrating, counterintuitive and buggy. Having said that it's probably the best Xils synth I've used in terms of UI.
Once you work out its weirdness it's fine.
Ultimately I think the Softube one is still the easiest to use.
Soundwise it really sounds phenomenal and makes up for the UI shortcomings. (This is kind of true of most Xils synths)
It's very lush and big sounding. They really did nail the brilliance aspect better than any other emu I've heard. And that's really critical to the sound of the CS80. They also nailed the ring mod which is another CS80 staple.
The added third layer really helps fatten the sound but the core sound is just fantastic. Filters sound great and the little low end bump you get from having high resonance on the HP filter at low setting just sounds great.
I think using the Drift control is essential since most CS80s have some degree of tuning discrepancies across the voices unless it's maintained every day. I also wouldn't mind if it was more severe.
All in all, slightly flaky UI/UX but sounds absolutely gorgeous.
UI is very Xils. Kind of early 2000s vibes but I actually found it easier to use than say the Cherry Audio or Arturia emulations. It's a little cramped and I think the real estate could be used better. It seems like it could be a little wider in ratio.
There are also some weird design choices. The orginal mixer and the new mixer panel seem to fight each other. I think the mixer panel is a better choice in general for a VST so it's not a deal breaker.
Some of the text elements like the browser are a bit jumbled. Like for example, the "Done" button in the preset browser is in the middle of the window and is black on black.
The FX routing and engagement is weird and unclear. I made a preset from scratch and every time I engaged the FX there was definitely some weird comb filtering/ringing like it was getting both wet and dry signals simultaneously along with the main signal.
The manual says: "Each effect has its own input which can be chosen from among the other effects or the two layers thanks to the menu at the upper left of the effects."
Two layers? What? Unless I'm missing something the only thing I can think of is that this originally had 2 layers and they added the third. Otherwise it makes no sense.
The Arp is kind of weird and fiddly but does the job.
Overall, It still has some of that Xils jankiness that can be a little frustrating, counterintuitive and buggy. Having said that it's probably the best Xils synth I've used in terms of UI.
Once you work out its weirdness it's fine.
Ultimately I think the Softube one is still the easiest to use.
Soundwise it really sounds phenomenal and makes up for the UI shortcomings. (This is kind of true of most Xils synths)
It's very lush and big sounding. They really did nail the brilliance aspect better than any other emu I've heard. And that's really critical to the sound of the CS80. They also nailed the ring mod which is another CS80 staple.
The added third layer really helps fatten the sound but the core sound is just fantastic. Filters sound great and the little low end bump you get from having high resonance on the HP filter at low setting just sounds great.
I think using the Drift control is essential since most CS80s have some degree of tuning discrepancies across the voices unless it's maintained every day. I also wouldn't mind if it was more severe.
All in all, slightly flaky UI/UX but sounds absolutely gorgeous.
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- KVRAF
- 1572 posts since 21 Nov, 2018
I see softube have gone and done a discount for model 77 for $55, tempting because it works with the Modular but wonder if it's just better to go with Xils which sounds nicer but not as ease of use as Softube, basically coin flip for sound vs functionality
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- KVRAF
- 20656 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
I mainly use the modulation panel. That simplifies things.
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- KVRist
- 412 posts since 22 May, 2023
There's a new update available in your downloads section. Same version number which is odd but they updated the time stamp to "1.0.1 BETA 2025-01-27", it fixes some browser and other UI issues I reported. Maybe other fixes in there too but I don't see release notes.
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- KVRAF
- 20656 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
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- KVRAF
- 8441 posts since 29 Sep, 2010 from Maui
Mostly just too much other stuff to buy atm, I'll pick it up during the inevitable sale at some point.
And yeah tbf the BC stuff was literally well over 10x the cost of this...
And yeah tbf the BC stuff was literally well over 10x the cost of this...
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- KVRAF
- 9834 posts since 15 Sep, 2005 from East Coast of the USA
A new beta was uploaded. I can’t check out till later today but am looking forward to it.
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- KVRAF
- 9834 posts since 15 Sep, 2005 from East Coast of the USA
I asked about that and it really is all 3 layers, so that part of the manual will be fixed for the next build.kraster wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 1:34 pm The manual says: "Each effect has its own input which can be chosen from among the other effects or the two layers thanks to the menu at the upper left of the effects."
Two layers? What? Unless I'm missing something the only thing I can think of is that this originally had 2 layers and they added the third. Otherwise it makes no sense.
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- KVRAF
- 9834 posts since 15 Sep, 2005 from East Coast of the USA
New adjustable Drift setting in the latest version:
-AAX: OSX and windows working
-Factory presets: some names updated
-Random ring tone when browsing presets is fixed.
-Preset Guitar2 fixed
-AudioUnit: Latency (1ms) correctly reported to the DAW.
-UI: The Toolsbar is now included in the UI size
-New Parameters DRIFT for increasing or decreasing the analog instabilities.
-VST3 and AudioUnit: changing preset with Arrow now working.
-Preset Manager: Improving the browser (preset loaded when selected, no more double click needed)
-VST3: Foot expression now working.
-Init patch has been updated (letting the performance AfterTouch working)
-UI: "SY" labels have been changed to "BPM"
-AAX: OSX and windows working
-Factory presets: some names updated
-Random ring tone when browsing presets is fixed.
-Preset Guitar2 fixed
-AudioUnit: Latency (1ms) correctly reported to the DAW.
-UI: The Toolsbar is now included in the UI size
-New Parameters DRIFT for increasing or decreasing the analog instabilities.
-VST3 and AudioUnit: changing preset with Arrow now working.
-Preset Manager: Improving the browser (preset loaded when selected, no more double click needed)
-VST3: Foot expression now working.
-Init patch has been updated (letting the performance AfterTouch working)
-UI: "SY" labels have been changed to "BPM"
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- KVRist
- 42 posts since 21 Sep, 2012
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- KVRist
- 412 posts since 22 May, 2023
How do you install the "Vangelis Tribute.cs80" file? There were no instructions in the download.fjmartin1 wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:47 pm Hello
I hope to enjoy my small soundset
https://www.xils-lab.com/store/soundpac ... listribute