XILS-lab Updates Polytimbral Synth

US v2.5 of Syn'X 2 adds new features 07/01/20

XILS-lab has announced availability of Syn’X 2 v2.5 — which they say "elevates its exciting- sounding subtractive synthesis polytimbral powerhouse to higher heights with a welcomed upgrade duly delivering several serious additions." This is their press release with the full details:

With origins dating back to its original release as XILS-lab’s third soft synth(first available as Synthix back in 2011 before being relaunched), Syn’X 2 is a polytimbral subtractive synthesis powerhouse, paying homage to the legendary (early-Eighties-era) Elka Synthex — much loved by the likes of famous French electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre, who still uses it to this day to create the distinctive sound of his onstage laser harp — from an original-sounding sonic standpoint with the striking sound of clear and punchy DCOs (Digitally-Controlled Oscillators), but brilliantly balanced against a multilayer card-based architecture that is inspired by similarly sophisticated hardware analogue synthesizers — such as Oberheim’s mighty (mid-Eighties-era) Matrix 12 — to create a powerful and complex virtual analogue instrument fit for 21st Century discerning DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) users. Ultimately, by drawing its inspiration from two distinctive design classics, it combines eight fully-independent layers with multitimbral flexibility; up to 72 oscillators; eight exciting-sounding ZDF (Zero Delay Feedback) filters; 32 envelopes; 32 LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators); eight glides; and more than 500 possible modulation combinations — ‘hardwired’ or user-customisable — per patch!

Put it this way: with those eight layers combined with true unison, users can creatively think about using a unison mode that allows them to sculpt not just the number of oscillators but also subtle modulation variations for each of the hundreds of available parameters, including filters, envelopes, LFOs, stereo position, sync, ring modulation, frequency modulation, and more besides. Above and beyond that, though, it is perfectly possible to apply the creative concept to different layers to create complex layered sounds, such as animated epic pads, keyboard performances (where every component reacts to velocity in a different way), as well as splits that creatively combine arpeggios and bass parts, to name but a few exciting-sounding examples.

Several serious additions to the Syn’X 2 v2.5 upgrade elevate this exciting-sounding subtractive synthesis polytimbral powerhouse to higher heights — namely, a new natural-sounding vintage reverb effect with high-pass filter; customisable signal path for all effects and keyboard performances, so the chorus could be positioned before the reverb or visa-versa, for example, or the chorus could be applied to a lower bass split while an upper pad feeds into the phaser and then the reverb; single- window integrated preset manager for finding patches in seconds, managing presets and sound banks, and creating customised tags; revamped 1,536-pixel-wide GUI (Graphical User Interface) with Easy and Complex modes; more factory presets with widened scope for covering more musical styles; powerful InterLayer Modulation, whereby layers can now source modulations from other layers; and integrated help engine. Meanwhile, MacOS 10.15 Catalina compatibility is a given from the outset.

On the face of it, Syn’X 2 v2.5 fancifully frames an amazing vintage sound in a modern setting with hitherto unavailable possibilities, but better than its predecessors’ already amazing features. Fire it up in a DAW host running on the latest MacOS or Windows (7, 8, 10) to add some seriously creative firepower to modern-day music creations!

Pricing and Availability:
Syn’X v2.5 is available to purchase as a USB eLicenser or iLok (1 and 2 dongle hardware or software) protected plug-in priced at €169.00 EUR from XILS-lab (Note that the Syn’X v2.5 upgrade is free for owners of Syn’X 2.)

Syn’X v2.5 can be directly downloaded as a multi-format (AAX, AU, VST) 64-bit virtual instrument plug-in for Mac (OS X 10.7 and later) and Windows (7, 8, 10) from here.

More information: