XILS 3 sounds more realistically analog than most soft synths I’ve heard

Electronic Musician

The genuine Analog Modular Synthesizer at a incredible low price

  • Capable of producing both a very wide range of classic analog sounds, and sounds no other analog synth can do, The  XILS 3 LE  is an authentic emulation of the Synthi (VCS 3) modular synthesizer and a replica of  the 256 Analog Sequencer, its natural companion.

  • Add to that, the Analog Chorus with its three modes, the analog Delay, and the vintage Spring Reverb…and the picture emerges.

  • In the  XILS 3 LE, you can connect everything with everything, and you get more than 440 possible different connections per patch, at Audio Rate, so that each of the 6 oscillators can perform as an LFO for example.

  • It’s an endless source of inspiration for those who want to go deep into the heart of Analog Modular Synthesis.

    Input modules: Gate, Transient, Envelope Follower and Pitch Tracker also transform the  XILS 3 LE  into a powerful VST-AU Effect Processor!

Video

Interesting Facts

In a modular synthesizer, you can connect any module to another one.
Peter Zinovieff, the visionary synth Wizard, established with the EMS series a new way to connect modules: The Pin Matrix. Just plug a pin into the Matrix, and the connection is set.

Advantages of these techniques were obvious, breathtaking: More inputs and outputs for each module.
No more cables cluttering the synth panel.
Easy to operate, easy to read, visualize, and build, your patch. No more roadies: The analog modular synthesizer suddenly became portable.
Add to this the first Vector Synthesis experiments.

The XILS 3 LE offers the same advantages, and even brings a lot more to the table.
Let’s take a look at the different modules.

FEATURES

  • 6 Oscillators grouped in 3 pairs, with Wave-Shaping (on sine wave, saw, triangle and square)

  • 1 Noise Oscillator (With Noise color)

  • 1 Analog Filter, Non Linear and zero delay Behaviors, with 3 Modes (12/18/24 dB Low-Pass)

  • 1 Trapezoidal Envelope Generator, Looping EG from the time of analog (Switchable to ADSR)

  • Polyphonic Ring Modulator

  • 2 independent outputs feeding the Stereo Bus, each with one analog LP/HP filter

  • Programmable Joystick Vector Controller

  • Polyphonic Sequencer with 3 independent lines, Slew rates, 3 recording modes.

  • Sequencer can behave as a modulation source.

  • Pitch Tracker, Envelope Follower, Transient, Gate, Sample & Hold Modules

  • Chorus, Delay, Spring Reverb

  • 6 Play modes (including Unison 2/4/6), Polyphonic and mono Portamento/Glissando/Legato,  2 different Keyboard Scaling, Polyphonic Aftertouch and VCA handling.

  • 140 presets made by world-famous Sound Designers

  • Preset Database Engine  (Find the right patch in a flash, create your own tags)

  • Comprehensive manual with a getting started and tutorial sections

  • Instrument or Effect plug-in

HIGHLIGHTS

“I’m really enjoying using the soft-synth… Great Work! it’s highly recommended ! Clearly, the XILS 3 brings together all the advantages of the EMS, and many more, whilst curing and eliminating all the disavantages of the original Instrument.
Add to this, the stability that digital offers the instrument, and this virtual EMS becomes the chromatic instrument that was so difficult to use Live up till now” Tim lLake

Matrix Synthesizer:

The core of the synthesis is based on the original audio modules:

  • Six oscillators grouped in Three pairs

  • One Low pass filter with 12, 18 and 24 dB slope

  • One spring reverb

  • One Trapezoidal looping envelope

  • One Polyphonic Ring Modulator

  • One Noise generator

  • Two output static filters

BUY NOW 79 €

Downloads

Latest Version: 2.6.2 BETA
Latest Version: 2.6.2 BETA
  • Mac OSX 10.9 and later (64bits, Intel&Apple M1) : VST2.4, VST3, Audio Unit, AAX (native)
  • Windows 7,8,10,11 (64 bits): VST2.4,VST3, AAX (native)

Testimonials

The XILS-lab XILS 3 is one of the most complete virtual synthesizer that I’ve got experience with

There's no doubt about it, you should buy XILS 3 immediately.The sound is lovely, it's warm and rich and the matrix provides hundreds of ways to help shape it to the demands of your tracks. Stylistically, it's capable of anything from monstrous analog-style basslines to soaring leads, delicate pads and a unique collection of weird and wonderful effects, to say nothing of genuine analog percussion sounds too.

Although not the accurate recreation of the VCS3 that it’s purported to be, this is perhaps the most engaging softsynth I’ve yet encountered, offering all manner of weird and wonderful possibilities."

Pros
•   " Fabulous, deep synthesis"
•   " It’s capable of generating sounds that you won’t obtain from other softsynths "

The XILS 3 is part of " A Perfect 10 Soft Synths "
XILS 3 sounds more realistically analog than most soft synths I’ve heard

"Upon first play, the instrument sounds absolutely fantastic!"
"The XILS-3 is a great sounding virtual analog synthesizer, which looks to the past in emulating the warm and quirky nature of the VCS3, but also to the present by adding consistency and flexibility to the architecture. Regardless of your experience, if you are willing to invest the time and energy, you will be richly rewarded.

"the XILS 3 is a real modulation monster like his big brother. its 3 Matrixes have 450 connections. the possibilities are endless." "final thought: with the XILS 3, XILS-LAB is releasing an excellent debut. that transforms the concept and lively sound of the EMS VCS3 into the virtual studio.

But the Plug-In is even more than a clone of the analogue machine: it is by exciting ads like the powerful sequencer an independent and extremely flexible synthesiser. even it has some "retro-charme" it is up to date." (trad. from German)

I really find you XILS 3 to be a very interesting synth!!!! Im  having a blast using it as a texture synth..Just used it on Nate Doggs new single!!

great synth is getting better, full support from here…..

This is an amazing synth!  I cut my teeth on the  original synthi aks and this thing sounds just like it,and of course, behaves better as well.  Awesome!

I think this VCS3 Virtual Analog of yours is one of the best sounding VA's around! Seriously. The oscillators sound SO good!

THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!
Yours is one of the BEST soft-synths ever developed !!!!!!!

Oscillators:

Square 50 Hz AKS


Square 50 Hz XILS 3 LE


Rampe 500 Hz AKS


Rampe 500 Hz XILS 3 LE

  • Beyond the digital limitation, in a true analog emulation, as in all XILS-lab instruments, the freedom of the sound that one has in mind when listening to hardware analog synthesizers, the analog spirit  has been preserved.

  • XILS 3 LE oscillators were modeled to reproduce, as closely as possible, the original waveforms.

  • The following figures compare the different waveforms of the original AKS model and those of the XILS 3 LE.

  • As you can see, the raising front is sharp, but as the signal reaches its maximum, it becomes slower. This gives XILS 3 LE Oscillators a unique analog sound and character: soft and warm, yet very rich in harmonics.

Pin Matrixes:

  • The XILS 3 LE offers no less than 5 Pin Matrixes: One 256+110 points dedicated to the main audio synthesis, one for the trig connections, and another pair for the sequencer connections (one for the modulation and one for the trig connections) Experts will spot at once that, in the extended Matrix, you can freely define some sources and destinations in the last two rows of lines and columns, like S&H, or even Envelope Segments.

  • NOTE: The amount of connections can’t be tweaked in the XILS 3 LE as it can be in the full XILS 3 or XILS 4 versions.

  • And, yes, that means even more fun, and ultimate tweaking possibilities!



Sequencer:

  • The Sequencer has been inspired by the EMS 256 sequencer, a 3 layer/2 track powerful device with some unique features, like 3 independent slew rate knobs.

  • Here again a few things were added, like Sequencer Lines acting as Modulation Sources in a special Matrix. Interactions that you cannot reproduce in even the most sophisticated DAW.

  • Note: The sequencer can modulate or trig both cores independently.

Vector synthesis

  • The Pin Matrix and looping analog envelopes weren’t the only innovative features of the EMS series.
    Vector Synthesis should definitely be added to the list!
    The Joystick, with its numerous inputs and outputs, should be regarded as a giant step toward Vector Synthesis, and what is now known as Macro controllers.

  • With the XILS 3 LE Joystick, you can not only make fascinating real time controlled evolutive sequences or performances, but you can also find many interesting and varied patches nested in a single patch.
    Almost all XILS 3 LE factory library presets have been created to benefit from the use of the Joystick and other real time controllers.

Total Control:

  • You can assign any Midi CC to any synthesis parameter to fine tune some midi parts, or achieve the most precise automation.

  • Last but not least, the XILS 3 LE provides a wide range of modulation options.