xils-lab XILS4 🧻 and PolyKBIII 🧻🧻🧻🧻

Warning. One of these things is stupidly large.

I have never warmed to the VCS3. I’ve tried the real thing, I’ve tried several emulations. At no point have I ever thought wow this thing is making the sounds I’ve always wanted to hear. I instead think what the fuck is going on here. The solution is obvious – if one VCS3 doesn’t work then use two of them.

Once there was only one prototype, but wipe that smug off your chops because courtesy of xils-lab every man can have a virtual VCS4 of their very own. And currently at a large discount. Plus it looks nicer.

But I will not even attempt to review this thing. So far I have made a tweet-poop sound and that is not quite enough to judge.

PolyKB III

Now this I can get into – it’s still odd but shares with others. The original hardware RSF PolyKobol 2 was very French, very advanced and a complete disaster, selling about 30 units. To me this failure is like a symbol of quality – it’s got to be good.

The main feature was oscillators that morph between different standard wave shapes which causes a very rich and lively sound for the filters to process. The rest of the analogue pathway is akin to the Prophet 5. The most distinct feature of the current software version is a modulation path presented visually that is taken by each individual oscillator in turn which makes for a very rich or buzzy sound compared to most analogues. Another screen shows the notes being moved around an acoustic space. All of this adds up to a cloudy, swirling sound you will begin to recognise. It is a keyboard full of bees.

The current maker Xavier Oudin has picked up this project and brought it into the present where it hums and makes rich honey. Here is a press release that sets out his aims. It has often been noted that Oudin was at one time with Arturia, and there must be an interesting story as to why this software did not become part of that French empire.

Now that I have a replica of the Kobol Expander I can better position the software. I don’t think you would patch the same bite as the hardware, partly because when you have polyphony you tend to use it (octaves, chorus, interference) as part of the design. The belly of the PolyKobol2 expects that you’ll have multiple voices and these have to be tamed to co-exist. Definitely has the same voice, but more adult? rich? confident? Something like that.

If pushed it will approach the hardware. Remind it of hard times, of sad moments. The few survivors. Make it angry. It will become rumbustious.