{"id":1370,"date":"2022-11-14T04:07:20","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T04:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nilamox.com\/mancave21\/?page_id=1370"},"modified":"2024-04-02T01:05:49","modified_gmt":"2024-04-02T01:05:49","slug":"xils-lab-xils4-%f0%9f%a7%bb-and-polykbiii-%f0%9f%a7%bb%f0%9f%a7%bb%f0%9f%a7%bb%f0%9f%a7%bb","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nilamox.com\/mancave21\/xils-lab-xils4-%f0%9f%a7%bb-and-polykbiii-%f0%9f%a7%bb%f0%9f%a7%bb%f0%9f%a7%bb%f0%9f%a7%bb\/","title":{"rendered":"xils-lab XILS4 \ud83e\uddfb and PolyKBIII \ud83e\uddfb\ud83e\uddfb\ud83e\uddfb\ud83e\uddfb"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Warning. One of these things is stupidly large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/em> I instead think what the fuck is going on here<\/em>. The solution is obvious – if one VCS3 doesn’t work then use two of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PolyKB III<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n