XILS-lab X-201, Vocoder… and vintage MultiEffect

An exceptional clarity: The X201 Vocoder was modelled after an ultra-rare, ultra-pricey (even at the time of its release), Vocoder unit, whose intelligibility has never been surpassed.

It’s the missing link between artists like Kraftwerk, Herbie Hancock, Frank Farian (Boney M, Milli Vanilli etc.), Cylon Robots or Droids in Battlestar Galactica droids in Star Wars and… Daft Punk (RAM)

Two Filter Banks: Each of its two Filter Banks offer 20 frequency bands. Each Filter Bank can process the incoming signal (Usually voice, but any other signal, including drums, can be processed), or the CARRIER signal. As a comparison, the Roland VP-330 only had 10 frequency bands, with a very musical sound, at the price of much less clarity.

The Carrier: You can use the internal analogue Synthesizer as a carrier, which immediately gives the X201 its characteristic and recognisable sound. Any other incoming signal can also be used, like an external Synthesizer, another voice etc.

The Silence Bridging: This exotic title hosts a Multiband frequency-dependent Envelope Follower engine, which will shape the signal gain according to its harmonic content. It’s very useful for processing percussive or rhythmic sonic material or contour to the sound.

So how does it work?: You record your voice, even without actually singing, then choose the internal synth as the Carrier. Then you send Midi notes to the Carrier to make your voice sing those notes (or chords, because the engine is polyphonic). Et voilà.

More is more: On the X201, XILS Labs exposed internal circuitry parameters that were not available on the original unit, making it more versatile, and powerful.

Vintage analogue modelled effects: Chorus, Phaser, Delay and an early ‘digital’ reverb unit. You can also configure custom effect routing and order.

As a Multi-FX: You can also use the X201 as a simple Filter Bank/Chorus/Phaser/Delay/Reverb Multi-Effect. Try it on a Rhodes, Clavinet or String Machine patch, and rediscover these vintage organic sounds that required a long chain of vintage effects.

Features

• A finely tweaked and emulated 20-band filter vocoder.
• Per band bypass, addition and bridging possibilities.
• One internal sound carrier based on one oscillator and one noise generator.
• Four effects: Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Phaser with their own input routing.
• Automatic input Gain Control.
• Analogue like pitch tracker.
• External carrier input for feeding the vocoder with your own sounds or synthesizer.
• Access to a lot of parameters, which were not accessible in the hardware version.
• All parameters are MIDI controllable.

Two Filter Banks: Each of the 20 band levels can be tweaked for adapting the frequency response to your music.

XILS 201 Unique Feature: you can bypass each of the 20 bands, controlled by their own level. This can bring a specific MultiFilter effect by simply disabling the internal vocoder.

The Silence Bridging: Under this exotic name you’ll find a (MultiBand) frequency-dependent Envelope Follower engine, which will shape the signal gain according to its harmonic content, and is very useful to process percussive or rhythmic sonic material for example, or give contour to the sound.

Additional controls panel: Internal synthesizer, Input Gate, Vocoder, Effects, Modulation Matrix.

System Requirements

Mac

• OSX 10.8 and later
• VST, Audio Unit, AAX (64 bit only)

PC

• Windows 7,8 and 10
• VST, AAX (32/64 bits)