PolyM by XILS Lab divide-down synth plugin interface

PolyM: Divide-Down Polyphonic Synth Plugin by XILS Lab Free Download

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PolyM is a synth plugin by XILS Lab based on divide-down technology, modeled on a classic polyphonic instrument. It uses two Top Octave Divider oscillators, acoustic filters and a 24dB ladder filter to produce chords, strings and pads.

VST3VST2AUAAXStandaloneWindowsmacOS64-bit

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01Overview

PolyM is a virtual instrument that recreates the character of a divide-down polyphonic synthesizer. XILS Lab describes its sound engine as the result of more than two years of modeling the original's components. The plugin keeps the original's sound while adding features the hardware never offered, such as MIDI-controllable parameters, modulation slots and built-in effects. It is available in VST3, VST2, AU, AAX and standalone formats for Windows and macOS.

Best for

Polyphonic chords
Organ and string pads
Phasing synth leads
Vintage keyboard sounds
Tempo-synced modulation

Developer: XILS Lab
Category: Synths
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Two aliasing-free Top Octave Divider oscillators for sawtooth and square waves
71 emulated chips with mixer, VCA, envelope, 12dB filter and PWM per note
24dB ladder filter using XILS Lab's zero-delay algorithm
Nine acoustic filters modeled on Strings, Piano, Organ and Harps
Resonator bank with three parametric filters at 6dB and 12dB
Four vintage effects: Delay, Phaser, Reverb and Chorus
Nine modulation slots plus three tempo-syncable LFOs
All parameters are MIDI controllable
More than 440 presets included

03In depth

Divide-Down Oscillators and Sound Character

PolyM's core is two Top Octave Divider oscillators. In this technology, a high-frequency oscillator is divided to produce the notes and octaves, so every note is locked to a single oscillator and keeps the same relative phase. This is what gives divide-down synths their particular sound for chords, strings and pads.

In FREE mode the two oscillators run independently, which creates phasing effects from subtle to dramatic. In LOCK mode they stay almost locked in phase, producing phase modulation rather than frequency modulation when the square wave is modulated in pitch. Each note also has its own pulse width modulation and its own 12dB filter.

Filters, Modes and Workflow

The signal path includes a 24dB self-oscillating ladder filter built on XILS Lab's zero-delay algorithm. The Master Gain control lets you audition the signal at different stages: the direct oscillator output, the acoustic MODE filters, the resonator bank or the VCF. The filter can switch between low pass, high pass and band pass.

The envelope works in either LEGacy mode, which follows the original's behavior, or standard ADSR. Three tempo-syncable LFOs and nine modulation slots handle modulation, and the Advanced Settings panel includes delay, phaser and reverb.

04Specs