Nonlinear Labs Expands C15 Sound Design Capabilities With Firmware Update


Nonlinear Labs, creator of the C15 synthesizer, have released their third major firmware update for the instrument. The company says that this greatly expands the sound design capabilities of the instrument and improves its user interface.

Key C15 Firmware Update Features:

  • Users can now modulate almost all parameters using the Macro Controls (185 instead of 95 possible modulation targets), and developers have extended the ranges of 17 parameters.
  • There is now the possibility to bypass the Feedback Mix Gate and to control the decay times of Envelope C by velocity.
  • With the new Loop function of Envelope C it can behave like a polyphonic LFO, that is synced to the key and can be influenced by velocity and key trackings.
  • Single sounds can now also use a second effect group (in total 10 effects) and both effect groups can now be operated in parallel as well as in serial mode.
  • It is possible to pan Parts and effects groups and route them separately to the left and right audio output.
  • For Split sounds, the feedback routing has been extended, so that the output signal from one Part can be an input signal for the other Part.
  • The Preset Search function in the graphical user interface has been completely redesigned to display all search results in a single list. Search and sorting criteria have been extended. Thus, the new search window combines many preset functions in a convenient way.
  • And as a usability improvement of the hardware, the two physical ribbons can now be switched between two pairs of virtual ribbons, giving fast access to up to four Macro Controls.

For more information about the C15 firmware update, along with an installer is available now at this link. For more information about the C15 synthesizer, visit the Nonlinear Labs website.

24 thoughts on “Nonlinear Labs Expands C15 Sound Design Capabilities With Firmware Update

  1. its interesting to see they removed all the odd ball design decisions,
    now with midi and lfos.
    who would have thought ppl would want that ^^

  2. A finely tuned FM synth for $5000 (complete) sounds like a bit too much for me. From when it was first introduced, I wondered what market footprint it was addressing. No doubt, it makes some lovely sounds, but nothing you can’t get for a lot less with a modern FM synth or a modeling synth costing 33% as much, or for any number of virtual instruments costing less than 1/10th its price. Clearly, I guess that this instrument is intended for a wealthy and serious musician who has gotten tired of the 7′ Steinway in his living room.

    1. not every instrument is for everyone John. there is clear value in an instrument that is self contained, and will be exactly the same in 30 years – if I live that long – without any additional maintenance due to evolving consumer tastes. i’ll take two!

    2. “nothing you can’t get for a lot less with a modern FM synth or a modeling synth costing 33% as much, or for any number of virtual instruments costing less than 1/10th its price”

      you keep saying that here (about many products) but can you prove your guess?
      do you know all its parameters, all the ranges? all the numbers?
      can you make all the sound it creats? how many sounds does it creates? πŸ™‚

      i understand you generalize to make it fit in your head but maybe consider to have some humility about somthing you didn’t study and have no experince with.

    1. it worked for Synclavier. why not? I would prefer the dial on the right though, i’m left handed. and a VT100 with an ASCII programming interface would be ideal! home sweet home.

        1. almost everything is a computer these days, you just pay for the interface.
          it must be the 80s again, 1 data entry slider and buttons. lol
          I have evil memories of this ^^

    2. I don’t have one, but in theory, it should be just as useful as an interface with 100 pots.
      I mean, once you recall a preset, the 100 pots will mostly be in the wrong place, so there’s no visual advantage. And you can only turn one or two at once anyway.

      1. have you ever tried to adjust 2 adsr with 1 knob?
        or adjust filter cutoff , envelope amount and velocity with one knob?
        its no fun. πŸ˜‰
        its like clicking around with a mouse pointer.

        1. will you cry about this every time there will be news about it? πŸ™‚

          yes, many times and it works just fine, actually, it’s very rare that i need to control more than one parameter at the time.
          this is probably the least menu diving in human history (on a complex synth with digital control), everything is in your face and looks very clean.

        2. I have an Emu Morpheus, so yes, I know that adjusting all the adsr’s (actually dahdsr’s) is fiddly on that.

          But it doesn’t have one-button-per-function.

          The one-button-per-function on the C15 changes everything, presumably. You can have muscle memory, and you can navigate with your eyes closed, which I would imagine is the main thing.

          1. this is a 4000€ (!) computer. a single knob, no touchscreen, no nothing.
            should I be impressed by that?
            have you looked what you get for 4000€ at Waldorf?
            it runs circles around this. πŸ˜‰
            this is simply not enough bang for the cash.

            1. i don’t think you ever said you are “impressed” about anything here so saying you are not does not mean much, your negativity here is like crying wolf…
              anyway, i’m buying synths for about 20 years now, never asked myself “this or this”
              if i like it and love what it does for me i don’t care what others do, i like this one so i want this one, simple as that, i will not settle for somthing that “do more for less”. price is just a number people put on stuff, it’s not a parameter i care about after i use and love something for years.

  3. This instrument is greater than the specs that make it up. Much more than FM. I sold a number of instruments to get this. It plays FAR better than any synth I’ve touched. The responsiveness and resolution of the keybed is amazing, as is the unobtrusive UI (from a players point of view). It makes me want to play more. I’m no virtuoso, so this is above my station, but I don’t care. Totally worth ditching other instruments (Iridium and more) for.

    1. i’m not virtuoso either, but good keybeds don’t me me sound worse :0) glad you got one rambler, I should just bite the bullet and sell a bunch of Moogs or mics or something.

      1. It took 6 months to get mine. Small company and hand built. I figured the synths that didn’t move me and that were produced in high numbers were candidates for sale. I could always find another Iridium, for instance. With that kind of lead time you get some flexibility. Anyway, if you’re interested I’d contact them…

  4. This is one of those mega-synths you have to treat like a piano if its going to be worth it. It’d be a waste to just have it gather dust next to a Moog One and a Schmidt. Its not suitable for a “stack.” It IS a stack. Being a custom boutique instrument, you’d better be prepared to marry it.

    Let me add my yowling voice to the clamor for a keyboard *controller* of this quality, with assignable touch strips and an adjustable keybed that’s good for ‘piano’, but can be ‘lightened’ a notch or two for synth & organ. That idea is kind of boutique itself, in a Volca/Eurorack world, but still…

    1. Totally agree. It is something different for sure. I get why it did not originally ship with MIDI now.

      Your line about marrying it made me laugh, because it is sooo true. LOL.

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