XILS 505

The deal

$35 at KVR Marketplace (down from $149). Sale ends August 28, 2026.

What it is

XILS 505 is XILS-lab's software recreation of the vintage RS-505 orchestral string machine - a polyphonic synthesizer that runs string, synthesizer, and bass sections simultaneously for dense, layered sounds. The core engine uses a 49-note polyphonic TOD oscillator with individual filters per section, delivering the warm, cinematic string pads and rich ensemble textures that defined 70s and 80s records. Onboard BBD chorus/ensemble, phaser, and reverb complete the vintage character without needing external processing.

Who it's for

Producers working in cinematic, ambient, synthwave, or retro-electronic genres who want authentic string machine textures without hunting down aging hardware. The simultaneous string, synth, and bass sections make it easy to build full arrangements from a single instrument.

Key features

• Three independent sections - string, synthesizer, and bass - each with their own filters, run simultaneously for dense, layered textures
• A human voice section adds choral and vocal pad tones on top of the other layers
• Dual LFOs with a modulation matrix give precise control over movement and expression
• Onboard BBD chorus/ensemble, phaser, and reverb deliver authentic vintage coloring straight out of the box