C15 from Non-Linear Labs puts to the test the question: how far you can take two simple sine wave oscillators? And the answer is – quite far when you set them up to modulate their own or each other’s phase, pass them through waveshapers, a comb filter, an all-pass and state variable filters, various feedback loops, and a few effects for good measure.

C15 is a boutique synth with unconventional hardware controls and an elegant synth engine, and the questions is, as always, how easy and interesting is it is to use, what are the relevant alternatives, and is it worth it.

In this video I take an in-depth look at C15’s synth engine which is a combination FM, west coast, subtractive, physical modeling, and complex feedback systems all wrapped into one. I also look at the expressive ways you can control it, take a listen to a few of its sounds and as usual discuss the pros and cons:

TIMELINE:

0:00 Intro

1:50 Overview

2:55 Expression

5:25 Interface

8:25 Synth engine

9:00 Osc A & B

11:20 Shapers

12:40 FB mix, Ring Mod

12:20 SVF

15:30 Comb filter

19:15 Output mixer

19:55 Feedback mixer

21:35 Effects

23:40 Envelopes

25:25 Elevate

26:25 Macros

27:50 MIDI hacks

28:20 Keystep as an Arp and Sequencer

29:45 Expression ring

30:25 MIDI LFO

31:35 OSC as LFO

31:55 Cool stuff

33:40 Pros, cons

38:00 60 Presets