Greetings!
I am trying to set up XILS vocoders (201 and V+) in Reaper and can't get it right. The Arturia vocoder is pretty straightforward to set up: audio track feeds MIDI track with the insert effect and done. This routing doesn't work for the XILS products. The manuals do bring some information about routing, but honestly I don't find it intelligible at all. I tried watching their online tutorials from 10 years ago and found it very odd that they seem to be using two modulators, a drum track and a vocal track... This seems to be an unnecessarily advanced usage not fitting to a basic tutorial. I tried other forums and even Starsky Carr had problems setting it up (his video is not a tutorial, though, but a comparison). Does anyone know how to set this up properly?

The bizarre thing is: if I either a) add the vocoder to the MIDI track and route it to the audio/voice track, or conversely b) add the vocoder to the audio/voice track and route it to the MIDI track, or even c) route both tracks to a third track with the vocoder as an insert, I get the same result: a vocoderized track along the original voice.

 

Following because I'm curious if anyone has got one of the much hailed XILS vocoders to work.

 

Just tried the TAL and Fullbucket. Easy setup, too. Alright, but pale in comparison to the Arturia. From some demos, I think the XILS are even better, especially the 201.

 

IIRC, in Cubase i added the XILS vocoder as a VST and assigned the MIDI to it. Once added the XILS also became available as a send, to which I routed the audio. I absolutely agree that the available documentation fell short, and connecting both a MIDi and an audio track to the same VST was counter-intuitive.

 

The one I have used in the past was the Xils 5000, as it is an emulation of the EMS 5000. In Logic, you would setup the midi track, with the vocoder as a software instrument and the audio track with the waveform. The output of the audio track is sent to the sidechain input of the Vocoder. The keys are played to trigger the incoming sidechain audio using the keys of your controller or midi data on that track. The audio is the modulator, and the instrument plugin is the carrier.

The other Vocoder I always liked was the Orange Vocoder, which is now a Zynaptiq plugin. Originally it was called some different company, but it is the same plugin as back in the 32 bit days and used on many dance tracks in the 90s.

The Arturia Vocoder is actually pretty nice too. I find that one more convoluted to deal with than the XILS ever was.

 

The Arturia certainly is too powerful, but the XILS is so less intuitive that I can't even route it.

The manual says:

'Cubase needs the XILS V+ to be inserted as an effect (ether insert or sent). Create then a Midi track and select the XILS V+ in the list of the instruments where which the midi message are sent.'​

(a) vocoder insert on track with MIDI data and audio vocal track sidechained to it:
(b) vocoder insert on audio vocal track and MIDI data track sidechained to it:
(c) vocoder insert on audio track with both MIDI data track and audio vocal track sidechained to it:

I'm starting to suspect Reaper's I/O shenanigans...

 

Last edited: Apr 8, 2025

I don't know much about Reaper but this is how I set it up in S1. I put my vocal audio in one track and I place V+ as an instrument in another track and set this specific patch while sending the output through the sidechain from the vocals.



For 201 I use it as an effect directly on the audio track (no sidechain needed) with this particular patch setup and then create a separate midi track that I link to the 201 so I can play notes on it.

 

I can hear the processed sound, but can't lower the source sound. I hear them in parallel. It's gotta be something peculiar to Reaper's routing. In the V+ there is a 'direct mic' slider. At the lowest, I hear the source loud and clear. If I push it up, it gets very loud.

 

Last edited: Apr 8, 2025

Here’s a concise guide to setting up XILS vocoders (201/V+) in Reaper, based on the search results and common routing principles:

Basic Setup for XILS Vocoders in Reaper

1. Track Setup
   • Create two tracks:
     • Track 1 (Audio Track): Contains your vocal/modulator signal.
       
       
     • Track 2 (MIDI Track): Contains your synth/carrier signal (MIDI input).
2. Routing
   • Option A (Vocoder on Audio Track)
     • Insert the XILS vocoder on Track 1 (Audio).
       
       
     • Route Track 2 (MIDI) to Track 1 via a send. Set the send to pre-fader (post-FX) and route to channels 3/4 (new channels) to avoid dry signal bleed.
       
       
     • In the vocoder plugin, set the sidechain input to channels 3/4.
   • Option B (Vocoder on MIDI Track)
     • Insert the vocoder on Track 2 (MIDI).
       
       
     • Route Track 1 (Audio) to Track 2 via a send (pre-fader, channels 3/4).
       
       
     • Configure the vocoder to use the sidechain input for modulation.
3. Critical Settings
   • Disable parent/master send on the modulator track (vocal) to avoid dry signal.
     
     
   • Ensure the vocoder’s carrier (MIDI) and modulator (audio) levels are balanced using the plugin’s "Voc. Level" and "Master" knobs.
     
     
   • For XILS V+, use the "Simple VocoderC1" preset as a starting point.

Troubleshooting

• Dry Signal Bleed: If the original voice persists, check:
  • The send is pre-fader (not post-fader).
    
    
  • The vocoder’s sidechain is set to the correct channels (e.g., 3/4).
    
    
  • The modulator track’s master send is disabled.
• No Sound: Verify MIDI input is reaching the vocoder and the plugin’s Lower/Upper switches are enabled.

Alternative: Third-Track Routing

• Create a third track with the vocoder.
  
  
• Route both audio (pre-fader, channels 1/2) and MIDI (channels 3/4) to it.
  
  
• Set the vocoder’s sidechain to channels 3/4 for modulation.

For deeper control, consult the XILS manual for carrier/modulator routing specifics. The Arturia-like “audio-to-MIDI” routing doesn’t apply here; XILS vocoders require explicit sidechain configuration.

Source: AI

 

i'm not using cubase or I could check. But you should not have the audio track output hitting the mixer, just the sidechain. You just have to figure out the signal flow and make the audio channel output with a dead end. Try disconnecting the audio channel stereo output, muting it, or sending it on a bus trip to nowhere. That fader likely needs to stay close to unity.

Your description of it being in parallel means you are very close to having it working right. It is most likely easier to try clicking around than to explain about someone else's DAW. Try it in a brand new DAW project to experiment with a blank slate.

 

It works in the same way in Reaper, in case I'll check steps there.

 

​

This is interesting, because signal bleed was just my problem. I experimented with post-fader, pre-fader (post-FX) and pre-fader (pre-FX), to no avail. Also, routing to channels 1/2 or 3/4 makes no difference either.

I did that! It got even worse lol. Following the instructions by @Radio and @orbitbooster I don't even get the vocoderized sound anymore. And I mentioned Cubase by quoting straight from the manual. I don't know why they refer to it there, but I'm on Reaper.

With this setup, I get MIDI playing the internal oscilator of the vocoder and the vocal track flowing free through it. I am dead sure I'm doing something very stupid, so here's a print.

 

Just created other tracks, re-routed (again) and now I got the vocoderized sound with signal bleed, as before. I have no idea what I did different from the previous print.

 

5.10. Using the XILS 201 as a simple effect (from the Manual PDF)

This is the easiest way to use the XILS 201, when chords or notes are not going to be changed.
For this you just have to insert your XILS 201 in an audio track, mixer or effect rack (it can be used as an
insert or a send effect).
Once the XILS 201 is launched, select the following preset:
Bank: Factory, Author: XILS-lab, Preset: Simple VocoderC1
As you can see, the note C1 is held (it was right clicked then saved in the preset, see below)
Then start your DAW, your audio content should be input the XILS 201 and modulating the carrier done with
the oscillator trigged by the note C1: a typical Robot sound.
In any of XILS 201 preset, right clicking on the virtual keyboard would memorize the note (left click would
remove this record). This way, it's easy to adapt the chords or notes of the presets to your music, when using
the XILS 201 as a simple effect.

5.11. Using the XILS 201 as a Midi Controlled effect
If you want to use the XILS 201 to make a melody from a spoken text or to make Vocoded Choirs and chords
out of any signal, you need to feed the XILS 201 with MIDI note On/Off events.
Therefore you have to create a MIDI TRACK in your daw, whose output will be routed to the input of the
XILS 201:
1. Insert the XILS 201 on the source Audio Track ( Vocals, speak, keys, drums etc)
2. Create a MIDI TRACK in your Daw and assign its output to the audio track holding the XILS 201
3. Play or Record a melody/Chords on the midi track while your Daw is in Play mode

5.12. Using the XILS 201 with the side-chain
When you don't want to use the internal sound generator, you can feed the XILS 201 vocoder with a carrier of
your own (synthesizer, real noise, other voices, …) using the side chain provided by your DAW.
In that case, you will have to switch the selector in the REMPLACEMENT SOUND INPUT to EXT.
When this mode is enable, the pitch tracker doesn't modulate the carrier anymore.

7. Option menu
This menu allows you to choose the global settings. These settings are defined for all the instances of the
XILS 201. Each time an option is changed, the related option file is saved.
7.1. Main
In the toolbar, the Options button opens a menu for selecting various options for the XILS 201.
This menu shows the following options settings:
XILS 201 About: displays information about the XILS 201 (version, build date and credits).

Open MIDI settings panel: Opens a popup where you can assign MIDI controllers for each of the XILS
201’s parameters. Click on the parameter label to select the parameter you want assign, then enter the MIDI
controller number (from 0 to 127), or switch on the learning switch and send a MIDI command with the correct
MIDI controller number. The XILS 201 will memorize it. This setting popup can also be opened by
CTRL+ALT+Apple+Left-click (Mac) or CTRL+Win+ALT+Left-click (Win) on the desired XILS 201 parameter.

 

Then open routing and uncheck MASTER.
Then have a look on the monitor button.

Edit: I'm going to post the working configuration for Reaper

 

Last edited: Apr 8, 2025

XILS V+ Vocoder Tutorial: Reape

This tutorial is showing how to use the XILS V+ as a vocoder using Reaper (VST2.4 format)
Both Input and Sidechain are used

 

Yep, I read the manual, too! This setup would be better, similar to the Arturia (except with the Arturia you load the plugin in the carrier track). Alas, I couldn't make the XILS work like that.

 

Yes, I mentioned in the original post that I had watched their videos and couldn't follow them either. Did you check the prints I sent, Radio? I must be doing something wrong.

 

The only track sending to the master is the vocoder track. Carrier and modulator are only sending to the vocoder. If I disable that only master send, I get no sound whatsoever. The recording monitor is disabled, too, since I'm using a pre-recorded track.

 

XILS Vocoder 5000 Tutorial : ReaperJul 15, 2016
This video explains how to use Side chain in Reaper for the XILS Vocoder 5000
https://www.plugivery.com/products/b58-XILS-Lab/
Scroll Down it's in the last quarter!