NAMM 2025: Nonlinear Labs has released firmware 2025 for the C15 with double the voices, polyphonic aftertouch support, and more.
At Superbooth 2024, Nonlinear Labs, the company of Native Instruments founder Stephan Schmitt, announced a major update for the C15. This digital Synthesizer has a unique concept and an expressive, playable phase modulation engine. For me, it is one of the most beautiful-sounding synths of recent years.
Ahead of NAMM 2025, Nonlinear Labs has now announced that the firmware 2025 is now available.
Nonlinear Labs C15 Firmware 2025
The new C15 firmware 2025 boosts the internal polyphony of the digital engine from 28 to 48 voices in the 48 kHz settings. Alternatively, you get 24 voices of polyphony at a higher sample rate of 96 kHz.
Then, Nonlinear Labs expanded the C15 synth engine with polyphonic modulation sources. In the first step, the engine can be played via MIDI with polyphonic aftertouch keyboards and MIDI controllers like the Expressive E Osmose.
It is not known whether there will be a C15 with a polyphonic aftertouch keyboard at a later date. But I could well imagine it.
Another new feature is the ability to use the pitch bend and sustain independently of macro controls, freeing them up for other modulations. It also brings a sostenuto pedal function and the option to switch presets and banks via footswitch.
According to the official release, there are also many improvements to the user-friendliness and optimizations of the operating system.
New Mark Wilcox Sound Bank
In addition to the new firmware 2025, Nonlinear Labs also released a new sound bank for the C15 Synthesizer by Mark Wilcox.
Mark Wilcox’s preset bank highlights the layering capabilities of the C15. The collection features a range of highly responsive sounds, blending straightforward, playable tones with intriguing textures and effects.
This approach adds depth and character to every sound, resulting in a highly playable set of sounds that underscore the instrument’s expressiveness. I can only recommend you listen to the sound demo. There are a lot of really awesome sounds there.
First Impression
A lovely update for the C15 Synthesizer. Since the C15 and the engine are very much geared towards expressive playing, polyphonic aftertouch is a very welcome new feature. I look forward to the first demos with an Osmose or other polyAT controller.
Existing users can download the new Nonlinear Labs C15 firmware 2025 for free. Mark Wilcox’s new sound bank is also available for free download from the support page.
More information here: Nonlinear Labs
someday you will be mine.
This thing sounds so cool, and I love that it uses non-traditional synthesis methods, but I can’t help but feel that they sabotaged it with the interface. It does not look fun to program. At all. Not that I could afford one, anyway…