Nonlinear Labs has announced a new major firmware update for its keyboard instrument made for performing musicians.
Changes in the firmware update for C15 synth include increased polyphony (from 24 to 48 voices) at the previous sample rate of 48 kHz. Alternatively, a higher sample rate of 96 kHz with 24 voices is offered. The C15 audio engine has been expanded to support polyphonic modulation sources. In the first step, polyphonic aftertouch can now be received via MIDI.
Pitch bend and sustain functions can now also be used independently of macro controls, freeing them up for other modulations. A sostenuto pedal function and the ability to switch presets and banks via footswitch have also been added. Additionally, the update brings a number of improvements to user-friendliness and optimizations to the operating system.
With its top-quality keybed, dual full-length ribbons, special pitch bender, and four pedal connections the C15 is designed for real-time performance, making it more like a traditional musical instrument than a typical synthesizer.
Firmware Update 2025
- 48 voices or double sampling rate: The polyphony of the audio engine has been doubled – from 24 to 48 voices. This gives more resources for layer and unison sounds and strongly reduces the probability of voice stealing. Alternatively, it is possible to run the sound engine with a double sample rate of 96 kHz and a polyphony of 24 voices. This can improve the sound quality and reduce aliasing artefacts.
- Polyphonic Aftertouch via MIDI: The modulation architecture has been extended to support polyphonic modulation of parameters via the Macro Controls, providing more expressive control over individual notes. The C15 can now respond to Polyphonic Aftertouch messages received via MIDI. This gives musicians who own a keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch access to the C15’s unique sound engine with individual modulations per key.
- Global Pitchbend modes for Bender and Aftertouch: Bender and Aftertouch can now not only be mapped to Macro Controls, but can also be used as a global source for pitch bending, as is common with other synthesizers. Here we can also set asymmetrical ranges for the Bender.
- Sustain and Sostenuto modes for the pedals: In addition to the effect of the sustain pedal on a freely definable group of parameters, it can now also be used to sustain notes in the conventional way. The sostenuto function is also offered here, latching only the keys that were active when the pedal was pressed.
- Preset or bank selection by footswitch: Pedals or footswitches can now also be used to step up or down through presets or banks.
- Improved recorder: Up to 500 MB FLAC-compressed audio will now be retained in permanent memory when you switch off the C15. And the Recorder now supports higher zoom ratios for easier selection.
- Usability improvements: Functions for copying modulation assignments have been added. And in the graphical UI the new zoom buttons are helpful to navigate without a mousewheel or special gestures.
C15 users can download the update from the support page on the Nonlinear Labs website.