Nonlinear Labs C15 Black

Nonlinear Labs C15 Black — a digital polyphonic synthesizer in black finish, designed by Stephan Schmitt (co-founder of Native Instruments) with an emphasis on live playing over automation. The instrument has no sequencer, arpeggiator, or LFO — all modulation comes from the performer's gesture.

The Phase 22 engine starts with two sine-wave oscillators linked through a feedback bus, processed by two wave-shapers, a comb filter, a multi-mode State Variable Filter, and a chain of five stereo effects (cabinet simulation, 8-pole band filter, flanger/chorus, echo, reverb). It's a purely mathematical approach, with no analog circuit modeling or sample playback, so playing dynamics have a direct, immediate effect on timbre — from cold, digital textures to organic, acoustic-sounding tones. Following the latest firmware update, the engine offers 48-voice polyphony at 48kHz or 24 voices at 96kHz.

Parameter control at a resolution MIDI can't match

An engineer programming expression through standard MIDI has 128 steps per parameter to work with — fine for many uses, but too coarse for the subtle feedback loops and micro-delays the C15's signal path relies on. The Fatar keybed, two 800mm ribbons with 33 LEDs, a pitch bender, and four pedal inputs feed values at a resolution of roughly a thousand steps straight into the sound engine, without the precision loss typical of the MIDI protocol.

A modular chassis for two working modes

The housing splits into a base unit (keybed, ribbons, bender, pedal inputs, sound engine) and a panel unit with 96 buttons and an OLED screen for deep timbre programming. The base unit runs standalone in "play only" mode, with the panel added for sound-design sessions — useful both on stage and in the studio, where quick parameter access without a bulky onstage interface matters.

KEY FEATURES

• Phase 22 synthesis engine: phase modulation, wave-shaping, comb filter, State Variable Filter
• Up to 48-voice polyphony (48kHz) or 24 voices (96kHz)
• Fatar 61-key keybed, semi-weighted, with aftertouch
• 2 x 800mm ribbons with 33 LEDs, absolute/relative mode
• Pitch bender, 4 pedal inputs
• 4 macros, assignable to 86 target parameters
• 5 stereo effects: cabinet, band filter, flanger/chorus, echo, reverb
• Unlimited undo with tree-view edit history
• Swappable magnetic front panels, graphical interface via WiFi/browser

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Type: digital polyphonic synthesizer
• Keybed: Fatar, 61 keys, semi-weighted, aftertouch
• Polyphony: 48 voices @ 48kHz / 24 voices @ 96kHz
• Parameter count: 305, resolution approx. 1000 steps
• Outputs: main stereo TRS, headphone TRS
• Inputs: 4 analog pedal inputs
• MIDI/USB: USB host for data exchange and updates
• Power: 18-20V DC, center-positive, PSU included
• Dimensions: 900 x 410 x 160mm
• Housing material: wood, steel, aluminum
• Finish: Black