What to people think of the virus as a detroit techno synth?

[Osci]

I have been working here and there with my virus but it seems that it may not be the synth for me. I have gotten some nice sounds out of it and i think it is a great synth but I am thinking that I may get more use out of a product like Reaktor. The Virus always seems to sound somewhat to polished or over produced. Almost always when I open the filter right up I find myself thingking... thats it? There no more? It seems to totaly lack in bite and crispness as compaird to my nord for example.

I cash is a little tight at the moment and I am wondering if it rely is worth haning onto it. Is anyone elts getting good sound for minimal techno/detroit techno out of this synth. Track that one expect to hear in the sets of folks like Hawtin and dave clarke?

I would like to hold on to it but it just seems like a waste of synth at the moment.

Any opinions welcome thanks.

[vvanrij]

Well its definetly a matter of taste, and I think the virus could be used (like most synthesizers) for almost all kinds of music! Most people think the virus is much bittier and crispier than Reaktor and Nord, but you are free to think otherwise offcourse.

Since you asked for an opinion, I would think its good for that style of music :D.

-VR

[Osci]

hey vvanrij

well going between the nord and the virus (sitting side by side so to speak as my virus is the powercore version) the high end on the nord is way brighter. There is no question about it. As for side by side with reaktor I cant say as i have not listend to it side by side.

Thank you for your feedback.

would still like to hear from others as to what they think.

[vvanrij]

Yes the virus lacks a little bit in high end, but don't know if the powercore has it, or you could use a plugin, to add some High EQ, should clear things up. It is a bit of the character of the virus though to have the dark sounds.. nothing to do with crisp really :D Try also to download some patches, they might prove you wrong ;)

-VR

[Tomer=Trance]

I think a modular synthesizer will be more usful for thos type of sounds.
you should look into nord Mod1 or g2.

About reaktor:
i find it useful for hardcore digital sounds and weird textures but as a virtual analog it sux,the filters\oscilators are realy thin and plastic sounding even compering to other software VAs (such as your imposcar) which i think sounds absolutly great.

[Osci]

I have downloaded many other patches from the website and it is just the way the synth sounds. As for the powercore virus sounding different from a hardware virus this is not a concern as it is running on the same hardware except for the DA converters and I am sure that my RME is not causing problems.

Tomer when you talk about reaktor is this the same with reaktor5? I know now you can build your own OSC's and Filters now so this ought to change things woundnt you think?

[Gopal]

Korg MS2000 would make for an ideal detroit techno synth and great companion to the nord IMO

[Osci]

Korg MS2000 would make for an ideal detroit techno synth and great companion to the nord IMO

hmm intersting. I will look into that.

thanks for the input

[Tomer=Trance]

Tomer when you talk about reaktor is this the same with reaktor5? I know now you can build your own OSC's and Filters now so this ought to change things woundnt you think?

I have thought it would change somethings along side combining forces with that other software modular company,
but i still havent heard a massive moog emulation or a decent oberhim pad coming from a reaktor 5 ens :)

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

The reason why people buy the Virus (or in my view should buy the Virus) is if they are after dark electronic synth sounds. Bright/crisp sounds are definitely not its strength - in fact its beyond the synths reach. EQing the sound will not in my mind make up the deficit. The reason the Virus is loved so much is because it offers something completely different to what the Nords and JP's offer.

My view is this (and I maybe totally wrong/talking out of my arse): The Virus sounds dark because Access tried eliminate the audiable effects of aliasing oscilators. Remember, back in 1997 aliasing oscilators were the norm - by suppressing certain frequencies i.e. the higher ones....you could potentially reduce audiable breakup. Its ironic that this in turn contributed to the Virus's tone....a tone that many hold in high regard.

Having said all that...the virus at this stage might not be the synth for you...that doesnt matter. I suspect (like me) that the virus was/is currently your only synth. Dont fall for the fallacy that one synth can do everything - no synth can.

I sold my Virus KC back in September '04 partly because its tone frustrated me....and yes you guessed it....it was my only synth I had back then (I'd sold all my analog synths to a m8 - a decision I regret to this day... alas). Now that I've just recently bought a Yamaha DX7MKIIFD I have all the bright, speaker shattering crispness I need. Now that I have that area of sound covered....Im seriously reconsidering the Virus TI. I feel that both will compliment each other very well. At a later stage (once im out of University) I'll re-equip myself with some nice analog poly's and mono's.

My final thought is: The Virus tone is unique and unequalled in many respects. Only when you have other synths covering other areas will you appreciate the Virus for what it is and what it does. In my opinion the Virus bridges the gap between birght FM sounds and old analogs.

Does this help you in anyway? Are you still thinking of selling it? Tip from me...selling gear to buy new gear has no real benefits and YOU WILL LOOSE LOTS OF MONEY. It might be better to grit your teeth until you can afford another synth....if only I had realised this earlier.

DS

[vvanrij]

Great post, agree 100% with this

-VR

[MADSTATION]

Is it really that dark sounding?
http://www.soundwizard.de/Sounds/www.vengeance-sound.de%20-%20Incubation%20V2%20-%20Virus%20C%20Soundset%20by%20Manuel%20Schleis.mp3
I don't think these sounds qualify as being dark :)

But I agree about the dark and rather aggressive character of the synth...
I miss my virus!

[Osci]

thanks for all the feedback.

Digital scream I know what you are saying and agree. It sucks when cash is tight though. I have buyers intrested in it at a good price so I would not loose much but still I could see myself buying it again one day.
As I said I think the virus is a great synth but it is not the best synth for me. ahhhh I hate these decisions. The best answer would be to just buy all of them and have my girlfriend leave me because I never bought an RRSP! 8O ok not an option LOL

back to reality. I am going to think about it for a little wile longer. Thanks again for all the feedback.

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

To be honest Osci if your satisfied with the Nord 2 and ImpOscar then stick with those. I'll be the first one to agree/admit that the Virus tone is not for everyone. Yes its a nice synth...but its an acquired taste for sure.

Exactly what are you looking for from a synth? You have the VA domain well covered (and you have the brightness/crispness from the Nord)....so what exactly are you missing? Went 'n' warm synth sounds? Maybe its time you go for some real analog.

Affordable options include: Roland JX10, Roland Juno 60, Moog Prodigy, SCI Pro-One....or you could just kiss your girlfriend goodbye and cut to the chase with a SCI Prophet 5 or Jupiter 8.

Do you like Felix Da Housecat....his music is 95% Jupiter 8 and Prophet 5.

Would you like me to email you some of his tracks in MP3? Its no sweat....that way you can hear the synth tone im talking about.

DS

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Is it really that dark sounding?!

Yep, the Virus is very dark sounding.....more so if you use the Moog filter. Im suprised no one has picked up on this.

Contrast Manual's soundset with this. Can you hear the difference?

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan04/audio/clavia/03SynthBrassSection.mp3

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan04/audio/clavia/09ScoopPad.mp3

Now try and make a sound as bright as that.

DS

[vvanrij]

Again!! Totally agree again!!! I think I'm gonna stop saying that... ok from now on I'l agree with what DS says :)

-VR

[Osci]

hey there digital

the audio files that you posted say it all LOL. As for having the VA area well covered I would have to dissagree. Thre are tones that the Minimosta comes up with that the neither the oscar or the nord can touch. Also the same thing with the oddity (dam love both them synths!). But I do hear what your saying about having it pretty well under controll. I have decided to sell the virus and go for Reaktor for some digital sounds. It is a HUGE package and will help fill out the holes in my sound.

I can kinda see the end of my list in the way of synths though (ya right)... I own reason (i think it sounds kinda thin alot of the time) and think it is ok. I have the imposcar, very warm and wonderfull I have the powercore card with the copy of the 01 synth (a copy of the sh101) it is NASTY!. Will be picking up Reaktor for digital sounds and odds and ends all over the spectrum. But even then there is nothing there that rely sounds like the minimonsta or the oddity so I will be picking both of them up one day as well as the way out ware's arp2600. At that point I will have all that I need. I know that when i get there some time next year that all other synths that I buy are just pure lust!

P.S. I am downloading some of da house cat right now

thanks again for all the posts ! This is good forum :)

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Good Osci im glad youve made a positive decision. A hard one I know...but atleast you can get on and make the style of music you wish.

If you PM me I can send you some cool Felix Da Housecat tracks!

DS

[i3]

I know the virus has a distinct sound (as in any synth) but its alot in how you model or engineer the sound your looking for. Ive made many a tecKno patch with the virus. If your looking just for patches there are some good ones out there but the majority your just gonna have to tune and tweak till you find what your looking for. It may be tedious but the virus will make what you need. so get those knobs turnin. hell im still finding new kick ass patches I made from the jp8080. Its what you make it.

[jasedee]

At that point I will have all that I need.
LOL.....Yeah, thats what I thought! There is always more ;)

[Tomer=Trance]

i hope you have a monster computer setup because both reaktor and the new Wow Arp2600 (i tried the demo few days ago and it sounds truly authentic) take a huge portion of your cpu processing power.
the arp2600 is very badly optimized and i wouldnt try and use it in poly mode.

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

To be honest....im surprised and dissapointed computing power hasnt kept up with the momentum. I think in the next 5-10 years we'll see supercomputers on the market...all with 3.6 ghz CPU's....only there will be 10 of them chained hehe

DS

[Tomer=Trance]

DS,
You cant say they arent puting enough resources in development because they do...

[Osci]

ya its coming DS dont you worrie. The new mac-tells could be interesting. I look forward to dual dual core chip computers. Then we can finialy get over the Four GIG processor wall.

And as for running a monster computer the one i got is no joke that is for sure :) I am running this CPU at about 3.4 and I have the powercore and the uad DSP cards. So in the end I am doing alright and hell if I have to I will just run reaktor on my Dual 1.8 Powermac. That would give me 7G of processing power plus about two gigs of DSP power bringing me up to about 9G of processor power 8O

[Khazul]

I dont see computers getting useably much faster for a while now (and they havnt really changed much for the past couple of years).

The big boys seem to have hit a brick wall at 4Ghz, and while sticking more CPUs in is the ovious way forward, not much software around can make good use of more than one CPU :(

I guess its going to take some time for software developers to get their collectives head around this...

[Tomer=Trance]

most new sequencers,Apple (version 7) & Steinberg (v. 3.1),i belive muto DP aswell support dual core processing.

[Smag]

Osci, There's a Microwave XT with your name on it somewhere.......

[Khazul]

most new sequencers,Apple (version 7) & Steinberg (v. 3.1),i belive muto DP aswell support dual core processing.

Yeh - as of Aug 23rd this year or whenever it was that 3.1 came out - its not like the P4 hasnt been around for ages along with dual proc macs and dual xeon based PCs :)

Theres alot of software around that wont make any use of additional CPU. Though I hope that with SX now supporting mutliple CPUs, then VSTs automatically benefit when hosted within Cubase. (?)