Clavia Nord Modular G2/G2x v Access Virus Ti
 

Hello,
As someone who has a Virus TI and messed around a lot with Nord Modular G2 demo and originally narrowed my preferred synth to the Virus Ti and the Nord Modular G2x - I was wondering what people think of the Nord Modular G2/G2x as opposed to the Virus TI.
I personally love what the G2/G2x can do love the editor - but am not happy about a 3 octave keyboard - hence the G2x which is now almost impossible to find. I'm also not very fond of the look and design of the G2/G2x - it looks like a red box compared to the great looking Virus TI. The Virus control surface is also set up in a really clear way. The last major thing is the idea of only being able to edit a hardware synth through a computer - I do like the fact the Virus TI unlike the G2/G2x allows you to use both the synth itself and a computer.
| also think that Access seems to be a better company than Clavia in supporting users - for example the way Clavia does not support the Nord Modular G1 anymore.

I feel a bit stuck love the Virus TI but compared to the G2 demo even - I feel restricted - but according to what I've read on the Virus websites - only people with a deep knowledge of synthesis should attempt to use the G2/G2X.

I'll be very interested to hear what other people think.

Would be nice if the Virus was completely modular like the G2, but the TI is semi-modular in a lot of other ways with its source/destination matrix and similar.

The ability of creating or adding new modules would be awesome though, like physical modelling modules of acoustic instruments, etc.

I think a fully modular psychology may put a few people off as it may seem more complex to program from scratch (like Reaktor). But if you understand what you're doing, and what each module does, it would be great. Your patches will only ever be as good as your tweaking abilities and synthesis understanding, I think. You could make it sound really good, or really bad.

The G2 looks like a great bit of kit. 5 yrs old now though (although the TI is the same, hardware wise). Wonder what the polyphony of average patches of the G2 is like.

Actually, G2 review here: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul04/articles/nord.htm

Due to the low poly, if a TI is used for the main stuff and a G2 for special leads or whatever I think it could be a good combo.

I've always wanted a G2, but I have always decided against them, mainly because I think I would get stuck making sounds rather than playing them. Very deep machines, and I think the possibility of creating unique sounds is mind blowing. More a sound designer's synth than the TI, but far more rewarding in that area too I'd imagine.

Would i choose one over a TI? Depends on what I wanted a new synth for I think. They are just too different.

I think the real question is: A Nordwave or TI? :)

My antidote for buying a G2 is to ask myself "would I use Reason's Thor and rack modules to design a sound"? The answer for me is still no. And I mean really use the input and outputs to put something modular together and then use rewire Reason into a DAW. Its immensely powerful and yet I still haven't tried it. I'd suggest that you try a software package first and see if you like patching modules that way. Some people will like it, I suspect a lot of people won't.

As for Nord in general, in back water Australia I've never seen one. Seems like you have to buy one to find out what they are like. Virus's are rarely seen in stores, but never a Nord.

Ch

I own both Virus TI Pølar and Nord Modular G2x. And I love both synths.

I think the Modular is easier to use then the virus. Not that virus is that difficult. But with modular you can build your very own synthesizer, you can add all the modulation, oscillators, filters, effects you can imagine in any order you would like. You can add delay between the Oscillators and the envelopes and filter if you like. You can add chorus after an oscillator to make it fatter, or with phaser for that matter. You can create sounds that the Virus can't. The Editor of the Modular makes everything so easy.

I think the Virus is a better sounding synth. The effects are better, the oscillators sounds better and the filter's sounds better. The virus looks better no doubt.

I simply use the G2 to make sequenses and sounds that simply isn't possible elsewhere. I use the virus for regular digital/analog synth sounds which is what it's made for.

You can allways get a G2 engine and upgrade it and still get it cheaper then a used G2x I think. Atleast here in norway.

Is the G2 compatible with Vista and Mac OS X 10.5? Looks like it is a discontinued product just by the look of the updates available ...

Cheers,
BF

According to the Clavia.se website they are working on the drivers for vista and the new OSX as we speak. G2x and G2 uses the same drivers and OS.

If you know how to program an Analog modelling synth, you will have no trouble using the G2/G2X.

Let's say you are gona start a new synth. And you will need 2 OSC (or 20?),
you just connect them into a mixer, and from the mixer to a filter and from the filter to the output or effects and so and so.

The system is that you got red cables/connectors wich is sound signal path between oscillator mixer filter envelope (for amp env) and so on.

You got blue cables for modulation. like connecting a Envelope/LFO module to a filter module, or any other modul that got blue connectors.

Yellow cables is for midi type signals for sequencers arpeggiators gates clock and such.

Round connectors are outputs, square are inputs.

Only by looking at the screen, you simply see how it all is connected from ins to outs and what kind of signal the cables provide.

At first I also picked other synths before the G2 because it looked complex. I couldn't be more wrong then that.

Clavia Nord Modular G2/G2x v Access Virus Ti
 

Hello,
Thanks for all the feedback its greatly appreciated. In particular the information provided by Robbins was just what I was looking for. I'm still not sure what Clavia is going to do as far as continuing to support the G2/G2x - even current Clavia G2/G2x users do not seem to know.

It would be great if Access did do a modular - you know the design and look would be great and the support excellent - plus it would be great to have a modular that could be run either from a computer or the synth itself.

Thanks

A few months ago (3 months maby) before I bought the second hand G2X, I sent clavia an e-mail about how they will continue the G2 Modulars. and they said they had no plans on discontinuing the products. i guess I gotta take their word for it, and sinse they are working on new OS and drivers, it looks like the support continues atleast.