Dune VST
 

Guys it's been mentioned before, but version 1.2 just came out so it is worth mentioning it again. And no, I don't get kickbacks from this vendor, it's just that they created the softsynth that consistently blows me away.

It has been updated since the previous discussion with an even more amazing sound.

I hate to say it but the true software competitor to the Virus has arrived, and I can't see how Access would not have to respond to this with some sort of new kickass product line.

http://synapse-audio.com/dune.php

It does not do EVERYTHING the Virus does. It does many things well including fat basses, lush pads, those amazing trance / jupiter, slice through the mix like hot butter leads etc.

It might not be everyone's cup of tea, and I'm not even saying you should buy it, but the demo takes all of 5 mins to download, load up and hear the new competition for every VA analog synth out there.

Quite big sounds but sounds a bit shredded to me, I'd say zebra does a better job at emulating the virus.

Zebra is amazing, and is capable of much more vast variety of sounds, but for those into trance / analog type sounds, I think Dune has the advantage of taking you directly from an init patch to the exact type of sound you're looking for, and the CPU usage is amazing (even better than Zebra for a given sound of equal richness and polyphony).

Actually after working with it a bit tonight, I'd say Dune is much closer to the Virus in the sense of default "hardware" sound, cut-through-the-mix type material. It's harder to go wrong with. Zebra is great with MSEGs and stuff, but in terms of comparing it to an analog synth I think Dune kick its arse.