Virus TI: won't you be able to sequence 16 different parts?!

[Dance123]

Hi,

I have checked the info on the Access website about there new Virus TI synth. After reading it I have some questions perhaps certain people can help with:

1/

From inside a host application, the plug-in enables the new VIRUS hardware to appear as a multi-channel VST/AU soft-synth with up to 4 sub-mixes (or 2 ? stereo).

Does that mean that in your sequencer you can only have 2 stereo Virus VSTi's, so that you can only have 2 sequenced midi tracks with each one of the stereo VSTi's?! What if you want to sequence 16 individual parts/sounds with 16 different midi channels?!

2/ They mention that each part has now a dedicated delay and reverb, but will it also have all those other effects for each part like with the Virus C cause they don't mention the other effects as far as I can see?!

3/ Will the Virus TI be able to import Virus A/B/C patches and will they sound the same?!

Anybody can help with any/all of the above questions?! Especially question 1 is something that I am really confused about!

[ten]

I will repeat what I put on the kvr forum, just so others can comment on it also..

1) There is a lot of speculation about this. I dont think even access know themselves yet as several of thier team give different answers to the question. This blurb from the website would suggest you get 16 mixer chans

'The Virus? master outputs (including subgroups) seamlessly integrate into the sequencer?s audio channels, just as VST / AU instruments do. You can even process individual Virus parts with your favourite plug-in effects. It is a multi-channel instrument plug-in which can split the several sub-mixes from your VIRUS TI to be independently processed and refined with additional VST plug-ins. It also handles all relevant information for your sequencer?s automation system.'

But I have heard from other people that you only get the 2 stereo chans over usb.

Ive also been told you can control the normal analog and digital outputs via the vst front end, so if the 2 stereo over usb is true, combined with the classic outputs you could have 6 individual sounds simultaniously with thier own output.

Then someone from access said this...

'let me clarify one important thing: the virus TI has a USB2 compatible USB interface with the speed of USB1.1 (which to my knowledge is 12mbit). the copy on our website and press release is the official recommendation from the usb.org but I get the feeling that it's being misunderstood.

there scenario outlined on the access website is _one_ of many possible configurations. to my knowledge, there is ways to offer more than 2 stereo channels and we understand that depending on the situation this makes a lot of sense.

the same goes for the possibility of sending data into the virus' sound engine, process it and send it back again.

please understand that I cannot answer all these questions right now. at the same time, postings lining out which configurations are being desired will help us to put the final touch on the TI software.'

This is from the product manager at access which would lead you to belive you can set it up for more stereo chans with different configurations but again its very sketchy....I guess we can only wait and see. (heres me hoping for 16 stereo chans over usb all with independant mixer tracks in host sequencer and hopefully whatever it ships with, an os upgrade or something can alter it at a later date to add more chans or change the config somehow.


2) Each part/sound (all 16) has its own individual effect section and all of them are independant, nothing is shared anymore or combined. Also all the effects from C version are here.

3) TI can import all older sounds and they should sound pretty much identical, maybe even better

ten

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Personally I dont care about having loads of outputs in different outputs. Hell I use analog poly's that have one mono output! Dont get too fixated on specs....its unimportant

DS

[ten]

Im not that worried, I will get by with 2, but id love 4/6/8 or even 16 (if its possible) I mean, it looks like they have pushed the boat out in every other area of the TI ,so there is no point in being cheap with the stereo outputs over usb. Make it the monster it should be (all 16 stereo plz)

ten

[ben crosland]

Originally Posted by ten

Im not that worried, I will get by with 2, but id love 4/6/8 or even 16 (if its possible) I mean, it looks like they have pushed the boat out in every other area of the TI ,so there is no point in being cheap with the stereo outputs over usb. Make it the monster it should be (all 16 stereo plz)

ten

I can't see that it will be possible to have 16 stereo channels of audio over usb - the bandwidth isn't anywhere near high enough. Besides, the internal structure of the Virus has always been 16 stereo channels routed through (up to) 3 stereo outputs.

I really don't see anything in the specs that implies we will ever have more than 3 stereo audio channels with the TI - of course there will be 16 multi parts as usual.

-=BC

[ten]

3 would be cool ben, marc mentions in another thread that 6 may be possible that would be cooler. But you mention that 16 over usb would not be possible, it may not be over 1.1 but would it be possible over usb2? Which leads me to the question why was usb2 speed not used instead of 1.1?

And yea the internal structure of the previous virus's have been 16 parts routed over 3 stereo chans. But in previous virus's the internal structure for effects was a global delay/reverb which you have now changed so it may of been wise to change the routing of stereo chans also....maybe in a future version

Either way, I will be happy as pie with the 2 chans and im sure the TI will be the dogs bollocks. All im trying to get across is, is if its possible to squeeze 1 or 2 more stereo chans over the current usb in the TI as marc suggests it might be , then lets do it

ten

[ben crosland]

Originally Posted by ten

Either way, I will be happy as pie with the 2 chans and im sure the TI will be the dogs bollocks. All im trying to get across is, is if its possible to squeeze 1 or 2 more stereo chans over the current usb in the TI as marc suggests it might be , then lets do it

I think you can comfortably rely on Access to squeeze the absolute max out of this piece of hardware, just as they have done in the past

[Dance123]

Hi,

Just wondering, but could it perhaps be that the Virus VSTi plugin will be 16 part multi-timbral, meaning that only 1 instance loaded can be actived on 16 different midi tracks with each there own midi channel?! Is that how it will be? So far I thought that each instance of a VSTi could work on only 1 midi track, but apparently certain VSTi's like Hypersonic only need 1 instance loaded that can be activated on 16 midi tracks with each there own midi channel if I understand it right (please correct me if I am wrong about this)?! Will this be the way the Virus TI plugin will work?! Anybody knows more about this?!

Has anybody from Access already made any statements about this? Anybody who can ask them directly, so that we can know more about all this?!

[blay]

access dont want us to ask questions they just want us to stare at the pretty 3d animations

(ooh aah rotate )