Access Music Virus C

I currently use OS6.
Compared with the my Novation Nova the Virus goes deeper, but the Nova is slightly easier to use.

Much has been said already.

It sounds as Heaven or as Hell.

It looks solid.

No experience with customer support.

It took a long time to decide whether I should buy the thing or not. It is a lot of money and I already had a Novation Nova, a CS2X and some soft-synths. I also think soft-synths sound better and better and if you - like me - dont't gig and only make some music on an amateur level, it hard to justify the money for a Virus. But ultimatly I've bought the Virus because:
- Soft synths take too much resources and are causing latency on my current computer set-up
- I love fiddling with real buttons
- I had the money
Now I have the Virus, I must admit that it certainly is a great addition to my set-up. Compared to the Nova it sounds more versatile. The Nova is great for the standard synth ('analog') sounds, but the Virus gives a bit more edge. Besides, I think that the Nova sounds a bit glassy (although in general, the Nova is an excellent synth).
I think I dont't buy more synths though (maybe a faster computer, a soft sampler and some sample CD's)

Virus just released the OS 6.5.
That might not be a big event in itself, but this time it was: there are new analog filters modelled after MiniMoog, with reproduced artefacts of analog circuity!

After upgrading I feel that my beloved Virus became totally new and got the real analog sound. This was not one of those deals when you wonder, whether you like old sound more or new sound more. This is a terrific MOOG filter, sounding like one.

If you about to buy Andromeda A6 or Moog Voyager, that check out the Virus with OS 6.5 :)

2 years no troubles!

Very very friendly website with lots of free downloads, tutorials and useful stuff.

Fantastic value

Fairly easy to use
Presets give a good variety

32 voice poyphony
Virus C engine
Nice variety of built in effects

The reason I must review this synthesizer is for the sounds. They have gotten this one right, it blows away all of the competition in the VA market.
- Bass is thick and rips throw the mix, or strong and fat like a jazz bass.
- Leads are "red" and rich sounding, you hear them on all the best dance/trance songs. Sounds like a 21st century minimoog.
- Pads and strings almost have an Oberheim like quality to them. Also some Prophet 5 type piano pads can be heard.
- EP's can be made, arpeggios are easy, the thing is very good sonically...

Seems sturdy

I don't know

I don't have one, as soon as I can afford it I will. This is the only VA machine that I would buy exclusively. As far as the Z1-MOSS Board with the Korg Triton, and the AN1x with the Yamaha PSR9000, I would work with those as well. Virus is the modern day classic though.

Running OS6.

Very easy to use for general modelling functions. Sometimes though, the menus can feel a little cumbersome.

If you would like to get more indepth with it, then it becomes a bit more difficult to get around. ie: internal aux routing for one. But once getting more familiar with the menus, it becomes smoother to use.

The features are great.

Routing from the external inputs is excellent, opening up so many possibilties.

Instantly syncing to midi clock, makes it easy to sync basicly any parameter.

The sounds are unbeleiveable!

The filters sound incredible, and being able to run external sound thru these filters is such a huge plus!

Using the saturation mode along side the analogue boost, distortion, third osc and the sub-osc, gives an amazingly powerfull sound (i just cant explain how powerfull in words!)!! I havent used any other VA that comes close to this punch (and ive used and owned a few)...

Im using the VC for mainly drum and bass/breaks. But you could use this with any style of music that needs powerfull synth sounds.

So far, so good. No trouble yet!

Excellent!! I'm a part of a few forums based on the Virus. Anything that cant be answered on these forums, gets answered from the guys at Access...

This thing is incredible! I cant really say anything against this machine...I have worked with a many synths and there isnt much that comes close in the VA department.

fine with sx through midi out. A usb would have been more icing on an already iced cake. with 1024 patches, finding a base for tweeking is easy, and it has tons of knobs on. It s aimed at a pro analogue programmer, but novices have no trouble getting started. Why not hav a bigger screen though?

as much polyphony and features as you wish esp with os6. The fx are ok, delay lags a bit, awesome phaser. Only problem is the delay/reverb section - a pity you cant have both running simoultaneously - o am i missing something?

Perfection in my book, it is a jack of all trades, master of most is how i would put it. Thee synth for trance/house. Has its own character, and excels in some sounds (driving filtered leads). These will be remembered like the 303's sounds. V expressive, excellent analog emulation, but it has something else on top of that. It sounds exciting. am heaing many presets being used on top 40 records. If its god enough for ..... Superb!

No problems at all. Sturdy as an ox.

Some reviews on here say its toilet. With new OS's out every 2 months, e mails responded to within a day, free soundsets available, a free analog synth tutorial, a free editor - WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT? No hidden charges for future upgrades. Briliant!

If your into dance music of any kind, and your dream studio would be full of Jupiter 8's/ junos/ arps/ and other analog synths, and you have #1000 - $1200 to spend, BUY IT! It emulates all synths across the spectrum very well, a programmers dream. It also has a personality of its own that is brash, agrresive and sonically evil, with a coat of beauty that will inspire most. I havent heard 100's of synths, but have owned:
xp50; jv2080; waldorf pulse; xv5050; mc505; akai s3000; alpha juno 1&2; 106; moog prodigy.
The access virus C is my favourite of all the above by a long way.
My only quibble is that there are no drumkits, but thats not what its for. It does everything it is supposed to brilliantly and doesnt pretend to be something its not. If you want a massive analog workstation, built for sounds this - is it with knobs on - literally. The only last gripe is that when i sit down my bedroom studio to write, I find myself having to listen to the sounds again and again cos they are so beautiful. Almost overwhelming. Its really is a landmark in synthesis and sound quality. Throw out your Juno's and buy it (and i never thought i'd actually say that!)

I'm currently using OS 5 and there's no complaints. This is my first Synth and although I was a bit daunted shelling out #1000 on my first foray into synths, 1 month later I'm well satisfied and can't put it down. I use it with Soundiver on a PC with Cubase VST and works really well, dead reliable and no error messages pop up ever. The manual I have to say is absolute dog eggs and was no help whatsoever although you do get a "programming analogue synths" booklet by a guy called Howard Scarr which is pretty good and he seems to know his onions.

The virus has loads of built in effects, the phaser it wicked, the distortion has loads of settings like soft, hard, shaper, rectifier e.t.c. It has EQ aswell and I've found this to really beef up the sound. The arpeggiator is just OK but I tend to stay away from them in general as I think they're overused.

The sound is what sold the Virus C to me and I'd looked into loads of synths. It's great for basses and organs and it sounds both crisp and warm at the same time. One major reason why I got this was to make Techno / Experimental and House and I think I definitely made the right choice. The Microwave XT would have been my second choice but not for a first synth, more of a compliment to an existing setup.

I've had no problems with it's reliability although I've only had it for over a month. Yes, you guessed it, I'm going to say it's built like a tank aren't I?. Honestly though, it is really well made and I remember it was the thing that struck me most when I unwrapped it. Wicked flashing red LED's and smooth, sturdy knobs. The power socket for the transformer plug is a bit wibbly though and you do have to go careful with the sockets at the back (well you would if it cost you 1000 balloons).

Customer support could definitely be improved. There's one guy at Access that answers E-mailed questions pretty quickly but I did feel a bit left out in the cold by them once I'd handed over the cash. The manual is crap, I wasn't bothered about the translation to English which some people mention, it's just a mish-mash of different subjects and there are no examples of stuff. It would be better if they talked you through processes more.

I would definitely replace it because I'm getting some absolutely wicked sounds out of it, really fresh stuff and although it can do weird noises, it's usable at the same time. It seems to get the balance right. There's a fine line between innovative sound and self-indulgent pap and the Virus C is definitely the former. I needed a synth that inspires and is cutting edge but one that didn't make me lose sight of the fact that I wanted to make cracking tunes with aggression and smoothness at the same time. I know I made the right choice!

i am using os 5.0 currently, and the user interface is very intuitive, even if you are new to (virtual) analog synthesis, like i am. the virus c truly has a "knob for every job," with very few submenus. any manual has its limits, and the manual for the c is no exception. however, for people who like to complain about manuals, they should keep in mind that these are usually translated from japanese or, in this case, german. hell, some of the paragraphs in the manual are STILL in german, but until i am truly bi-lingual, i have no right to bitch about it. the best way to learn about a synth is to dive in. editing patches is intuitive and fun with this synth, and there is always the 'random' option if you hit a brick wall. editing patches is what synths like the virus c are all about, so roll with it and learn as you go. i have not used the editor software, preferring hands-on editing instead. all those knobs and buttons are there for a reason, and with the c's interface, it has never been easier. tweak away and tear it up. the 1024 presets (downloaded from access' site), not to mention the other sound sets from access' site, are INCREDIBLE. see below...

i have the virus c desktop version. polyphony, effects, arpeggiator are all top shelf and professional quality. i looked at every virtual analog synth on the market [andromeda was way too expensive], from clavia to novation, and the virus c had no equal, from its appearance to its SOUND. do not get me wrong. these other manufacturers make great synths too, but the virus was just too damn strong.

11 for sound. the virus absolutely RIPS -- leads with TEETH, pads, basses. you name it. if you are looking for THAT sound you heard at the trance club last night, this is the synth for you. with unison mode and its oscillators, detune, suboscillator, etc, the virus c produces a STORM of fat analog sounds. many of the presets alone will leave you in awe. the c could be used for many genres, but it seems best for electronica/techno/trance. this little machine produces entire walls of sound -- it must be heard to be believed. pure synth heaven, from the oscillators to the filters. a wicked and inspirational instrument.

i only compose in my home studio, but so far so good. no glitches, meltdowns, or stuck notes. midi has been a piece of cake, and i am certainly no expert. solid construction and a very cool appearance. from bmws to synths, the germans do not make crap, that is for sure.

the website has been very helpful thus far, from free downloads to the tutorial on synthesis, which is quite informative. the more you learn about analog synthesis, the more you will get out of this excellent machine.

lost or stolen, i would replace the virus c immediately. worth every cent that i paid for it. i cannot emphasize enough how much this instrument KICKS ASS. a perfect edition to my studio, which consists of the virus c, yamaha motif 8, and yamaha aw16g. done. i need nothing else. the os 5.5 upgrade will allow you to overwrite other banks to store more user patches. as mentioned above, the sound of the virus edged out all other competitors, along with its interface and solid construction, from its knobs to the cool red display and blinking lfo/clock lights. the virus c resembles the flight deck of an aircraft, and will be a lethal addition to any studio. get one. you will not be disappointed. cheers! p744

This is a complicated synth. If you are fairly new to synths, this will cause you some trouble. The manual sucks unlike any other manual Ive ever read. Unless you are a rocket scientist, forget about uploading new sounds or updating the OS. You will find yourself going to newsgroups for answers that should have been in the manual. No wonder there are soooo many egroups on the ACCESS line of synths.

Lots of features....if you can figure out how to use them.

Sounds are excellent. They are VERY warm, almost like total analog. However, many sounds are very weird. I mean, you may never use them in a song. Maybe a sci fi movie. Not as techno/dance oriented as I thought. This is more of an ambient, b rated sci fi assortment of profound nonsense. Some good nonsense tho. I had this unit for about 3 months and ended up NOT using one sound while working on my CD project.

Didnt keepit long enough to find out. Its a small unit though.

N/A

Well I sold mine after 3 months of mentally masturbating to it. It has lots of potential, but its an ADVANCE synth. You must have good knowledge of computers, midi, etc. to actually touch the surface. This unit could have been made so much simpler. If you are looking for TECHNO magic, skip the virus C. Maybe the virus B or others better for techno.

It's a beast :)))))

Wish it had separate delay and reverb units , -1.

Best VA, better than many real (not all) analog.

A special comment on FX section. Reverb and Delay are my favorite
Viru's parts at present. I use Virus as Reverb/Delay unit for my
E6400Ultra, Roland XV-3080 and other synths, and here's what I say:
despite those other synths have own reverbs built in, after Viru's
Reverb they get life!! E.g. flat sample on EMU becomes nothing but
mind blowing pad or solo!
Reverb on Vrus sounds WAY different than many other synths
and is as good as in good dedicated FX uits. Virus can do
even warm tape-like reverb (YES, old warm tape-reverb sound which made
the face of Jarre's Chronology album)

Have Virus - try feeding your other synth into its Reverb and be
ready to leave the rest of your life in this configuration :)))))
Sadly, I realized the potential after almost a year of owning the Virus.

10 for FX unit alone.

1year past. No issues. Used 2 hours day/every day.

Expensive!!
But, you get enough satisfaction for your money, believe me.

I am relatively new to using synths and i havn't had to look at the manual once. This synth can be as easy or as complicated as you like, with extremely intuitive controls; Clearly laid out and easy to manipulate.

The presets are all a little cliche but do provide a good overall picture of the soundscape possible with the machine. Like most bits of kit, just experiment until you get something you like the sound of.

32 Note polyphony (which is more adequate than you may think), 16 Part Multitimbral and all the standard trimmings (Arp, Fx, etc), all of which are laid out clearly and easy to control.

This is definately the Virus C's strong point and can become a real workhorse in the studio creating lush pads, crisp leads and punchy basses all with a finesse that most synths can't touch.
I felt the 'movement' heard in the sound of original analouge synths was well represented, with sounds flowing over my speakers. This is the type of synth that once you've heard it you buy it.

I have been using this for 6 months now, and have experienced no problems at all.

Solidly built, certainly sturdy enough to gig with.

I havnt had to use the Customer support, although i hear it is good, and there are plenty of extras on the website, (synth programming tutorial, soundsets, etc).

Once heard it is quick to understand the appeal of the Virus series, but this update provides an extremely powerful and versatile synth, which is clearly and intuitively laid out. Infact this synth is, dare i say "fucking fun" to use.

Just buy one