Selling Virus TI2 - Analog Keys or MatrixBrute?

[BasariStudios]

Hi all,
its that time of the year again. In the image below you can see what i currently have
in my Modular, i am keeping all of that, not selling anything. Right to the point,
i will spend about 4k again (usually goes well above what i say) and the dilemma is:

I have a Virus TI2 Desktop and i turned it once or twice since i opened it. It is up
for sale now and is like brand new. The question is, i need something with a Keyboard,
that is one of the reasons i am selling my AV TI2. I do not have any external gear except
the Virus and the Modular. What i need is a synth but also something that has abilites
to integrate well with my Modular, it has come down to Electron Analog Keys or MatrixBrute.
I understand the concept on both of them, not a noob at this but i don't know if i am missing
something out there. I like the MatrixBrute because it is all Analog and it will integrate
better with Modular i think (that is only my thought plus it is a synth on its own and its look.
The Analog Keys it is not something i can not live without but i like some of the functions
on it, a lot of them, i know its a little menu diving. My point is, i can send MasterClock from
Cubase or the Electron/MB and have my whole Modular self contained without the need for Cubase
or anything at some times, just for jamming. Just for information, i am getting the Stillson
Hammer MK2 03 the Audio Damage Sequencer 1, Pressure Points with Brains, another Filter and VCO
and i already have Octone, WoggleBug and Mutamix...if i all this helps you to inform me better
as to what i have, what i need, what it will overlap, what i missed while researching.
The Synth should be way below the 2000$ mark, 1300-1700...i wanna use most of the money on Mod.

I am also getting a KeyStep Pro.

Thanks



http://i64.tinypic.com/34o1w7q.jpg

[zerocrossing]

I'm not sure why you'd go with either of them, to be honest. Why not just get a nice CV controller and spend the rest on modules? The Analog Keys would at least give you polyphony, but not enough, IMO. I find 5 voices to be a bare minimum and 6-8 to be much better. If you want a poly I'd agree and go for a Prophet 6 or OB-6 desktop. System 8 has CV out, have a look at that one too.

[NEOREV]

MFB Dominion 1, man!
That would integrate quite well with a modular.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_tIDPxs9oQ

[Wormhelmet]

Why not just sequence the Ti2 on multiple midi channels? If not with a PC, then something in hardware that does multiple midi channels and has cv outs?

Beatstep Pro
Pyramid
Engine
Cirklon

Even an ipad with a midi out to midi thru box and a single midi to cv converter for the modular?

I have a modular, a few mother 32's, and a Ti2

Wouldn't give up the Ti2 for its great sound and multitimbral ability.

[recursive one]

I'm not familiar with your workflow or sound preferences but it surely deserves to be turned on more than once or twice. Maybe dig it deeper before selling?

[MrWildBunnycat]

I'm also quite baffled about you selling the virus. Sure, not every piece of kit fits with everyone's workflow, but the virus definitely deserves to be turned on more than twice. Have a poke, I'm pretty sure you'll like what you can get out of it.

[BasariStudios]

Ok, thank you everyone, this is helpful and i know this post will probably get again
as the one with ,,4000$''...ROFL! If you remember but it helped me. Not even one
person told me to sell the Virus, on other forums too. The virus was my dream for
about 10 years and i finally bought it this summer in July, brand new. Its a Desktop.
I was never a fan of modules and maybe that turned me off to begin with...but after
this topics i might give it another try. At the time when i bought it i tried it with
its USB APP as a VST, it had a lot of problems, then i read almost 99% of the people
had the same problems and i gave up on it. I will give it a shot wothout the USB and
\see how hard is to use it just with straight MIDI without USB app. The problem is
i got so much into Analog, the Modular thing that i forgot all about Viruses or VSTis
or anything for that matter. I spend my days just jingling on my Modular and now in
the process of building another case. Originally i wanted to achieve a self contained
Modular, everything inside the case, Sequencers and Arps too, i know there is few Seqs
there but they do not make me that happy, none of them has a conventional Arpeggiator.
What i wanna achieve is this, what i described above, a Multitrack Seq/Arp that can be
independent of Cubase for sometimes Jams with my Modulars...but i use Cubase too.
I researched about the KeyStep Pro and Engine and today about Pyramid and Cirklon.
I wanted originally to buy the MatrixBrute mostly for its shuttle look but it is still
just one track Seq/Arp...then i considered some of the above mentioned but given the
price on some of them i said for the same money i can get an Analog Four Keys.
Then i reconsidered again getting just a Seq/Arp instead of a full synth and i like
mostly the Pyramid and the Engine but i can not seem to find any info on the Arpeggiator
part which is more important for me then the Sequencer. I will get the KeyStep Pro anyways
because i want to have 2-3 Keyboard controllers, to control each Arpeggio track separate.
Do i really need the sound from the Analog Keys or MatrixBrute considering i have a lot
of real Analog Modules and getting more? I don't think so...then i can get just a Seq/Arp.
I had a BeatStep Pro but i returned it, i don't like it.
Any suggestion, help or Information on a speciffic Arp thing on any of this Seqs is much
appreciated...its hard to find info on the Arps, its more about the Sequencers.
The other question is, should i go the MB/AK route or forget synths with sounds and just
concentrate on Seq/Arp and more Modular Modules? I would reconsider the Virus.

Thanks

[recursive one]

Sorry to read about your TI issues. I seem to be the one man on earth who doesn't have any problems with it (and I only use the TI mode).

Just in case, there are alternative plugins but they only stream midi, not the audio

http://ctrlr.org/access-virus-ti-snow/ (the website name says "Snow" but it should work with Desktop as well)

https://www.squest.com/Products/MidiQue ... ssVirusTI/

Sorry, I don't have any experience with Electron or Arturia so I can't reply on topic.

[BasariStudios]

Thank You Sir, that actually helps, i will check them out since i do not need to use
its Audio, i just need easier access to banks of sounds and parameters.

Thanks

[AnX]

Get the Maxi already

[bronxsound]

https://www.mysteryislands-music.com/pr ... n-plug-in/

an alternative to stock virus interface if you don't like it

[foosnark]

I would say, figure out your priorities. If you want a synth, get a synth -- don't get it just because you want a MIDI-CV interface. In fact if you do want a synth, get that AND an interface.

My modular system right now is just MI Peaks, Tides, Rings, and a Doepfer A-133. Even with that tiny system, just the one pitch CV and gate from MicroBrute is not enough. I can do a lot, but in rough order of importance, I am missing out on:

-- clocks, for synced LFOs and mini-sequencer/Turing Machine/Two Drunks
-- independent envelope triggers
-- independent triggers for Peaks drums
-- freeze trigger for Tides
-- velocity
-- using Tides, Rings, and the MicroBrute as independent voices
-- sequenced CVs (or LFOTool/MIDIShaper)

I'm fixing all this with a CV.OCD that's currently being shipped.

[Vectorman]

Yeah, I'd say the Virus warrants some delving into before jettisoning it. I had a Snow in 2008 and got rid of it after a few weeks, growing impatient with the less streamlined workflow vs. softsynths, but I really didn't give it enough of a chance. I picked up another Snow last month on eBay and ended up using it all over a song I'm wrapping up now. It may not be exactly cutting edge in any specific area, but somehow the sum of all its slightly outdated parts is a sound that I find really agreeable and easy to work into a mix. There's this sort of silky smoothness about its upper mids and top end that you sometimes have to work and sculpt to try and achieve with many softsynths but the Virus just seems to have by default.

I actually just bought a TI Keyboard as well (since unfortunately my Snow turned out to be one of the defective ones that likes to freeze up on more DSP-intensive patches when it's in the mood, requiring you to put it to sleep and wake it up multiple times until you start to go batty). It would probably be good to give your TI2 some intensive workouts that use its full polyphony to make sure yours doesn't exhibit that problem while it's still under warranty. Seems like a fair number of defective units came out in the last few years. I've read about many people having that issue.

[BasariStudios]

Anyone knows if i can find PatchScripts for Cubase 8.5 for Virus TI2?

[BasariStudios]

Ufff...i spent some more time with the Virus today. The TI part is useless but i am
starting to like what it does and i do not like that i actually like it...i thought was
gonna free me up some money for more modules or some better synth/controller.
It is still up for sale...lets see next few days what i decide. It is down to Engine
or Pyramid Sequencer i think...if i get one of those 2 then i can probably keep the
Virus and continue building my second case Modular without buying another synth.