KVR Audio

kuniklo · Post by **kuniklo** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:50 am

The Virus's strengths come down to three things - a flexible architecture, superb filters, and very good effects with large parameter sweet spots. Personally I don't think there's any single vst that combines all three to the same degree. The more complex synths like Albino and z3ta have so-so filters. The synths like Fabfilter and impOSCar and Minimonsta with a great raw sound are much more limited. The closest real replacement for a Virus is Zebra 2, which is both extremely versatile and has great oscillators and filters. I still prefer the Virus for most sounds, but Zebra 2 is close and definitely has an edge for sharper, more cutting sounds.

With a good variety of more special purpose synths you should be able to get just about any sound you might want from a Virus, although you might have to apply some eq and compression.

hitman8081 · Post by **hitman8081** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:52 am

BONES wrote:Multi-point graphical envelopes are on the way for the next round of new killerz but I can't see there ever being more than two LFO's and the Gate effect.
The probable reason taht I have been unimpressed with Virus is that I have WaspXT so you might want to check out the VSTi version of that you can get from the FL website.

hey bones you add an advanced gate and arp to your next hoard of killers? also i love your green gui in ther karma killer. i know people said they didnt like tha colour but who cares you liked it right? i also like the guis of love killer, joy killer, tbh i dont likemthe look of the new gui of neo xt and its predessor god killer. i like your more eye cathing guis much more. but the gui doesnt make the sound any better or worse

kuniklo · Post by **kuniklo** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:54 am

The Chase wrote:There is freeware that surpasses the Virus' sounds for the most part. The virus' merit is in it's interface moreso than the sound.

Can't say I agree with this. Side by side with most of my vsts the Virus just sounds better and takes a lot less tweaking to get there. It's a character synth that not everybody is going to like but it's one of those instruments with a soul you grow to appreciate more with time.

The interface, on the other hand, could definitely be better. The TI is better than the C which is better than the B but there's still a lot of menu diving and important parameters tucked away where you wouldn't think to look for them unless you've spent a while with the synth.

fgimian · Post by **fgimian** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:54 am

thank you all for your help. I should mention that the limits I am facing are not production skill related. It is quite simply impossible to achieve many sounds I want with the synths i have used so far in software land.

I must be totally honest, I dislike Albino, maybe because the way I test all synths first, is using only a sawtooth wave, with lowpass filter frequency set to full so I can hear the pure sawtooth on the synth. Albino's raw sawtooth sounds quite bad actually (in my opinion). Try comparing it to Minimonsta or u-he synths ... which I believe have the best antialiased sawtooth waveforms.

I will definitely check out the samples posted above. I will also give Imposcar another try since I never gave it a fair chance first time around. If Pro53 had 100 % antialised waveforms, I would definitely be interested, it sounds great.

I also love Toxic, am actually thinking of buying that in the next few days while the price is so low. Discovery aint bad either, but you really can't setup huge textures on it, can you ? Please correct me if I'm wrong....

Copy protection is not a concern, I use a Syncrosoft dongle. The only form of protection I hate most is the iLok ... and try my best to avoid challenge / response. But the synth is worth it, I'm definitely willing to put up with it

Please keep the suggestions coming

I'll post a sample of a track I'm working on currently soon.

Cheers
Fots

jplanet · Post by **jplanet** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:22 am

soundpalace wrote:...the way I test all synths first, is using only a sawtooth wave, with lowpass filter frequency set to full so I can hear the pure sawtooth on the synth. Albino's raw sawtooth sounds quite bad actually (in my opinion). Try comparing it to Minimonsta or u-he synths ... which I believe have the best antialiased sawtooth waveforms.

I know what you mean, I tend to test synths this way myself, followed shortly by sweeping the LPF slowly while playing high notes to listen for stepping or aliasing. Spectra passed this test with flying colors...the LP Moog filter may be one of the most well-crafted filters on any soft-synth (and all the rest; it has several that are excellent). I really think you will like it, and the demo has very few restrictions. Download it from here: http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/spectra.php , and be sure to check out some of the demo tunes...The first one there is by yours truly

Sorry for sounding like such a fan-boy about it. I promise that Torben is not paying me a commission!

Jeremy_NSL · Post by **Jeremy_NSL** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:42 am

BONES wrote:The probable reason taht I have been unimpressed with Virus is that I have WaspXT so you might want to check out the VSTi version of that you can get from the FL website.

Hey BONES,

Do you know if the VSTi Wasp XT is still different than the Orion generator? I really do like its sound in Orion but I've heard that it sounds different than the VSTi.

Ildon · Post by **Ildon** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:50 am

Jeremy_NSL wrote:
BONES wrote:The probable reason taht I have been unimpressed with Virus is that I have WaspXT so you might want to check out the VSTi version of that you can get from the FL website.
Hey BONES,

Do you know if the VSTi Wasp XT is still different than the Orion generator? I really do like its sound in Orion but I've heard that it sounds different than the VSTi.

It does? Who said that?

Weird. Now this has really got me curious.

I love the Wasp XT inside of FLStudio. I'd like to hear comparisons between Orion's Wasp XT and the VSTi and/or FLStudio Wasp XT now, heh.

ouroboros · Post by **ouroboros** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:53 am

with a little time, I imagine Sytrus could come close.

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:04 am

Jeremy_NSL wrote:Do you know if the VSTi Wasp XT is still different than the Orion generator? I really do like its sound in Orion but I've heard that it sounds different than the VSTi.

I've been trying to find that out myself. I just downloaded and installed teh Fruity demo and it certanly looks like our WaspXT but listening to it will have to wait until i get home tonight. I'll let you know.

fgimian · Post by **fgimian** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:10 am

jplanet wrote:
soundpalace wrote:...the way I test all synths first, is using only a sawtooth wave, with lowpass filter frequency set to full so I can hear the pure sawtooth on the synth. Albino's raw sawtooth sounds quite bad actually (in my opinion). Try comparing it to Minimonsta or u-he synths ... which I believe have the best antialiased sawtooth waveforms.
I know what you mean, I tend to test synths this way myself, followed shortly by sweeping the LPF slowly while playing high notes to listen for stepping or aliasing. Spectra passed this test with flying colors...the LP Moog filter may be one of the mo
st well-crafted filters on any soft-synth (and all the rest; it has several that are excellent). I really think you will like it, and the demo has very few restrictions. Download it from here: http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/spectra.php , and be sure to check out some of the demo tunes...The first one there is by yours truly

Sorry for sounding like such a fan-boy about it. I promise that Torben is not paying me a commission!

I have tried Spectra and do love it, especially the Unison. I just wish it had more oscailltors and stuff like hard sync.

If it was a little more powerful, I think I would grab it actually

Fots

djsubject · Post by **djsubject** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:13 am

check out U-HE's forum here!

zebra 2 & filterscape

filterscape eats the virus for breakfast for just $125

YUGA · Post by **YUGA** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:17 am

ABSYNTH
It's not only for weired texture and FX sounds, also got excellent alias-free synth sounds.
This synth can rival Virus C as a synthesizer in the conventional sense.

TotcProductions · Post by **TotcProductions** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:23 am

OnePingOnly

The Chase · Post by **The Chase** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:25 am

YUGA wrote:ABSYNTH
It's not only for weired texture and FX sounds, also got excellent alias-free synth sounds.
This synth can rival Virus C as a synthesizer in the conventional sense.

Absynth can make some MEAN V/A sounds but it doesnt sound like a virus at all - anti-aliasing being one of the reasons

Improv · Post by **Improv** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:16 am

the_nihilist wrote: Albino 3 ...(oh how I wish I could figure out how to load up albino with a big, inviting, empty bank to be filled)

Easy. Just go to the Diverse Sounds folder and load the preset 'z_initial preset' . Repeat as necessary.

VSTis as good as hardware? Similar to Access Virus Quality?