Zebra Virus Thread

[Urs]

I would say the effects are better,

I wouldn't say so. I think the Virus only sounds good with effects. The Virus needs them. Just like many other synths out there. That's why Zebras effects were modelled to be more subtle, especially the Chrous.

But bas someone else said, you can just put some other stuff behind Zebra, no big deal. Still way, way cheaper and more flexible than the hardware solution.

the osc have random frequency change but only slightly so that they have an analog quality,

Zebra has pretty much the same random voice detune as the Virus A. Dunno about the TI.

If you need more random detune, use the Modmapper modules.

and the unison stereo width is wider than the zebra.

Classic. The Virus doesn't have enough cpu left for oscillator panning. The voices are mono, unlike Zebra's which are stereo. Hence the distribtution of multi-oscillators in Zebra was *intentional*. Because you can't do it with any other synth.

And now comes the clue: You can use 2 oscillators in Zebra and hard pan them left and right. Boom there you go, BUSTED.

So I guess if you factor in this three thats why it sounds better.

Not convinced.

[rob_lee]

hi,

take away fx on any instrument whether hardware/software you are then left with the basic waveform in which you contruct your sound.
some hardware i.e the virus comes with heavily laden fx applied to it's patches and therefore making that big sound.
the virus benefits from extra waveforms/more than most however it all boils down to fx etc to make that sound.

without fx the signal and the waveform are the same Virus/Roland/etc some have more some don't.

ps
sorry im not a zebra owner i just read the post
rob

[mcnoone]

So I guess if you factor in this three thats why it sounds better.

Sounding good is in the ear of the listener.
Some people think trance bass sounds are great, and still others hate them.
So what sounds good can only be an opinion of ones own viewpoint and is only unique to that person. In the last year working with Zebra, I can honestly say that it has exceeded my expectations, and so have the patches I created with it.
The Virus on the other hand, has only exceeded my ability to buy it.

[adamszabo]

well for me, its like this: there are sounds that the virus can do but not zebra, and there are sounds that zebra can do which the virus cant.

[rob_lee]

well for me, its like this: there are sounds that the virus can do but not zebra, and there are sounds that zebra can do which the virus cant.

Yes but all instruments start with a basic waveform then fx is added..only some synths have more waveforms than others..
rob

[billstei]

I thought Zebra sounded better until I turned off my antivirus software, now I'm not so sure.

[kenporter]

I own and love both, my Virus TI and Zebra. It took me a while at first to understand Zebra since it is a semi modular synth and is quite "deep" when it comes to programming. I love the sound of it and right now it's probably my favorite softsynth. When it comes to the TI what I love most about it is the hands-on control of having knobs for pretty much every important parameter and how it's integrated and can act like a softsynth at the same time. They both sound fantastic in my opinion and I would recommend both to anyone who is looking for a great synth.

In direct comparison the Zebra wins hands down in bang for the buck, I mean you can buy Zebra plus a powerful computer and more for the price of a Virus TI. The Virus TI wins in hands-on control and not having to use a mouse to program a sound and being a little easier for me personally to program (since I have owned a Virus since the Virus A). OS3 of the TI is great too. I find good effects for a synth to be pretty important, but imho the quality of the oscillators, filters and modulation matrix is what makes a great synth. I think both, Zebra and the TI have that and therefore are both really, really good synths.

Just my 2 cents.

Ken

[zerocrossing]

I had a Virus C for many moons and I loved it so. An hour with various soft synths (I now forget if Zebra was amoung them) and it was up on ebay. There's not a day that goes by where I think about it or miss it. Every now and then I think it might be nice to have a TI to take some load off my processor, and then I realize I have too much going on in my mix.

[Baz_Masterplan]

I own and love both, my Virus TI and Zebra. It took me a while at first to understand Zebra since it is a semi modular synth and is quite "deep" when it comes to programming. I love the sound of it and right now it's probably my favorite softsynth. When it comes to the TI what I love most about it is the hands-on control of having knobs for pretty much every important parameter and how it's integrated and can act like a softsynth at the same time. They both sound fantastic in my opinion and I would recommend both to anyone who is looking for a great synth.

In direct comparison the Zebra wins hands down in bang for the buck, I mean you can buy Zebra plus a powerful computer and more for the price of a Virus TI. The Virus TI wins in hands-on control and not having to use a mouse to program a sound and being a little easier for me personally to program (since I have owned a Virus since the Virus A). OS3 of the TI is great too. I find good effects for a synth to be pretty important, but imho the quality of the oscillators, filters and modulation matrix is what makes a great synth. I think both, Zebra and the TI have that and therefore are both really, really good synths.

Just my 2 cents.

Ken

well that sums it up nicely. Well put Ken

[rectus_dominus]

In my humble opinion, nowadays the only reason why hardware "sounds better", because it is more ergonomic. People can focus more on the sound itself than fiddling with the mouse. (Advanced midi controllers such as Remote SL should be counted as 'hardware')

Personally, I wouldn't spend thousands on a Virtual Analog synth... If it is Virtual, then it is Digital, and Digital can be reproduced 100% on a decent computer. It just needs the programming

[Trusty]

I've had the Virus A, B, and C. Never owned the TI and haven't spent much time with it other than a few minutes. If I thought the TI were better, it would be sitting here in my little studio...but it doesn't, so it is not.

I personally like Zebra better. When some Audio Damage or Camel Audio plug-ins follow it in the chain, the Virus can not compete. Simple as that.

I think the Virus is still way over-hyped when it has little reason left to be so these days. But that is just me, and I actually preferred the sound of my old Alesis Ion over my old Virus C. So what do I know...I don't have any hardware left (but some great furniture around the house to make the wife happy because of it) after I went to all software and sold everything and stopped buying hardware...never cared to have "actual analog" because I make rap and hip-hop music (so none of my listeners would even care what synthesizers were used), so if I can find a cool softsynth like Zebra that can compete or outmatch a hardware one, I will use it.

My laptop outshines all the hardware instruments out there, especially with instruments like Zebra 2 on it, and I think that is a very cool thing along with all my cool little midi controllers to boot.

What I want to know is why doesn't the TI sound as good as Zebra 2? I mean, the Virus sounds so "glowstickish", stale, and lame by comparison...But for the sake of argument, even if the TI did sound better, slightly, it sure doesn't sound $2000 better. So even for the sake of argument, why doesn't the Virus sound $2000 better than Zebra, even granting it does sound better at all. I mean, it should, shouldn't it? But it simply doesn't.

Oh, and I actually like FilterscapeVA even more than Zebra...

[pdxindy]

I had a Virus C for many moons and I loved it so. An hour with various soft synths (I now forget if Zebra was amoung them) and it was up on ebay. There's not a day that goes by where I think about it or miss it.

People should use what they want. Myself, I like softsynths every bit as much as hardware digital synths. More really cause softsynths are more diverse. I've owned some hardware synths and played with others. If you gave me a Virus for free I would not use it. (I'll take it and sell it though for cash) I like what I got with softsynths.

[pdxindy]

when I play my zebra it sounds good, but then when I turn on my virus ti it sounds like crap in comparison...

Really, you are overstating it to call the Virus crap. It aint no Zebra but it is a solid synth. And if you really think it sounds like crap in comparison with Zebra, then use Zebra. You can get decent cash for the Ti.

classic acme cartoon reversal gag. yawn. ...

nothing much else to do but joke around when dime a dozen bozos like you come along and make big claims and back it up with nothing at all.

[Johnny Cherry]

I can remember muadib posting lots of the pre-op forums since being post-op he's been much more of a dick.

[Polybius]

This thread is ripe for a good old fashioned de-rezzing if you ask me. If you are coming in here with a Virus hard-on, atleast supply some samples for us Zebra progammers to counter. The least that could happen is that i could learn something about sound-programming.

And why always the virus?? Why don't those Arp and Moog loving people never come in here to challenge the Zebra? Is it because they don't feel threatened by the superiority of the Zebra? Or is it because they are a jolly bunch of old-skool synth elders who don't need to be justified, because they know "where it's at?".

In other words...less yappin', more zappin' !!!