Wow the virus really isn't that special after all.

[chk071]

A tip about snappy envelopes: I don't own a virus, but on similar synths you can vary the exponentiality by multiplying an envelope by itself. So env2 modulating env2 decay can make some really snappy plucks, for example.

I tried that on Dune 1. It didn't work out... there's something else going on which makes the envelopes capable of snappy sounds or not (you can hear the difference pretty quick when using filter envelope, some just sound stump, Z3TA's e.g., some have no "bang", Dune 1 e.g., and some can sound very plasticky, Spire and Electra2, and have a lot of bang). The method you described, which i also read in Howard Scarr's Virus programming book works to a degree, but it's no universal cure, so to say.

@ xamido: I think Blofeld is very close to Largo, and Largo can sound very warm, at least the VA part. The wavetable part will obviously sound mostly digital, and also thin for many sounds, but i think that's rather down to the wavetables itself, than a question of the overall character.

[Numanoid]

I've also noticed that a lot of people who are underwhelmed with the Virus at first because the initial impression doesn't knock their socks off, really warm up to it after using it for a while.

My thinking too.

The OP is too impatient, spending that kind of money (probably $1000+ dunno if he got better deal if bought second hand), you need to stand by your gear, and dig into it.

[xamido]

To be fair, TI Snow is just annoying. So many button presses just to do anything worthwhile. It's when you have the full knobs experience that you really enjoy Virus as a hardware.

OP : You would have more fun if you get the virus C instead, for the price of Snow. I also used to own Snow but it kinda defeat the purpose if it's much easier to use the plugin than the hardware. It became just one big dongle for another plugin.

[xoxos]

aah, synth reviews.. "i just spent several months free income on a machine that goes ping. ask me if i think i made a great choice!"

machine goes beep. that's what they should write in the specs "this machine is beep capable". but hurry, buy now for special. it's 2015 and we still have hardware we need to move!

[Robmobius]

So why isn't the OP liking it?

He said the sound is underwhelming, no "magic", etc.

Yeah, god forbid he'd learn how to use it first.

Assuming the 19 poster did actually get one, in the first place.

'I'm not trying to start a flame war.... Honest.'

[djrevise5]

Haha actually I figured it out pretty easily . I like the GUI of the VST, it is well made, has a lot of features, you can make a large variety of sounds on it... but I don't like the sound. Its not that I don't think it is worthwhile, I just don't get the hype. I doesn't take a year with a synth to know if you like the sound or not.

[zvenx]

The virus was the hardware i wanted to buy for the longest period of time but didnt. Kept putting it off until the next revision. It was the last hardware synth i wanted to buy. Then about four years ago or more i realised for me i had software synths like zebra and omnisphere that sounded for me way better. Therein died my crush of the virus and i have never even once crazed to buy one. Although as a gearslut if there was a software version under $300 ever made i would probably buy it.
Rsp

[Hank the Knife]

As the wise man who lived down the road by the river side once said.. "Never sell the bear's skin before one has killed the beast."

[stillshaded]

Have to say... I think the virus is still my favorite synth out there.

I don't even use the knobs at all (lol). I only use the vst controller. The presets are mostly bad in my opinion. But the synth has a certain depth that I find really hard to achieve elsewhere.

Between the wavetable modes, the awesome filters, and the modulation possibilities (love the analog drift mod source) you can make some of the greats sounds around. It's one of the most unique synths I've come in contact with.

I have a lot of soft synths that I use all the time. And k wouldn't say that the virus has any secret that makes it better, it's more just the care and expertise that went into making every component amazing. Really adds up to something special.

[rod_zero]

Haha actually I figured it out pretty easily . I like the GUI of the VST, it is well made, has a lot of features, you can make a large variety of sounds on it... but I don't like the sound. Its not that I don't think it is worthwhile, I just don't get the hype. I doesn't take a year with a synth to know if you like the sound or not.

The hype comes form a time when plug ins weren't up to its sound and polyphony. In th early 2000's the hype was deserved.

Stuff like massive and absynth 5 were already there, IMHO, and that was 7-8 years ago. Now stuff like Zebra, Serum and Spire pretty much ahead. And Diva even more when it comes to analog emulation.

There is other hardware synth that is just recently being surpassed too: Nord modular G2.

[V0RT3X]

Here are a few audio demos that i think shows off the strength and versatility of the Virus. (Some of these are really awesome!)
https://soundcloud.com/synthetic-soluti ... audio-demo
https://soundcloud.com/asl-soundlab/asl ... idote-vol2

You do have to admit that the Virus kind of has a trademark sound to it which i like.

I remember hearing the Ti demos years ago and thinking to myself that I absolutely had to buy this and it would cover all my needs since you could use the total integration in your DAW with no CPU use. That is still a very very tempting thing, but i've heard mixed reviews on working with the TI setup.

Now in 2015 with stuff like Reaktor6, Spire, Dune2, Diva, Bazille, Serum, etc you can really cover a ton of similar things that the Virus does. What you won't get though is that hands on immediacy that hardware offers an artist. Also it's nice not having the Virus eating up your CPU (like a softsynth) on your computer which is great for people who want lots of synthesis power at their disposal without having to freeze in a session.

If i had the money I might actually buy a Ti2 Desktop because i really like the idea of not having to freeze during a jam session in bitwig. Who knows I might just end up going that route eventually..

[Uncle E]

The hype comes form a time when plug ins weren't up to its sound and polyphony. In th early 2000's the hype was deserved.

Agreed. Also, now that so many people are using plugins instead of the Virus, that signature Virus sound is less in vogue. There was a good decade there where you absolutely had to get a Virus to get the sound of most big name producers. For better or worse, there's still no plugin or hardware out there that has that exact sound.

[oxygenmask]

What a different conversation than I'm used to about the Virus. It's refreshing to not hear "hardware is better" every three seconds. I find myself smiling about the "immediacy of hardware" as the main benefit of owning one. Glad I stuck it out with the softies. I have NEVER regretted getting rid of my hardware.

[IncarnateX]

(....)
You do have to admit that the Virus kind of has a trademark sound to it which i like.

Absolutely. Nice examples.

I also think that the examples demonstrate some of the music the Virus is good for.

IMO, Whether Virus is good or bad depends on purpose, genre and the timbres you are after. It's history is also embedded in techno, rave and trance, for which it has deep options, so if that is the thing you go for, you cannot miss entirely by choosing a Virus, even with less than mediocre sound design skills.

[bloodykot]

Virus will never die! I remember the times when owners of virus c rushed for selling their equipment because of z3ta+ with viruses waveforms. VSTis come and go to lost in past after all and virus stays.