OsTIrus

Before Serum there was Massive, and before Massive there was the Access Virus TI.

Pros: Very powerful analog-digital hybrid character with access to Wavetable synthesis and powerful granular/formant shifting wavetable warp modes. The wavetables built in are very spectral sounding and create very nice resonances and basses. The Filter is very warm. The oscillators are very crunchy. The init Saw wave has the signature curved shape and minimal Gibbs attenuation (as per emulation of VA synths). Capable of the signature Super/Hyper saw. There is a huge selection of distortion types, and powerful analog-modeled FX including Tape delay/ Dispersing Phaser/ Plate Reverb/Freq Shifter etc.

Unbelievable that this existed decades before the other synths that are used today.

Cons: Work flow is old school - I really can't stand Modulation Matrix routing in 2026. Otherwise a perfect synth.

I never experienced the Virus TI until this emulator came out, but I now understand the power of the Virus TI. There is a reason why this synth was responsible for most of the Trance and complex synthesis in that era before software synths caught up. Those who have never experienced this era of analog-digital hardware synths finally have the ability to emulate these synths, and the Virus TI is my absolute most recommended of that list.