If you like the Microkorg, a Korg Radias could scratch your virus itch. Same vintage as a Virus TI but powerful in its own right. Mine sits right next to a Virus C and some older Nords, and holds its own. Another valid sidestep is a Novation Nova / Supernova / Waldorf Q.
The only modern synth that comes close to a virus in multitimbral+fx+separate outputs concept is the Waldorf Kyma, though maybe a Roland Jupiter X / M might cover the bases you need. I Haven’t tried either but I wouldn’t expect another virus synth in hardware over the next few years, so it’s either older hardware or modern software options.
I have a desktop Virus TI1 and a Jupiter Xm. While the Jupiter sounds great, and has all of the 5080 waves, there is no comparison in usability between the Virus and Xm. While the Virus does have menus, it lacks the arcane Roland structure and is 100% dedicated to being a VA monster.
The Xm is a nice library of classic Roland sounds, but I’ll be installing Roland Cloud tomorrow because I strongly suspect it will work much better as plugins than as cramped and arcane hardware.
The nord synths are nice. I remember demoing the original Lead and Virus A while on lunch break at Sam Ash in the late 90s. I gassed for both but more so the virus. It took about 2 decades of musical phases to finally settle (for the most part!) and for me to purchase a snow. Even then I sold it but after hearing recordings of mine with it, I wanted the mighty virus again. Ponied up for a ti2 keys and it’s a synth I’ll have until I die.
Fair call. I have an older Integra 7 and it’s VA synth isn’t in the same ballpark as a Virus though the timbrality and fx per part is there. Had wondered about the Jupiter X series being an upgrade of sorts.
I had a 5080 back in the day and suspect that coming from the I7 the Virus and Xm would feel similar. Far more hands on control with the Xm than the Integra and you are already familiar with the Roland Way.
But for someone not fully initiated into the Roland Mysteries, it is a bit of a handful.
I’m waiting for the I7 to hit End of Life, I’ll pick one up at that point to get the absolutely full library of sounds. Until then, I’ll keep at the Xm.
I’ve used Access Virus TI2, Waldorf Blofeld and Roland Fantom but not used the Roland Jupiter X/m. Fantom was too big but fun like a giant MPC Live on steroids with a keyboard and I preferred the Virus and Blofeld over the Rolands.
Yea Roland has funky menu system for working with their synths. I prefer Elektron, Waldorf, Virus and Nord workflow better. I will use my Microkorg and samples for trance and house pads for now and save up for a Virus and Waldorf M. Then done buying synths.
Roland Zen Core can get extremely deep but there’s no real way to make that into an immediate interface like something solely designed to be a subtractive synth. There’s just too many things jammed into there that you will be menu diving.
ROMplers can do more complex things and multitimbral setups and reach polyphony levels many of the more pure synths can’t. That complexity comes at a cost though.
I own both the Virus and the MODX.
The Virus is a great synth, which I have owned for over 10 years.
However, in my opinion the MODX is the more powerful synth and is capable of covering a lot of what the Virus can achieve.
Because the MODX is aimed at gigging keyboard players, a lot of the demos focus on piano, organ and other keyboard sounds. But if you search hard enough you will find examples of the huge variety of other sounds the MODX is capable of.
The MODX offers 26 different filter types. The filters are applied at the element level so a single voice could employ 8 different filters.
The MODX simply offers more filter variety than the Virus.
No I am not going to trawl demos for you.
The sounds I am hearing in your Antidote demo are certainly possible on the MODX.
The Virus has a wide range of distortions but the difference between many of them is quite subtle.
The MODX has a greater number of distortions with more parameters and are quite different from each other.
I own both items and have no intention of parting with either. I am just saying it as I see/hear it.
I’m using my ears too and I can’t find any examples of MODX making the sounds I want to use. You’re the one that stated the MODX is “better.” I’m just asking you to show me examples of how it is better at the types of sounds I want to use to back up your claim.
No need to respond the way you did. I actually was very interested in the MODX when it first came out, but I ultimately did not like the build quality, lack of knobs, and sound demos I heard of the FM engine.
“About the Analog 1pole…4pole filter modes: In addition to the classic Virus filters, famous for their smooth, musical character, the Virus TI Snow offers an analog-style filter, inspired by the ‘ladder’ cascade array of the Minimoog synthesizer. However, where the original offered only a 4-pole lowpass, we have provided the option to choose between 1 and 4 poles on a single filter. In fact, by using Filter 2 as well, it’s possible to achieve a 5 or even 6 pole cascade filter! Embedded saturation and resonance that can be pushed all the way to self-oscillation ensure a very convincing analog character.”
Sorry I thought you were talking about the filters.
The vintage modes are in the character section which I think occurs after the main filter, possible to have the moog style filter before one of the other vintage emulations
