is it a good idea???

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Ok so recently i have been talking to alot of my friends about buying some hardware and the most recomended piece has been the virus TI - I have got to admit that it is one sexy piece of equipment, the demo videos and songs i have seen are sensational and it has a (as far as i can tell) really beautifull range of noises and tweaking abilitys.

But theres the cost, it is quite expensive (for a poor person like me anyway lol) and im a bit hesitant as to wether this is really worth all that money so im seeking your advice psy forum!!!! Is this really going to be a wise investment or is there another hardware synth you people would recomend?? Is there a more value for money synth with just a nice sounds out there?? If you do recomend the virus TI which one would you recomend? The desktop version? the keyboard version or the polar special version and why???

Any love storys involving this synth id greatly like to hear:iyes:
 
I was playing on a polar swish one last night
They are good.
They are very versitile.
And it comunicated with the puter as a vst aswell.
Generally bad ass synth, but . . . . i dont know. but something

maybe the something is i dont own one!
 
Yes there are some brilliant soft synths out there - reaktor is one of my favourite - but i would like to atleast try a hard synth before i (if i then choose to) ignore them in my inventory
 
ChrisCabbage said:
If you were in the area, you could have come round mine to have a fiddle with my Ti...

It's nice. Very nice. I guess only you can decide if it's £1200 nice though.

;)
Click to expand...

yes it is quite daunting aspect for me - not to be able to play around with one before i buy it :iconfused

what version have you got?
 
STI said:
Any love storys involving this synth id greatly like to hear:iyes:
Click to expand...


.....only had a few minutes tweaking one, so wouldnt go so far as to say, ''DEFINATELLY buy one''...
it seemed really nice to work with, and it only took a few minutes to realise its capabilities are MASSIVE!
...

if i remember rightly tho, June / Miss Sinister had one to sell a few months ago, for a lot cheaper than new.
Maybe PM her and see if she still has it, or if she has any tales to tell...


peas,
N
 
it depends how much experience you have as well.

a hardware synth is a fantastic learning tool and can teach you so much about synthesis.

but remember the TI is one of the most flexible and capable VAs of all time... so there will be a reasonably steep learning curve. of course you will be able to get immense sounds of out it without really knowing how to work it - experimentation often produces great results. but ask yourself whether you will use the extra mod matrix slots or the new oscillator modes at first...

if you're planning to just get to grips with how to use a synth and get some cool sounds then a nord lead 2 or a virus b / c will give you everything you need. they're about 1/4 - 1/2 the price of a TI as well (a nord lead rack will be about £250, a virus b £300ish, a virus c £450ish). you could buy a virus b or a nord lead, get awesome sounds, keep it for a year, and have like £700 to spend on other stuff :) then when you have exhausted its capabilities, buy a second-hand TI, which will be cheaper.

basically... the TI is immensely capable and thus hugely involving. it *might* be a bit overwhelming if you haven't used a synth before, but to be honest it would be an amazing way to learn. there are lots of useful functions like undo/redo and the soft knobs and tags which can help you to learn as well. ultimately it depends on two things: how much you can really afford and where you're at in terms of synthesis.

(disclaimer: i guess i would generally encourage anyone to buy a virus TI, any time, so that there are more on the second-hand market in a year or two :D)
 
ah i see i talk to her quite a bit but she never mentioned she was selling one - i will talk to her i reakon:iyes:thanks for the heads up:iyes:

so if not the virus what other bits of hardware would people recomend??


Nanook said:
.....only had a few minutes tweaking one, so wouldnt go so far as to say, ''DEFINATELLY buy one''...
it seemed really nice to work with, and it only took a few minutes to realise its capabilities are MASSIVE!
...

if i remember rightly tho, June / Miss Sinister had one to sell a few months ago, for a lot cheaper than new.
Maybe PM her and see if she still has it, or if she has any tales to tell...


peas,
N
Click to expand...
 
STI said:
yes it is quite daunting aspect for me - not to be able to play around with one before i buy it :iconfused

what version have you got?
Click to expand...

The desktop version. I do kinda wish I'd gone for the Polar, but I've already got 4 keyboards, so wanted to save space.

BTW - there's rumours that Access may have something new in the works that they'll possibly announce at one of the shows early next year (rumour mill over at www.virusti.com). It's possible that this may result in either a price drop in Ti (like there was with its ancestors when new models came out) or a fair few second hand ones appearing.
 
lol at ur disclaimer... yeah im new to the synthesis part really - but have decided i want to jump in at the relativly deep end - invest in something that i will use for years to come if you know what i mean??? i will check the virus b and c though sounds like a bit better of an idea :)


AEON said:
it depends how much experience you have as well.

a hardware synth is a fantastic learning tool and can teach you so much about synthesis.

but remember the TI is one of the most flexible and capable VAs of all time... so there will be a reasonably steep learning curve. of course you will be able to get immense sounds of out it without really knowing how to work it - experimentation often produces great results. but ask yourself whether you will use the extra mod matrix slots or the new oscillator modes at first...

if you're planning to just get to grips with how to use a synth and get some cool sounds then a nord lead 2 or a virus b / c will give you everything you need. they're about 1/4 - 1/2 the price of a TI as well (a nord lead rack will be about £250, a virus b £300ish, a virus c £450ish). you could buy a virus b or a nord lead, get awesome sounds, keep it for a year, and have like £700 to spend on other stuff :) then when you have exhausted its capabilities, buy a second-hand TI, which will be cheaper.

basically... the TI is immensely capable and thus hugely involving. it *might* be a bit overwhelming if you haven't used a synth before, but to be honest it would be an amazing way to learn. there are lots of useful functions like undo/redo and the soft knobs and tags which can help you to learn as well. ultimately it depends on two things: how much you can really afford and where you're at in terms of synthesis.

(disclaimer: i guess i would generally encourage anyone to buy a virus TI, any time, so that there are more on the second-hand market in a year or two :D)
Click to expand...
 
STI said:
so if not the virus what other bits of hardware would people recomend??
Click to expand...

Depending on the approach you want to take, I'd be tempted to get at least one proper analogue synth and then some soft-synths to compliment it.
 
I have the Virus TI Polar

I love it to bits...

Use it for almost all of my synth sounds... One of those synths where it's a joy to begin with the -start- patch (init. equivalent) and just work up.

Or tweaking a preset ludicrously...

Had some teething problems, but I fucking love it now... As said, practically the only synth I use now.
 
:ismile:thanks for the heads up....Playing the waiting game:fishing:can i hold out long enough??:irofl:

ChrisCabbage said:
The desktop version. I do kinda wish I'd gone for the Polar, but I've already got 4 keyboards, so wanted to save space.

BTW - there's rumours that Access may have something new in the works that they'll possibly announce at one of the shows early next year (rumour mill over at www.virusti.com). It's possible that this may result in either a price drop in Ti (like there was with its ancestors when new models came out) or a fair few second hand ones appearing.
Click to expand...
 
I guess if you're saving up anyhow, aim to have the bulk of the money ready by say: April next year, and your options are open when you get there. :iyes:
 
STI said:
lol at ur disclaimer... yeah im new to the synthesis part really - but have decided i want to jump in at the relativly deep end - invest in something that i will use for years to come if you know what i mean??? i will check the virus b and c though sounds like a bit better of an idea :)
Click to expand...

definitely!

to be honest man with a TI you probably won't ever need to upgrade until the next big quantum leap in digital synthesis ;) it's a deep end to jump into, but i totally agree re: investment in something you will use for years. and anyway you're only supposed to jump in at deep ends otherwise you can break your face on the bottom of the pool ;)

i only have a virus c (couldn't afford a TI, not yet!) and i haven't loaded a softsynth since i bought it.

seriously.

at the moment i'm writing patches for a multitimbral drum kit so i can play beatz on it using all the midi channels :D it can do crispy snares, thunky toms and chundering timpanis. made a light-sabre patch the other day which you can play by waving a mic at the speakers. i use the virus for FX as well, the reverb's nice and the distortions are lovely - but best of all, the envelope follower & filter routing is just lush... whether it's dialing in a 'tracking' wah for your guitar, or turning an airy drum loop into a wave of evolving distorted smush... the possibilities are incredible. and the TI does all that and more.

the only thing which comes close to playing with a virus is talking about it on the internets. in fact i think i ranted to beatnik about virus joy for a good 15 minutes on msn the other day :P
 
bear in mind i have two whole years of experience in 'Justifying Dropping A Grand On a TI' :iyes:

i'm very good at it. any partners who need convincing just point them my way.
 
if you've got the money then why not. i haven't used one but it's clearly an awesome synth! if you haven't really got the money then a 2nd hand B or C will do pretty much as well and cost you a fraction of the money. (i've got a B and it is superb!)

as for which model the polar has always looked nice to me. that said i've already got a bigger keyboard in my studio and i dont really have space for another one, and my virus B desktop fits in the same bag as my laptop and soundcard for a really portable live setup.

basically virus synths are phat. i've only played with the B and it is quite noticably better than my other hardware and software synths.
 
AEON said:
the only thing which comes close to playing with a virus is talking about it on the internets. in fact i think i ranted to beatnik about virus joy for a good 15 minutes on msn the other day :P
Click to expand...



Oooooooooooooh yeaaah! :ibiggrin:
(true for both) ;)
 
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