Access Virus B
The Virus B is a "physical modelling" synthesizer made by the German company Access, known since the early 90s as the producer of hardware programmers for Waldorf Microwave and Oberheim Matrix 6/1000 synthesizers. To listen to our audio demo click here.
Features
24
voices/ 16 way multi mode- 1024 programs [256 User / 768 ROM / 128 Multi]
- 4 oscillators per voice. 3 main plus one sub-oscillator (when all oscillators are in use, polyphony may decrease, but not by more than 6 voices)
- Sawtooth, variable pulse, sine, triangle + 62 additional spectral waves
- FM (Frequency modulation) for the Oscillators with external Input signals
- 2 fully independent filters (low-pass, high-pass, band-pass or band-reject)
- 4 filter routings in serial/parallel configurations (Serial 24dB, Serial 36 dB, Parallel 24dB, Split)
3
LFOs (68 waveforms), Envelope operating mode, LFO syncable to midi
clock - 2 ADSTR envelopes
- 16 independent arpeggiators with numerous arpeggiator patterns and real time parameter access/ modulation including swing & note length.
- 82 simultaneous DSP effects (for example Reverb with pre-delay and MIDI-clock sync, Retro Phaser - 6-stage stereo phaser with 24 filter-poles, Multiple independent distortion/saturation/Lo-fi FX per voice, including multiple distortion/shaper characteristics and variable gain, Chorus/Flanger with rate sync to MIDI-clock, Delay - Simple or "Groove" (preset polyrhythmic patterns), 32-band vocoder, Ring Modulator, Analog Boost.
- Modulation matrix with 3 source & 6 destination slots Complete parameter control via MIDI with "Adaptive Control Smoothing" for soft parameter changes and no zipper noise
- Full 24-bit processing; 24 bit D/A, 18 bit A/D
2
audio inputs to process external signals through synth filters, envelopes,
FX, vocoder, FM, ring modulator, etc.
- Flexible "auxiliary" model of internal audio routing for processing/reprocessing internal/external signals through the synth engine and effects of other voices
- True Surround sound capabilities
Rack version limitations
Rack version was the more affordable version of Virus B which had polyphony reduced to 16 voices. There are three oscillators per voice (two main oscillators plus one sub oscillator) instead of four, as is the case with the desktop and keyboard versions. All Other functions remain the same. The panel buttons and knobs are reduced to matrix type system of 5 knobs and shift buttons.
Access Virus B family appearance:
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Desktop
module with wooden side panels and optional 16" rack
mounting brackets, 32 knobs, 62 LEDs
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Virus
Kb - keyboard version of the Virus provides full sized
keyboard with 61 velocity and aftertouch sensitive keys, Pitch-bend
and Mod wheels.
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Indigo – keyboard
37-note full-size keyboard, velocity and aftertouch sensitive keys,
Pitch-bend and Mod wheels.
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Virus
Rack – 1 HU rack module, 5 Knobs, 12 Buttons, 16
LEDs. Mono input on the front panel for a guitar and line level
signals, stereo inputs suitable for turntables and other stereo
signals on the rear panel, 4 Individual outputs Dimensions: 482 x 183 x 44 mm Weight: 2.3kg |
Famous users are Astral
Projection, BT or Nine
Inch Nails.
- very good sound
- he synthesizer engine offers much more than simple subtractive synthesis
- very fast envelopes
- DSP
- vocoder
- vast modulation matrix
- excellent design (especially the "sexy" Indigo version)
- many knobs and buttons on panel
- OS updates available on the Access web pages free of charge
Minus
- many functions in the newer operation systems are hidden in sub-menus and are not accessible directly via the control knobs
- price of the keyboard versions (Indigo especially)
- external power supply for desktop version
- limited features of the rack version
Original product brochure
All presented brochures are copyright of TSI Vertrieb Elektronischer Musikprodukte
GmbH.
Web resources
http://www.access-music.de - Access company web page