Ableton Forum

Damon_Chambers wrote:

Machinate wrote:The virus is *the* trance-machine. But don't get the TI, I really don't see that much added value from it, get the one just before it, they're really cheap right now.

that would be the c, and they are not longer produced. you'd have to get one second hand.

I've seen them in many stores after the TI was released, and second hand synths are awesome, bro.

it doesnt have the supersaw, so you'd be missing out on a lot of what the ti has to offer.

Hehe, true, I would have no clue how to do detuned saws with a Virus C

if you are doing trance and want those big virus sounds the z3Ta+ and a couple of reaktor ensembles will let you write great tracks and the sound is just as good

idd I have heard some great stuff coming out of the z3Ta+ , but I personally have had it with the CPU strain vst's give.
Anything samplerelated I'll use a plugin/ableton audiotrack because of the visual feedback/mouse manipulation no hardware sampler can give , but all synthesized stuff I trigger via midi to hardware.
You can add 20 miditracks with the most mindblowing patches with a CPU surplus of not even 5% and a latency that just isn't there , just as long as total polyphony of all your hardware is enough.
The only plugin synth I still use is Operator , but not more than 2 instances on a whole track.

i just bought a nordlead3 rack and it sounds great...the lack of effects does not bother me, i have plenty of those....

id get the nord lead 3 rack, and save the remainder and pick up a second hand virus with a little extra cash

or the nord lead 3, and the remainder on some software effects....

I'd go for a Virus.

I have both (Virus TI is on order, but nevertheless...) and I'd never get rid of 'em. Virus has better value-for-money (tons of effects, patches, parts, etc), but Nord is very intuitive and sounds great too (take into account it doesn't have FX....try stripping the virus of it's FX and you'd get something pretty similar........at least in terms of "awesomeness")...

In my most humble opinion. (I don't have any experience with the Virus)

I would never, never, never, buy a synth based on efx. Though it can sound good I find the simplicity and smooth workflow of a standard synth to be much more beneficial.

Nord lead 3s are cool Love the endless knobs. To the other person knocking the quality. Please. The Clavia products are the measuring stick for other companies as far as quality goes.

I personally would stick with a 2x as the sound is just, hmmm, different. I played with a 3 for a while and went back to the 2 and have no regrets.

In your situation I would probably look at the G2 though as I think that strikes a closer comparison to the Virus. G2 or any of the Modulars are the shiz. b

The Virus is awesome. I only played on one for a very short time. I want one. However the patch layout and tweakability do not seem very intuitive to me. I might just need to be schooled there though.

Software instruments are so good now that the only real advantage I can see to a hardware synth is the dedicated physical interface. That's where the Nord wins over *any* other instrument and that's why it's the only hardware synth I have.

If cpu usage is your main motivator then you'll get a lot more bang for your buck by just upgrading your pc.

That TI sounds pretty wicked!!!

My partner in Alabama uses a virus and it sounds nice in the mix -

I really want that Zeta but my finances are not up to Zeta snuff right now

TI dawg, TI!

Definitely you should try them both. The key thing is - which interface/soundset/features will encourage you to be more creative?

Sure you could also make amazing sounds with Reaktor (and yes, it IS more versatile, and yes it IS cheaper) but WOULD you? Or would you sit scratching your head over connecting the modules?

Just a thought. Gear that facilitates creativity is the number one thing IMO.

kennerb wrote:In my most humble opinion. (I don't have any experience with the Virus)
Nord lead 3s are cool Love the endless knobs. To the other person knocking the quality. Please. The Clavia products are the measuring stick for other companies as far as quality goes.

that was me

the knobs are nice, but they ARE fragile. My friends nord has been in repair like twice because the knobs become dislodged and spastic(not because of the following incident--->). i think though that the build quality is pretty good considering a time we were horsing around at my friends, and someone threw a pillow that knocked a full bottle of beer ontop of his nord 3. we were all too far away and could only watch in horror as half the bottle (resting on its side on the lead) emptied into the cracks between his keys. It needless to say it survived

my friend that owned it was in a coma on the couch the whole time this went down, and when we tried to wake him to break the news to him he thought we were joking...lol...

iain.morland wrote:Sure you could also make amazing sounds with Reaktor (and yes, it IS more versatile, and yes it IS cheaper) but WOULD you? Or would you sit scratching your head over connecting the modules?

Well one could buy Reaktor Session and just use an ensemble that's called 3X, which is just a killer sounding and very easy to program (This maker is a real genius), and averagly %8.5 on my AMD3200 500k laptop CPU, not mentioning the ease of Freeze these days.
http://jameswalkerhall.netfirms.com/www/3x/index.htm


It's the best sound I heard, nothing short of any hardware synth - I downloaded a lot a hardware synths demos (including Nord and Virus) and a friend of mine has a Virus B.

In my opinion, having a BCR2000 will make up for the hardware feel, but also be more usuful for all midi controlling application.

Absolutely, with no hesitation

BUY the Virus TI

Extreme power, multi-timberal, voices, interfacing, etc....

I was just reading by there. Does the virus not act as a VSTi instrument via its usb cable??

Had a shot of the virus in my local "SoundControl", and i must say, its a pretty large sound machine.

frisbeedisk wrote:I was just reading by there. Does the virus not act as a VSTi instrument via its usb cable??

Not sure what you mean? When the TI is connected to the computer via USB, it can use "Virus Control" in your main sequencer. This is a VSTi editing and audio interface plug in.

I use a Virus Kb and it is wicked for psy trance sounds, hundreds available from some excellent sound designers.
It sounds awesome through the 1k rig at our rehearsal studio, I mean AWESOME
Never used a Nord, so can't do the comparison, sorry.