ACCESS VIRUS A (1997)
Advanced simulated analog synthesizer

The first of the famous VIRUS synthesizers family started at the end of the nineties.

MODULE with optional rackmount ears.
The main panel features a 2 x 16 lines display, 27 buttons and 32 knobs with relative or absolute position mode.

Back panel terminal connectors:
- 3 stereo signal outputs
- 1 stereo or 2 independent mono inputs
- Midi IN and OUT that can be also switched to THRU mode
- headphones using first left main out.

Power supply external PSU 12 VDC 1A - (+ polarity.

 

 

VOICE Siemens SAB80C535 with physical-modeling DSP core generates 12 voices polyphony at 20 bit resolution.

VIRUS A: the synthesis is a mix of virtual analog modeling and short PCM waveforms - these are the Harmonic Waveshapes. HEAR all waveforms

STRUCTURE A VIRUS voice is composed by 2 oscillators + 1 sub-oscillator + 1 noise source.

OSC1 OSC1 SUB Modeling waveforms sin / tri sin / tri sqr / tri Pulse width yes yes - Smooth shaper yes yes - PCM waveshapes 64 64 - Volume bal osc1/2 bal osc1/2 yes Pitch tuning yes yes - Wave sync - 1>2 - FM - 1>2 -

PERFORMANCE system handles 16 multitimbric parts with individual settings:

- velocity assign to FM, pan, shape and width - variable portamento time - 4 mono playmodes - 2 voices stack (with detune) - Midi channel assign - key zone assign - note transpose - pitch detune - assign analog out / volume - note priority - FX amount unison mode

 

FILTER 2 filters (-12 dB each) can be combined in 2 serial, 1 parallel or directly set to independent mode. Both filters feature 4 different models:

- lowpass - highpass - bandpass - bandstop In addition a special Keyfollower option plus a filter saturation which basically emulates a vacuum tube distortion. filter test

 

ENVELOPE 2 EGs:

- EG1 AMP: 4 segments + 1 time - EG2 filter: 4 segments + 1 time with possible EG inversion.

 

LFO up to 3 delayed modulators:

all LFO LFO 1 LFO 2 LFO 3 Shape: sin / tri /saw / sqr / S&H / sample & glide sin / tri /saw / sqr / S&H / sample & glide sin / tri /saw / sqr / S&H / sample & glide EG mode: yes yes no Symmetry: yes yes no Destinations: pitch / width / resonance / filter gain osc shape/ Fm amount / cutoff / pan pitch /width

MATRIX like a modular, the Virus handles 3 internal routings or virtual patchcords that connect a modulation source to a destination:

Sources: Destinations bender mod wheel breath MIDI cc# expression balance data slider hold pedal sustain pedal portamento pedal volume transpose osc shape width pcm cutoff detune ADSR LFO rate, symmetry effects control

EFFECTS there are 2 digital FX onboard:
- delay: with rate, time, modulation LFO and feedback.
- chorus: with rate, depth, delay, feedback and LFO shape HEAR chorus

 

ARPEGGIATOR simple function with latch and 4 directions: up / down / up-downd / as played. Virus arpeggiator and LFO1-LFO2 can be sync internally from 63 to 190 BPM (there are 17 time dividers) or slaved to external Midi clockHEAR arpeggiator

 

MIDI full Control Change implementation + full exclusive systems
TIP: there are 2 freely assignable knobs to any Midi CC#.





MEMORY CMOS ram UM621024C:
- 256 RAM single
- 128 RAM multi.

- LEFT Battery replacement- Memory works with a lithium 3V battery in a dedicated holder   - click to enlarge picture -

REPAIR / MAINTENANCE my model always had trouble with random values, finally found out a non-soldered resistance (from factory?) probably I had bad luck, now it is perfect (check out pic).

LEFT - WHAT THE HEELLL!!!! (thanks to TOPOPICCIONE for great pic ;) - click to enlarge picture -

RELATED VIRUS SERIES:

VIRUS B module (1999) 24 voices 3 oscillators, 3 LFO. Updated as VIRUS CLASSIC	VIRUS B KB keyboard (2000) 24 voices keyboard version B	VIRUS B rack 16 voices, 2 oscillators	VIRUS B indigo 24 voices, compact 37 keys version
VIRUS C (2002) module 32 voices. keyboard version VCKB	VIRUS C INDIGO2 REDBACK 37 keyboard version	VIRUS C XL Rackmount version	VIRUS TI (2005) 80 voices, replaced by faster TI2
VIRUS TI DESKTOP Same as TI keyboard	VIRUS TI polar compact- DARKSTAR is a black version	VIRUS TI snow (2008) cut-down version, 50 voices

 

 

AUDIO DEMO

Factory demo Favourite: bass metal Favourite: waveforms Favourite: pan virus Favourite: slow pad Favourite: bad robot Favourite: comm (+drums) Favourite: pad reverse Favourite: formant pad Favourite: digital noises Favourite: attack synth Favourite: quite FM! Piano: rhodes Organ: hammond Bass: analog Bass: famous line Bass: yelloscreen Pad: dark ambient Pad: lush Pad: sadness Pad: worry Synth: 4 bits Synth: acid Synth: arpeggiated Synth: bent Synth: coldwave Synth: distorted Tb Synth: elastic Tb Synth: harsh Synth: morph Synth: performance (+ samp) Synth: quick fast Synth: round ball Synth: silky Synth: speedchange Synth: square Synth: square arp Synth: another tb Synth: trance like FX: Hell FX: metal percussion FX: padfx FX: percussive FX: ringmodulatorfx FX: scanwave FX: sequenced TEST: all waveforms TEST: all suboscillators TEST: analog boost TEST: stack unison TEST: sync OSC TEST: ringmodulator TEST: all LFO shapes TEST: chorus modes TEST: delay modes TEST: vocoder 1 TEST: vocoder 2

VIDEO SELECTION Access Virus A sequencer original demo FUN :)

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