RIP Access Virus TI2, the popular flagship digital Synthesizer from mastermind Christoph Kemper is discontinued.

Many bands use synthesizers on stage. Not only in electronic but also in rock and metal music formations with heavy guitar riffs are synths part of the setup. For example, the synths at Iron Maiden concerts are played live behind the curtain. Often with workstations or flagship synths.

One of the most famous stage synthesizers is now off the market. According to information from Amazona.de, Access has stopped the production of the Virus TI2 Synthesizer—time to say goodbye.

Access mastermind Christoph Kemper has confirmed to Amazona.de writer Sven Rosswog that the Virus TI2 has been out of production for a few months. So, the last units were produced in 2023, and everything that can now be found new are leftovers.

When asked whether Kemper was still interested in synthesizers, he replied yes. He answered, however, that the production line is fully utilized with the Kemper amps. I’m pretty sure they have much to do with the Kemper amp products, including the brand-new Profiler Player pedal.

I think Access would make new synthesizers if they had the capacity. Often forgotten, Access is a sister brand of Kemper Amps, and both are small companies from Recklinghausen, Germany. The development and production capabilities are not comparable with big players like Roland and Yamaha.

The available resources are often used for the products that financially perform best. I think, in this case, it’s Kemper Amps. The guitar market is far more significant than that for synths. But there is hope for a new one. In a former interview, it was suggested that there might be an Access Virus TI3.

As a reminder, the Virus TI2 is a powerful digital synth with over 80 voices, 16 parts, three multi-wave oscillators + sub-osc + noise structure, dual filters, 3 LFOs, envelopes, various effects, built-in arpeggiator, and more.

A highlight of the TI range is the total recall functionality, which allows you to route all the sound parts into the computer via USB, including full control over the engine, using the free editor.
Virus TI2 Emulator

This clears the way for the Virus TI2 plugin from The Usual Suspects. These developers created the Motorola chip emulator DSP56300 and released two digital synths as software in the past. More precisely, the Waldorf microQ and Osirus (Virus B and C).

The developers have already finished the TI2 but left it in the drawer until the discontinuation of the hardware. The moment is now. So it will be interesting if they will release it in the coming months of 2024.

A longtime user of the Virus TI2 is Peter Gordeno, tour keyboarder of Depeche Mode. Here is a tour rig video.

Either way, it’s sad news that the TI2 Virus will now disappear after 15 years (2009-2024) on the shelves from the market. But it was already foreseeable that this would happen. In the last two years, things have been very quiet around Access and synthesizers. But I hope that we get a new Virus TI in the future.

Original article:
https://synthanatomy.com/2024/02/ri...r-flagship-digital-synth-is-discontinued.html

 

OsTIrius incoming

 

It had a great run.

I bought my MK1 as soon as it came out, and that was in 2005. Still use it regularly and still sounds as great as the first day I brought it home. I remember how incredible it sounded compared to any VST I owned at the time and wondered if vst synths could ever sound as good. VST instruments have come a long way since then and have more than surpassed these old VA's. I know there are emulations that sonically are nearly indistinguishable from the hardware, but there's something magical about owning one of these original units and the tangible experience they provide.

 

lol a dinosaur of a synth has been discontinued so what ? who cares ? with serum and falcon alone you could make anything that dinosaur could make

 

had the MK 1 then bought the TI2 as soon as it come out (prior to 2009?? maybe 2007? but maybe my memory is wrong), took the TI Polar version (3 octaves) been using it everywhere, in live gigs, in studio sessions in many many many many music genres. I have to thank this synth for many releases I had back then.

it always sounds unique among many synths I have. both hardware and software

could sound weird to say because the Virus is a beast fos bass and hard sounds, but the best sounds I enjoyed from it were pads and background candy, nothing lush like my white little baby

you know what? going to play with it right now

 

oh I forgot: it also look SEXY AS HELL,
it has also has credits for many girls approaching me in the clubs ahahah

but thats not a concept that VSTi users can understand, sorry, Falcon never helped me on that...

 

it's not the same. the sound quality is completely different. virus is a beast.

 

I think this is a comment off someone who's potentially never owned one.

I have previously owned a Virus B, Virus C, Virus Ti2 Desktop, and Virus Ti Snow. They are an entirely differently level to likes of Serum and Falcon in my opinion.

 

I also have a TI1 Polar and it looks so good. Sound is also awesome. I always liked the layout.

Sadly, the Virus TI VST will never get updated. It's buggy as hell for me. Can we please just get a OsTirius Version that recalls now? :/

 

Your comment is a troll or you have no idea about sound design.

Serum or Falcon are sterile. Virus is dirty.
Dirty vs. Sterile = Completly Different Sound especially after Processing.


Here are examples.

This is type of sound that you can achieve on Virus:

And this is type of sound that you can achieve on Serum:

 

DSP56300 Paypal explodes!

 

Are you sure you're not thinking of a guitar? Keyboards only attract acne-ridden teenage boys.

 

lol obv their young boyfriends were amazed as well

look for a Virus TI Polar video in a dark-club situation where the girlies can go around the player and see the amazing lights blinkn in sync with the arpeggiator and the sexy logo blinkin from behind eheheh

then come back and tell me eheheh

 

I never lost hopes, but now I think I have to, so sad

and YES, that would be an amazing idea as I never get conquered by noone of the existing virus librarians/editors. Never tested the MidiQuest one though, maybe will try someday

 

The OsTIrus developer said that the TI2 emulation will be publicly released in a month.

 

.. and yet somehow I have a feeling you wont make anything with either one because that would take away from the time you spend complaining about not having enough cracked vsts in your arsenal.

 

Except for Viper. I've been comparing it to the OsTIrus Beta, and they sound quite similar.

 

Plugin world - he mean overall vst synthesizer plugins. Like Sylenth1, Serum etc. Not "Viper" or "DSP56300" which mimic or emulating Virus.

 

Ehh sorry endless Discussion...but Virus is dirty??? It's cheesy like hell... an AS Leipzig ist dirty....

all Virus after the A Version is full of FX and btw Virus is nothing more then an Vsti in a Box...good programming btw no question ..good Multimode...good presets etc but Virtual analog...so I hope you know it's also Coding back in the days on a Chip....nothing real...