I have it.
You may not be finding it because the name “Patch Base” doesn’t say anything about Access Virus, though our beloved synth is most definitely supported.
djantimatter I share your frustration over Kemper’s non-responsiveness.
That said, if you had a Prophet 5 (any rev) or a Blofeld, for example, you would have to sequence and control the synth in some fashion other than with a TI- or Aura HE-like plugin. LIke Sacguy71, I sequence my TI2 Desktop with a Hapax. I use Aura HE as a patch librarian only.
Your workflow clearly revolves around a DAW. So many who work “ITB” (in the box, for any who aren’t familiar with the acronym) seem to focus their efforts entirely on plug-ins. A friend who is known for having produced 2 songs a week for several years for a highly successful TV series insists that “hardware outboard” just isn’t relevant to anyone who needs instant session recall and portability between studio environments. This friend wouldn’t have touched a hybrid plug-in/hardware solution like TI, no matter how well it worked.
I’m sorry your (and our) implied contract with Cristof Kemper was broken. He doesn’t seem to care all that much, so I’m not personally terribly invested in continuing to try to get his attention. I’ll just keep on sequencing my beloved TI2 and all of my other tone generators with the wonderful Hapax or Logic Pro for iPad. That seems to work just fine.
Welcome to the fellowship of Virus lovers!
DJRobertV the Aura Plug-ins Hardware Editor for Virus does work, but there are two things it won’t do:
Many of us maintain an older Mac (I have a 2010 MacBook Pro) or a Windows PC to load Access’ original Virus Control software for these two tasks.
If the Virus you purchase is on current firmware, and using the synth to control plug-ins isn’t relevant, Aura Virus HC could be your solution.
Does Virus Control load and connect to the TI and TI2 on current Mac OS versions?
I’m only interested in managing Remote templates. I don’t need the TI plug-in at all.
I’ve asked elsewhere on the forum, but no one responded after several days, so I’m posting my question here:
Is there a way to sequence the Virus TI2 vs DIN MIDI and transmit only audio via USB?
———————-
Update: Got my answer elsewhere. As expected, it’s not possible.
I’ve got the Aura plug-in, which works fine.
Aura isn’t supporting remote template editing, which is what I’m using Virus Control for on my old MacBook.
I don’t need the TI plug-in. Can I use VC on the current Mac OS to manage the remote templates and preset banks?
I would prefer to hear others’ experiences before spending the time installing/testing.
I maintain a 2010 MacBook for VC, but it’s becoming more and more cumbersome to keep it working.
I would like to sequence my Virus TI2 from a hardware sequencer (I use a Squarp Hapax, in case you’re curious), but send audio via USB.
The reason is that I’ve got a few more channels of sound than my 18-channel interface can handle. Using USB audio and an aggregate audio over USB driver could solve my problem, without the requirement to buy an expensive mixer or interface that supports 24 or more channels.
Is there a good way to do this?
ozon its still in stock at Sweetwater.
When I had my Blofeld Desktop, I did request support on a few issues. It was slow, but I got answers.
Just like Access, they aren’t updating the firmware any more, but other than multi-mode, it’s stable. It seems to be based on a variant of the same Motorola Freescale 56k DSP as the Virus, so at some point production will stop.
As to the analog vs digital question, just like with the Virus, clever sound design can produce pretty convincing “analog” voices with Blofeld. Among others, I had this soundset on my Blofeld, which is quite good:
volcanorocket a lot of people swear by the Kemper line.
Curiously, the Kemper Profilers also use an end-of-life Motorola/Freescale/NXP DSP chip. At some point Mr. Kemper won’t be able to sell his guitar amp profilers either.
Will there be a Kemper II? If there is, it will use a newer DSP architecture (SHARC or ARM as many others do in this industry) or an FPGA model. If so, all the code will be rewritten in C++ or some other language, as none of the original assembler DSP code will work on any new processor architecture.
If we see a Kemper II, it could be a harbinger of a TI3.
One can only hope.
GESchwalm I owned a Blofeld before I bought my TI2 Desktop.
It’s a very cool synthesizer, and in some ways even more flexible than the Virus (example - the modulation matrix is really “anything modulating anything” in a Blofeld). If you like the sound and can live with the “matrix” control setup, buy it. It’s a great value. I never had a problem navigating the control matrix. It quickly became intuitive to me.
I sold my Blofeld because I found it unreliable for multis, and for the brief period I had the two next to each other, I preferred the sound of the Virus. That’s just me. There’s so much to like about the Blofeld.
What clinched the “deal” for me to sell the Blofeld was the feeling that the Virus was rock solid when I made and used multis. The Blofeld has much more limited polyphony, exhibits much more voice-stealing and has less useful effects. The idea that I had to think through how I would deploy effects in a Blofeld multi felt like a waste of my limited music time. Also, if you’re using a “multi” in a Virus TI, you’ve got 6 independently assigned outputs, with the bonus of 2 inputs that you can apply all of the TI’s vast sound shaping and effects powers to. I have not seen anything else that can do this, let alone a Blofeld. Just the ability to sequence multiple tracks and feed them to separate channels on my mixer made it easier. How do you gain-stage 3 sounds coming out of the same outputs?
Now that I have had the TI2 Desktop for a year, I wouldn’t give it up. As you may have read, I’ve purchased 3 of the Virus TI2 DSP chips as an insurance policy. If I need to get the unit repaired, I’ve got a few extras of the one hard to source part. I hope to keep this synth running for many years!
Even so, the Blofeld is truly a sound-design powerhouse and an incredible value. It’s also so nice that it’s very small, especially for a “bedroom studio” like many of us live with.
If you have unlimited budget and can “live with” 24 voice polyphony and 4-part multitimbrality with 8 assignable outs, there’s the 3rd Wave desktop on its way out in November. The keyboard version is earning rave reviews.
Lioio engineering 101, right?
I thought I had swapped the cables, and after reading your post, did it again. Lo and behold, output 1 is rock solid with either of 2 replacement cables. Problem solved, and my precious Virus TI2 is fully functional. Yeah!
Thank you!
I’m looking for some advice here.
Other than this one problem, my 1 year old TI2 Desktop works perfectly.
Many times when I turn the unit on and start playing a “Single” patch, there’s no sound coming from output 1 left. After I wiggle the cable, the sound returns. The problem is also present with a multi, so it’s seems its not a programming issue.
This doesn’t happen on any of the other 5 outputs, leading me to suspect something is loose on this one connector.
Should I open the unit and try to tighten this one jack? Is there anything to tighten?
Display MoreI don't wanna sound like a dick here,
but I managed to solder a shitty distortion pedal which had DIRE defective contact
six years ago.
I don't think it would be such a good idea to replace a DSP chip on a 1.400,00,-€ expensive
device. Plus I don't have an electronic engineering background plus the multiple times
the manual the site and the rack-plate state:
"Don't tinker on this thing." I know it is possible.
I know that people do it, but I'm not completely into soldering
modular synths just yet.
Isn't this also SMD soldering?
Which requires special knowledge, a cool hand, and expensive equipment?
I don’t recommend trying to repair a synth yourself (heck, I would never try that!).
That said, a number of contributors on this and other forums have talked about techs working on the Virus for them (some have even done their own repairs - obviously those are people facile with a soldering iron and PCB’s). As I understand it, most of the parts are easily replaced standard electronic components, with the exception of the DSP’s. The biggest technical difficulty is that the Virus is built in surface-mount fashion. If a qualified technician services a Virus TI or TI2 and finds that the problem is with the DSP, for the lack of that one very inexpensive part, your precious synth many not be reparable.
I don’t know that having a few of the DSP’s on hand will solve everyone’s problems (or even anyone’s), but it seems like a pretty cheap form of insurance.
My 5 year old Yamaha CP4 (digital stage piano) had an octave of keys which didn’t respond correctly to velocity. Fortunately for me, there’s a music gear chain here in Israel that is the official Yamaha importer and repair servicer. They had all the requisite specialized Yamaha parts on hand, including what they called a “voice card” (they told me this in Hebrew, so I’m not sure if we would really call it that - I’m translating - I suspect it was one the proprietary Yamaha DSP’s that drive this wonderful instrument). Since Yamaha has a very strong spare parts program, stocking parts for years after they stop manufacturing a given model, this was a complete non-problem.
The Access importer here in my little country is much smaller than that chain. I doubt they have the requisite DSP’s in stock, so I didn’t want to take any chances. I love my Virus TI2, and I intend to use it for many years!
ozon if you’re in the US or Europe, perhaps you can bank on a repair center having stock. I live in a smaller country, and this might not be the case.
It’s up to each virus owner to roll the dice as they see fit. I would like to protect my investment.
As I understand it, our Virus TI2’s contain 2 of the following chip:
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR DSPB56367AG150
There aren’t many left, so now is the time.
Here’s a link to an Amazon vendor who still has a few in stock:
Leterel, I hope you get this resolved ASAP!
I suggest buying one of the few remaining DSP chips. I got 3 on Amazon for $26 a piece.
As I understand it, our Virus TI2’s contain 2 of the following chip:
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR DSPB56367AG150
There aren’t many left, so now is the time.
Here’s a link to an Amazon vendor who still has a few in stock:
vember I’ve been looking for that every time someone messes up the forum. I think that’s a good sign.
It is maddening and baffling. Incredible support and continuous upgrades for years, then radio silence.
