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Panason · Junior Member Joined: 13 Mar 2011 Posts: 80

Hey all, I'm getting back to hardware based music making after being burned out on computers for too long.... Like Brian Eno said, they can be like a vortex that sucks out your creativity!

Anyway, I have a budget of up to £400 for a good hardware synth module (no keys needed) and I'm looking at a second-hand Nord Rack 1 or 2 or an Access Virus B...

I need: MIDI syncabe LFOs (esential) and fat, squelchy sounds which I'm sure both of these machines have in buckets....

Any suggestions on which one, or is there another machine that I should look at? The Korg MS2000BR is in that price bracket but I used to have the MS20 and never really got on with its sound. . .

cheers!

Timo · Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2015 4:13 pm Post subject:

I don't have any Nords nor have I tried them, but do have Virus gear (Indigo 1 & Snow) and absolutely love them, the nerve centre of my studio. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Regards MIDI-syncable LFOs, the Virus B has 3 of them, each with 64 waveshapes + saw/sin/tri/pulse with contouring. Each LFO can be mono or polyphonic, and they can be left free-running or triggered from any phase at note-on. The LFOs can also be switched to 'one-shot' mode, effectively turning them into additional EGs. They have a vast range of modulation destinations, all with bipolar (+/-) values.

LFO Midi sync clocks available are: 16/1, 8/1, 4/1, 2/1, 1/1, 3/4, 2/3, 1/3, 1/6, 1/12, 1/24, 3/8, 3/16, 3/32, 3/64, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64, or non-clocked of course. So stacks of rhythmic variety to choose from.

A huge amount of Virus presets out there too. If you can stretch to the Virus C you'll gain up to 12 notes extra poly (for a total of 32), the 1/2/3/4-pole Moog-emulated filter (great for dub), an expanded mod-matrix (more sources/destinations), and 3-band EQ with parametric mid per part.

Differences between Virus models:
http://infekted.org/virus/showthread.php?p=280870#post280870
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Panason · Junior Member Joined: 13 Mar 2011 Posts: 80

Thanks.

After reading around a bit, the Nord is off my list (not fat enough for my dance music tastes) and the Virus seems like the way to go.

I'm also looking at the Novation KS which goes for lower prices ... not sure it will match the Virus sound quality but apparently it's close.. but I'm not sure about Novation on the whole.

The Waldorf Pulse sounds beastly but it's not really polyphonic and the editing seems a bit painful with so few knobs.

Tough choices!

Derek Cook · Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2015 6:29 pm Post subject:

Hmmm

I was nearly put off the Nord G2 in 2005 because all I could find was dance music examples! Where I wanted it for progressive music, and couldn't find a single example of that genre. Smile

But based on the specs, I took the plunge and purchased a Nord G2 Engine. It's still my favourite VA alongside my AN1x. Korg's AL-1 comes close, but the Nord G2 still has something that is a little more organic to my ears.

And if you want fat, you can throw as many oscillators and filters (lots of different types) into a patch as the DSP load can stand! Smile

Anyway, the Nord is a chameleon and capabie of anything I have thrown at it and that must be true for other users as well, which is why the G2 racks are now going for a lot more money than I paid for mine (and I doubt all the would be purchasers are prog-heads. Wink

So, I wouldn't write it off. If you get a chance, audition one. The Virus would be a fine catch as well - it's also good for prog of course! Very Happy

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Panason · Junior Member Joined: 13 Mar 2011 Posts: 80

Thanks. I'm not really into any kind of psy trance ... more like old school acid house/ minimal techno/ electro / breakbeat funk and psychedelic ambience...

I just missed out on a Virus B on ebay which apparently sold for £300... Crying or Very sad

I've been looking at the Waldorf Blofeld and it sounds pretty amazing... It looks like it has a wider sound palette than the Virus. Does anyone have that little beast?

Panason · Junior Member Joined: 13 Mar 2011 Posts: 80

I ended up gettting the Blofeld ... it's pretty amazing! It's probably not quite as fuzzy-warm analogue sounding as the Virus but it is very deep and flexible... I believe the actual music is what matters, not the subtle details of the sound quality. And yeah, it has serious speaker-busting bass.