Virus B

Back in 1999, this synth stepped up the game for virtual analog modeling with a hefty 24-voice polyphony that let producers stack massive chords and leads without breaking a sweat, all in a compact desktop or rackmount form factor.

It packs three oscillators per voice—saw, pulse, sine, triangle, plus sync and five FM modes with 64 digital waveforms—paired with a sub-oscillator for that deep low-end punch. Dual multi-mode filters (lowpass, highpass, bandpass, even comb modes) can run in series, parallel, or split configs up to 36dB/octave with resonance and overdrive, shaped by two ADSTR envelopes and three LFOs boasting 68 waveforms each. Hands-on control comes via 32 knobs and 30 buttons with minimal menu-diving, a deep mod matrix, arpeggiator, and wild effects like 82 simultaneous instances including phasers, choruses, distortions, ring mod, delay, reverb, and a 32-band vocoder. I/O includes two stereo audio ins, three stereo TRS outs, headphones, and full MIDI DIN implementation, with 1024 patches (256 user) and velocity/aftertouch sensitivity. At 18.5 x 7.4 x 3 inches and just 7 pounds, it's a studio staple that fits anywhere.

Players still swear by its realtime tweakability and distinctive sound—warm basses, searing leads, ethereal pads—that powered trance and techno classics, though some note the learning curve for deep programming. It's a timeless workhorse in the Virus lineage, blending raw power with intuitive flow.