Access Virus C

Back in 2002, this desktop powerhouse bumped the Virus series up to a full 32 voices of polyphony, making it a go-to for layering massive trance leads and evolving pads without voice stealing.

Its virtual analog engine packs three oscillators per voice—covering saws, pulses, sines, and 64 spectral waveforms—with FM, phase distortion, sync, and ring mod for wild timbres, plus a sub osc for extra low-end punch. Dual multimode filters (lowpass, highpass, bandpass, notch) in series, parallel, or split configs deliver up to 36dB/octave resonance and saturation, shaped by two ADSTR envelopes and three LFOs with 68 waveforms. The mod matrix expands to six sources hitting nine destinations, while 98 effects like phasers, choruses, distortions, parametric EQs, delay, and a 32-band vocoder run simultaneously; an arpeggiator with swing and note length mod adds rhythmic flair. Hands-on control comes via 32 knobs, 35 buttons, and a clear display on its compact 380 x 250 x 73mm grey chassis—weighing just 1.5kg—with stereo outs, three monos, full MIDI DIN, velocity, and aftertouch support, plus 1024 patches (256 user, 768 ROM, 128 multi) across 16 multitimbral parts.

Over two decades on, players still praise its huge, aggressive sound—especially supersaw stacks and gritty basses—that defined early 2000s electronic genres, though some note the interface demands menu diving for deep edits. It's a studio staple that holds up beautifully in modern rigs.