Virus TI

When Access released the Virus TI in 2005, they essentially rewrote the playbook for what a desktop synthesizer could do by merging hardware immediacy with deep computer integration in a way that felt genuinely seamless rather than bolted-on.

The TI packs three oscillators per voice with access to wavetable synthesis, granular and formant modes, plus a supersaw that can stack over 100 oscillators for massive unison textures. You get dual multimode filters with analog-style emulations including Minimoog-style ladder modes, and the modulation matrix lets you route six sources to eighteen destinations, giving you serious sound design flexibility. The synth runs on dual DSP processors with 24-bit converters and delivers between 20 and 90 voices of polyphony depending on what features you're using. Effects include reverbs, delays, tape emulations, distortions, phasers, flangers, chorus, and a vocoder, all available on a per-patch basis. The front panel has 32 knobs and 42 buttons alongside a clean LCD display, keeping the most common parameters within arm's reach while deeper editing lives in logically organized menus. Three stereo outputs let you split your mix however you need, and USB connectivity doubles as both audio interface and control surface for your DAW.

The Virus TI earned respect in studios and live rigs for its combination of sonic character and workflow efficiency. The computer integration through VirusControl really does feel natural once you set it up, and the sound design possibilities are genuinely deep without feeling overwhelming. Some users noted that menu diving is necessary for advanced tweaking, but most found the layout intuitive enough that it never became a real friction point. The synth has aged well in the hands of people who appreciate analog modeling done right, and its filter character in particular remains distinctive among VA synths from that era.