Just bought a Virus B rack

[Stickman0_3]

It's the same spec as Virus B (I used to have a Virus Classic) It has been expanded to 1024 sounds, but it only has 4 outs and 16 note polyphony. Can't wait to get it!

[Martin Walker]

Hope it arrives in one piece and gives you great pleasure Stickman!

[Guest]

That range of synths are just so good, those old Motorola 56K chips where the building blocks for so many good synths, amazing considering how lowly they would be seen now.

I’m sure there will be great pleasure.

[Stickman0_3]

OK, so I've had my Access Virus B for a couple of weeks now. It has the 8 banks, 1024 sounds. One thing I've found out is that you can't write sounds to banks C through H - they seem to be ROM.

[OneWorld]

I have the Viris TI, got it for a song - pardon the pun. These days, with the quality and flexibility of soft synths, I don't use it much, but it looks good on the desk, and because of the TI (Total Integration) function, I use it not so much as a synth but a controller for a cheap £49.00 softsynth!

[Stickman0_3]

Has anyone got two Access Virus racks? I hope to soon buy a Virus Rack XL soon, which has the flash ROM.

[MrChumley]

One thing I've found out is that you can't write sounds to banks C through H - they seem to be ROM.

Is yours the desktop version? I thought Racks only came as Classic or XL?

If it is, OS 4.8 lets you write bank A/B to C-H. So you can't save individual sounds, but you could import banks, or build them up patch by patch, in the RAM and then copy them to ROM to free them up for something else.

[Stickman0_3]

Hi Mr Chumley

No, my Access Virus rack is only upgradable to Ver2.20, which leads me to believe it is the original Virus? and does not allow you to write to banks C - H. The Access Virus B desktop allows you to update to 4.9.

[MrChumley]

Hi Mr Chumley

No, my Access Virus rack is only upgradable to Ver2.20, which leads me to believe it is the original Virus? and does not allow you to write to banks C - H. The Access Virus B desktop allows you to update to 4.9.

Hi. Yes, it sounds like you've got the Rack Classic then, which unfortunately never got the store to flash upgrade. Still a great piece of kit though - at the moment I've got an original (aka A) desktop and there's very little that touches it for phat squelchiness.

[Stickman0_3]

I plan to get the Virus Rack XL as well. I wish I could get the desktop version but I don't have the space.

[MrChumley]

I plan to get the Virus Rack XL as well. I wish I could get the desktop version but I don't have the space.

Pity, it's great having the extra knobs. Mine sits on a plywood shelf on the upper tier of a keyboard stand, so it doesn't impact on floor space.

[MrChumley]

PS if you do get an A desktop and you want some rack ears let me know. Mine came with them but I took them off and made a pair of wooden end pieces, so they’re free to a good home.

[Stickman0_3]

So, is the Virus Rack Classic closer to the Virus A in spec?

[MrChumley]

Closer, but not the same:

https://web.archive.org/web/20071013210 ... chart.php4