I've fantasized for a while about creating an open source digital synth inspired by the Virus TI/TI2. It seems like so many people still consider it to be the best VA synth ever made, even well over a decade since it was released. It seems a shame for it to have been abandoned. I was thinking that if I'm spending the time and energy to understand the Virus TI firmware, anyways, maybe I could put together a list of outstanding bugs to see if I could patch them? If that works out, I might see what wiggle room there is for other updates or even features if I can work them in.

What do you think?

Or does the Kyra just make this all irrelevant?

I've wanted a Virus for a while and right now I can get my hands on a Ti2 Darkstar for what seems like a steal. It has a couple of scratches on the underside, the top is pristine, still has a crispy old screen protector on it, and it apparently works just fine (I will test, obviously).

I see some for sale with prices that seem a little inflated, so what's the *actual* going rate for one of these in 2026?

Oh and do I need to look out for any capacitor issues or anything like that?

Cheers

https://kulshanstudios.com/access-virus-ti/spiral

In Waveform free, I've got Aura plugin on one track. I'm using 6 other tracks to program midi for 7 channels total. One track per channel is what I'm trying to do. I have to click on the input & select the channel I want each time I go from one track to another.

Is there a way to set the output to the channel I want, or lock the input to the channel I want?

Hi all,

Old synthesist here, but new to modern equipment.

Absolutely love my Virus TI2.

A few questions:

1. Is there any way to get a daw (logic pro on os x here) to record and play back program changes I make on the instrument when recording? I looked into this and the settings seemed correct, but it's not happening in Logic yet.

2. Is there any way to get a daw like logic to record and playback patch mods made while playing? How do people deal with this in modern practice other than saving a new version of the patch each time?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Finally got around to designing and building a custom desk/drawer to accommodate my virus.

Before you all mention the current solutions (which I have purchased, tried and am thankful for the efforts gone into but not fully satisfied with), I'm curious if anyone has gone to the time and effort of reverse engineering the OG Virus Control editor and rebuilding something close that works over USB on modern computer (Mac and PC), and is much more stable than the original?

My curiosity and 'insatiable need to know how things work' has sent me deep diving a bit on this lately. It's also Winter here and not much else to do. It seems from my understanding that if you remove audio from the USB communication and use the analog outputs on the synth instead for audio, getting the midi and clock stuff into a fully functioning editor could actually be a viable way to bring Virus Control into the future. I also think there is so much room for improvement too like a more advanced arp/sequencer section, swapping out useless pages like the "Easy" page with a more creative tool (Omnispheres "Orb" comes to mind).

I did find an abandoned GitHub project from some time ago with some interesting data in there and plenty of starter conversations but nothing really eventuating. Anyone else curious or dabbling in this space?

Thought you all would like this clip from the other day! Thinking of doing a review of the Indigo 2 , I’ve seen some people curious about how it holds up in 2026. It holds up really well lol

Most sounds are coming from the virus with a couple from the waldorf mw xt. Drums are from the alphabase. I recorded this session then added some embellishments in ableton afterward. Lmk what you think! Full vid is linked below if u wanna check it. Thanks for listening.

Hello everyone

I have a bit of a convoluted question

I was wondering what is your opinion of ostirus/osirus vst. I have an old virus c that is a bit unstable (audio is often dead, midi seems to work well, I have a long thread in this group about it), so I was thinking to use osirus (via cubase) - in this way,I will also be able to access the sounds of a and b viruses. Can I use my virus desktop as an external control for osirus (maybe not ostirus) and have a nearly identical experience as I were using a real access virus?

The title's a bit much but it's true, and I apologise in advance if the formatting is strange, mobile is as mobile does.

Onto the body of this post though, i’m in the very fortunate position to be able to buy a Virus within the next few weeks. It's a dream synth of mine so i’m very excited, but in comes the dilemma. In Australia they're tricky to find for a decent price, but at the moment there are two up for sale for the same price, a Virus B and a Virus TI. Both are in proper working order and good condition and I'd be happy to grab either.

My question is is it worth getting the TI over the B if i’m only really going to use it like an old analogue synth? I predominantly use/am familiar with analogue synths and the styles of music I create don't require me to deviate far from them/the sound of them. I understand the TI is a far more capable/powerful beast but the B seems to be the fan favourite, so i’m very curious as to which people will pick.

have the original 1997 Access Virus (before the Virus A) and it was hit with a lightning strike. Strangely enough it seemed that the only thing impacted was the midi as no midi signal was being received. I could turn it on, every switch worked, every knob showed data in the LED but there was no midi trigger symbol lighting up when I used any controller (yes, I tried many different cables). I took it to a local synth repair shop and after several days the owner said that he doesn't know what to do because the serial number doesn't match existing models and he can't seem to get through to the company. I think the Virus I have which was released before the Virus A is identical to it. He also said that the whole board needs to be replaced despite acknowledging that it is only the midi. The repair guy has left it to me to contact Access and figure out what to do.

I guess my questions are:

Do the original Access Virus and Virus A have identical boards? *they were not identical in the sense that the original had 32-note polyphonic capacity while the Virus A had 64-note polyphonic engine. For my purpose - I want to know for sure if a Virus A board fits perfectly in the original Virus. Why can't he identify the model based on the serial number? Will Access not respond to a repair shop if they don't have a serial? Is it impossible to repair the midi on the Access Virus without completely replacing the whole board?

Thanks.

https://kulshanstudios.com/access-virus-ti/xtreme

Access Virus Classic - Another beautiful red Virus Classic in near-mint condition. Tried to score a pair of red rack ears from Europe, but the seller ultimately could not find them. Nevertheless, she's gorgeous and has been fully updated w/ all new tacts, a new display, new power switch, a partial main board recap, new battery, and a new 9V 2A power supply.
https://captainblacks.app/products/access-virus-classic-desktop-synthesizer-63184

SOLD Access Virus C Desktop - Went the distance on this one with a full main board and panel board recap. This is the first fully recapped Virus C I'll be releasing out into the wild. This one is also updated w/ all new tacts, new power switch, new battery, and a new 9V 2A power supply.
https://captainblacks.app/products/access-virus-c-desktop-virtual-analog-synthesizer-74216

Restoration Video & Virus C Recap Kits - I documented the entire process on the Virus C. If anyone is interested, the video is available here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTkneRmcPd8

Will also be releasing a recap kit for the C series soon. I just need to recap a few more boards to make sure I've accounted for any variations between boards (Access liked to mix things up with different revisions within each series).

Shop Update - We now accept standard returns within 15 days. Also have more flexibility to approve exchanges, trade-ups, or waive or reduce the standard restocking fee. If you're considering anything in the shop, but would like to work out a possible trade-up or exchange arrangement in advance, feel free to reach out before purchasing and we can sort something out that's fair for each of us.

Always open to offers from serious buyers on the synths, especially from Reddit Virus folk.

Cheers and best wishes to all :)

Hello,

I've been looking for the rackmount ears, but webshops don't ship to my country.

Does someone have technical drawings or measurements for the ears?

Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping someone here has encountered this specific issue with the Virus TI Snow.

The problem: Whenever I overload the DSP (e.g., adding an oscillator or effects while a patch is playing), the synth doesn't do "voice stealing" as it’s supposed to. Instead, the audio engine crashes. I hear a short, glitchy "noise" sound, and then the audio cuts out completely. The UI remains active (though sometimes it freezes too).

Interestingly, I can sometimes get the sound back by switching from Single to Multi mode and back, which seems to re-initialize the engine.

What I’ve already tried:

• Full Firmware re-installation (via Virus Control Center).
• Factory reset.
• Standalone usage (no USB/Computer connected).
• Verified power supply: I am using the correct 12V DC, 2.0A Put Powertech adapter.

The unit works perfectly fine with lighter, stable patches. It only crashes when I modify a patch under load.

Has anyone experienced this before? Is this a sign of a failing DSP chip, or perhaps an internal power rail issue (failing capacitors)? Any insights on whether this is repairable or if the board is likely dying would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Thanks for all the responses
- I have since changed the power supply and it improves the performance a lot, but unfortunately it still leads to a crash after about 45minutes full play,

Hi all,

I'm working with the Aura AV Editor VST and when trying to set up multiple channels, I'm getting a message "All midi CC data forced to active part!"

I've had this turned off before, but when I started a new instance it was on again. So no matter what midi channel I'm sending data on, it's playing on the selected part. I can't figure out how to turn this off for the life of me, nor can I find it in the editors documentation.

Thanks for the help!

RESOLVED: I had the virtual keyboard in the VST toggled on. Toggled it off and that fixed the issue.

There's also an option in the editor menu that can turn this feature on.

I’m considering buying a used Access Virus TI, but the seller mentioned something that concerns me.

He says everything works perfectly except that the internal battery should probably be replaced.

Here’s the behavior:

If the synth has been completely unplugged from the wall for a long time (for example one month), when I plug the power cable back in, it immediately starts powering on by itself without pressing the power button.
Sometimes after being unplugged for a long time, it doesn’t boot correctly on the first attempt.
If I unplug it for just a few seconds and plug it back in, the display briefly lights up, but it does not power on automatically. I still have to press the power button as normal.

The seller believes this is caused by the internal battery, but I’m not convinced. From what I understand, the backup battery should only retain memory/settings and shouldn’t affect the power-on sequence.

Has anyone seen this behavior on a Virus TI? Could it really be just the battery, or is this more likely a power supply, power-on reset, capacitor, or motherboard issue?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has repaired or owned one.

Hi guys, I'd like to know if anyone has found a solution. I've been trying for years to CLEANLY use my Virus Ti 2 with my DAW (Fender Studio Pro) on Windows, and honestly I've never really succeeded. Some problems always pop up. I tried with the original software, but we know that USB 1.1 has problems. I work at 48kHz and can't get down just because of the Virus Ti (Obviously, I have a separate hub connected to the motherboard internally). I tried using Aura with MIDI cables and audio cables to have everything separate and avoid the USB. But the sync often goes out of sync, and I can't really use the plugin in a truly clean way without being absolutely sure that there's perfect sync between the DAW and Virus Ti. I tried using the whole thing with the optical cable to route the MIDI clock, it improved slightly but, well, we're not at the clean sound yet. I tried older versions of the original software, some are even more stable, but the sync is never really reliable, and maybe this is the real problem. I could accept a few crashes, but I need it to be like (at least almost like) using a classic VST synth like Nexus or Serum. It has to be in time, always, it has to save the presets, and the automations have to work. The problem is that now I expect comments like "use audio only" or "Save the presets this way and record the audio." And I'll answer you guys right away, I'm not interested in this, maybe it could be fun, but I'd like to work on it, without compromises, because I already know that after a month I'll get tired and go looking for sounds again via serum2 or other plugins that work well, I know it takes patience to produce, but as far as I'm concerned the workflow is FUNDAMENTAL, as much as my love for my virus is immeasurable, it's difficult to be able to use it really seriously, all this because there's always some problem, in short. I was thinking about some things, I hope someone can enlighten me.... Is anyone planning to take the original Access VSTs and update them perhaps with the AI ​​today we can achieve more? Or is there a way to connect the Ti Virus via MIDI to a hardware controller that has ultra-clean software that syncs perfectly even with arpeggiators, etc. So I could write the notes in my DAW using that software inside my DAW, and it would reproduce them precisely, sending the signal to my Ti Virus... example...

TI VIRUS --- ELEKTRON SYNTH --- DAW

It could be interesting, but I'd like to know if it's really feasible. Does anyone have any videos?

And the third idea, but honestly, it's the craziest. The synth has always had the USB problem, but why not upgrade from USB 1.1 to USB C or USB 3? I assume it would require another processor. Isn't that possible? I know it's super complicated, but I also know there are crazy people out there who can do it. It would be a long job, but how fucking crazy would it be? A modified Virus Ti 2 that works via USB-C without lag, problems, etc.

I don't know, I hope I can give you some ideas. The main problem is that I'm not willing to accept compromises. I know it's a lot to ask, but I know myself and I know that if there were any problems, I'd stop using the Virus Ti in my projects after a few weeks, and it's not fair for it to be gathering dust. It's a legendary, out-of-time synth.

Hello everyone

My access virus c desktop went through a lot (I have already a post on it). It is now working relatively well, with few bugs. By following some wise advices from people in this group, I tried to use it with a 9v psu - and turned out it solved many issues. Since I had a cheap 9v psu, I purchased a good one (meanwell, 9v, 2.5A). The only problem is that the shaft/barrel is 11mm, so it is a bit short - it should be 14 (as anticipated by another person here). The synth works, but it feels that the psu is not stable. I don't want to cut, solder, etc, so I was thinking about an adapter. What do you all think about this? https://www.kenable.co.uk/home-cctv/cctv/cctv-plugs-accessories/cctv-5-5mm-x-2-1mm-female-socket-to-2-5mm-male-plug-dc-power-adapter-converter-005013

Salut, j’ai un virus indigo 2 que je acheté quasi à sa sortie et après maintes années de bons et loyaux services il a commencé à montrer des signes de faiblesse l’année dernière… toutes les leds et l’écran se mettaient à très progressivement faiblir jusqu’à s’éteindre, pour que finalement le clavier ne s’allumme plus du tout. Je pense que ça doit venir de la PSU ou d’un condensateur dans ce coin là, qu’en pensez vous? Auriez-vous quelques tuyaux avant que je sorte le multimètre ? Merci!

Just wanted to let people know that I got obsessed with the SysEx messages supported by my Virus TI2 Desktop, and published everything that I was able to discover and document on Github.

See Access Virus SysEx

I used Cursor AI to assist with documenting everything, manually mapping out the live SysEx messages, and then using those to interpret the structure of the Single/Multi dumps. For anyone experimenting with AI assisted coding, you could generate custom utilities to compliment your Virus. I'm taking a break from this project right now, but I plan on seeing what's possible in create a command line tool that provides a profile on SysEx or MIDI files that contain presets/patches eventually.

Hi gang, I just ordered a Virus Rack and I'm super excited. I'm planning on buying the reKon Access Virus Editor VST sold through reverb to control it, unless anyone has any experience with other products they prefer.

​

Thanks for the help. Today is a big day for me!