ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT REVIEW
Posted on Thu 03 February 2011 in entries
I'm sure that when Access released their first Virus synthesiser back in 1997, they must have known that they were onto something special. Since that day, the Virus synth series has greatly expanded, and with it has come a mass of loyal followers, who swear by the quality of sounds that it produces. Traditionally, the Virus has been embraced by Trance and Techno artists, with users including Sasha, Snap! and Paul Oakenfold, but it's ability to produce dark, twisted, phat sounds has also made it popular with producers of other types of dance music such as drum and bass, with producers such as Alix Perez and Krakota and Judda manipulating it for deep, 'in your face' basslines.
The most recent release from the Access Virus camp is the Virus TI2 Polar WhiteOut Special Edition, or quite simply, the 'Dark Star'...
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - THE DARK STAR
The Dark Star was first unveiled to the world at NAMM 2011, and although it doesn't offer anything revolutionary (it is just a black TI2 Polar), it just looks so much cooler with its dark military metal surfaces contrasted with that evil looking piercing red 'Access' symbol on the back! If Darth Vadar had decided to give up conquering the universe to become synth player in a Storm Trooper based underground Techno band, then this is what he would have been using, no doubt about it! Just imagine the raves that would have gone on in the Death Star!
Anyway, went off on a bit of a tangent there, so it's time to take a look at what the Virus Dark Star can really do...and not what it does in my Star Wars fantasy (which incidentally also has Ewoks playing Korg Monotrons incase anyone was wondering!)
The first thing to note about the Virus TI2 Polar WhiteOut, is that only a limited number have been released, and because of this exclusivity factor, they are a little more expensive than the standard TI2 Polar synths. Whether you feel that this change of image is worth the additional money will be a personal choice, so for now we will just take a look at what this bad boy is hiding underneath it's menacing hood...
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - OSCILLATORS
The Access Virus TI2 Polar WhiteOut features three main oscillators and one sub oscillator per voice, so provides you with more than enough ammunition to start creating huge, throbbing sounds! Phat basses - it does them! Euphoric leads - no problem!
For each of the main oscillators, you have a whole host of waveshapes to choose from, from classic virtual analog oscillators (saw, variable pulse, sine, triangle, 62 spectral waves with several FM modes) to hypersaw (a multi saw-tooth oscillator with up to 9 stacked oscillators, 9 sub oscillators and sync oscillator at the same time), and from wavetable oscillators (with 100 multi-index wavetables), to graintable oscillators (for granular synthesis - perfect for warping a waveform into twisted new forms). And, the Virus TI2 Polar also features Formant oscillators for creating even more 'out of this world' sounds! Forget R2-D2's quirky little beeps, and get ready for some serious noise!
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - FILTERS
The Access Virus TI2 Polar WhiteOut features two fully independent filters, and an optional saturation module for adding distortion and lo-fi effects, or an additional low/high pass filter. In addition, there is also an optional self-resonating Moog cascade filter simulation with circuit overload and 1-4 poles.
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - MODULATION
The Access Virus 'Dark Star' includes a two-dimensional modulation matrix with six slots (1 source and 3 modulation targets each), and every parameter that you could ever want to modulate (including arpeggiator controls) can be - in realtime! As well as featuring 3 LFOs (with additional hardwire destinations and one user definable slot), the Dark Star also includes two multi-stage envelopes (ADSTR), and the LFOs can also be used as ramp generators. In short, the Dark Star is jam-packed full of modulation features, geared towards your creative needs.
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - EFFECTS
Although the supposed 'clean' sounds produced by the Dark Star can still be pretty dirty, if you want to filth (or tidy) things up even more, then the effects section is the place to go. The FX section has independent delay and reverb per patch (even in multi mode), along with multiple distortion/lo-fi algorithms, phaser, chorus/flanger, character control, ring modulator/shifter, EQ, plus a global vocoder. With all these options, you'll be making sounds that a filthier than a Wookie's howl in no time!
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - ARPEGGIATOR
Each patch on the Virus TI2 Polar WhiteOut contains it's own arpeggiator pattern with 32 programmable steps (length and velocity can be adjusted per step) and a global control for swing/shuffle timing and one for note lengths.
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - CONNECTIONS
The Access Virus TI2 Polar really is a quality piece of kit, with 6 balanced outputs (@ +4dB), backed up by 192 Khz/24-bit D/A converters, with soft-limiting. The unit also features 2 inputs with 24-bit A/D converters, a dedicated headphone out (for those times when you've been told to shut up by you house mates!), MIDI In, Out and Thru sockets, and S/PDIF digital audio (44.1/48 kHz) inputs and outputs. And of course, there is also a USB connection for MIDI and audio transmission. Plus, if you want to expand on the capabilities of the Dark Star, there are Hold and Control pedal inputs.
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - BUILD
The Access Virus TI2 Polar features a highly responsive (velocity and aftertouch) 37-note keyboard, with a great feel. With it's black aluminium finish, polished wooden side panels, red LEDs, white display, and convenient light sabre holder (ok, I made that last one up!) the Virus TI2 Polar WhiteOut looks every bit the part!
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - SURROUND SOUND OUTPUT
This is a really cool feature of the Virus TI2 Polar! For those of you who want to get extra creative, every part of the synth can be panned dynamically between two stereo outputs for quadraphonic effects, allowing you to place a listener within a beefy field of pulsating sound!
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - HARDWARE CONTROLS
The Access Virus TI2 Polar WhiteOut contains more than enough controls to create your own unique sounds, and gear it towards your own individual style. With 32 knobs, 43 buttons, 73 LEDs, and individual pitch and modulation wheels, you’ll find that you will have the sound-shaping universe within your power! Mwahahaha! And, it's also possible to turn your Virus into a MIDI remote to control third-party plug-ins and MIDI synthesisers, whilst still having the sound engine working independently.
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - ATMOIZER
The Atomizer probably sounds a little cooler than it actually is, especially if you have also been sucked into the Sith Lord Synth fantasy. No, you can't use the Atomizer to blow up entire planets! In fact, you can't even use it to vapourise your enemies! However, the Atomizer is a unique DJ style audio slicer that can be used to turn your Virus TI2 into a powerful realtime FX unit for DJ applications! Still pretty impressive though!
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - TOTAL INTEGRATION
Total Integration is a technology from Access that allows you to seamlessly link any Virus TI2 model and a computer to create one unified system, consisting of a powerful hardware synth, and a virtual instrument plug-in (VST, AU and RTAS compatible). This plug-in not only controls the Virus TI2 hardware, but also receives audio from it in order to allow post-processing inside your computer. Total Integration gives you the best of both sides of the force - the hardware will reduce your CPU load by performing all voice and effect calculations, and as it is driven by the Virus Control plug-in, the timing (unlike regular MIDI and USB-MIDI timing) will be sample accurate, and all sound data will be saved within the song or project.
ACCESS VIRUS TI2 POLAR WHITEOUT - SUMMARY
I'm a massive fan of all Virus synthesisers - every model I have ever come across just seems to deliver the twisted sounds that I like! With the TI2 Polar WhiteOut Edition, it's no different. The sound engine is pure quality and the range of controls that it has should be more than enough for most people. As I mentioned earlier, whether this new exclusive model will tempt you to part with more of your hard earned cash will be a personal choice. I've never really been one for fashion, so personally I would probably just purchase the standard TI2 Polar, which is capable of the same great sounds... but having said that, I must admit that the Dark Star does look a lot cooler, and I would be a little envious of anyone who owned one!
So you've heard what I have to say on the subject... so I guess there is just time for one more poor Star Wars reference to sum up - The force is certainly strong with this one!
Purchase the Access Virus TI2 Polar WhiteOut Special Edition