Cosmetics: The Virus is up there amognst the best looking synths of all time! Its build quality is very good indeed. There are plenty of features, which will keep you occupied for a long time. However...

The oscilators sound weak and static. Overall the sound lacks consistent clarity and weight. On-board effects serve to fatten up the sound, a concept which I truly hate (Except for the Juno 60!). I find playing the Virus with no effects to be truly boring. For dance/trance/industrial music this IS the synth to own/use....but apart from that, its disappointing. Alaising, which affects all VA synths is totally unacceptible.

What saves the Virus from oblivion are its filters. They are well engineered. Access have obviously tried to make the Virus sound distinct, but after a while....I found the filters to be overly colourful. I feel that the Virus is best served as an external sound processor with onbaord capabilities to create its own sounds.

Goto the Access website and d/l all the demo's. Some nice pads and dx sounds.....but overall this synth sounds WEAK.

In my view the Virus is excellant at creating digital/fm sounds (As are most VA's) but is average at emulating analogue. The Access website is full of hype marketing and it makes me want to vomit. Some of the earlier comments on this thread baffle me.

Personally I prefer the Sound of the N2, N3 and the Waldorf Q. For me, they are more robust sounding synths.....more like true analogue. If the Virus has the tone your looking for, then go and buy it!

Being a user of the Virus A for 4 years i got straight to work creating my own sounds and found that editing is easier due to the new layout.My first impressions were bass sounds are much warmer.filters are smoother.Overall a better layout,and of course that lovely red LCD.

If you're writing Trance or Hardhouse this synth is a must have.

The factory preset sounds are useable,but don't seem to use the Virus perameters to its max.But a carefull tweeking of some of the sounds is what i found usefull.

As with all the virus range built to last,and a synth that will become a classic over the next 10 years or so.

No mines not for sale.

1) Opened the box - HELLO SEXY

2) Turned it on - I WET MY SELF

3) First keystroke - OMFG!!!!!!

4) My current physical/mental state - DEAD

I apologise for the lack of technical/useful information in my review. If you are lucky enough to getr one of these....you'll be saying the same thing.

THIS SYNTH IS BLOODY AMAZING!!

*FIRST OF ALL REMEMBER 2 IMPORTANT FACTS*

1) The Access Virus (Aswell as the Nords, Novas etc etc) are 'Virtual Analog'. This means they are digital....I feel that there are too many people getting confused (Perpetrated by the manufacturers/marketing). It is essentially a digital instrument which attempts to 'emulate' the tonal characteristics of old analog equipment.

2) 'Virtual analog' WILL NEVER truly replace analog and all of its unique sonic idiosyncracies. HOWEVER, this new breed of 'Virtual analog' are capable of producing VERY unique & interesting soundscapes in their own right and it is this quality we should be celebrating most.

Having used many synths I can honestly say that the Access Virus KC is;

*A SUPERB instrument.

*It has a very high build quality (The keyboard feel in my opinion is one of the BEST)

*It has a very unique tonal characteristic.

*Capable of VERY convincing analog sounds (True old analogs will never be beaten). I feel that the Virus's strongest attribute is its ability to create truely FRESH/FUTERISTIC sounds.

*Power, Flexibility and general ease of use.

No matter what synth you get there will always be aspects of it youre not happy with and old analogs such as the Prophet 5 Jupiter 8 are by no means immune to drawbacks. My advice is to enjoy 'Virtual analogs' for what they are and what they do well.

The Access Virus KC is a modern 'Classic' and I beleive they will become collectable in 15-20 yrs time. Given the KC's high build quality and key action you maybe making a sound investment.

Enjoy your synth!

1. Its so sexy that i cant put anything near it cause everything else looks like crap when in its beautiful visage.

2. Access Technical Support is terrible. =/

thats all i gots to say about that oh btw Industry 56 owns all =D