Andromeda compared to Virus

[part1sts]

How do the Andromeda and Virus compare?

[zeronyne]

Like apples and oranges.

 

What is your application? If you give us an example, you will probably get more meaningful answers.

[part1sts]

For the purpose of soundtrack, epic proportions. And as far the richness of the sounds.

[zeronyne]

Is this in addition to an arsenal of MIDI, or is this your first synth? And what type of epic soundtrack? Lord of the Rings, Alien, or A Clockwork Orange?

[part1sts]

It would be an addition to my qs7.1 which I would use as a controller. When I say soundtrack I mean it more towards electronic. I have messed around with the Virus a lot and I think its great. Im waiting for the new version to come out.

[zeronyne]

The TI seems like it's going to be phenomenal. Its tight integration as a plug in will be the model for VAs to follow.

 

The A6 is true analog, and it's sound differs greatly from any of the VAs. I personally think the Virus C was a lot grittier than the Andy, but that certainly does not make either one better or worse than the other.

 

I understand that these two pieces may not be readily available to audition in your area, but with the monetary investment that either of these entail, you may want to either travel to a place that can provide these two units for you to audition, or take advantage of a satisfaction guarantee policy of one of the internet chains.

 

We could describe the two with exact same adjectives and they would all be appropriate. Either one would be a monster addition to your setup, but with just a QS, have you considered going the softsynth route? What are you using as a sequencer?

 

___________

EDITED for atrocious grammar (it was very late)

[Synthguy]

May I hyjack this thread for a moment? Because I'm interested in the Virus myself. Since you sound intimately familiar with the Andy, zeronyne, is the Andromeda still the holy grail of synthesizers? Is something like the Ion or Virus good enough that I wouldn't miss the Andy, especially since the Ion has so many filter models? Or if I wanted different filter models, would I be in an even higher circle of heaven if I bought the Andromeda and the Arturia softsynths?

 

Oh gee... even as I type my question, that sounds like the way to go. I have been slobbering over an Andromeda ever since there was one. Marino, please feel free to hop in here and give us the blessing of your epic expertize!

[zeronyne]

Sir Basil,

 

Keep in mind that my perceptions of both the A6 and the Virus C come from actual studio use, but I own neither. Others here may have a more detailed perspective, having lived with the two.

 

I still think the Andromeda is one of the best synths I've ever heard, and for being analog, it is truly a flexible beast. It could be argued that the Voyager or something vintage or modular has more "warmth" or better filters, but you'd be hard pressed to get an analog synth in its price range with the vast palette of USABLE timbres that the A6 has.

 

BUT it's not for everyone. There are certainly things you sacrifice for all of that sonic power, some mundane, some significant. It all depends on what you want or need (or want to need).

 

The Virus C is, IMHO, the best sounding and most practical VA out there, (but I have yet to hear the G2). I expect the TI to sound even better. I think this and another great pre are next on my list.

 

But please, everyone else jump in here or reference some links.

[part1sts]

"We could describe the two with exact same adjectives and they would all be appropriate. Either one would be a monster addition to your setup, but with just a QS, have you considered going the softsynth route? What are you using as a sequencer?"

 

What do you mean by the softsynth route? And what would you recommend to use as a sequencer for a practical live setup?

[clusterchord]

aside from differences of Virus and A6, i'd like to point out that, for all practical purposes in a live setup, Virus TI (Kbd) would be overkill. A used Virus KC or even KB would be way more cost effective. Dealers will probably offer some leftover KCs at reduced prices soon. QS+KC would be a really powerful combination.

 

however, if you do have the over $2K budget for a Virus TI (kbd), then i would definitely forget it, and just get Andromeda and be done with it. Yes, it is the holy grail of analog sound for studio or live. leads/pads/fx/bass whatever you need.

 

After getting A6, if you still feel you'd like that Virus sound as well, you can always get it way cheaper as used tabletop Virus C or B. Altough there are other affordable synths i think might offer more variety in combi with A6 - synths like XT,Q-Rack, MicroQ, FS1R. If you want to spend lot of cash, then Nord G2 or Virus TI tabletop..

 

mind you, for doing 'electronic' soundtrack at home, obviously some money most go on quality DAW software, audio card, some sample libraries for drums/loops/perc/ethnic etc. Also, good FX are pretty much a must, be it in form of plug-ins, or hardware multieffects and reverb.

[marino]

Originally posted by Sir Basil:

May I hyjack this thread for a moment? Because I'm interested in the Virus myself. Since you sound intimately familiar with the Andy, zeronyne, is the Andromeda still the holy grail of synthesizers? Is something like the Ion or Virus good enough that I wouldn't miss the Andy, especially since the Ion has so many filter models? Or if I wanted different filter models, would I be in an even higher circle of heaven if I bought the Andromeda and the Arturia softsynths?

 

Oh gee... even as I type my question, that sounds like the way to go. I have been slobbering over an Andromeda ever since there was one. Marino, please feel free to hop in here and give us the blessing of your epic expertize!

Epic?! Well, I'll try to give my contribution to the subject... please follow every sentence with "In My Very Personal Opinion"... Thanks.

 

Much before I had the chance to put my hands on an Andromeda, I did a roundup of VAs, in the hope to replace some of the vintage stuff which I've sold in the past - things like the Chroma, PPG, Mini, etc. I was in search of Moog-like lead sounds and little else, because I found that my Matrix-12 was lacking in that department. I ended up buying a Yamaha AN1x, which suited my needs well for a while, but was admittedly lacking in many ways (polyphony, ease of use, multitimbrality etc.). Later, I bought an SE-1, which is to this day my main source of Moogism and of analog pleasure in general. Anyway, during that roundup, I played the Virus exstensively for the first time, it was still the B model, and I found the sound of its oscillators almost unbearable. The filters, however, sounded good, if definitely on the 'acidic' side. Add good effects and decent mod routings, and the final sound of the Virus is not bad at all, even for a certified real-analog fanatic like me. Later experiences with the more recent Virus C confirmed my first impression.

 

I played the Andromeda and the Ion for the first time on the same day, spending about an hour on each. The Andy gave me gear lust immediately, while the Ion, with all its filters, three oscs per voice etc. left me cold. The direct comparison of naked oscillators was just merciless. A few months later, I bought an Andromeda. I never entered my mind to buy a Virus or a Ion instead, if not for ease of transportation. If asked for advice on choosing a Virus or an Andy, I'd say one should be out of his mind to buy the Virus. It's overpriced, and although it does sound good, the Andy can do most of the same type of sounds, only starting with a much beefier basic sound.

 

The Andromeda does have, however, quite a few quirkness and strange corners, which can intimidate and frustrate the less than expert programmer. I'll attempt a comparison chart:

 

VIRUS:

 

Pros - Lightweight, portable, reliable, many simultaneous effects, high instant gratification factor, many sounds online, lots of knobs

 

Cons - Basic osc sound sterile and digital-sounding, only two envelopes, mod routings good but not great.

 

ANDROMEDA:

 

Pro - Good real smooth analog sound, great programming capabilities and mod routings, lots of great-feeling knobs, a front panel that screams 'play me!'

 

Cons - Heavy, several quirkness in the OS, a few functions still have an 'unfinished' feel, a few bugs left, a few reports of unreliability (to be sure: nothing if compared with vintage synths ). Also, to achieve that big/fat sound, you have to do a bit of programming effort.

 

So while I think that the Holy Grail of synths does not exist, or, at least, it's different for every analog fan, I also believe that no VA or softsynth can still match the Andromeda. Something like the Nord G2 has many more functions, but not that basic sound.

To be sure: I'm *not* crazy about the basic sound of the Andromeda. It does not have the beef and smoothness of a Moog or a SE-1. But it's still way better than any VA - Virus and Ion 'definitely' included.

 

So for me, the only reason to buy a Virus instead of an Andy could be finding, say, a very cheap used Virus B or C (now that the new model has been announced), or the need for extreme portability.

 

IMVPO (see above)

[Synthguy]

Well... marino, considering the number of instruments you have played, borrowed and owned, I think you rather settled the issue for me.

 

And zeronyne, can you think of any of those shortcomings, and what other instruments and/or softs would cover those bases? I fully intend to get three or more of those Arturia softsynths like the Modular V, CS80V and 2600V to go along with it. I intend to treat the Andy as a traditional analog like a Jupiter 8 or Oberheim, rather than try to get too contemporary with it. I already have some romplers to get digital and clever with, like a Triton and JD-990.

[mildbill]

marino: every time i read one of your posts, it re-ignites my gear lust for the A6.

 

after having read some of your analog adventures, and from the current post, it looks like your order of preference of the things listed would be:

 

minimoog

se1

A6

maybe G2 next?

 

i know this wasn't the original question, but the ion/micron - virus issue was brought up.

if given the choice of say, a virus b, or an ion, would you have a preference for one over the other? or do you think all va's are generally not up to snuff yet?

 

one thing i find a little puzzling is that in your quest for the 'minimoog sound', you didn't get a voyager, but got an se1 instead. i'm assuming it was just a cost issue at the time.

 

you say that you like the basic sound of the A6 less than either the moog or se1, but one thing i'm really curious about is this:

 

did you ever get to do a direct comparison of the basic sound of the se1 and moog? or is your memory good enough that you can tell how close they are?

maybe you already covered this in one of your analog adventures?

 

what i'm getting at is this - is the moog still the holy grail for you, or is the se1 just as good? in your opinion, of course.

[Synthguy]

Oh did he ever! I have dug up his legendary "Analog Adventures" threads, and am tempted to bump every one of them back to the top because they should be required reading for anyone wanting some insight into different analog synths as well as VAs. I should have just searched for them first, they're superb. Now to be sure they're based on his personal opinions, but he has the weight of experience with dozens of synths, including a Moog Modular! Maybe they should be stickied as well. What say, Dave?

 

Analog Adventures - part I

 

Analog Adventures - part II

 

Analog Adventures - updates

 

Analog Adventures - part IV

 

Analog Adventures - part V

 

Analog Adventures - part VI

 

Analog Adventures - part VII

 

I'm going to be reading these for the rest of the evening! Bravo, marino!

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by Sir Basil:

Maybe they should be stickied as well. What say, Dave?

Too many...

 

Great reads, all of them...Carlo is The Man!

 

dB

[mildbill]

sir basil : thanks for listing those posts - i really enjoy reading them.

 

i just did a search again for them, but when i do it, 2,4,6 and 7 show up. after reading the first one, i guess i'd have to say that it sounds like marino's favorite is the modular.

 

i'm wondering if anyone has seen a direct comparison by someone of the minimoog and voyager?

[clusterchord]

Originally posted by mildbill:

i'm wondering if anyone has seen a direct comparison by someone of the minimoog and voyager?

there's several user reviews on sonic state, some quite thorough by people who own both.

http://www.sonicstate.com/synth_reviews/moog_voyager.cfm

 

and if i recall correctly there were some comments by MarkyBoard and Marino in AA Part VII thread, about the snapiness of envelopes..

[Array]

Oh God...Andromeda without a doubt. The A6's sound will NEVER become obsolete, it's THAT classic American sound that so many musicians crave. You, on the other hand, may not be one of them and may prefer the digital timbres available to the Virus instead. That said, if it means anything to you, I think the Virus would be a good compliment to the Andromeda but not vice versa.

[MikeT156]

I always enjoy Marino's posts. Very enlightening, and usually very unbias. But I think the comparison of the Andy and the ION is an apples to oranges comparison, for sure. Most any good quality analog synth by the nature of it's design will sound fatter and warmer than a VA. Saying the ION sounds "cold" is probably overlooking the fact that it IS a VA. The other thing is COST. Comparing a (retail) 3500.00 analog to a 999.00 VA is not at all a fair comparison.

 

Mike T.

[Jeebus]

Originally posted by Array:

I think the Virus would be a good compliment to the Andromeda but not vice versa.

How is this possible? If one is a complement to the other, logic follows that the reverse must be true. That's why they are called "complimentary items".

 

[Array]

Originally posted by Sir Jeebus:

Originally posted by Array:

I think the Virus would be a good compliment to the Andromeda but not vice versa.

How is this possible? If one is a complement to the other, logic follows that the reverse must be true. That's why they are called "complimentary items".

 

Mmmm....I guess my wording was a bit obtuse. The way I see it If I have a Virus and I get an Andromeda, then the Virus will find itself a new spot in the corner of my room. If I have an Andromeda and then get the Virus, then the Virus would also still stay in the corner of the room.

[mildbill]

let us know how it 'really' works out, after you get them both.

[Array]

Originally posted by mildbill:

let us know how it 'really' works out, after you get them both.

No thanks...I'm not really interested in what the Virus has to offer in terms of features. The Polar's portability is a bit enticing though.

[synthetic]

Rumor has it that Andy has been discontinued, so grab one while you can. I can't imagine that they'll make any more, so when they're gone, they're gone.

 

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=779424

[clusterchord]

hope you're not basing this conclusion solely on that thread. it is sooo unconfirmed. everybody in EU is still carrying it, no changes..

 

anyway, i hope it isn't true, for the good of all of us, owners and would-be owners of A6.

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by synthetic:

Rumor has it that Andy has been discontinued,

Not surprising. It only marginally fit into the Grand Plan of the pre-Numark Alesis - I can't see it fitting at all into the Grand Plan of the post-Numark Alesis.

 

I'm actually surprised she lasted as long as she did.

 

When I think of all the spin-off products we had designed for those chips, I get seriously depressed. I really wanted that five space rack version...the smaller eight voice keyboard version was pretty cool, too.

 

dB

[MikeT156]

I was involved in that thread at HC and there is NO rumor. Some folks aren't reading each post. It started with GC selling off Andy's for 1499.00. I "speculated" that if it was being blown out, maybe it was being discontinued, as usually is the case. A GC employee beamed in and said that some of the stores were selling out their floor models on clearance. Items that don't sell real well get moved on down the road as cleanance and has nothing to do with what the mfg. is doing. Maybe Alesis will discontinue it, but I suspect it will be because of lack of overall sales, not anything GC does. Sometimes there are price reductions by mfg. when they are coming out with a new model, but I doubt that Alesis will introduce an new Andy any time soon.

 

Mike T.

[zeronyne]

Also, GC often C marks a product when the chain can't sustain a regular inventory of those items despite the fact that hey are still current product. I was looking at a bunch of 2004 model year basses today that were marked down to cost + shipping.

 

My guess is that an A6 hasn't rolled out of a factory in over a year. Alesis is probably selling old stock.

 

So, can anyone tell me if there are any bugs left? I'm really itching again...

[MikeT156]

Zeronyne:

 

Read Marino's post above on this thread dated 11-18. He says the OS still has some quirks in it, and there are a few things that remain "unfinished". Marino is a very reliable poster and I usually take what he has at face value, he doesn't puff smoke. If you can get an Andy for dirt cheap and can put up with the OS, its your call.

 

Mike T.

[Analogaddict]

Originally posted by MikeT156:

Zeronyne:

 

Read Marino's post above on this thread dated 11-18. He says the OS still has some quirks in it, and there are a few things that remain "unfinished". Marino is a very reliable poster and I usually take what he has at face value, he doesn't puff smoke. If you can get an Andy for dirt cheap and can put up with the OS, its your call.

 

Mike T.

I´ve had mine for a couple of weeks now; sure there are a few quirky details in the os (I have the latest), but none of that matters when you hear the sound - getting an Andromeda is a lifetime investment, so all the much better if it´s cheap! I truly love this instrument - even though I´ve been extremely busy´the last few weeks, I´ve already programmed 50-60 patches to die for! I did this ribbon controlled theremin for instance, tweaking this synth is soooo much fun I wouldn´t know where to begin!