Topic by Ecaroh

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  • Ecaroh
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Topic: OsTIrus

Hi all!

Sorry if this is a bit off topic but still this might interest someone:

A group called ”The Usual Suspects” have now relesed a free emulation of legendary Access Virus TI synth. As owner of two hardware Viruses this was a great news. IMO this pays respect to Virus which is part of electronic music legacy. Especially 90s trance type sounds and 2000s edm.

https://dsp56300.wordpress.com/blog/

While I am kind of a synth nerd I have no slightest idea how they do this emulation. Maybe someone could explain it in simple form (if that’s even possible)? Emulation is done very fundamental level starting from DSPs. "The goal of this project is to emulate hardware synthesizers that use(d) the Motorola DSP56300 series of DSPs”

In their FAQ they also tell that that ”The emulator used to be an interpreter. The current version uses a technique called JIT/dynarec.”

Users of OsTIrus need also original Virus firmware. From the copyright point of view it’s understanable that they cannot provide this. In general OsTIrus is for people allready having real Virus. To me this isn’t a problem.

To me all this is just a fascinating example of passionate people/collective doing amazing job. Probably mainly just for fun and interest. This is why I believe this might interest people here too which are kind of similar….

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Reply by Key Fumbler

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Re: OsTIrus

Hi Ecaroh,
Try Gearspace or KVR or your DAW forums to get a response from old Virus owners.

I can see the Virus was welcome digital hardware emulation back in the day. This software emulator is mostly nostalgia for Virus users.

Most other people will want emulations of the original analogue hardware that the Virus machines aimed to emulate, without the extra hassle of chasing firmware for ancient hardware I suggest.

Personally it's not my cup of tea as I don't want to jump through actual hardware emulation hoops to get the subtractive synth sounds, especially since the results are not remarkable by today's standards. Not bad just middle of the road now - which was therefore quite impressive in its day!

Reply by Key Fumbler

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Re: OsTIrus

If you wanted the extra wavetable capabilities of the Ti  then you could look at Surge XT which is a totally free and hassle free modern subtractive hybrid. No need for searching around for Virus hardware firmware that fell off the back of a lorry..

Thanks for sharing. If I had owned a Virus synth I would probably have wanted to know about this.

Reply by Ecaroh

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Re: OsTIrus

To be clear I already own two Virus TI2s - Desktop and Darkstar. As a gigging keyboard player I have 12 years of sounds designed with that great synth. Then I naturally own also latest Virus firmware to use with OsTIrus.

So my own interest about OsTIrus is mainly curiosity - how did they make it? - but also a gratitude that this synth is now preserved in digital realm. Access no longer manufacture it and of course support or spare parts are not going to be there forever.

I’ve read that this emulation is made in so fundamental level that soundwise OsTIrus is 100% like real one. I’ve made A/B comparisons and my ears confirm at it’s VERY close if not even 100%.

Of course emulating or modeling digital hardware is complete different story than modeling analog synths or acoustic instruments (physical modeling like PTQ). With digital synths in principal you can get near 100% to original. This was my main interest to put this here in PTQ forum. I am interested to understand a bit deeper what’s the difference to technic how The Usual Suspect does it compared to (for example) Arturia analog synth modeling or physical modeling (by Modartt for example).

Last edited by Ecaroh (09-05-2024 19:56)

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Reply by Key Fumbler

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Re: OsTIrus

Since this is apparently running the original code inside a translation layer it should indeed be sonically identical - when the developers of the emulator want it to be.

I don't see how that kind of software relates to physical modelling of acoustic instruments to be honest.

Anyway it's cool to know they've done it though.

Reply by Ecaroh

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Re: OsTIrus

Key Fumbler wrote:

I don't see how that kind of software relates to physical modelling of acoustic instruments to be honest.

Well, it relates to it in way that OsTIrus replicates a real (physical) instrument in software realm. But as far as I understand it at all, it emulates the hardware (DSP chips) at so fundamental level that it can run Virus’s firmware and then replicates the sound 100%. In the other end of the spectrum is physical modeling of piano for example. In the middle are all those models of more or less analog or hybrid instruments. All of them needs research and coding and result is a plugin.

But my point was not meant to lead this philosophical debate what is related to what. (Which itself is interesting too.) I was just curious to understand little deeper these differences. In fact a guy in Virus forum gave me somewhat better clarification…

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