Bug reports & end-user support for Akai's MPC Software 'controllers' including the new MPC Studio 2, the MPC Touch, MPC Renaissance & original MPC Studio and MPC StudioB lack.
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By Jive Talking Robot Mon May 20, 2013 7:06 pm
Any Access Virus TI users out there using the Virus Control VST plug in inside their Ren? I'd love to know your results.

Mine were so-so in standalone mode... the 32bit VST loads in without issue; the Ren does not see the 64bit version of course. You can access the VC interface without issue, just like in a DAW. I can edit, tweak, automate, etc... that piece works just fine.

However the MIDI sync is where it starts to get messy. I have no doubt the Ren is sending the clock to the Virus correctly, but the VC just doesn't read it well at all. Even giving the VC a bar to catch up doesn't fix it... the VC doesn't like to lock to the clock; if it does, it drifts. Note I am running a Win 7 64 bit fairly high-end DAW and the Virus TI is plugged in to it's own, private USB port.

I went back to using the Virus as a straight up hardware synth and it works great, but I figured I would see if any in the community have been able to get VC to work flawlessly inside the Ren in standalone mode, and, if so, what your secret was...

Regards,

JTR
By andreat668 Mon May 20, 2013 9:29 pm
It works really bad, lot of latency and the REn is not officially supported by access, so if you ask support to them their gonna shit on you.

I think the latency issue is cause the mpc software does not have PDC mainly.

IMHO much better to use it standalone and send the midi to it phisically.

If we had rewire we could use the ren standalone, open the virus plug in a daw with PDC and record the audio from the ren as well...
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By Jive Talking Robot Mon May 20, 2013 11:13 pm
Thx andreat668. I agree - the Virus is best in standalone mode. I really only use the VC for a patch librarian of all things.

I use the Presonus 1818vsl as my soundcard (basically it's the Studio Live desk I/O w/o the faders, but it has a wicked virtual mixing desk w/ iPad support, complete w/ Fat Channel processing and support for the Ren's virtual outputs) and have not run in to latency issues w/ the VC in the Ren because I bypass both the Ren and the Virus audio drivers and monitor direct via the 1818, but the sync is such slop I can't deal with it... not worth the hassle. I clock sync everything I can clock sync (fx, LFOs, arps, etc), so if it can't sync it's no good to me.

I run all six Virus balanced outs + the Virus SPDIF in to the 1818, and then SPDIF out of the 1818 in to the Ren so I can get nice clean loops/samples (I even run the Ren virtual outs through the 1818 Fat Channel to punch it up and then back in to the Ren to resample). Works great, sounds great.

The VC issues aside, the Virus is one amazing synth.
By andreat668 Mon May 20, 2013 11:44 pm
Yo nice sutup!

The Virus TI is a hell of a synth, its such a sound chameleon!

If you want you can make it analog or delivering crazy digital stuff ala waldorf wave/ppg.

Really its the only hw synth i didnt sold, machinedrum and virus and i feel pretty covered :mrgreen:

Also you can use it as multi fx unit, the built in effects are spectacular!

Anyway i reccomend to us it, as a plug in, in a 64 bit environment.

With Logic 64bit i didnt experienced any latency/sync issue at all.

Lets see when 1.4 64bit is gonna drop...
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By Jive Talking Robot Tue May 21, 2013 2:08 pm
andreat668 wrote:Yo nice sutup!

The Virus TI is a hell of a synth, its such a sound chameleon!

If you want you can make it analog or delivering crazy digital stuff ala waldorf wave/ppg.

Really its the only hw synth i didnt sold, machinedrum and virus and i feel pretty covered :mrgreen:

Also you can use it as multi fx unit, the built in effects are spectacular!

Anyway i reccomend to us it, as a plug in, in a 64 bit environment.

With Logic 64bit i didnt experienced any latency/sync issue at all.

Lets see when 1.4 64bit is gonna drop...


MachineDrum is the one piece of gear I sold that I regret... what an amazing drum machine that is! That is a sweet combo you have there.

And yeah, the FX are awesome - I run a TT-303 through it because I love the Virus Chorus, 'Verb and Delays so much.

The 64Bit VC works great in Studio One - can't wait for 1.4 to drop. I will try out the 64bit VC and update the thread if it turns out to run better than the 32bit version.

BremenCole wrote:Virus, the one hardware synth I always wanted.... maybe someday :wink:


I sold all of my other digital synths once I got it in - it is a digitial workstation and can cover a lot of sonic ground. The coolest thing is how Access continues to add whole new feature sets and enhances/updates the synth engines with their software updates. They are a class outfit to be sure.
By andreat668 Wed May 22, 2013 2:54 pm
Inside the virus plug-in set the jack1/4 as outputs for your synth parts.

Click on the Live button in the plug-in's GUI.

Set the latency of you soundcard to 128.

Avoiding using the arp.

Even like this you are going to have some latency, but this is the best setup i experienced using the virus as plug-in inside the mpc software environment.


Like i said before i believe the lack of PDC is the cause of the latency/sync problem.

Use it standalone and hope 1.4 will solve this problem.
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By JAH Tue May 28, 2013 2:20 pm
I just started looking at this Synth today. It is advertised at AMS as "Total Integration is certified for the following hosts: Apple Logic 8, Steinberg Cubase 4, Ableton Live 7, Digidesign Pro Tools 7.4, Cakewalk Sonar 7, ImageLine FL Studio 7."

Perhaps potential users should petition Access to certify it's use with the Ren/Studio...
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By Metatron72 Tue May 28, 2013 3:21 pm
JAH wrote:Perhaps potential users should petition Access to certify it's use with the Ren/Studio...


Perhaps you should not have left out the part the implies potential hindrances could be on Akai's end,

"Please note that other sequencers/versions might work as well but eventually do not support all functionality. We strongly recommend only using certified products."

Note that the 6 major sequencers all work fine (not based on anything other than they support the standard audio and MIDI standards the VST uses to communicate with the hardware) so it's equally likely if not more so, the Ren is lacking something as a hosting environment compared to (from Access' list) basically every major sequencer.

What I'm saying is obvious, so please spare me any "rebuttals", talk to both vendors simple as that.
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By JAH Wed May 29, 2013 1:06 am
I have no idea if there are any hindrances associated with using the Ren and the Virus. I suspect you don't know either.

Stating the obvious....you forgot to mention that the 6 products certified to work with Virus are full blown DAWs with audio tracks, and multi-channel I/O. Thus...a note from Access indicating not all functionality will be possible with other sequencers. :WTF: :Sigh:
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By Metatron72 Wed May 29, 2013 1:38 am
JAH wrote:I have no idea if there are any hindrances associated with using the Ren and the Virus. I suspect you don't know either.

Stating the obvious....you forgot to mention that the 6 products certified to work with Virus are full blown DAWs with audio tracks, and multi-channel I/O. Thus...a note from Access indicating not all functionality will be possible with other sequencers. :WTF: :Sigh:


And back to the obvious I pointed out, why exactly would someone petition Access regarding all the things Ren isn't capable of?

Which I clearly stated was the likely case. You are essentially trying to disagree by saying the same thing.... :Sigh:

So you've basically said that that Access owners should petition Access in the hopes that they could certify the Ren as a host. Then repeat what I stated about why that wouldn't be much help. :roll:

It's clear you can't even follow your own posts you're so illogical here ever day.
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By JAH Wed May 29, 2013 1:48 am
You simply can't read and/or choose to read into something that isn't there. I am not agreeing or disagreeing with a single word you wrote.

Someone owning the Ren and Virus can petition Access, Akai, God, etc to support functions that currently exist. Stating the obvious....I couldn't care less of anything your personally want, think, etc.