Access Virus Rack XL, rackmount Virus C virtual analog synthesizer, 32 voice polysynth

The Virus Rack XL is a 1U rackmount version of the Virus C desktop synthesizer made by Access Music. The synth only sold for 2 years before being discontinued, quite hard to find as not many were sold.

The unit has 3 stereo outputs, 1 stereo input (for adding effects to incoming sounds) MIDI in/out/thru, and sounds fantastic. Though the unit does not include as many features as the newer Virus Ti, the think sound of the Ti series makes the older Virus A/B/C units a much more desirable instrument.

This unit has been kept solely in a rack and controlled via MIDI controller, so the synthesizer is in excellent cosmetic and physical condition. My Rack XL includes an aftermarket black/white LCD screen to increase contrast and readability (a great modification indeed!). It come pre-loaded with 8 banks of aftermarket patches and will be ready to rock the moment you plug it in! It even comes with the original box and manual.

More info from Vintage Synth:

A brand new and ever more powerful strain of the Virus was released in 2002 to replace the entire B Series line-up. First up is the flag-ship desktop module, the Virus C. Polyphony is expanded from 24 to 32 voices! Otherwise the synth engine is virtually the same as the B series. Three oscillators, one sub osc., two independent multi-mode filters, two ADSTR envelopes, three LFOs, 16 arpeggiators, 32-band vocoder, five FM synthesis modes and 16 part multitimbrality. The C series offers an expanded mod matrix with 6 source and 9 destination slots, 98 effects, wood side panels, and more! A new 3-band EQ section is available as well as an Undo/Redo function. The operating systems can be easily upgraded via MIDI and there is a free SoundDiver Virus editor/librarian for Windows and MacOS systems available. It has been used by Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, and Max Graham.

The Virus Rack XL (pictured above) packs the entire Virus C into a single-unit rack-module for those of you who don't need built-in hands-on access. Limited in knobs, buttons and LEDs - but that's all. The Rack XL has all the same features and functions of the Virus C and KC versions. It even has front and rear audio inputs to process external audio through its effects, vocoder, filters, etc.

Polyphony - 32 voices

Oscillators - 3 Osc per voice plus 1 Sub-Osc: Sawtooth, variable pulse, sine, triangle, oscillator sync. 5 FM Modes: 64 digital FM spectral waveforms.

LFO - 3 LFOs with 68 waveforms

Filter - 2 independent resonant filters; lowpass, hipass, bandpass, band reject, parallel, split & 2 serial modes with up to 36dB/voice (6-poles), overdrive/saturation.

VCA - 2 ADSTR envelopes

ModMatrix - 6 Sources, 9 Destinations

Effects - 98 simultaneous effects: 16 Phasers, 16 Choruses, 16 Distortions, 16 Ring Modulators, 16 Parametric EQs, Delay, 32-Band Vocoder, Surround Sound.

Memory - 1024 programs (256 User / 768 ROM / 128 Multi)

Control - MIDI (16 multitimbral parts)

Date Produced - 2002