Virus Ti vs Peak/Summit

Which and why?

Neither, without context.

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Both, without context.

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Had the Peak but kept the Virus. That being said, the Peak has a lot going for it. It’s one of the easiest synths I’ve ever used to program from the front panel. It has a very clear and deep sound with plenty of bass and oomph. It also patch changes nearly instantaneously which is great with an Elektron sequencer. If you need multitimbral, then the Virus is the obvious choice. If not then the Peak might be the way to go. In fact, I mostly sold my Peak due to space issues.

Concerning the Virus, it is a pad monster. It also makes some really dirty mid bass and unison bass sounds that are phenomenal. It’s also a synth that is the sum of its parts with a comprehensive per part effects section (in the TI models). The Virus has a very distinctive sound that can be a bit love/hate for some. If you’re not familiar with it and just go by the presets you’ll likely be disappointed (it can sound very dark, though Jexus referred to it as “muffled”).

I don’t know, if I was choosing right now I’d be leaning Peak but the Virus is also a total beast. Good luck lol

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Digitone.
Because This v.s That comparisons are pointless.

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If we don t think about multi timbrality and just sound, why would anyone prefer Peak?

Someone said no context. This is the context: you want a good sounding poly especially for chords and stuff that u mainly do with a poly synth.
Most demos of Peak left me cold, and I wonder, being kind of similar in price, why would someone choose Peak over Virus.
This will also help me in aquiring the right poly.
Thanks!

Let me know when it’s time for me to talk about the Prophet 12. In any context, really. I even bring it up at parental meetings in my kids’ school. Almost got arrested once for that.

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Different synths, buy both :+1:

Ahahaaa… had one… not my cup if tea. Thanks!

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If I had so much money I would buy all synths… try them for myself and sell after… and post here only to add my opinions, but not that rich :frowning:

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Yeah, it doesn’t seem to be one of Sequential’s most evident hits. It easily ends up in harsh overtones and def does not have that presence that a raw VCO provides with a complete analogue signal chain provides. But it’s the combination of …

… oh, here I go again.

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I would suggest to dig deeper and get much more information about both machines. It’s not easy to answer your question, because you didn’t mention your “intended use case”.

If somebody needs a poly to get decent pads for chord progressions, I would say, there are many synths out there, doing the job very well. If one of them has the sound you like, take it.

I own a Virus TI2 but not a Peak, so I can only speak for the Virus.

Beside the typical “virtual analogue” business the Virus gives us a couple of “oscillator modes”, which are not provided by others. It has as an example “formant” and “granular” based oscillator modes. These modes work with the wavetables of the instrument and create fantastic timbres and sound scapes. There is more … like the arpeggiator. This isn’t the usual up-down arp. It provides a couple of rhythmic pattern, which can easyliy make a basic timbre to sound quite complex. There are thousands of professional presets available from Access for free, made by renowed sound designers. IMO programming fluidly on the machine is possible, which I think is mandatory to have fun doing sound design myself.

I suppose that the Peak will also have its own strenghts.

Take your time and compare, best in real life, if this is possible w.r.t. the pandemic restrictions.

Because they think it sounds better?

Certainly I think the Peak sounds better than the Virus, but I’m sure there are others that feel the opposite. Subjective opinions usually work that way. If you’re after something other than people queuing up behind their preference, some more detail about the job to be done could be helpful.

On the other hand, if being “a good sounding poly” is the biggest issue, it seems like you prefer the sound of the Virus, right? No amount of other people saying “I like the Peak” can (or should) change that.

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Not really… I am interested more why people like a certain synth to help me make my decisions… my cup is empty. :slight_smile:
Up to this point I don t know why people like Peak so much… but I like the price so I am tempted, but can t hear a demo to motivate me.

I can only speak for myself … it has to give me something, which is resonating, like:

  • playability and direct easy access to most of the paramters … like an ARP Odyssey or a MatrixBrute, etc.
  • capable of particular sounds for the music I create … like a Voyager, a MatrixBrute, a D50, a Virus, etc.
  • capable of kind of exotic sounds and behaviour like a Delta CEP A, a Flame Meander, a Syntrx

Most of the purchases have been done after quite a time of research, comparing, and asking myself, why would I need to have this instrument and what would I do with it in a real project?

Some like the MatrixBrute jumped out on me like a jack in the box after the first glimpse at NAMM, I got one, and never regretted. Some did exactly the contrary, like the Quantum, long desired and at presentation … puff … :wink:

The cost were never a criteria to decide, whether an instrument was for me. TBH … cost only decided, whether I could afford it, or not.

For me it’s a mixture of gut feeling and analysis. If both direct in the same way and I can afford it, I try to get it :wink:

Problem is … this decision process is very subjective and very different for each of us :wink:

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Not sure if you mentioned it by what type of music do you make?

Thanks!
U talking about Peak I presume, right?
U say it can go Virus and beyond? Any sound examples would be great! :slight_smile:

I make my own electronic stuff… let’s just say for the sake of saying…a mixture of melodic house/melodic breakbeat/ and psytrance with a little industrial :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

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While the Virus is more than capable to crush it in any of those genres, I’m still leaning Peak due to the ease of programmability and the fact that multitimbrality is not a concern.

Edit: I’ve also never really read about anyone being disappointed by the Peak’s sound. As a previous owner I can vouch that it delivers on the sound front…