Alternatives to the TI ??

  • Hey!


    I am starting to look for alternatives for the Ti to sell it then later. Does anyone know good alternatives? I don´t need Plugin stuff, I need a good compact multimode machine with inputs, effects, a good modulation matrix. I can work with oldschool midi, usb is nice but not absolutely neccesary.


    (The reaseon why I come to this pont is that I use the Virus since the "A" and the sound is brilliant but the TI doesn´t work properly. They say it does but most people who had contact to it know it better. Dropouts, Clicks, Sync action, we all know this since years. I am fed up.)


    What do you think? And what would be your alternative favs?


    Manu

  • It sounds like what you need is exactly a Virus, so why don't you get whatever bugs in your system worked out so you can use it. I don't ever have problems with dropouts and clicks or sync action (though I don't use my onboard arp so can't speak about sync action there). I have never once experienced the problem you mentioned about volume changes.. it's not normal behaviour so there must be something wrong which is likely user error or the way something is set. There is an option in the config menu to disable midi volume changes in case something there is causing problems.
    What computer do you use? OS? DAW? I don't suppose you use an add on pci usb card? What Virus OS are you running? Are you using the Virus as your audio interface?
    I use an i7 920 overclocked to 3.8ghz running windows 7x64, Live 8, no add on usb card, Virus OS 4.1.1.05, and I don't use the virus as my audio interface. Runs smoothly.

  • I don't understand your choice. Why not keep the Virus and use it in stand alone mode?
    Most of the issue the users are facing here are related to the Virus Control plugin, not the synth. So if you use good old MIDI (over USB or not) you will be fine.

  • Good point Ace. Even if you take out the fact that the TI uses TI, the Virus TI is still, in my opinion, the best synth on the market. You guys know it's power. Before you sell your Virus, consider these points.


    The Virus TI...
    ...has one of the most complex and powerful mod matrixes of any synth.
    ...has powerful Hypersaws and Wavetables.
    ...is a truly polyphonic and multi-timbral synth.
    ...has the most options and powerful effects section of any synth.
    ...has amazing mutlimode dual filters with analog emulation.
    ...can create almost any analog and virtual analog sound, including emulating classic synths.


    So let me break this down for you. If you sell your Virus, and you want something equal or more powerful...get ready to dish out the cash, and I mean A LOT OF CASH. You will need as many synths as parts you want. You will need a separate high powered rack mount Lexicon style reverb for EVERY part. You will need a total stompbox pedal rig for EVERY synth. Which includes a chourus, delay, phaser. Ring modulator, EQ pedal, distortion pedals (you will need a few here per pedalboard) and an overdrive.


    This of course could cost you 10s of thousands. So my suggestion, friend, is that we try to help you figure out what is wrong with your computer to Virus communication. I have had issues and so has most other users. It is the SMALL price we pay for FREE UPGRADES. Think about this, please, before you make a choice that you might regret.

  • Do you absolutely need a hardware synth to replace the Virus? Although the engines are quite different, Omnisphere is just as cool as the Virus in its own way - the modulation options, effects, etc. are as powerful and good-sounding as anything in the Virus.


    Sure, there are a lot of things that the Virus does better, but Omnisphere has A LOT going for it as well (and not just the 7,000+ killer patches that come with it). Most people would be surprised to learn what a versatile synth Omnisphere is.


    You do need a pretty powerful computer to run several Omnisphere parts. That's where the Virus is great because it doesn't place any serious demands on your computer.


    Anyway, it's something to think about. :)

    Synths: D-550, EX-8000, Matrix-1000, Microwave, Microwave XT, MKS-50, MKS-80, Nord Rack 2, Nord Rack 3, Pro One, Prophet '08 Rack, Pulse, Pulse 2, Shruthi, TX7, Virus kb, XV-5080, Maschine
    Computer: Core i7-970 3.20 GHz Hexacore, ASUS P6X58-E PRO, ATI FirePro 2460 quad head, RME RayDAT w/4x Alesis AI3, 2x MOTU MIDI Express 128, Cubase 7.5

  • Woah let's not get carried away here lol. Almost sounds like you've never owned a moog or one of the key vintage analogs!


    Bro, people that talk crap on a Virus for not being able to make pure analog tones are in my opinion the same people that might forget that when I rock a sold out party nobody in the audience cares because it is all about setting well in the mix. And yes you can make some amazing sounding analog sounds. Just use vintage 2 as your analog boost in your patch. As a matter of fact add that sub oscillator and ring modulator with the analog 4 pole filter and record it beside a moog. I have played plenty of Moogs, and they are badass. My point was that the if you only have 3000 dollars and you go buy a REAL synth and that synth is not a Virus TI, it will feel like the girl that got away. Omnisphere is a very good synth, but I feel like people buy software synths because they don't have the willpower to save up enough money to buy hardware and they talk up how sick it is to feel better about it. I use softsynths too, but they rarely cut it for me in terms of "the complete package".

  • The Supernova can do a lot of the things you've mentioned:


    • Complex & powerful mod matrix - Yes, not as many routing options as the Virus but impressive all the same.
    • Hypersaws - Nearly, the Supernova has DoubleSaws
    • Wavetables - No
    • Multi Timbralled - Supernova has 8 parts to the Virus 16
    • Powerful effects - Yes, reverb, delay, chorus/flanger/phaser, comb filtering, eq, distortion etc. Each part can have it's own effects applied independently & the reverb, delay & chorus chain can be switched around.
    • Multimode Dual Filters - No, Supernova only has one MMF
    • Sounds - It's not a Virus, but it's a great sounding synth.

    Before I owned a Virus, the Supernova was my most used piece of equipment. It's solidly built & in almost a decade it's never missed a beat. There is one area where the Supernova leads the Virus, the Arpeggiator - it's very easy to quickly programme really complex patterns, I'd love to see a similar system on the Virus.

  • Supernovas are sick. I love them, but I prefer the Virus for it's darker and edger tone. The arp on the Virus can be edited in VC of course and with the newer Arp to Matrix setting, I don't think that the Virus is lacking in that department. All the Trance, Hardcore and Hardstyle users of the Virus love that you can actually have dual oscillators that are stacked and detuned with 9 Hypersaws per patch.

  • Don't get me wrong, my Virus is my No.1 synth now. I'm just offering what I think could be considered genuine alternatives to the OP & using the list from your earlier post to compare the two.

    The arp on the Virus can be edited in VC of course and with the newer Arp to Matrix setting, I don't think that the Virus is lacking in that department.

    The Arp to Matrix option is a great thing to have, I've never used anything like it before. But for programming patterns, with the Supernova I can program a 1-2-4-2-3-3-4-1-2-1 pattern or any other that I can come up with quicker than I can type it here. That's just not possible right now with the Virus, after I made the jump from the Supernova it was the first thing which I missed about it, the 2nd thing was the switch-able effects chain.

    Zitat

    All the Trance, Hardcore and Hardstyle users of the Virus love that you
    can actually have dual oscillators that are stacked and detuned with 9
    Hypersaws per patch.

    I fixed your quote for you. The Hypersaws are special, regardless of the genre of music you make.


    Overall, the Virus is not left wanting in any department - not just the Arp. The examples I gave is just me having a classic case of, "I wish this synth did these cool things that this other synth does" syndrome.

  • Bro, people that talk crap on a Virus for not being able to make pure analog tones are in my opinion the same people that might forget that when I rock a sold out party nobody in the audience cares because it is all about setting well in the mix. And yes you can make some amazing sounding analog sounds. Just use vintage 2 as your analog boost in your patch. As a matter of fact add that sub oscillator and ring modulator with the analog 4 pole filter and record it beside a moog. I have played plenty of Moogs, and they are badass. My point was that the if you only have 3000 dollars and you go buy a REAL synth and that synth is not a Virus TI, it will feel like the girl that got away. Omnisphere is a very good synth, but I feel like people buy software synths because they don't have the willpower to save up enough money to buy hardware and they talk up how sick it is to feel better about it. I use softsynths too, but they rarely cut it for me in terms of "the complete package".


    I take that as a yes to not owning any of the best analog pieces ;)
    Between my Moog Voyager and my Juno 60, my virus gets used the least. You can pretend an audience doesn't care if something came from a virus or a moog.. but it's complete and total bollocks. That's because they are different and capable of making sounds the other can't. I can get huge thick sounds from my moog that I've never heard come from anything else and same goes for my juno 60. Different instruments excell at different things. My Ti would destroy my moog for Dubstep for example. If the crowd is going off to a track built around a huge lead that was characteristic of this or that synth then there's your difference and they're eating it up. Same goes for everyone listening to your tracks on their own time going "holy crap that sound is awesome!"


    Nevertheless I love my Ti though and can't imagine getting rid of it. It's a powerhouse and capable of so much. To me it's the best in the Digital & Virtual Analog classes.