Virus TI2 Timing Issue - Unusable even via MIDI and Analog Out

Hey,

I hope someone can help me, as I am getting super frustrated.

I just got myself a used Virus TI2 Desktop, love love love the sound of it!!

Not really tempted to even try using any TI functionality on my Catalina Mac, so I hooked it up with a good old MIDI cable and the analog outs into my Interface (Apogee Element24 and a Midiface 2x2).

Unfortunately, the timing is so off that I basically can not use it. Here are some examples:

First, i just fired up the INIT patch, to see if it has something to do with sound complexity. This is a monophonic 16th phrase, single notes coming from Ableton Live into the Bank C INIT patch:

Example 1

Look at the picture linked above, the first note is lagging behind, the second one is on the beat, and the third one is behind again, just slightly less than the first one. Is this common?

Then I switched to Logic Pro, this time playing around with a more complex patch (ROM-A 68 ODC SV):

Example 2

This is even worse. I didn't even need to look at the waveform or have a metronome playing, it just sounds extremely sloppy.

Pretty sad, since, as I said I am in love with the sound, but if the thing can't even reliably play simple MIDI the oldschool way, I really don't know what I would do with it?

Does anyone know what I might be doing wrong here? I mean, if it was this bad for everyone I am sure this thing wouldn't be so popular...

Can anyone help me out here?

Wow, i was chatting with another Virus owner on Reddit who recorded a simple percussive patch via MIDI / Audio out for me to compare - and the same thing happens! This confirms that I don't have a faulty unit, but it's more of a general Problem with this machine.

https://imgur.com/a/IzQnGU8

Again, not that audible on a simple patch like this, but it's happening! And if I can't rely on it's tightness and it becomes a guessing game which patch is usable and which isn't, I am afraid this thing ain't for me, even if the sound is awesome. I mean, it's a digital synth ffs, one could argue that it has it's own groove and it's a feature, but I am making electronic music in 2021, anything else but sample tightness is just unacceptable for me. If my $700 Digitone can stay tight, I don't see why I would shell out $1300 for a machine that can't.

Sure, the sound is great, really great, but if this is the tradeoff, I think I rather invest in some expansion banks for Spire for inspiration, to have the Rave sound covered, and get myself a Prologue or a Take 5 as a hands-on instrument for the same price and even get some analog circuitry on top.

The only thing is - with hundreds and hundreds of comments online saying that the MIDI / Audio integration is suuuper tight for them, I am wondering how many of those people actually made the effort to verify those claims.

It's honestly heartbreaking. This thing ticks all my boxes, sounds great, amazing functionality, but just not usable for me this way.

Yeah, because of recording latency, I had to nudge them a bit, realistically I would probably have to align the earliest one to the beat, instead I went for the first one. but it doesn't change the fact that they are off to each other...

Anyway, it was good to have it here, as it cured be of that particular GAS still happy for everyone who loves their Virus! All the issues made me fall in love with it less than I thought I would. I will pick up a Prophet 12 instead tomorrow, really curious about that particular one!