Virus TI vs. TI2

[sdrr00]

interested in getting a virus TI desktop, and can get a TI for alot less than the TI2. are there any features that the TI2 has that the TI doesnt? also, how important is that extra 25% power? how often does the motherboard "overload" that this increase in power is worth it? anything else the TI2 can do that the regular TI cant?

im assuming the TI and TI2 have the same sound engine and sound exactly the same (right?).. im kinda new to synths so i want to get as much info as possible before i make the decision

[merlin]

A.f.a.I.k the sound capabilities of the ti 2 are exactly the same as the ti1, so the ti2 does not have extra functionality the ti1 lacks.
Whether this will remain so in the future I cannot tell, but given that the sound engines are the same, I assume the original TI will be catching up with all the updates for quite some time to come.

Is 25% extra worth it? Does the TI engine overload much? Well, It is fairly easy to overload the sound engine with just one patch: take two hypersaws+sub+osc 3, put unison on 8, add lot's of fx, set the amp release high and there you go... Any synth will drop out that way and the Virus is no exception, although the raw processing power is already a lot higher in the original TI than in most other synths you get at that price.

WIll you ever need that amount of power? Will you ever use it? My personal opinion is that you won't....In a typical piece of music there will be one or perhaps two sonic elements which really stand out in the mix and "drive" the track. The rest should just fit in without distracting.
I own the original TI and I never needed more horsepower, 3 cores instead of 2 or whatever. A lot depends on how you use it and whether you program the Virus in an intelligent way. Once you know some basic do' s and dont' s, the processing power of the Virus TI1 is already unlikely to dissapoint you.


M.

[cl516]

On my path to purchase the TI2 desktop, I had a first generation unit as a loaner for a few weeks. The processing power thing DOES make a difference, but to be fair, Access also didn't have the same updated operating systems at that time. So was it a matter of TI1 not having enough juice or was it because the OS was sketchy?

With the latest OS now on my TI2, I can make slightly more complicated patches without glitches, and layering in multi seems to work better too.

[Atziluth]

If you can have a Virus TI for the half of the price of an Virus TI2, then go for the Virus TI, and save cash for something else.

But if the difference is minimal like $ 200.- so go for the TI2.

The bigger the price difference is, the better to take the Virus TI.

[ShortBus]

To me the choice is more about the paintsceme and the wallet. Ive played both the units and I dont feel like I noticed enough of a difference in power. I do like the updated look but Ive never had second thoughts abought buying a TI polar instead of TI2 polar after having a TI desktop for 2 years.-besides you can get a ti1 polar or keyboard for the price of a ti2 desktop.

[Celestry]

When I got my TI2 Polar, it had only just been released, so prices were still rather high....

After exploring the forums, contemplating the opinions of others and my own needs, I found that the best option was to buy a TI Polar, not TI2 Polar, as the extra power would never be tapped by a hobbyist such as myself, and at a difference of £500, it was a simple matter. Fortunately for me, they had no stock of TI1, so I ended up with TI2. I was over the moon, dancing like a loon to the beat of sudden fortune! Alas, the 25% power increase remains untouched, yet the updated looks I do admire.

I would make the same choice again, given a £500 difference, though most unlikely to receive a TI2 Polar second time around.

[Roby31]

nope, the "stability" part is pure speculation on whether the improved performances can cause less troubles to the voice allocation engine (as in causing less glitches, less hang notes and stuff).

the 25% more power is due to the fact the DSPs have been changed. these are slightly faster (probably clocked a little faster and some tweaks by motorola, imho) and so provide that little boost in expected polyphony