I am posting this in the X-Series forum rather than hardware since it's more closely related to software and compatibility in X2/X3.
 
Anyway, I am thinking about upgrading my synth workspace to replace my Virus-C with a Virus TI(2) Desktop. There are several reasons why I want to upgrade including a better modulation matrix, more wavetables and grain oscs, more FX, bigger polyphony, blah blah blah...and I look forward to using the GUI too! Which lends to my question:
 
Anyone using a TI with the Access programmer software in Sonar X2 or X3, either in 32-bit or 64-bit platforms? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it not only works as a stand-alone, offline programmer, but also as a VST for input/output and integration within the DAW.
 
So much success or much frustration? Issues, glitches, lags, latencies, miseries, tears or pain/frustration, or tears of happiness?
 
Thanks!

I have a Ti2 Polar and it integrates well.
 
I have win7/64 and the VST2.4 version of VC (Virus Control) works just fine.. you do need to leave a blank measure at the beginning of the track for sync purposes but I am sure you already do that with hardware gear. I certainly don't see any of the horror stories reported on other DAW on the Access forum.
 
There is an issue with the integration of the VST3 version of VC however the bakers are aware of it and I have high expectations that this will be resolved in x3c
 
One thing to note (TI related) is that you will need to dedicate a full USB port to the Ti.. it uses USB1.1 in isochronous mode and doesn't share nicely.. so you may end up needing to either move stuff around or buy a USB card.
 
feel free to pm me if/when you get the Ti if you have issues.

Thanks for the great reply, Mystic38! I appreciate the information!
 
Dedicating a full USB port to the TI shouldn't be a problem. By dedication of a full port, you mean to not have it on a hub, correct? If it just needs its own port, then I should be OK.  I still have a few left. If I was using a laptop, however, I'd definitely be SOL!
 
Depending on how it sounds, I may end up keeping the TI2 tied into my setup via its analog-outs. The Virus C's DAC's sound pretty good, and I imagine the TI2's would be equally as good; perhaps sounding better, and more classic, than using the audio-over-USB technique. By doing so, however, I imagine I lose a little integration, but not a lot...just the audio portion.
 
Mystic38, are you also using your Polar to act as your MIDI controller as well, or do you prefer to use a separate controller or another key-synth in your setup?

Another Sonar X3/Virus TI2 (61-key version) user here.  I'm using it on a W7 64-bit machine.  The Virus Control software has been pretty solid for me for many years now, including when I previously owned a Polar TI1 that I used with Sonar 8.5/X1.  No major deal breakers on my end, although the arp or LFOs *occasionally* have problems going way out of sync with the project tempo - it primarily seems to happen when I start playback too quickly after stopping it (e.g., maybe before the buffer clears or something?) - stopping playback for a second or two usually seems to get it right back on track.  Anyway, I use the TI2 as my primary MIDI controller as well - it's a beautiful instrument with a killer keybed, plus you have the ability to create custom controller templates.

Thanks, everyone, for all the replies! I feel much better about the future upgrade.

2:43AM
Thanks for the great reply, Mystic38! I appreciate the information!
 
Dedicating a full USB port to the TI shouldn't be a problem. By dedication of a full port, you mean to not have it on a hub, correct? If it just needs its own port, then I should be OK.  I still have a few left. If I was using a laptop, however, I'd definitely be SOL!
 
Depending on how it sounds, I may end up keeping the TI2 tied into my setup via its analog-outs. The Virus C's DAC's sound pretty good, and I imagine the TI2's would be equally as good; perhaps sounding better, and more classic, than using the audio-over-USB technique. By doing so, however, I imagine I lose a little integration, but not a lot...just the audio portion.
 
Mystic38, are you also using your Polar to act as your MIDI controller as well, or do you prefer to use a separate controller or another key-synth in your setup?

Hi again,
 
usb port:
Yes, the Virus needs a full dedicated port on the motherboard, not sharing with anyone, so no hub no nothing.. take care that some adjacent PC USB ports are part of a hub on the motherboard so this may take some identification on your part.
 
Controller:
I specifically went for the 37 key polar to use it as my main controller..so that there is still room for (say) Maschine or other unit on the desk. I just wish a 49 key version would come out. The 61 key would consume to much space so I live without.
 
As cryophonik says, the key action is near perfect, so if you are undecided then think of a polar, or if you must have 49 keys, the Novation SLII has (to me) an almost identical keybed and would do well with the desktop version.
 
my layout..(mc-808 temporary)
 

Mystic38

 
Nice! The Polar is indeed quite small!  Though it's a convenient little package, I'll definitely agree that 49 keys is the happy medium. Therefore, I will be keeping my A500pro and sets the sights on a TI2 desktop. I've always been more of a rack man myself anyway! Haha!
 
Sort of unrelated question: can the Virus do multiple and separate outputs now? The Q can do this (i.e. assign individual patches in multimode to a different analog output--main-outs, sub1-outs, sub2-outs), but is it possible now in the TI2? Or perhaps they incorporated multi-outs using the USB-audio-interface function? The Virus-C could indeed push audio out to Out-2 and Out-3, but it was in addition to Out-1 (Main), not separate.

the vst opens in multimode.
 
you can on a per patch basis direct the output to stereo outs, 1 (main), 2 or 3, or USB 1, 2 or 3. I don't see a wy to have multiple outs simultaneously
 
One way to manage the multiple tracks is to split them into groups of three.. (though i guess you could pick up to six if you have multi channel inputs). when you freeze the VC VST it prints to audio, then you can instantiate another instance of the VC for more tracks.. in this way you can have many Virus tracks, but of course at any one time only one instance of VC can be active.. when you are a perpetual tweaker as I can be it helps, as you always have access to the synth parameters.. just unfreeze the VC that you wish to edit..
 
cheers,