Buying either Snow or Desktop TI - Noob Questions

[enossified]

The biggest advantage of the desktop is the knobs for programming. Deep programming requires menu diving on both. If you don't mind programming on your computer screen, then polyphony is the major difference between the Snow and desktop.

The Virus Control plugin only supports three stereo/six mono audio feeds so the 16 parts of the desktop are less useful for ITB use anyway. You can always freeze tracks in Live if you need more polyphony or parts.

I don't know what computer you have, but for me VC inside Live on a MacBook Pro with Snow Leopard works great, I have no problems with latency, clocking or crackling.