TI Snow Automation/Note Information Latency?

[namnibor]

Originally Posted by V-Jolt

I am really hoping to buy a Virus TI Snow soon. I have an Alesis Micron and I want to replace it with a hardware synth that could actually handle information from my DAW (Ableton Suite 9). For example, smooth automation of several parameters at once as well as note information and physical knob tweaks all ideally at the same time. If I try to automate the levels of OSC 1, 2, and 3 on my Alesis Micron (via the Retroware AU), the latency at any buffer size is ridiculously slow. It takes several seconds after you hit stop to actually stop playing the notes and automating the parameters. I am running a Macbook (an old white one) with Lion 10.7.2, 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, and 4GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM. It seems to handle multitasking with my other synths, Ableton 9, plug-ins, firewire connection to my mixer, and midi controllers just fine but the Alesis Micron, when plugged in alone can't seem to handle notes along with 2 or more parameters at all without being really slow. Is it my computer or the synth?

I must know before buying a Virus TI Snow, if it's up to the task, with little to no latency.

I thought I'd pipe-in because I have the Alesis Ion, which the Micron's synth engine is identical, but with a craptastic user interface...I only keep the Ion because with all the knobs coupled with a really greatly deep synth engine with amazing amount of and types of filters.
However, Alesis decided to use NPRN rather than MIDI because they needed the vast number of parameter 'steps' that if MIDI were used there would have been unavoidable stepping in osc's, lfo's, et al.....because of this, particularly even moreso with the little Micron and Miniak (another repackaged Ion Engine, still bad interface as Micron), there's really YET to be editing software that can decipher all those huge NPRN values, let alone dependable *automation* in a DAW.
It's not you or your DAW, it's most certainly the Micron! The Ion is a joy to program and not only faithfully emulates classic analog sounds with it's great VA filters and huge modulation matrix, esp. for some really out there sounds and people tend to kind of play real time when recording or like what I am doing, ambient, droney-hypnotize-cats type experimental stuff.
DSI at least uses SYSEX for those extreme lfo and other parameters way beyond midi's numerical capacity with good handful of midi controllable parameters in the mix.
Your Micron's small form factor, powerful matrix, has a handy redeemable reason to hold onto it--the external inputs and all those crazy filters, not to mention the 40 band vocoder that does not cost any polyphony, and it does various synthy bass sounds quite well!
NPRN and crazy hex sequential parameter ID's...oh my!
The none-Ti Virus synths make wonderful pads as well if you do not wish to wrestle with Virus Control. Seems to be a mixed-bag how that works.
Rant over, (keep your Micron or get an Ion for tons of fun)

[V-Jolt]

Originally Posted by namnibor

I thought I'd pipe-in because I have the Alesis Ion, which the Micron's synth engine is identical, but with a craptastic user interface...I only keep the Ion because with all the knobs coupled with a really greatly deep synth engine with amazing amount of and types of filters.
However, Alesis decided to use NPRN rather than MIDI because they needed the vast number of parameter 'steps' that if MIDI were used there would have been unavoidable stepping in osc's, lfo's, et al.....because of this, particularly even moreso with the little Micron and Miniak (another repackaged Ion Engine, still bad interface as Micron), there's really YET to be editing software that can decipher all those huge NPRN values, let alone dependable *automation* in a DAW.
It's not you or your DAW, it's most certainly the Micron! The Ion is a joy to program and not only faithfully emulates classic analog sounds with it's great VA filters and huge modulation matrix, esp. for some really out there sounds and people tend to kind of play real time when recording or like what I am doing, ambient, droney- hypnotize-cats type experimental stuff.
DSI at least uses SYSEX for those extreme lfo and other parameters way beyond midi's numerical capacity with good handful of midi controllable parameters in the mix.
Your Micron's small form factor, powerful matrix, has a handy redeemable reason to hold onto it--the external inputs and all those crazy filters, not to mention the 40 band vocoder that does not cost any polyphony, and it does various synthy bass sounds quite well!
NPRN and crazy hex sequential parameter ID's...oh my!
The none-Ti Virus synths make wonderful pads as well if you do not wish to wrestle with Virus Control. Seems to be a mixed-bag how that works.
Rant over, (keep your Micron or get an Ion for tons of fun)

Oh I'm keeping my Micron I love it still but I just wanted some decent intigration. I'll just use it without my computer or without making it jump through all sorts of hoops. With everything said in this thread, i still would really like a Virus Ti Snow. I'd go polar but I don't feel like saving up that much money. I'm digging the small portable set up I'm building. The Snow would fit in great with my minitaur, minibrute, and micron

[AndrewM]

I think you'll be okay and it'll function how you'd like it to. I used to use my Snow on a very old PC laptop, recording lots of automation with no issues.

You can get a lot of juice out of a Snow if you program it well. I wouldn't worry to much about voices unless you are looking to perform classical pieces with a long release times.

[V-Jolt]

Man if these tax refunds weren't taking for freaking ever... I'd have a Snow no problem