So is the TI2 now in danger of being replaced by the Integra?
Going back a few - a bunch, actually - of posts, I do like the Korg Monologue as a keyboard controller. The keyboard feels surprisingly comfortable to play. I heard the knobs can also send MIDI CC but haven’t really messed with that myself. No intention of replacing it with an SE-02 or other monosynth.
It’s another instance of where my preconceived notions of “workstation” blinded me to even considering the possibilities something like the FA-06 could offer. It sounds damn good to me, and the package is convenient. I like that a lot.
I had my own preconceived notions of Roland digital synths shattered recently too. For example, this demo video of a patch library for the JV-1080:
Roland’s SuperNatural tech seems to be underrated. I’d written it off as just another sample playback thing - but didn’t realize how much physical modeling is integrated along w/ the sample plabyack. An FA-06 + Virus TI2 combo might be pretty awesome, depending on how editable the SuperNatural engines are on the FA-06.
The supernatural, and the older pcm synth engines, are fully editable on the FA06.
The FX on the FA06 are also excellent, easily comparable to my Eventide H9 with the advantage that it is possible to have 21 simultaneous FX, albeit a max of 4 on any one sound.
Downsides are not that many modulation destinations and editing can get tedious, mainly because there is so much that can be edited. There is a free 3rd party editor, which is pretty good though it can’t edit the FX yet.
I run thru equipment too. Expressly because I want to hear it, play it and move thru the interface. Every synth is an adventure in design and it’s fantastic. It looks like new toy syndrome to some but I just want to get to know every synth out there. The Virus is an exciting synth if you haven’t been using it for the past decade.
To be honest, the Access Virus TI was never something that seemed affordable to me. Only recently, with the price drop, store credit, a discount, and selling a bunch of small synths has it been within my grasp.
Ti2 is indeed in its own category. However, if you up the budget there are a few multi timbral beasts our there…
The king is john bowens solaris… then you have the Modal 002 and 008 (which to be fair are semi finished and glitchy)…
Korg is releasing a poly that should be multi timbral at NAAM…
But - wait for it… yes Moog will release a 16 part fully multi timbral analog poly in the coming weeks with a crazy UI… just a gut feeling - you heard it here first
No offense to the patchmaker since I’m sure they’re technically fine, but this sounds like the same old cold/harsh/flat rompler type stuff Roland digital synths of that period were known for and those modules the sounds are for always sounded exactly like this to me (I owned an XV-5050 for years)