AudioPilz vs. Virus TI Snow: Synths Are Over?

AudioPilz wastes no time throwing the Access Virus TI Snow onto the Bad Gear chopping block, questioning if this compact, menu-heavy box is the final word in synth history. The Snow’s reputation precedes it—scaled-down, reliant on abandonware, and a far cry from its more celebrated Virus siblings. But does its existence signal the end of the synth era, or is it just a weird evolutionary blip?

The intro sets the stage for a proper existential crisis, with AudioPilz’s trademark humour and a whiff of synth apocalypse. The Snow’s limited controls and reduced DSP power are called out, but there’s a grudging respect for its still-impressive polyphony. If you’re expecting a love letter, forget it—this is more like a roast in a rave bunker.

Let’s get real: the TI Snow is a menu-diver’s nightmare. Where its big brothers offer a forest of knobs, the Snow gives you a handful and a labyrinth of screens. AudioPilz doesn’t sugar-coat it—basic tweaks are fine, but deep editing means wading through 80s-style menus, with an ‘easy’ and a ‘hard’ mode for your pain.

Total Integration sounds great on paper, but in practice it’s a relic. The software is ancient, barely runs on modern computers, and even AudioPilz had to resort to an emulator to get anything done. If you want hands-on control, look elsewhere. The Snow is more USB dongle than synth hero in this department.

Despite its ergonomic sins, the TI Snow still packs a punch in the sound department. Three oscillators, hypersaws, wavetables, granular modes—this thing can get filthy in all the right ways. The filter section brings 90s rave energy, moogish flavours, and enough saturation to fry your speakers.

Modulation is deep if you’re willing to dig, and the FX section is stacked: distortion, filter banks, EQ, delay, and a reverb that’ll eat your polyphony for breakfast. Presets range from keyboard staples to stadium rave anthems, and there’s even a nod to Global DJs with a factory patch. For EDM heads, the Snow is still a street weapon—if you can survive the interface.

AudioPilz doesn’t just roast the Snow—he questions the whole state of the synth market. With the Virus reduced to a glorified USB dongle and modern synths feeling mediocre, is this the end of the line? The Snow’s minimalist connectivity and reliance on old tech make it feel like a relic in a world obsessed with shiny new toys.

But there’s a twist: playing a Virus, even in this stripped-down form, feels like a breath of fresh air compared to the blandness of today’s options. Maybe synths aren’t over, but they’re definitely in crisis mode. If you want hope, you’ll have to look past the menus and see what’s left standing.