Understand your thinking on the Soda 100%. It's a perfect all-dayer in the peaks. I love the feel of a hardtail and how connected they are. Obviously never had a Ti one, but your description is very appealing! Had a Cove HT until a year or so ago - sold to help fund wedding (chair covers)
Still getting used to the Ibis as its not been finished that long. It's pretty special though, sub 29lb with the reverb, DW suspension is like a magic carpet - direct feeling in singletrack and on the ups, like a magic carpet on the way down. Given low weight I'm still getting used to ploughing it into stuff flat out! It has to do everything except DH duties (trails, XC, odd merida marathon etc). I'm used to single pivot simplicity having come off a Santa Cruz Heckler and have an Orange Patriot for DH, so Ibis suspension feels great.
In North Wales all next w/e riding the Ibis and running in the Edition 30! Quite excited bout the latter on those Welsh country roads!