USB or MIDI/Jack leads?

    Hi all,


    I recently joined the Virus Community and I have spent my time trying to get the best configuration for
    my Virus and DAW. One thing i have been wondering is, What is the best way to connect the virus to my DAW. Midi or Usb?


    Chris

    USB:

    • Pros:
    • Using the VSTi/AU/RTAS you get to control the unit in a much more convenient way (not limited by a small LCD screen, shift-button combinations, and "select one item at a time" workflow)
    • Automation of more controls then available in MIDI.
    • Non-degraded digital audio flowing up and down the USB connection.
    • Cons:
    • Sometimes it's hard to find a setup that lets the Virus, which is a USB1.1 device, have all of the bandwidth it needs.
    • Delay when playing live from your MIDI controller. You have to use a different mode when recording/playing live (LIVE button, or direct mode if the Virus outputs are connected as well as the USB).
    • Some DAWs can perform real time rendering for external instruments, but when they see a VSTi they don't give you that option, which the Virus actually needs. There are workarounds for this as well.

    Hope this helps

    Good post Bob,


    I guess using the Usb is better then. A question I had asked support recently was, if i use my focusrite saffire for my interface - do i set input and output to saffire on my DAW (cubase 6)?
    Wil the Virus still operate as normal if i do this?


    Id love to hear opinions..


    Chris

    I use my Virus this way, as it is more reliable... Analogue outs midi via USB thru my Edirol UA1000 10/10 Audio capture rack. midi thru (jacks) to sync Alesis drum machine... and any other aux equipment. Works for me... ;)


    I know lots of people are having USB sync problems when using USB audio out of Virus, as i did originally... but OS updates have overcome this for many... i not tried since though. Am happy with my current config.

    I would like to point out that using USB does not necessarily imply to use the Virus Control plugin!


    If you connect your Virus through USB to your PC, and you *don't* load the Virus Control plugin, you can already benefit from all the advantages of USB to transmit MIDI (no need for MIDI cables nor a MIDI Interface). Audio is transmitted the good old way (S/PDIF or analog outputs).


    In this mode, your computer sees two virtual MIDI interfaces :
    - Virus TI Synth : where your sequencer should be outputing to. This frees up the output MIDI interface of your sequencer.
    - Virus TI MIDI : access to the physical plug of the device. You get an extra MIDI interface for free! 8)


    I got the feeling all of this has been really well designed, allowing for a lot of flexibility.


    Let's put it in a different way :
    Whatever way you want to use your Virus with your computer, you should never need to deal with MIDI cables again! :)

    Zitat von Ace17


    Whatever way you want to use your Virus with your computer, you should never need to deal with MIDI cables again! :)

    That's only true if you haven't got any other MIDI hardware in your set up, I've got MIDI cables going back & forth, balanced & un-balanced audio cables as well as power leads all vying for position in here.


    Most of my gear can only be connected via good ol' MIDI & audio leads.

    Zitat von Ruari

    That's only true if you haven't got any other MIDI hardware in your set up, I've got MIDI cables going back & forth, balanced & un-balanced audio cables as well as power leads all vying for position in here.


    Most of my gear can only be connected via good ol' MIDI & audio leads.


    Of course. I was only talking about connecting your Virus. I also have a lot of cables (audio, power supply, MIDI, etc.), that's why I'm always enthousiastic when I find a way to get rid of some of them! :thumbup:

    Also if you're out to squeeze out the best sound possible from the virus and you're set on using the analog outputs but you work in 44khz or 88khz.. you can unplug the usb and run the virus via midi. That way you can set the virus to generate at 48khz internally to feed the best signal to your analog outs.. while being able to record at 44khz or 88khz.