here's a pretty good article on digital leveling:
http://www.digido.com/level-practices-part-1.html#loudness
especially the paragraph "How Much Headroom is Enough?" might proof itself useful to those asking themselves why the Virus TI is not as loud as other virtual instruments (because it needs headroom) and why one shouldn't bother about it.
in chapter 2, which can be found here: http://www.digido.com/level-pr…ncludes-the-k-system.html you can learn more about mixing hot with digital systems without crunching and destroying the sound by using old habits from the analogue worlds.
enjoy the eastern bank holidays
marc