virus vs duet: audio interface?
 

anyone use the audio inputs on the duet much? i have a little phatty, and i dont want to castrate any of its "phatness" by using a sub-par audio interface. ive been considering getting an apogee duet.. but i wonder, do i really need one? what is everyones experience with using the virus to record into DAW's? would there be any point in getting another interface? is the sound quality as good as i would imagine?

another question.. if i am using my virus as my sound card.. can i leave it on, all the time? i know i could do that with a duet, but i feel uncomfortable leaving my virus desktop TI powered up and running 24/7.

I run my virus through Spdif (fully digital connection) into a motu ultralite, and process some gear through it, usually my waldorf pulse or XT.

I would run it straight through the USB but I don't really ever use viruscontrol.

I find that processing the gear through the virus and then through spdif is much better quality than going through the ultralite's conversion.

I imagine it would be the same if you were using the virus through USB.

I've wondered for a while just how good the converters in the virus TI's really are.

as for leaving it on, I'm sure it wouldn't be bad, but I know I get uncomfortable leaving my gear on if it isnt being used.

I have an ultralite, too. I've always avoided using the TI as an interface because while I'm sure the A/D converters are good AFAIK the USB and S/PDIF transfers at 16 bit where the ultralite transfers at 24 bit. I'm not sure how the virus dithers or whatever and I don't think my ears are really good enough to tell the difference, but my attitude's been, why risk it. Maybe I have to rethink that...

Err.... I don't know if it's just me, but I found a huge difference between the Virus and my M-box2. Thats why, when my M-box crashed I couldn't rely on the Virus, I got a MOTU 8PRE. :confused:

Maybe I should give it another try, but I found it quite dull, to be used as an audio interface.
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volcano digital