orry, but I'm not talking about MIDI at all here, but Audio.
If we were talking about MIDI their wouldn't be a problem as their wouldn't be any delay (or at least any noticeable delay) in the first place.
Computers, Nowadays, can handle MIDI really easily without any delay, especially down a USB cable, as we're talking about a message consisting of a single byte transmitted through a cable/connexion that can handle up to 12 million of those messages simultaneously.
So no, it's not MIDI lag.
On the other hand, Audio signal is much heavier, and to give you an idea here's how much a single second of CD quality Audio "weighs":
44 100*2(because 16bit)*2(because stereo)=176 400 bytes=176.4 Ko3.
If you set up the Virus to a higher bit rate, this figure increases further.
In the case of the Virus, this stream of data is transmitted in the following order:
1. Midi message sent from the computer to the virus (no delay here)
2. Audio Data sent from the Virus (delay starts to occur, the amount of which depends on the number of channels used on the Virus and the number of USB outputs
3. Computer processor handles, processes and converts the audio in the DAW (Logic, Cubase, etc)---->More delay incurred, the amount of which now depends on the CPU processing abilities
4. Computer sends the audio to the Audio interface----> more delay incurred here yet again
5. The Audio interface finally converts the Audio from Digital to analogue so speakers/mixing desk can handle the sound and play it back.
When you set your virus to use the analogue outs, the first steps are the same, except:
4. Computer processes the audio it received from the Virus and sends it back to the Virus, while processing other audio unrelated to the Virus
5. The Virus get the audio it sent in the first place and converts it back to Analogue so it can be sent to an analogue mixing desk.
This is made even worst if you use all 3 analogue outputs, as the computer and Virus have to handle 6 mono streams of full quality audio. This wouldn't be a problem on a USB2 connection, BUT, the Virus TI/TI2 is only USB 1.
Overall the Delay incurred does vary depending on you CPU, but using the analogue outputs on the Virus WILL only make things worst.
I am looking for a way to output the Audio straight from the Virus OUt 1&2 across all Midi channels, Hence bypassing the PC altogether except for the Virus Control, which I'd use much like Sound Diver. BUT:
1. I'm told it can't be done unless I give up Virus Control and use the VIrus With a MIDI cable like any other hardware synth.
2. Even with that direct out method nothing guaranties that my computer won't be outputting delayed audio, that will be out of sync with the Virus...
AAARGH...
Just one final hopeful word:
When I first got my Virus, it took it a long time to "settle" in my system. I know that sounds like the biggest pile of BS, but it's a fact that after a couple of months of dealing with delays and out of Sync arps, things got better and better to a point where the delay was negligible and sync hardly ever dropped out. I'm hopping that things will get better as time goes on (here's wishful thinking for you! lol)
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