is better analog output or usb output?

[FABIO 1973]

Hello,sorry for my bad language......my name is Fabio from Italy

i have a problem with the my Virus Ti desktop and Cubase Sx 3 .....i have questions for you

1 ) is better "analog output" or "usb output"? better quality audio ?

2 ) my Virus Ti now is connected with the "analog output" but the sound of arp and seq is not synch with Cubase sx 3.......
thanks help me .....Ciao a tutti

[shaneynclan]

in my case they pretty much sound exactly the same.

[maelstrom808]

I may be wrong on this, but I think that the only time you are going to be getting better sound out of the analog outs is when you are running at very high sample rates (96k or higher).

[wildbill]

Originally Posted by maelstrom808

I may be wrong on this, but I think that the only time you are going to be getting better sound out of the analog outs is when you are running at very high sample rates (96k or higher).

AFAIK, there's no way to change the output rate of the Virus - it's fixed from within the processor.
You can of course change the recording sample rate if you're using a DAW, but that affects at what rate the computer is recording, not the rate that the Virus is outputting.

[The Machine]

i didnt noticed the sound difference

[Yornav]

I posted a thread last month... about quality usb vs analog...
Usb, sow I have heard it streaming 16bit 44.1 or 48khz

The analog D/A convertor is 24bit 192khz
My guess is that with for example a motu were you pick up the analog signal of the virus and then stream it in 24bit and whatever higher samplerate to your pc, there will be a big difference because the D/A convertor of the virus never went to 16bit and lower samplerate in the first place. Wich it does via USB.

I think...

[Yornav]

Of course... If you know how a human ear works and how dance music works vs classic music... and all the theory I did not mention ...

Dance music is not dynamic enouch to use $$$ of gear...

[Roby31]

Dance music is still less compressed that pop music or the "not homemade independent productions" in rock's sub-genres

Anyway there's no evidence (and AFAIK, no need for) Access has the TI audio engine to stream data at different sample rates to the USB and the DACs...

[izimizam]

i couldnt hear any difference between the 2 myself but i prefer digital as a rule as i have a noisy roland rack mixer and also some hum via that mixer.I have avoided usb audio though as i think it can lead to problems and not just on the virus ti - many usb audio interfaces are flakey.

[grs]

Its a trade off between
1) USB; no noise and low bitrate
2) ANALOG; Slight noise floor and higher bitrate.
Personally unless I am hitting a sound with massive compression the bitrate issue is a no issue. When I have used High compression on USB sound you can hear the 'zippy' truncation in the quiet parts or tails of sounds.

Consider also:
USB is sample accurate, always in time with project regardless of buffers and samplerate of project.
ANALOG outs are tight but drift a bit let's say plus or minus 3 milliseconds. It also pesents re-routing and delay miss match issues and you have to understand and calibrate your delay setting on the incoming audio.

So for least pain go for USB, and for character go for Analog.