i have heard that usb is not the most realiable... especially if you plan to do 24bit
ian
I take a SPDIF in to my USBPre from a V3 (24/44.1 and 24/48), have run this setup since fall 2002 with no problems.
Box is definitely overkill size-wise for what I am using it for, but FWIW I have to say the USB connection seems more robust that that little dongle on the VX pockets.
Plus once this thing saved me for the Dead at Red Rocks 2003, I forgot to take in the charged Ecocharge for night 2 (left the same battery in my bag that I used night 1), ended up getting low battery on the V3 after set 1. So I just ran mics>USBPre for set 2. Since it is powered off the USB bus, no extra batteries to worry about. Not as good sounding but at least I could run my own mics.
Also this thing is nice for taking a 24 bit SBD patch (it has both line and consumer "tape" inputs), with nice metering. This thing will just NOT clip going analog in, it must have some limiting circuitry in there (that is pretty transparent I should add), you can be pounding the red and still have it sound normal. While I am at it I should mention this thing sometimes clicks and pops like crazy when playing back from the analog outputs. No glitches when recording (analog or digital) but definitely very dirty analog playback.
Take care,
Ben