Hardware VS software mixer

[Golcondio]

Usine has pretty extreme routing possibilities, allowing to route tracks beyond what's normally allowed by the hardware mixers of audio interfaces...
Is there a reason someone should use the hardware mixer (like the Totalmix feature on the Fireface) rather than routing audio (or whatever fits!) inside Usine? The only use I can see is the possibility of using the interface as a stand-alone mixer without relying on a computer...
Please illuminate me!

[bsork]

I don't know the Totalmix, but in a more "typical" DAW setup than you'd normally have with Usine, it can come in handy for creating low latency monitor mixes when recording. Another use for software mixers is when you use several programs simultaniously. I, for instance, sometimes use one stereo out from Usine and the other from Reason, and can balance the two with seperate faders on my controller.