# Can't use ASIO Software and Windows Audio simultaneously



## Leequalizer (May 7, 2022)

Hey,
for some time now, i can't use my DAW or standalone instrument software that uses ASIO driver simultaneously to other software that uses windows audio drivers. This used to work. I installed the realtek onboard audio that i need for surround sound. This is probably part of the problem but i really would like to have this installed. If this is in fact the problem, is there a workaround? I tried everything now that i know of but i can't get a fix for this. I really need this to work to play along ideas to videos or to songs i want to analyse.

Lee


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## fakemaxwell (May 7, 2022)

With RME interfaces you have to set up WDM devices to be able to playback through Windows. What does your interface manufacturer recommend to do?


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## cedricm (May 7, 2022)

Do you have one audio interface or two? to which are your speakers connected?
Without knowing the details I can offer you only the following advices:
- Make sure you use the same sample rate and the same bit rate (e.g; 48 kHz / 24 bit) for Windows & the DAW
- Make sure you select the option in your DAW to free the audio interface when not having the focus.
Example in Studio One:




- You may also want to configure Windows Audio to forbid applications to get an exclusive access to audio

- Alternatively, you can install Voicemeeter which is a virtual mixer. Even the free most basic one is enough, but you'll have to invest a little time understanding how to configure it correctly.


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## AceAudioHQ (May 7, 2022)

do your asio and windows audio mixing rate and bit depth match? they can't be different at least on my sound card


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## FabIV (May 7, 2022)

You can use voice meeter banana and let it take control of your asio.
In your daw you then can use the voice meter asio and in windows the second channel. Works like a charm


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## Evans (May 8, 2022)

cedricm said:


> - You may also want to configure Windows Audio to forbid applications to get an exclusive access to audio


This is frequently the culprit.


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## Leequalizer (May 8, 2022)

Thanks so far!

I missed to tell you that i use Sonarworks SoundID Software. I heard it works similar to Viocemeter at least technically. It should be made for that stuff. And i had it working, before i installed the onboard audio. Actually i am not sure when exactly this problem first occured. But my guess is it was afer i installed the onboard audio (realtek hd audio). Even tho i don't use it with sonarworks.

My setup is as following:
Steinberg UR12 with newest driver into amplifier with 2.0 speaker
Onboard audio Realtek HD Audio with active 5.1 surround speakers

If i use the 2.0 studio speakers i load up Sonarworks SoundID for room correction.
Problem occurs when now open ASIO software (like Addictive keys standalone f.e. or Cubase), Youtube, Spotify etc (everything running on WDM drivers i assume) stops working, no sound and play is paused. 
Also Addictive Keys cant even "open" the ASIO driver? (pic) What ever that means.

When i switch to Realtek driver i first Quit Sonarworks as its not made for 5.1.
I only use Realtek driver when watching movies or playing games. So i wont open ASIO software anyway when using onboard audio (should be working tho?!).

No drivers have exclusive rights to access audio.
Sample Rates and bit depth should match. I'm not sure where can i see the WDM drivers samples rate and bit depth?


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## Snoobydoobydoo (May 8, 2022)

Whats showing inside that sound - playback settings of win?


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## Leequalizer (May 8, 2022)

Snoobydoobydoo said:


> Whats showing inside that sound - playback settings of win?


In the pic it shows the playback window. Do you mean the recording tab? i add the recording tab now.


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## Taron (May 8, 2022)

Voicemeeter Potatoe is my choice for its level of control. Thing you have to watch out for is the Asio Driver you choose and the Audio Output of your DAW.

• First you start Voicemeeter Potatoe
• In Cubase you'd go to Studio/Studio Setup and choose Voicemeeter VAIO3 Virutal Asio
• ...Studio/Audio Connections and choose again Voicemeeter VAIO3...

In Potatoe you just have to go to A1 and pick your normal audio output, which ever that is. For me it's just the MME headphones.

Oh yes, make sure sampling rate and bit depth match in Voicemeeter and your DAW.

After this, everything should just work fine. You may have to restart your browser, but that's about it.


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## Snoobydoobydoo (May 8, 2022)

Leequalizer said:


> In the pic it shows the playback window. Do you mean the recording tab? i add the recording tab now.


Ah meinte Wiedergabe, hattest du ja schon gepostet. Realtek Treiber nur installiert oder ne Realtek Software wie HD Audio Manager (für 5.1)?


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## Leequalizer (May 9, 2022)

Snoobydoobydoo said:


> Ah meinte Wiedergabe, hattest du ja schon gepostet. Realtek Treiber nur installiert oder ne Realtek Software wie HD Audio Manager (für 5.1)?


Hab auch die Software installiert, aber der Realtek Treiber hat mit dem Problem nichts zu tun, da es ja ein WDM Treiber ist.


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## Leequalizer (May 9, 2022)

I tried diffrent things now and it seems like what ever Software is opened first can use the ASIO driver. F.e. if i open Cubase first i can set the UR12 ASIO driver as audio stream, but that mean i cant use it in Sonarworks or Addictive Key etc. I get the error "Failed to open audio hardware" or "Device could not be opened". Also if i try to use "generic ASIO Driver" i get error "Cannot detect buffer sizes" What settings could i try to change in the Steinberg control center or whereever to get rid of this.

Again, im 100% sure that i had no problems with using sonarworks before.
I guess i really have to try uninstalling the Realtek driver again, to see if it somehow conflicts with this, even when i only swap to that device when im NOT using ASIO Software. I heard windows and audio drivers can be very annoying. Indeed.


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## KurtisDig (May 9, 2022)

Not sure if this would solve your issue but there's an alternative to the regular ASIO drivers called "FlexASIO" (https://github.com/dechamps/FlexASIO). From my understanding it allows to open applications in shared mode, whereas the regular ASIO drivers always open applications in exclusive mode.


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## Snoobydoobydoo (May 11, 2022)

Leequalizer said:


> Hab auch die Software installiert, aber der Realtek Treiber hat mit dem Problem nichts zu tun, da es ja ein WDM Treiber ist.


Japp, ich hatte mal ein ähnliches Problem, wenn die Software drauf war, also Treiberunabhängig hat sie immer dazwischengefunkt bzw. die Samplerate geändert. Aber ist so lang her…puh..Ich kann mal versuchen es nachzubauen mit nem Realtekchipsatz. Mal alle unwichtigen Hintergrund Prozesse beendet?

Im DTS tool Multistreaming aktiviert?


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