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VOICEMEETER Virtual Inputs/Outputs (VAIO)

Windows 7/8 only – for Windows 10: see this guide

Virtual Audio I/O are THE key feature of VOICEMEETER. Virtual Audio I/O (VAIO) is a special software driver, present itself in Windows, like a hardware device – e.g. a soundcard or a speaker. This way every Windows app can “dock” to VOICEMEETER and send/receive audio signals to/from it.

The VOICEMEETER Virtual Audio I/Os support ALL possible Audio Interfaces and allow to connect any audio application, including professional audio workstations with the ASIO driver format.

Supported driver formats:

  • MME:
    The MME API or the Windows Multimedia API (also known as WinMM) was the first universal and standardized Windows audio API. This audio interface type is expected to work with any audio device but with a latency time, possibly around 100 ms.
  • WDM
    What we call the WDM (Windows Driver Model) audio interface in Voicemeeter is handled by WASAPI: the latest Microsoft Audio Functions to get the best audio performance and a small latency (< 30ms).
  • ASIO
    Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) is a computer sound card driver protocol for digital audio specified by Steinberg, providing a low-latency and high fidelity interface between a software application and a computer’s sound card.
  • KS
    Kernel Streaming or Direct Kernel streaming API allows low latency audio streaming, since Windows XP, but unfortunately not all audio devices provide this interface.
  • WaveRT
    WaveRT miniport driver is supported in Windows Vista and later Windows operating systems and can offer good audio performance and a small latency (comparable to KS).
  • Direct-X
    Direct-X Audio Interface is used by Video Game and some audio software. The latency is usually comparable to MME.

Understanding VOICEMEETER Virtual I/Os
(Win 7/8 only!)

Virtual I/O are connected to virtual audio devices installed with VOICEMEETER.
Playback devices are used as virtual inputs while recording devices are fed with output B1 and B2 (= B-Busses).

The Virtual Audio I/Os (VAIO) of Banana as Windows Inputs & Outputs.
The Virtual Audio I/Os (VAIO) of Potato as Windows Inputs & Outputs.

Virtual I/O Driver Connection Overview

Standard Version

The Standard version provides a Virtual Audio Input on Input Channel #3 and a Virtual Audio Output on BUS B (= Output B).

Banana

Banana provides two Virtual Audio Inputs on Input Channels #4, #5. Two Virtual Audio Outputs are on BUS B1, B2.

Potato

Potato provides three Virtual Audio Inputs on Input Channels #6, #7, #8. Three Virtual Audio Outputs are on BUS B1, B2, B3.
The Virtual Audio I/O (VAIO) support all possible Audio Interfaces and drivers (see list above).