Unlike macOS which only uses Core Audio, Windows has a variety of different types of audio drivers, so in this guide, we will discuss the different drivers which are used on Windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MME, WASAPI, and WDM are Windows OS-specific audio drivers. With these drivers, audio is streamed through the OS, which is then sent to an internal sound card or external audio interface. On the other hand, ASIO streams the audio directly into the interface without the OS needing to process it first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MME<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MME (Microsoft Multimedia Environment) <\/em>is a native Windows audio driver. In fact, it was the first audio driver released when Windows 3.1<\/strong> was released. Most built-in audio cards run on the MME driver protocol. Most PC audio software supports MME. WASAPI<\/p>\n\n\n\n WASAPI (Windows Audio Session API<\/a>) is newer technology from Microsoft which employs methods for directly sending audio to the hardware’s output called Exclusive Mode. Most Blu Ray and DVD playback software use this because it allows for Dolby and DTS, encoded surround audio to playback through the digital audio outputs. This mode also will not allow other applications to use the hardware simultaneously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n WDM<\/p>\n\n\n\n WDM (Windows Driver Model) <\/em>was released with Windows 98<\/strong>. It isn\u2019t technically an audio driver; instead, it\u2019s a platform for audio drivers to become a part of the Windows kernel; a core operating system component. This is known as kernel streaming. It is the standard for audio in most applications such as audio from your web browser, iTunes, and other media playback software. Many video games will also use this protocol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n ASIO<\/p>\n\n\n\n Steinberg designed this format to improve latency performance and channel count compared to Windows Audio drivers. ASIO (Audio Stream Input Output) allows the software to bypass Windows Audio and gives direct communication to the hardware. This is the preferred driver mode for all professional recording and audio applications. Because of the direct communication between the hardware and the software, device sharing between multiple applications is severely limited or not allowed. This means you won’t be able to reliably run more than one program using your interface while your recording software is open. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Return to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Most audio software will allow you to choose between the ASIO, MME, WDM, or WASAPI driver. The question then becomes which driver format you should use. There are a few things to consider when choosing the primary playback and recording device. Using a Windows audio driver (MME, WDM, WASAPI)<\/em> is perfectly fine in cases where you’re gaming, streaming music or movies, or making video calls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, for most pro audio recording applications, ASIO is the preferred driver format to use, particularly when using an audio interface. It provides the lowest recording latency and is compatible with virtually all audio software. Class-compliant interfaces often use a generic Windows audio driver, which, depending on the DAW, may not be able to be configured correctly. To alleviate this, a third-party audio driver called ASIO4ALL<\/a> is recommended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nASIO vs. MME, WDM, and WASAPI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n