ASIO or WaveRT?

[david jones]

hi, i am now operating windows 7, and have now found myself with the choice of using either asio or waverRT. previously i could only use asio. is one better than the other?
also, should i tick the box "force single cpu" or "use high priority threads for audio engine", or not tick either? (i am using the i5 processor with 4GB of memory).
thanks,
david.

[Mark Bliss]

hi, i am now operating windows 7, and have now found myself with the choice of using either asio or waverRT. previously i could only use asio. is one better than the other?

Depends somewhat, but if you have a decent interface with its own ASIO driver, I would recommend it for best results. Some people have made good use of WaveRT, but it depends on what exactly you are doing, your requirements etc, and I think is really intended for use of the on-board soundcard.

also, should i tick the box "force single cpu" or "use high priority threads for audio engine", or not tick either? (i am using the i5 processor with 4GB of memory).

Force single CPU is really intended for diagnosing or trying when CPU resource issues arise. But the bottom line is use what works. Try high priority threads and see if that works well for you.

[TrevsAudio]

Hi David!

As I recall you have a Focusrite scarlet 2i2? Grab the latest driver here and use ASIO

[david jones]

ok, thanks mark. and yes you are right trevor ... i will just continue using the asio focusrite drivers i think.
cheers, david.

[Plural]

I have tried WaveRT and cannot recommend it to be honest - not if you're using virtual instruments in a big way. Moreover, I read that Its not really being developed any more. ASIO via my Scarlett 2i2 is better - particularly with regard to latency. I see WaveRT as an emergency option e.g. When I'm working with just a laptop.

[Brother Charles]

Funny, I often have great performance on my HP i3 laptop using WaveRT. Sometimes it's really convenient to NOT have to set up an audio interface - especially when I have to use iLok, midi keyboard, and a controller surface. Just my 2 cents.

[bbdrmz]

Dedicated System=Easy Access
... my two cents...

[gypsy101]

I have tried WaveRT and cannot recommend it to be honest - not if you're using virtual instruments in a big way. .

that is the exact reason I use WAVE RT - my midi keyboard. it works perfectly & I don't have to deal w/ ASIO & dragging out the interface every time.
it's not a dedicated system either but it IS optimized for DAW.

[dung_beetle]

I was able to use WaveRT today for the first time (probably because I had reduced sampling rates to 44k, I remember that WaveRT was not available when I tried it some time ago).
Anyway, at first it worked very well, a latency of 5ms was no problem. However, when I had to leave my computer for about half an hour, the sound was all screwed up when I came back. All instruments sounded like severely detuned.
Switched back to ASIO right away

[Acoustica Greg]

I was able to use WaveRT today for the first time (probably because I had reduced sampling rates to 44k, I remember that WaveRT was not available when I tried it some time ago).
Anyway, at first it worked very well, a latency of 5ms was no problem. However, when I had to leave my computer for about half an hour, the sound was all screwed up when I came back. All instruments sounded like severely detuned.
Switched back to ASIO right away

Hi,

I'm not sure why that would happen. Did you try just restarting your computer to see if your audio drivers were temporarily messed up? Also, if you have any problems with WaveRT, make sure you've got the latest audio drivers for your sound device.

Of course, if you're using a sound device that comes with its own ASIO drivers, it's generally better to use ASIO anyway.

Greg

[dung_beetle]

No, I did not restart my computer. I switched back to ASIO right away, without trying to troubleshoot.
It is no problem for me, I was just curious about WaveRT, and surprised I could even activate it all of a sudden
WaveRT has been kind of abandoned I take it, never really became a standard like ASIO.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

I'm not sure why you'd say that, because it's included with every version of Windows after Windows Vista, including Windows 8.1. It's just part of the operating system's audio support. Lots of people use it, especially when they don't have an external audio interface. It can provide high quality results, but if you've got a good ASIO device, there's no reason to switch.

Greg

[dung_beetle]

I was reading up on WaveRT today and someone wrote that MS is no longer developing that technology, basically it's legacy technology according to that poster.

I am not so sure anymore I got a good ASIO device, everyone keeps saying Asus stuff is very good, but maybe my soundcard is their black sheep
Sometimes I get thread time-out error messages in my other DAW, not in MC, though. The sound simply stops after just a few seconds after opening it. And those errors only occur at certain sampling rate and bit depth combinations.

Sometimes I am really annoyed by that whole computer crap...

[outteh]

Is your on-board sound card Realtek or some other brand. I have an ASUS with a Realtek card. Sounds very nice for playback but I have a good ASIO device and I don't need it for recording.

[aquataur]

I contacted Focusrite and they have no intentions of producing WaveRT drivers.
If I switch Mixcraft to WaveRT it only sees a fraction of the inputs of the interface.

It does see my on-board audio, but Realtek (as probably any on-board stuff) is not considered high quality. Sufficient for playback.

For latency, don´t know where I read this, but it´s logical. You record with low buffer settings for low latency (but likely higher CPU load), particularly realtime synth stuff, and playback (mix, edit) with higher settings for lower CPU load. You won´t notice any difference on playback.

Latency can be subjectively minimized, but not eliminated. However you can do zero-latency recordings with external hardware: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug99/a ... atency.htm

-helmut