Can't change between recording devices with ease like in Audacity

WaveLab
1

Hi

I am using Wavelab 12 Pro, but I’m having the same problem in version 11.

My OS is Windows 10 Pro 22H2, latest update.

I have 2 playback devices:

1). Speakers: Dell AC511 USB SoundBar - a USB sound bar attached to my monitor.

2). Speakers: Realtek High Definition Audio - a built-in soundcard on my Z170 Pro Gaming motherboard, on which I am using the green minijack slot for some headphones, currently.

I have 1 USB microphone, which is: sE USB 1000A

When I use Audacity to record audio, it’s quite simple. I either record my voice using my microphone, or I record desktop sound using my sound card, for instance to record a portion from a video or a song, that is playing on my PC.

In Audacity it’s also quite simple to switch between those two modes (recording devices). I click the Audio Setup button in the top panel and a dropdown menu comes up. I pick Recording Device and I pick what I need.

Also, Audacity doesn’t seem to care about my settings under Control Panel > Sound, which is good. That is, it doesn’t care which Playback or Recording device is currently set to: “Set as Default Device” and “Set as Default Communication Device”. The Audio Setup in Audacity seems to override all that, which is really convenient.

In Wavelab, on the other hand, I can’t seem to do that switch from the microphone to the sound card and vice versa, with ease, like in Audacity.

So, first of all, I went to Audio Connections and changed Audio Device to: “Steinberg built-in ASIO Driver”. Then I clicked on the Control Panel - and a list of devices came up like this:

WL_prob
WL_prob1483×829 50.1 KB

I can only choose one device under Output Ports and one device under Input Ports, meaning that under the Recording tab I haven’t been able to successfully assign more than one device at a time.

I know that Wavelab is a sophisticated piece of software compared to Audacity, but it shouldn’t be that complicated to switch between recording devices? Unless there is some hidden setting that I overlooked?

To conclude (TL;DR): I’d like to be able to quickly switch between my mic and the sound card, when recording audio, without playing MacGyver in the settings, rearranging everything, every time.

Also, I tried saving 2 presets (“Mic” and “Sound Card”) and switching between them (under Audio Connections) - but it didn’t seem to change the recording device, even after pressing Refresh.

And another thing. Sometimes the Audio Device dropdown menu becomes blank and I can’t pick anything from there. And sometime the program crashes completely.

Trying out Wavelab has been a really strange, and somewhat frustrating experience.

Any help would be nice, thanks.

"Missing MIDI Out" every time I start a new project
2

Consider using a real Asio compatible audio device, because WaveLab was designed for that and this is the recommended hardware.
The dialogue that you show is a bit of a backup solution when you don’t have a suitable driver; you should not expect too much from it.

1 Like
3

Hi PG

In this topic you suggested me to get a bigger screen: https://forums.steinberg.net/t/wl12-pro-bug-when-resizing-windows-on-highdpi-win10-22h2/

Now you are suggesting me to get a “real Asio compatible audio device”, even though it works perfectly fine without it in a free, open source application.

What exactly is a “real Asio compatible audio device” in this case, that you think would solve this problem?

I’m starting to think that I completely misunderstood, initially, what Wavelab was about, before making the purchase. But I certainly didn’t expect to be told that my old, fully functioning hardware is the reason why I keep encountering these problems.

4

With a real ASIO Audio Device, you would have several audio inputs, one for your Mic, one for your other recording input. I mean, a hardware with several i/o and that comes with a dedicated ASIO driver.
WaveLab can define multiple buses in that case, and then you don’t need to open any longer the audio connections to switch the settings how you do now. For example, in a montage track, you can define a different input for each track. No need to open settings.
The Steinberg Built-in ASIO driver is an adaptation, an ASIO driver that drived a Windows driver. That works but that is not easy if you need to switch among inputs, as you have experienced.

Your hardware might be functioning very well, but it has no ASIO direct driver. Something that is recommended for all Steinberg products on Windows.

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5

Seems like I am not the only one to consider the recording possibilities of Wavelab (and other Steinberg software) a bit old fashioned, when compared to open source software like Audacity.

→ “WASAPI supports loopback recording regardless of whether the audio hardware contains a loopback device, or whether the user has enabled the device.”

I would like to use Wavelab to record from Youtube, but have to use Audacity instead, safe and reload in Wavelab afterwards… very inconveniant and not customer friendly.

2 Likes
6

I understand you can wish this, but WaveLab should not try to do everything, and streaming from the internet is not the scope of WaveLab, at least currently.

7

This video markets WaveLab as the “best audio editor”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiGxEjolBCg

What is the point of an audio editor if not be able to record any type of audio, easily? That is, without any new, fancy hardware upgrades. And it doesn’t matter if it’s audio from Youtube, Netflix, Spotify, a movie, a TV series or a video game. It’s up to the user to decide, as long as it’s not breaking the law.

Perhaps the goal with WaveLab, for a long time, has been to keep adding a lot of new, fancy features, instead taking a step back and focusing more on the basic, foundational features?

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8

Do I need to recall it is illegal, in most cases, without permission, to record copyrighted content from the internet?

9

For what it’s worth, I’m sorry you have to deal with this kind of crap. You’ve done a remarkable job making WaveLab what it is, and I think it’s a shame you have to deal with the level of vitriol and ignorance you do.

Thanks for what you do, sir.

5 Likes
10

It is not forbidden to record for private purpose from YouTube. It is indeed forbidden to publish… but not recording. And concerning YouTube → Imagine someone with a photographic and auditive memory. Is this person not allowed to watch and listen to YouTube? Seriously?

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11

It’s not illegal to record a piece of audio somewhere and to make it “your own” by editing it so such a degree, that it doesn’t even resemble the original audio, anymore.

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I don’t know what you are talking about, especially in regard to “ignorance”.

I respect PG and what he has done with Wavelab over the years, but no one should be immune to constructive criticism.

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Wavelab is a professional piece of software. Professionals don’t tend to use the sub standard built in audio. Also an interface like RME make (and other audio interface makers) has a loopback function so you can record anything you have on your computer and have dedicated asio drivers. Audacity is a toy compared to Wavelab.

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15

Alright, what you say makes sense in a way. But since you say that WaveLab is a professional piece of software, and Audacity is merely a toy compared to it, then you also imply, in a way, that Audacity can’t be used profesionally?

Also, from a business perspective, wouldn’t it be good to have quality of life features implemented in WL, that are already present inside of a popular, free piece of software?

Audacity users don’t have to spend extra money on aforementioned equipment, and yet be able to switch their recording device from a microphone to a sound card, and vice versa, by using a simple dropdown menu. They save that money on hardware. They use that money on WaveLab, instead. Makes sense?

Let’s take an average Audacity user, who doesn’t necessarily master tracks for a living. It can be professional or an amateur. It can be a Youtuber, a game designer, an animator, etc. That user sees WL on sale and is tempted to purchase WL, but why should they buy it, if they already have a free piece of software that can suit their basic needs? And besides, if they try a demo of WL and find out, that it lacks a feature, that they are used to, then they are less likely to buy the software.

Furthermore, where is incentive to buy WaveLab for simple tasks if you are forced to spend extra money on special equipment?

Sure, WL has plenty of unique, useful features that the user can benefit from, but if it also includes features that make Audacity so great for simple everyday tasks like recording audio, then it’s two birds with one stone. Now they have an even bigger reason to switch over to WL and not get frustrated by lacking some of Audacity’s useful features.

Why place that arbitrary roadblock between that potential customer and a WaveLab purchase?

It’s a selling proposition.

In other words - if you want more customers, then why not give them an already existing quality feature from a popular software and implement it inside of a sophisticated piece of software like WaveLab? That way, WaveLab can be a great tool for casual users, as well as for the mastering engineers and the like.

It doesn’t even make sense to me, why you would defend WaveLab not having this feature, making it sound like it’s a bad thing, that a potentially new target audience can enter the market.

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16

It’s seems to be some kind of a religious thing somehow… that’s rather the opposite from being “professional”, imho.

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ASIO is sample-accurate. If you don’t understand the implications of that, or if that’s not a concern for you, and you don’t want to invest in the necessary hardware to enable that, then just use whatever else you want to capture audio from streaming services, there are plenty of options.

If the result is OK for you, then happy days.

1 Like
18

And this go Vice Versa right !?..

19

Good point!
I am still looking for exact latency values of plugins in #samples, not inaccurate, oddly rounded, milliseconds.

20

What do you want to critique mé for - my honesty?

1 Like