Can't get cubase to show speakers as active

I downloaded a trial of cubase 8 but I can’t get it to work with my external speakers. It shows them as inactive. The computer speakers will show as active and work but my “good” external speakers will not. They will show in the device manager and can be selected but they show as inactive. I don’t understand how to activate them. I’m using windows 10.

Hi and welcome,

The speakers become active, once you route any signal into it.