More than two microphones on UR44C - no audio signal from 3rd micropohone in Windows

Steinberg Hardware UR-C Series
1

Hi there,

we’re working in conference rooms and are tryinging to connect three microphones with an UR44C and USB-C to a windows computer.

Further testing Software for recording ist Audacity and OBS/Zoom for streaming. In the end we will use special systems like Q-SYS or Vertex audio visual equipment.

The first and second microphone are working fine, stereo and mono. But the third microphone is only shown as level in dspMixFx. Looks like the Seinberg USB Driver only uses the first two channels. I want the three microphones mixed together delivered as one channel supported for Windows.

In OBS and Audacity driver namend “Line (Steinberg UR44C)” and “Loopback (Steinberg UR44C)” are selectable. I don’t see any outgoing driver from dspMixFx.

By installing Audacity I got license warning for the Steinberg driver. In Audacity documentation I found the option to compile with ASIO-Support. We need legal software for the conference romms on a university. Buying lincenses is not a problem, but i don’t know which one.

Did i miss an option in configuration the dspMixFx ? Is there another USB driver für the UR44C?

Best Regards,
Bernd

2

This is a limitation with the Windows sound system. That’s why Steinberg introduced over 25 years ago, ASIO.
Unfortunately, OBS is not able to use ASIO.
You can try to use a wrapper software or a dedicated mixing app.

DAW software needs to see the microphones as separate signals to record.

You don’t need to buy a license. The use of ASIO is free of charge. The Audacity team can’t bundle the ASIO support by default, that’s the only drawback.

3

My understanding is this.

Not all ASIO Driver’s are written the same, but do follow the basic criteria that Yamaha/Steinberg have implemented. Yamaha/Steinberg follow their basic criteria.

The ASIO driver is a piece of software, and how this Driver is written will determine the way it functions outside the DAW in Windows Audio Devices/Manufacturer’s software. The YSUSB driver is not Multi-Client and only utilises the first two channels outside a DAW environment in Windows, but all channels inside a DAW (DAW specific).

The workaround may be to use the freely available software VB-Audio VoiceMeeter. You may need to read a bit to familiarise yourself with the functionality of this Software, but it may be worth a look into.

As a side not:

I have an M-Audio Delta 1010LT and an RME FF400, their ASIO Driver’s are Multi-Client and their Inputs and Outputs are accessible outside of the DAW via their respective software, where it is possible, for instance, to route Windows Media Player to various Outputs, 1&2, 3&4, 5&6, 7&8, all at once. Same applies to inputs.

Looking in Windows Audio Devices reveal that my UR824 only allows for one stereo ln/out on channels 1&2, while the 1010 and the 400 allow for any of the interfaces channels to be selected as stereo/Mono Ins/Outs.

Why Yamaha has not implemented this type of ASIO Driver is beyond me? Maybe their philosophy is, you only need the first two channels outside of a DAW environment.

4

This isn’t that simple.
ASIO doesn’t work on Windows itself. Windows is using Direct Sound, WDM or WASAPI drivers only.
All devices need a standard WDM driver to work on Windows and associated software.
WASAPI will change that in the future, but it isn’t widely used at this time.

RME is providing a multi device WDM driver. Every stereo pair has it’s own WDM device and is accessible from Windows.

Again, this is not the ASIO driver. ASIO is always capable of all in and outs of the device.

1 Like
5

O.K, @st10ss Thanks for the re-education on this.

I’m actually glad I posted my misconception if only to be corrected/enlightened.

Please bare with me, as I do find this :grinning:

So let’s see if I have a better understanding now.

  1. The installation of the ASIO driver also includes a WDM Driver from the Manufacturer?

  2. The use of ASIO is application specific?

  3. In the Windows Audio Devices list, these are WDM Driver’s and there are no ASIO Driver’s?

  4. When you use the software ie. dspMixFx, outside of an ASIO compatible application, it actually uses the WDM Driver?

  5. So does this mean that it’s the WDM Driver provided with Yamaha/Steinberg Audio Interfaces are the limiting factor here?

6

In most cases, yes.

Yes. The application has to support ASIO.

Correct.

No. This software isn’t using the audio driver at all. It is just a remote control application to set the parameters for the integrated mixer and effects processing. It doesn’t do anything with the audio signals.
All happens in the interface itself.
And nearly all drivers have a driver control panel to set sample rate, bit-depth and buffer size independent of the DAW in case the DAW doesn’t support that part of the ASIO system.

Hmm… yes and no. That OBS isn’t using the ASIO driver is another factor.
Vmix for example is using the ASIO driver and has access to all inputs and outputs the interface provides.
Audacity is capable of using the ASIO driver, but you need to compile it with ASIO support by yourself.

1 Like
7

My goodness.

Thank you so much @st10ss for the clearer understanding of how the PC Audio/ASIO environment is layed out.

Do I understand it completely? No. But I certainly do have a better understanding than what I initially had.

So thank you.