Voicemeeter does not work well with Realtek card/drivers causing system audio feedback as mic input

[newbieTrying34]

Video of issue I have, download and switch to Audio track 2 cause that has the mic recording (turn down volume a bit cause it's loud on track 1): https://drive.google.com/file/d/18BMihL ... sp=sharing

Here are ALL my settings:

Sound Control Panel Output: https://i.imgur.com/MptP4sX.png
Sound Control Panel Input: https://i.imgur.com/9GS2hDu.png
Windows Sound Settings: https://i.imgur.com/PYtd7QZ.png
Realtek Control Output to Headsets: https://i.imgur.com/XxTn6oG.png
Realtek Control Input from Headset mic: https://i.imgur.com/giMCDdH.png
Voicemeeter Settings: https://i.imgur.com/Dmy1X7P.png

I use a Logitech G331 headset with flip to mute mic (https://www.logitechg.com/en-in/product ... adset.html). The issue occurs when mic is in mute position physically. The issue occurs when the headset is disconnected. Headset is plug and play via 3.5mm jack, needs no drivers.

My sound card is an onboard Realtek S1200A Codec with driver version 6.0.1.8666 via ASUS (https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/TUF-G ... _Download/)

The problem is that whenever Voicemeeter Audio Engine starts and my system is outputting to any Input VAIO/AUX VAIO/VAIO3 something goes wrong and all output goes to the mic as mic input. Basically whatever sounds are being output to the speakers are also sent to the mic as an input. So when I use the mic for recording, all system audio (be it music, game, system sounds) can all be heard on the mic track albeit at lower volume.

This is NOT a recording issue as it happens even without recording, if you download and watch the video, you can clearly s̶e̶e̶ hear that the mic is picking up everything.

Steps to recreate this problem:
1. Switch system output (via the volume icon or Sound Control) to any of the Voicemeeter Inputs - VAIO/AUX VAIO/VAIO3
2. Start Voicemeeter or simply restart the Audio Engine. All system audio will now be routed to mic input

Steps to fix the problem:
1. Switch system output to speakers (via the volume icon or Sound Control)
2. Restart Voicemeeter or simply restart the Audio Engine. System audio will no longer be fedback to mic input
3. Switch to any of the Voicemeeter Inputs - VAIO/AUX VAIO/VAIO3 and enjoy

I can repeat these steps any number of times to successfully cause and fix the issue. But it is annoying to have to use the fix every time I start up my computer.

I have looked around and there is nothing specific on this issue BUT I have found other users who have a Realtek card and have the same issue with Voicemeeter:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Twitch/comment ... g_through/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Twitch/comment ... _vb_audio/ (This is NOT an acoustic echo issue as I already mentioned it happens even when mic is physically muted/disconnected)

Here is another person on your forums having this exact issue (Jan 2020):
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=916&p=2995&hilit=ec ... d8ef#p2995


I hope you guys can figure out the issue and come up with a fix now that I have pinpointed how to recreate the issue. The fix is annoying but it's what I am stuck with for now.

Thanks and good luck! And thank you for this great software!

EDIT:
While I haven't received a response from the dev team yet I will provide an update on the problem.

Problem:
1. Shutdown Voicemeeter audio engine.
2. Select VAIO/AUX VAIO/VAIO3 Voicemeeter inputs as system output.
3. You cannot hear any audio as speakers are not the output device HOWEVER Windows will now use these input-output channels as throughput (similar to Virtual Audio Cable).
4. So all output audio to VAIO/AUX VAIO/VAIO3 Voicemeeter inputs will show activity on the VAIO/AUX VAIO/VAIO3 Voicemeeter outputs side as well (the mic side). Keep in mind, you can only see the activity in OBS/Audacity or any other recording software.
5. Now start Voicemeeter audio engine, it does not route properly and mic input will still have all audio output.

Solution:
1. Shutdown Voicemeeter audio engine.
2. Select speakers as system output. Windows no longer uses VAIO/AUX VAIO/VAIO3 as a throughput.
3. Start Voicemeeter audio engine, it routes audio perfectly, mic input no longer has audio output.

[RobBoss]

Voicemeeter Settings: https://i.imgur.com/Dmy1X7P.png

Sorry, maybe I am too stupid to use imgur correctly (?), but I only get a maximal resolution of 640x300 for that Potato screenshot you have linked.
It is impossible to read anything.
Original size is highly recommended for screenshots.

EDIT
Ok, I have edited the imgur web address width parameter of the image manually to get the correct orginal resolution for the Potato screenshot.
But that is probably not the normal way to get the full size?

[RobBoss]

Steps to fix the problem

What happens if you remove the microphone from the Voicemeeter HW Input and then select it again?
Does this fix the problem also?

[newbieTrying34]

Ok, I have edited the imgur web address width parameter of the image manually to get the correct orginal resolution for the Potato screenshot.
But that is probably not the normal way to get the full size?

You probably tried on your phone where imgur opens in a mobile state. You can simply switch the tab to "Desktop site" in order to get the higher quality version, annoying thing with imgur.

Steps to fix the problem

Steps to fix the problem are:
1. Switch system output to speakers (via the volume icon or Sound Control)
2. Restart Voicemeeter or simply restart the Audio Engine. System audio will no longer be fed back to mic input
3. Switch to any of the Voicemeeter Inputs - VAIO/AUX VAIO/VAIO3 and enjoy

What happens if you remove the microphone from the Voicemeeter HW Input and then select it again?
Does this fix the problem also?

Tried this as well, the issue persists on removing and adding the mic back to HW Input, irrespective of what input it is added to. Switching between WDM and MME doesn't change anything, issue is still present, the same solution works as well.

Do you have a logging system in Voicemeeter or perhaps an internal developer build? Cause I would be happy to provide logs if needed.

[RobBoss]

Do you have a logging system in Voicemeeter or perhaps an internal developer build? Cause I would be happy to provide logs if needed.

I do not know.
I am a user just like you.

Watching the video in detail I have noticed that the microphone signal on HW strip 1 at first glance looks like plain mono (dual mono).
But actually there is a very small difference between the left and the right channel.
The right channel has a minimal offset (approx it has 98 percent of the left channel's volume).
But the VAIO system sounds input is obviously wide stereo


So, do not run Voicemeeter, but keep VoiceMeeter Output as default playback device for Windows.
Instead of Voicemeeter you can use an audio editor like Audacity (freeware) and check if the microphone still picks the other system sounds?

[RobBoss]

To describe the problem in other words:
The microphone (as part of a headset as playback device!) behaves as if it uses some kind of the stereo mix functionality.
But the infected microphone on HW Input 1 shows a nearly perfect dual mono signal!
Though mono is what you expect using a normal and not a special stereo-microphone, it is important to note that the system sounds in your video are wide stereo (shooter game sounds)!

Another approach to investigate and solve the problem is to check the Listen to this device/ Playback through this device options in the Windows Sound Settings.
Based on that report of another user:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1034

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/126 ... ndows.html

Being there, why do you use the Voicemeeter Output as default recording device?
Ok, the Voicemeeter Input has to be selected as default playback device to play all system audio automatically thru Voicemeeter.
But practically there is no reason (at least in my limited usage experience - I am not into active streaming, sorry if I therefore overlook something) to select Voicemeeter Output as default recording device, because every application (I know!) that can record audio has an option to select an input device (most common the microphone or the audio input of a hardware device).

[newbieTrying34]

The microphone (as part of a headset as playback device!) behaves as if it uses some kind of the stereo mix functionality.
But the infected microphone on HW Input 1 shows a nearly perfect dual mono signal!

The issue occurs with other headset/headphones + mic as well, not just restricted to the one I use with my PC. The issue occurs even when no mic is connected at all, what this means is that when the issue occurs the voice input shows activity even when the mic is not physically connected to the PC.

Voicemeeter is simply forcing the mic input to be active by feeding it all audio output.

Another approach to investigate and solve the problem is to check the Listen to this device/ Playback through this device options in the Windows Sound Settings.

Nah that stuff is disabled and like I mentioned I can recreate and solve the problem at will following the steps.

why do you use the Voicemeeter Output as default recording device?

Equalizer and noise gating benefits alone make it worth while. Setting it to default means never having to configure it in other apps/games.

Instead of Voicemeeter you can use an audio editor like Audacity (freeware) and check if the microphone still picks the other system sounds?

Other recording software works fine until Voicemeeter is installed and the issue recreated by following the proper steps

[RobBoss]

Other recording software works fine until Voicemeeter is installed and the issue recreated by following the proper steps

Yes, until Voicemeeter is installed and you have selected it as default audio devices.
But my advice was not to deinstall Voicemeeter and its driver.
You should use Audacity (or whatever you prefer) instead of Voicemeeter (the mixer app!!!) to check the microphone with the same sound device settings (Voicemeeter as default system devices)!
Not without Voicemeeter drivers!

[newbieTrying34]

You should use Audacity (or whatever you prefer) instead of Voicemeeter (the mixer app!!!) to check the microphone with the same sound device settings (Voicemeeter as default system devices)!

Yes it works fine with Voicemeeter drivers AFTER the solution steps. If Voicemeeter is installed, audio engine starts up with VAIO/AUX VAIO/VAIO3 as output then issue occurs. If audio engine starts with speakers as output then no issue. The mic activity is not just being picked up by Voicemeeter application, it is actually there and is picked up by anything that can listen to mic input be it Discord, OBS recording etc etc.

Without Voicemeeter audio engine there is no output to any of the VAIO/AUX VAIO/VAIO3 ouputs. Issue starts with Voicemeeter, has nothing to do with mic, just whatever interaction Voicemeeter is doing with the mobo Realtek sound card/drivers.

[Kilrah]

Have you tried removing your Realtek drivers completely and letting Windows install its generic HD audio drivers instead? Those work great...