Kind of stuck on an audio issue and could use some help figuring it out.
**My setup:**
-VoiceMeeter Potato x64 (v3.1.2.2)
-Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 3rd Gen (Focusrite Control v3.27.0)
-Motherboard: MSI B560M PRO-VDH WIFI (BIOS: AMI BIOS, version 7D18v1A1, released 2026-04-09)
-FL Studio 25.2.5.5319
-Windows 11 Home, Version 25H2 (OS Build 26200.8737)
**What's happening:**
So everything's fine until I open FL Studio. The second it launches, my VoiceMeeter audio starts crackling and popping and just sounds bad. The weird part is this used to work totally fine before, so I have no idea what changed.
The only thing I can think of is I updated my BIOS around the same time this started. Not sure if that's actually connected or just a coincidence, but I know BIOS updates can mess with USB stuff, power settings, chipset behavior, that kind of thing, so figured I'd mention it just in case.
**How I have things routed:**
- VoiceMeeter Hardware Input 1: "Analogue 1+2 - Focusrite USB Audio"
- VoiceMeeter A1 Hardware Out: "Speakers - Focusrite USB Audio"
- FL Studio audio device: "Focusrite USB ASIO"
**Sample rate stuff:**
- Focusrite shows 48,000 Hz
- All my VB-CABLE devices are now set to 48,000 Hz too
- Everything should be matching at 48,000 Hz at this point, but the crackling is still happening
**What I think might be going on:**
My guess is FL Studio and VoiceMeeter are both trying to use the Focusrite at the same time — FL Studio through "Focusrite USB ASIO" directly, and VoiceMeeter through "Focusrite USB Audio" for input and output. So maybe that's causing some kind of conflict? Could be ASIO vs WDM, could be a sample rate thing, could be buffers, honestly not sure. Not sure if the fix is changing the routing around, switching VoiceMeeter A1 to ASIO, having FL Studio use Voicemeeter Virtual ASIO instead, reinstalling drivers after the BIOS update, or something with buffer settings.
Ideally I'd like to keep FL Studio on Focusrite USB ASIO directly rather than routing through a Voicemeeter virtual ASIO input, since I want to preserve the lower latency — so looking for solutions that don't require giving that up, if possible. Also worth noting: this exact setup (FL Studio on Focusrite ASIO + VoiceMeeter on Focusrite USB Audio) used to work perfectly fine before, so I'm confused why the same configuration is suddenly causing conflicts now when nothing about the routing itself has changed. The BIOS update might be what messed this up, since that's the main thing that changed around when this issue started — MSI also prompted me to update every driver that comes bundled with the BIOS update at the same time, so that's another variable that changed alongside it.
**Stuff I've already tried:**
- Uninstalled VoiceMeeter and all the VB-Audio stuff
- Uninstalled VB-CABLE
- Uninstalled and reinstalled Focusrite drivers and Focusrite Control
- Did a full reinstall of everything again
- Checked Windows sound settings
- Matched sample rates everywhere to 48,000 Hz
- Messed with buffer sizes in both VoiceMeeter and FL Studio
- Restarted the VoiceMeeter engine
- Rebooted my PC a bunch of times
- Tried a few different routing setups
-Disabled power throttling (via powercfg /powerthrottling disable /path) for both VoiceMeeter and FL Studio — Still crackles every time I open FL Studio though.
-Everything is fully up to date (Windows 11 25H2, Focusrite Control v3.27.0, VoiceMeeter v3.1.2.2, FL Studio 25.2.5.5319, BIOS 7D18v1A1)
-Set audiodg.exe process priority to High and forced single-process mode — still crackles
VB-Audio devices checker output:
I also ran the VB-Audio devices checker tool and it flagged 8 errors:
So Virtual Cable A and Virtual Cable B are both showing "Bad Driver Name" errors across MME and WDM, and several cables are flagged as running outdated driver versions.INPUT DEVICE: 32
------------------------------------------------------------------
IN WDM Analogue 1 + 2 (11- Focusrite USB Audio) | FocusriteUSB\Audio&Adapter | {cde0c70b-8dc9-4ae7-886c-7faad5a57e52} | ICON: %windir%\system32\mmres.dll,-3012
IN WDM CABLE Output (VB-Audio Virtual Cable) | VBAudioVACWDM | {42209a87-1608-4075-81b5-de05d51fffbc} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecable64_win10.inf_amd64_dd707570a4bf06fd\vbaudio_cable64_win10.sys,-101
IN WDM CABLE-A Output (VB-Audio Virtual Cable A) | VBAudioVACAWDM | {a4018c22-f310-4813-86d7-553b059fd597} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecablea64_win10.inf_amd64_3583bdbde17430aa\vbaudio_cablea64_win10.sys,-101
IN WDM CABLE-B Output (VB-Audio Virtual Cable B) | VBAudioVACBWDM | {9148687b-37b6-4471-a210-5eb719a139b2} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecableb64_win10.inf_amd64_3d082273b8258e97\vbaudio_cableb64_win10.sys,-101
IN WDM CABLE-C Output (VB-Audio Cable C) | VBAudio101WDMCableC | {5b28c061-7a5f-4a80-a2d9-d001b402c1de} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cablec64_win10.sys,-101
IN WDM CABLE-D Output (VB-Audio Cable D) | VBAudio102WDMCableD | {e4afc642-1b11-4e64-99fa-ee5fc53f3579} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cabled64_win10.sys,-101
IN WDM Voicemeeter Out A1 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {a0b4c503-8a41-4245-bfa8-2ca266376343} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-301
IN WDM Voicemeeter Out A2 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {3c126857-d3d7-4ea5-be59-a721e207ec61} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-302
IN WDM Voicemeeter Out A3 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {fff430fc-1f6a-4690-82c5-42ce523a10a6} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-303
IN WDM Voicemeeter Out A4 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {b41b3d58-8166-4050-afcd-7a026ce610dc} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-304
IN WDM Voicemeeter Out A5 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {954ce52a-c5c9-42cf-9999-277ba8b4d4e1} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-305
IN WDM Voicemeeter Out B1 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {7f0940ae-5d09-4db1-85b3-5879a069122c} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-306
IN WDM Voicemeeter Out B2 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {560fd452-ae23-41b3-9b8a-926756baf0f5} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-307
IN WDM Voicemeeter Out B3 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {6609f026-6022-49a3-852d-3b2ba4c9863a} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-308
IN KS Analogue 1 + 2 | FocusriteUSB\Audio&Adapter | {cde0c70b-8dc9-4ae7-886c-7faad5a57e52} | ICON: %windir%\system32\mmres.dll,-3012
IN KS CABLE-C Input | *VMDriver | {ca741723-045d-4028-aa19-590d93f7ce11} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\,-100
IN KS CABLE-C Output | VBAudio101WDMCableC | {5b28c061-7a5f-4a80-a2d9-d001b402c1de} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cablec64_win10.sys,-101
IN KS CABLE-D Output | VBAudio102WDMCableD | {e4afc642-1b11-4e64-99fa-ee5fc53f3579} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cabled64_win10.sys,-101
IN MME Analogue 1 + 2 (11- Focusrite U | FocusriteUSB\Audio&Adapter | {cde0c70b-8dc9-4ae7-886c-7faad5a57e52} | ICON: %windir%\system32\mmres.dll,-3012
IN MME CABLE Output (VB-Audio Virtual | VBAudioVACWDM | {42209a87-1608-4075-81b5-de05d51fffbc} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecable64_win10.inf_amd64_dd707570a4bf06fd\vbaudio_cable64_win10.sys,-101
IN MME CABLE-A Output (VB-Audio Virtua | VBAudioVACAWDM | {a4018c22-f310-4813-86d7-553b059fd597} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecablea64_win10.inf_amd64_3583bdbde17430aa\vbaudio_cablea64_win10.sys,-101
IN MME CABLE-B Output (VB-Audio Virtua | VBAudioVACBWDM | {9148687b-37b6-4471-a210-5eb719a139b2} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecableb64_win10.inf_amd64_3d082273b8258e97\vbaudio_cableb64_win10.sys,-101
IN MME CABLE-C Output (VB-Audio Cable | VBAudio101WDMCableC | {5b28c061-7a5f-4a80-a2d9-d001b402c1de} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cablec64_win10.sys,-101
IN MME CABLE-D Output (VB-Audio Cable | VBAudio102WDMCableD | {e4afc642-1b11-4e64-99fa-ee5fc53f3579} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cabled64_win10.sys,-101
IN MME Voicemeeter Out A1 (VB-Audio Vo | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {a0b4c503-8a41-4245-bfa8-2ca266376343} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-301
IN MME Voicemeeter Out A2 (VB-Audio Vo | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {3c126857-d3d7-4ea5-be59-a721e207ec61} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-302
IN MME Voicemeeter Out A3 (VB-Audio Vo | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {fff430fc-1f6a-4690-82c5-42ce523a10a6} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-303
IN MME Voicemeeter Out A4 (VB-Audio Vo | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {b41b3d58-8166-4050-afcd-7a026ce610dc} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-304
IN MME Voicemeeter Out A5 (VB-Audio Vo | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {954ce52a-c5c9-42cf-9999-277ba8b4d4e1} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-305
IN MME Voicemeeter Out B1 (VB-Audio Vo | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {7f0940ae-5d09-4db1-85b3-5879a069122c} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-306
IN MME Voicemeeter Out B2 (VB-Audio Vo | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {560fd452-ae23-41b3-9b8a-926756baf0f5} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-307
IN MME Voicemeeter Out B3 (VB-Audio Vo | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {6609f026-6022-49a3-852d-3b2ba4c9863a} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-308
OUTPUT DEVICE: 40
------------------------------------------------------------------
OUT WDM CABLE In 16ch (VB-Audio Virtual Cable) | VBAudioVACWDM | {04af7424-6fef-4218-8e92-f7139911f11e} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecable64_win10.inf_amd64_dd707570a4bf06fd\vbaudio_cable64_win10.sys,-100
OUT WDM CABLE Input (VB-Audio Virtual Cable) | VBAudioVACWDM | {d39d69bc-753d-4be2-90e6-563c670a44db} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecable64_win10.inf_amd64_dd707570a4bf06fd\vbaudio_cable64_win10.sys,-100
OUT WDM CABLE-A In 16ch (VB-Audio Virtual Cable A) | VBAudioVACAWDM | {260d7f54-d92a-4587-a023-8a5f57298ef4} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\,-100
OUT WDM CABLE-A Input (VB-Audio Virtual Cable A) | VBAudioVACAWDM | {03f5cdca-b54c-4d43-ab4e-984fbe4142ee} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecablea64_win10.inf_amd64_3583bdbde17430aa\vbaudio_cablea64_win10.sys,-100
OUT WDM CABLE-B In 16ch (VB-Audio Virtual Cable B) | VBAudioVACBWDM | {783841a5-562f-4925-9e8a-4747171bd2ae} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecableb64_win10.inf_amd64_3d082273b8258e97\vbaudio_cableb64_win10.sys,-100
OUT WDM CABLE-B Input (VB-Audio Virtual Cable B) | VBAudioVACBWDM | {51c9ae2d-2c1e-46b6-b7d5-632cd54fc9a9} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecableb64_win10.inf_amd64_3d082273b8258e97\vbaudio_cableb64_win10.sys,-100
OUT WDM CABLE-C Input (NVIDIA High Definition Audio) | HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10DE&DEV_009E | {94194136-a1f3-48d6-86f1-946e3e72accc} | ICON: %windir%\system32\mmres.dll,-3017
OUT WDM CABLE-C Input (VB-Audio Cable C) | VBAudio101WDMCableC | {2c55cefe-0476-4ac5-9574-baab6acadcbd} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cablec64_win10.sys,-100
OUT WDM CABLE-D Input (VB-Audio Cable D) | VBAudio102WDMCableD | {07a9330f-87d5-4b11-aa67-cf20f99d6b7e} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cabled64_win10.sys,-100
OUT WDM Speakers (11- Focusrite USB Audio) | FocusriteUSB\Audio&Adapter | {cd1a7abc-cce0-4b20-b589-145ed482a58a} | ICON: %windir%\system32\mmres.dll,-3010
OUT WDM Voicemeeter AUX Input (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {c2eb68fb-6500-4605-b1cd-cd950e4477bc} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-207
OUT WDM Voicemeeter In 1 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {326552f4-bdd1-4399-ae5e-753bd4821dce} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-201
OUT WDM Voicemeeter In 2 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {02ac4140-0dee-4d70-aee1-21be8c16b8cf} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-202
OUT WDM Voicemeeter In 3 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {4d0c6b66-665a-4736-8b96-08e4de0ccee3} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-203
OUT WDM Voicemeeter In 4 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {ea3065ed-4d18-4d2c-9d43-79376b992ad3} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-204
OUT WDM Voicemeeter In 5 (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {4882d96d-aa0c-40ce-b8ff-8619565373f6} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-205
OUT WDM Voicemeeter Input (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {ca515e3a-7886-429e-b2cc-478247514e4d} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-206
OUT WDM Voicemeeter VAIO3 Input (VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO) | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {2e62e1b0-6346-4046-92af-81204e79d196} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-208
OUT KS CABLE-C Input | VBAudio101WDMCableC | {2c55cefe-0476-4ac5-9574-baab6acadcbd} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cablec64_win10.sys,-100
OUT KS CABLE-D Input | VBAudio102WDMCableD | {07a9330f-87d5-4b11-aa67-cf20f99d6b7e} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cabled64_win10.sys,-100
OUT KS Line | *VMDriver | {c8ea38ff-6a63-490f-8f06-0d5a9250cee6} | ICON: %windir%\system32\mmres.dll,-3012
OUT KS Speakers | FocusriteUSB\Audio&Adapter | {cd1a7abc-cce0-4b20-b589-145ed482a58a} | ICON: %windir%\system32\mmres.dll,-3010
OUT MME CABLE In 16ch (VB-Audio Virtual | VBAudioVACWDM | {04af7424-6fef-4218-8e92-f7139911f11e} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecable64_win10.inf_amd64_dd707570a4bf06fd\vbaudio_cable64_win10.sys,-100
OUT MME CABLE Input (VB-Audio Virtual C | VBAudioVACWDM | {d39d69bc-753d-4be2-90e6-563c670a44db} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecable64_win10.inf_amd64_dd707570a4bf06fd\vbaudio_cable64_win10.sys,-100
OUT MME CABLE-A In 16ch (VB-Audio Virtu | VBAudioVACAWDM | {260d7f54-d92a-4587-a023-8a5f57298ef4} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\,-100
OUT MME CABLE-A Input (VB-Audio Virtual | VBAudioVACAWDM | {03f5cdca-b54c-4d43-ab4e-984fbe4142ee} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecablea64_win10.inf_amd64_3583bdbde17430aa\vbaudio_cablea64_win10.sys,-100
OUT MME CABLE-B In 16ch (VB-Audio Virtu | VBAudioVACBWDM | {783841a5-562f-4925-9e8a-4747171bd2ae} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecableb64_win10.inf_amd64_3d082273b8258e97\vbaudio_cableb64_win10.sys,-100
OUT MME CABLE-B Input (VB-Audio Virtual | VBAudioVACBWDM | {51c9ae2d-2c1e-46b6-b7d5-632cd54fc9a9} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbmmecableb64_win10.inf_amd64_3d082273b8258e97\vbaudio_cableb64_win10.sys,-100
OUT MME CABLE-C Input (NVIDIA High Defi | HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10DE&DEV_009E | {030bf4f4-bde2-4668-97d6-a841a55fef78} | ICON: %windir%\system32\mmres.dll,-3017
OUT MME CABLE-C Input (VB-Audio Cable C | VBAudio101WDMCableC | {2c55cefe-0476-4ac5-9574-baab6acadcbd} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cablec64_win10.sys,-100
OUT MME CABLE-D Input (VB-Audio Cable D | VBAudio102WDMCableD | {07a9330f-87d5-4b11-aa67-cf20f99d6b7e} | ICON: %windir%\system32\Drivers\vbaudio_cabled64_win10.sys,-100
OUT MME Speakers (11- Focusrite USB Aud | FocusriteUSB\Audio&Adapter | {cd1a7abc-cce0-4b20-b589-145ed482a58a} | ICON: %windir%\system32\mmres.dll,-3010
OUT MME Voicemeeter AUX Input (VB-Audio | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {c2eb68fb-6500-4605-b1cd-cd950e4477bc} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-207
OUT MME Voicemeeter In 1 (VB-Audio Voic | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {326552f4-bdd1-4399-ae5e-753bd4821dce} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-201
OUT MME Voicemeeter In 2 (VB-Audio Voic | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {02ac4140-0dee-4d70-aee1-21be8c16b8cf} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-202
OUT MME Voicemeeter In 3 (VB-Audio Voic | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {4d0c6b66-665a-4736-8b96-08e4de0ccee3} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-203
OUT MME Voicemeeter In 4 (VB-Audio Voic | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {ea3065ed-4d18-4d2c-9d43-79376b992ad3} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-204
OUT MME Voicemeeter In 5 (VB-Audio Voic | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {4882d96d-aa0c-40ce-b8ff-8619565373f6} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-205
OUT MME Voicemeeter Input (VB-Audio Voi | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {ca515e3a-7886-429e-b2cc-478247514e4d} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-206
OUT MME Voicemeeter VAIO3 Input (VB-Aud | VBVoicemeeterVAIO | {2e62e1b0-6346-4046-92af-81204e79d196} | ICON: %windir%\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.inf_amd64_88e966008b21fe10\vbvoicemeetervaio64_win10.sys,-208
------------------------------------------------------------------
CHECKING VB-Audio Virtual Cable (version 03030107): version number warning (driver not updated)
CHECKING VB-Audio Virtual Cable A (version 03030109)
*ERROR MME Input - Bad Driver Name: VB-Audio Virtual Cable A
*ERROR MME Output - Bad Driver Name: VB-Audio Virtual Cable A
*ERROR WDM Input - Bad Driver Name: \\?\root#media#0002#{6994ad04-93ef-11d0-a3cc-00a0c9223196}\vbaudiovacawdm2022_in1_wave_e51a78a01fb200001
*ERROR WDM Output - Bad Driver Name: \\?\root#media#0002#{6994ad04-93ef-11d0-a3cc-00a0c9223196}\vbaudiovacawdm2022_out1_wave_e51a78a01fb100001
*ERROR TOTAL FOUND: 4
CHECKING VB-Audio Virtual Cable B (version 03030109)
*ERROR MME Input - Bad Driver Name: VB-Audio Virtual Cable B
*ERROR MME Output - Bad Driver Name: VB-Audio Virtual Cable B
*ERROR WDM Input - Bad Driver Name: \\?\root#media#0003#{6994ad04-93ef-11d0-a3cc-00a0c9223196}\vbaudiovacbwdm2022_in1_wave_e51a78a01fb200001
*ERROR WDM Output - Bad Driver Name: \\?\root#media#0003#{6994ad04-93ef-11d0-a3cc-00a0c9223196}\vbaudiovacbwdm2022_out1_wave_e51a78a01fb100001
*ERROR TOTAL FOUND: 4
CHECKING VB-Audio Cable C (version 02010502): version number warning (driver not updated)
CHECKING VB-Audio Cable D (version 02010502): version number warning (driver not updated)
CHECKING VB-Audio MT128 Virtual I/O : Not Installed
CHECKING VB-Audio Hi-Fi Cable : Not Installed
CHECKING VB-Audio VoiceMeeter VAIO : Not Installed
CHECKING VB-Audio VoiceMeeter AUX VAIO : Not Installed
CHECKING VB-Audio VoiceMeeter VAIO3 : Not Installed
CHECKING VB-Audio Matrix VAIO : Not Installed
CHECKING VB-Audio Voicemeeter VAIO (version 03040107)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Initialization value: 1
TEST DATE: 2026/07/04 - 20:11:37 (Checker Version 1.1.2.0)
Operating System: WIN 10 64Bits Build: 26200
CONCLUSION: 8 error detected (You may consider re-installing audio drivers)
I found this Reddit guide describing basically the exact same "Bad Driver Name" error and a fix involving a specific uninstall/reinstall order: https://www.reddit.com/r/VoiceMeeter/co ... ound_same/
The steps from that guide:
1.Uninstall VB Banana/Potato via the installer (download the latest version, run the .exe, it'll prompt to uninstall the current install)
2.Go into Device Manager and remove the VB-Audio virtual cables A & B specifically (leave C & D alone if they show no errors)
3.Also uninstall the drivers for virtual cables A & B via the Windows App Uninstaller
4.Restart the machine
5.Reinstall the latest VoiceMeeter
6.Reinstall virtual cables A & B
7.Restart again
I went through this entire sequence exactly as described, and unfortunately it still doesn't fix it — same crackling the moment FL Studio opens.
So at this point I've ruled out: sample rate mismatch, power throttling, and the Cable A/B driver reinstall sequence.
Does this sound like a Focusrite driver thing, a VoiceMeeter routing issue, an FL Studio/ASIO conflict, a buffer/latency thing, or maybe something from the BIOS update messing with USB? Genuinely not sure where to even start narrowing it down since sample rate seems ruled out now, and now power throttling too.
Not trying to blame anything, just trying to get this working again lol. I can post screenshots of my VoiceMeeter setup, FL Studio settings, Windows sound settings, Focusrite settings, whatever would help.
Thanks in advance, appreciate any help!
Additional detail on my setup:
To be specific about the routing that used to work fine:
VoiceMeeter Hardware Input 1: "Analogue 1+2 (Focusrite USB Audio)" via WDM (WASAPI) — not ASIO
VoiceMeeter A1 Output: "Speakers (Focusrite USB Audio)" also via WDM (WASAPI)
FL Studio: "Focusrite USB ASIO" directly, running at 48000Hz with input 412smp / output 508smp latency
So VoiceMeeter has always been on WDM/WASAPI while FL Studio uses ASIO directly on the same physical device — this exact combination worked with zero issues for a long time. Nothing in this configuration has changed on my end; same devices selected, same sample rate, same driver mode in both apps. This is why I'm confident it's not a routing/config mistake, and more likely something changed underneath (Focusrite driver internals, USB controller/chipset behavior post-BIOS update, or a Windows audio engine update) that broke whatever internal arbitration let ASIO and WASAPI share the Focusrite cleanly before.
UPDATE — Found the root cause!
Okay, I think I finally isolated this. Turns out it's not a VoiceMeeter, FL Studio, BIOS, power throttling, or VB-Audio driver issue at all — it's the Focusrite Control driver version.
I still had an old installer for Focusrite Control v3.15.0 sitting around, so I uninstalled the current v3.27.0 and installed v3.15.0 instead. Same exact setup — VoiceMeeter on WDM/WASAPI (Hardware In 1 + A1 Out on Focusrite USB Audio) and FL Studio on Focusrite USB ASIO, both running simultaneously — and the crackling is completely gone. Zero pops, zero crackle, exactly like it used to work before all this started.
So somewhere between v3.15.0 and the current v3.27.0, Focusrite must have changed something in how the driver arbitrates between an ASIO client and a WASAPI client both hitting the same physical device at once — and that change is what's been causing this for everyone in this thread with a similar setup.
For anyone else stuck on this: if you can get your hands on an older Focusrite Control installer (v3.15.0 confirmed working for me, YMMV on other versions), that's a real fix, not just a workaround like fully closing VoiceMeeter every time.
I've also sent this to Focusrite support directly with the version comparison so hopefully they can look into what changed and patch it. Will update again if I hear back from them.
Hope this helps everyone else dealing with the same thing!