Posts abt problems with bad drivers tend to turn into walls of text here, so... I'll try to be short!
We decided that the best way to fix bad audiodrivers is to get a new device with properly written drivers.
That's why we are looking for the best 4 Mic/Inst input audio interface (audiocard) to use with Voicemeeter ASIO. The main concern is the drivers.
We're planning to use it for streaming with Ableton Live. The audiointerface would be the A1 ASIO device in Voicemeeter, Ableton would go into ASIO Inserts, A2 would be a virtual cable routed to OBS. Windows sound goes into one of the Voicemeeter's VAIO's. This concept works - we already have this setup running, the delay is really low, but our audiodrivers are the weak spot - clicks, pops, dropouts...
Our max budget for this is $300-350 (but it'd better be around $250). We've already done some research and picked some candidates. They all are of good quality, but we are talking abt drivers and Voicemeeter, so if you've got any experience of using them with Voicemeeter - please, share!
1. Steinberg UR44 (https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/a ... /ur44.html)
So far it seems to be the best choice. Numerous reviews state that the drivers are rock-steady and tech support is really responsive. Plus it actually has 6 inputs.
2. PreSonus AudioBox 44VSL (https://www.presonus.com/products/AudioBox-44VSL)
Don't know much abt this one.
3. Behringer UMC404HD (https://www.musictribe.com/Categories/B ... HD/p/P0BK1)
Probably the worst candidate. Suspiciously cheap.
4. Behringer FCA1616 (https://www.musictribe.com/Categories/B ... 16/p/P0A3A)
The most featurefull candidate, even has digital output. But reviews tell that it's unstable, sometimes very tricky to use and the drivers... probably are the worst ones (looks like they aren't written in house).
5. Tascam US-4x4 (https://www.tascam.eu/en/us-4x4.html)
Looks like a good workhorse. Nothing especially interesting abt its drivers.
6. Roland Rubix44 (https://www.roland.com/us/products/rubix44/)
The name is known. That's it.
7, just as a cherry on top: Allen & Heath ZEDi-10FX (https://www.allen-heath.com/ahproducts/zedi-10fx/)
A really cool device by a reputable company. Works as a mixer, got a load of additional features, looks cool, but... There is at least one post in this forum describing same issues with ASIO in Voicemeeter - clicks, pops, dropouts, distortion...
So, that's all we've got for now. Please, if you have any of these devices and tried it with Voicemeeter ASIO, share your experience.
P.S. If it's easier, you can reach me via Twitter @CallMeRive.
Optional reading part.
As I've told already, we have a working setup for streaming, the proof of concept, so to speak. But... it's based around Focusrite Scarlett 2i4.
We actually have two of these, connected to different PCs, and we see the same issues on both. Distorted sound, clicks, dropouts. To say it's unstable is to say nothing. Sometimes we just don't understand why it's not working.But we found a workaround. Kinda. We don't understand it, we don't like it, we don't want to use it for streaming, but it works most of the time. So maybe it helps somebody else. Here it is:
1. Our Focusrite Scarletts are first gen.
2. We use version 2.5.1 of the driver on Windows 10 Pro April 2018 Update (1803).
3. A1 Device is a Focusrite interface in ASIO mode. Ableton uses ASIO Inserts.
4. We start OBS and Ableton Live. At this point we get issues with Ableton sound output - dropouts, clicks.
5. We start RECORDING in OBS, then we reset the interface in Ableton (by switching the driver to None, then back to Voicemeeter).
6. While OBS is recording there are no any problems with the sound. It seems stable.