Windows Sound

Before installing VB-Audio's VoiceMeeter Banana,
Somnium Space worked with VB-Audio CABLE, then quit because of
misconfiguration prompted by problematic Windows sound terminolgy.

Windows audio basics


Windows Audio Latency

Windows 11 sound routing

Windows default input

Windows sound output does not play default input,
but e.g. VoiceMeeter can route specific devices.

Except for defaults, Windows 11 configures sound devices
for exclusive access, potentially reducing latency.
Windows Sound Control Panels and Settings can also,
but fails to warn when multiple programs are misconfigured
to use some device with exclusive access set.

VoiceMeeter can split non-default input (e.g. Text to Speech)
to feed both e.g. Somnium Space VR and default sound.

To assign Windows Sound devices as defaults or to/from select apps:
System > Sound > Volume mixer
  (From System > Sound, scroll down to select "Volume mixer".)
v to the right of each App exposes Output and Input device selections.

Text to Speech Voice Reader from Microsoft Store works with Somnium Space
via CABLE (VB-Audio Virtual Cable):

...but Somnium Space did not detect VoiceMeeter Output
(VB-Audio VoiceMeeter VAIO) virtual device.
In twisted M$ minds, "Don't Allow" means
that this device is currently allowed.
Pressing "Don't Allow" here is equivalent to (right click) Disable
in Sound control panel Playback or Recording, so baffling redundancy...
"Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device" is still available
in Sound control panel device Properties > Advanced.
Connecting Somnium Space exclusively to VB-Audio CABLE Out
no longer seems to work, but Somnium Space 2D hangs...

Test script for Text to Speech Voice Reader

". ." between lines reduces voicing previous word when playing a line... 
. Hello.
. .
This is voiced from text, and I text poorly.
. .
I am uncertain what is actually heard in Somnium Space.
. .
I would say something interesting here, but not yet.
. .
I am not particularly artificial, just lacking personality.
. .
testing 1 2 3.
. .
Is this too loud or quiet?
. .
I cannot multi-task.
. .
I text poorly.
. .
line 9.
. .
still sorting text to audio.
. .
I suppose that all intelligence is artificial.
. .
Thanks.
..
Text to Speech Voice Reader stalls and hangs
if connected to a disabled sound input;  ask me how I know...

VB-Audio VoiceMeeter Banana   reinstallation - 17 May 2025
VoiceMeeter routes sound among apps and devices,
providing virtual devices to which apps can connect.
Its ASIO Insert enables adjusting SimHub tactile audio signals via MIDI.
VoiceMeeter discord
VoiceMeeter Potato adds filtering per channel

VoiceMeeter setup video by TheFranswah Studio video"

Making VoiceMeeter the default audio devices.
Official VoiceMeeter in Windows 11

VoiceMeeter patches

Reconfigured VoiceMeeter VAIO as default Windows sound output device
and VB-Audio Cable as Windows sound default input.
source /
destination		 input CABLE In
default In		 CABLE Out A1
X-Fi		 A2
Denon		 A3
RealTek		 B1
Somnium		 B2
Text to Speech Cable In x
Cable Out INPUT 1 x x x x
INPUT 2
INPUT 3
default output VAIO x x
SimHub
ShakeIt		 AUX x
Translated: Text to Speech outputs to VB-Cable (default input),
used e.g. by Somnium via B1 virtual device,
but also passed to X-Fi for headphones and Denon for surround.
VAIO is Windows default output, also passed to X-Fi and Denon (but not Somnium).
SimHub tactile goes to AUX, which gets routed to RealTek motherboard audio
Exclusive mode disabled for VoiceMeeter VAIO Input
  • because Default Playback Device
  • X-Fi volume control is no longer effective...
  • Windows volume slider is bypassed;  VoiceMeeter volume control HowTo
  • VB-Audio CABLE patched to VoiceMeeter Input 1 for a third Playback device
click for images



VB-Audio manages to have its CABLE input labelled Output;
Somnium is the only app needing non-default device:		 Similarly VB-Audio outputs are labelled Inputs:

tactile signal manipulation for SimHub ShakeIt ShakeIt tactile effect audio signal amplitudes
for e.g. clutch and loaded wheel slip telemetry
can be modulated by MIDIio outside SimHub.
Possiblities;
  • MIDI-aware multichannel fader app reading tactile audio from a virtual cable
    and writing to an amplifier sound card.
  • MIDI-aware VST host and multichannel fader plugin for VoiceMeeter ASIO Insert
      Among thousands of VST plugins, few implement multichannel faders.
    Known VST multichannel fader plugins
    • mcfx multichannel audio 64-bit plug-in suite   on GitHub
      • Works with VoxYou, VSTHost and Element, but only +/-18db fader range
      • Only VoxYou renders its full UI
      • C++ source seems not too daunting; gain limits line 362 of PluginEditor.cpp
      installation details
      Output folder: C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins
Extract: mcfx_convolver16.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_convolver2.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_convolver24.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_convolver32.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_convolver36.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_convolver4.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_convolver50.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_convolver64.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_convolver8.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_delay16.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_delay2.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_delay24.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_delay32.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_delay36.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_delay4.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_delay50.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_delay64.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_delay8.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_filter16.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_filter2.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_filter24.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_filter32.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_filter36.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_filter4.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_filter50.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_filter64.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_filter8.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_gain_delay16.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_gain_delay2.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_gain_delay24.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_gain_delay32.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_gain_delay36.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_gain_delay4.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_gain_delay50.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_gain_delay64.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_gain_delay8.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_meter16.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_meter2.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_meter24.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_meter32.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_meter36.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_meter4.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_meter50.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_meter64.dll... 100%
Extract: mcfx_meter8.dll... 100%
Output folder: C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins
Output folder: C:\WINDOWS\system32
Extract: libfftw3f-3.dll... 100%
Completed

    • Mirax Labs vstMixer

      Loaded by neither VoxYou nor Element;  tiny panels patch inputs to output faders.

    • SonicAlarm_multi-channel_level_trimmer

      Only +/-20 range

DIY fader plugin?

  • VST hosts   VST3 plugins
    • maintained by blekenbleu