WDM & ASIO are different audio driver modes that are configured separately in Windows.
WDM (Windows Driver Model)
- Used widely as the default audio driver for general applications such as media players, web browsers, streaming, conferencing, and games.
- Not recommended for use in DAWs due to high latency and limited multichannel I/O support.
- Native to Windows and is configured directly in the operating system.
- The following driver modes fall under WDM classification:
MME (Multimedia Extensions)
DirectSound (DirectX)
WASAPI (Windows Audio Session API)
ASIO (Audio Stream Input/Output)
- Available only in software designed for pro-audio applications, such as Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs).
- Requires additional device drivers that are provided for UA audio interfaces via UA Connect.
- Offers low latency and full multichannel I/O support with audio interfaces.
- With UA audio interfaces, it is advised to use ASIO whenever it is available.
For optimal system performance, follow these guidelines when using UA interfaces in WDM & ASIO environments.
- Make sure your Windows PC is fully optimized: Optimizing Windows for UA Devices
- Configure the Sample Rate settings between ASIO and WDM to match one another. If Sample Rate settings do not match, unexpected audio playback issues can occur.
- WDM is configured within the Windows operating system: Configure Windows Sound Settings
- ASIO is configured within the DAW's audio settings or in Console Settings.
- Sample Rate and Bit Depth are not the same thing. Only Sample Rate settings between ASIO and WDM are recommended to match one another.
- When UA interfaces are actively in use by a WDM application, the Sample Rate setting may be grayed out and can not be changed until that app is terminated.
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Apps may need to be terminated and restarted after changing Sample Rate settings to restore audio playback.
Additional Notes:
- Most applications outside of DAW environments are limited to WDM only.
- When using UA interfaces in DAW environments, select ASIO as the driver mode.
- When using Apollo with LUNA, select APOLLO instead of ASIO as the Audio Device for the best integration.
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Windows 10 64-bit edition or Windows 11
Note: UAD Software v11.8.3 and newer requires Windows 10 April 2018 Update (v1803) and newer. We recommend using the latest available version of Windows 10 for optimal performance.