X32 USB & Cakewalk won't work, please read this!!!

[Steve Campbell]

My Behringer X32 Compact with the  X-USB card will not cooperate with the latest version of Cakewalk  from BandLab !   This is my current environment, comment from support...

"10) At this point, follow the link below to install the latest version of Cakewalk by BandLab: https://downloads.bandlab.com/cakewalk/setup/CakewalkSetup.exe?d=20220627"

And I have the latest USB driver version from the Behringer site:  "BEHRINGER_X-USB_v5.12.0_2021-06-30_setup"

BandLab support has had me reinstalling from the ground up, editing the Windows 11 registry and going through the entire process over and over again.  No Change.  My system, regardless of the sequence of steps to assign the ASIO X-USB device drive, resorts always to the Realtek WASPI (?) device, and locks up my Windows 11 machine with an hourglass making everything unselectable, frozen.  Just Stuck.  And yes, in a customer support loop leading to nowhere.  Not a happy Cakewalk user. these days.

I'm further frustrated because this used to work fine prior to moving my machine to another location.  I believe something must of happened with one of the "update to latest versions of Cakewalk".  I am additionally really mad because I have been using Cakewalk since about 1988 on DOS, the original Gregg Hendershott version.  I have a lot of macros that I've developed over the years and I have my environment dialed in so I am productive doing what I do.  

This is why I am reaching out to the Cakewalk community to see if anyone has experienced this technical issue, or might have suggestions other than reinstall.  Thank you to the Cakewalk community for your assistance.

[reginaldStjohn]

Sounds frustrating. I can't imagine that it would be a general Cakewalk problem. I have an X32 producer and it works fine with the latest Cakewalk.  Can you get any other audio app to play through the X32?  Do you have the latest firmware for the X32 installed (V4.09)?

Can you see the X32 in the device manager of Windows?  Can you see the X32 in the drivers in Cakewalk?  from your description it is unclear if you see the X32 in Cakewalk but can't get the selection to stick or if you can't see it at all.

I would try un-installing the X-USB driver.  Then unplug the X32 from the USB. Install the driver again. plug the X32 into the USB. Make sure your not using a USB hub or a USB3 port. Try a different USB port if that doesn't work.

Good luck. 

[John Vere]

This almost sounds exactly like another thread recently and like I told that person. Follow the steps in this video carefully. The Realtek needs to be completely out of the picture.  

 

[bitflipper]

15 hours ago, reginaldStjohn said:

Can you see the X32 in the device manager of Windows?

This is a crucial first step when troubleshooting audio. Cakewalk does not discover drivers itself, but gets that information from Windows. If Windows can't see it, Cakewalk can't see it.

This may not be relevant in your case, but Windows does have an annoying habit of switching to sources you didn't specify. Last week I plugged in a vocal effect processor that had a USB interface for installing firmware updates and editing settings via a computer-based editor. All audio was then disabled in my system when Windows decided that device was my new audio device.

[Jeff Bowman]

Using the X32 Rack with Cakewalk here. Everything updated to latest except I'm still on Windows 10.

All working fine. Could it be a Windows issue?

[fret walker]

Here's the thread @JohnnyV mentioned. Like you I'm a long time user (I remember Greg Hendershott! and the DOS version) and Cakewalk had a conflict with a Realtek soundcard. Fixes I've used in prior versions of windows were not working. It just occurred to me that I've also recently upgraded to the latest version of CW.

I had to disable the Realtek device before I could get Cakewalk to recognize my Presonus interface. Watch the video that @JohnnyV posted. The part around the 4:00 minute mark was particularly helpful and was key to fixing the conflict. I had to disabled the Realtek device shown in the video. When I restarted CW  it couldn't see the Realtek device anymore. Then I was able to set properties in Cakewalk to use my Studio 2/6 interface. 

Edited June 25, 2023 by fret walker
clarification

[Steve Campbell]

Hey thanks everyone for responding to this post.  I'm ready to just chuck all this equipment out in the front yard!  I will watch the Johnny V. video as soon as I respond to all you kind folks with suggestions...

>>> I do see the X USB in the windows 11 device manager.

>>> I do see the X USB in the Cakewalk devices settings page.

>>> I have removed, re-installed the x usb driver and cakewalk application probably close to 10 times now.  now change.  (I meet the definition of insanity!)

>>> I was using a plugable USB 3.0 port, but have since removed the X32 connection directly to my laptop.  Same issue, no resolution there.

>>> I have NOT disabled the Realtek drivers, but that seems like I will try that also now.  My fear is that I would lose the capability to hear normal standard audio from like youtube or mp3 files.  I guess I can re-enable Realtek once the connection from Cakewalk to the X32 is working correctly.

NEW QUESTION:  I thought I mentioned in the original post that the XEDIT program will attach from my windows 11 session to the X32 mixer, and says it is synched.  But is that connection using the internet connection, and not the USB?  Is there any way to see using the XEDIT program it my USB connection is live?

Again, that you all for your input.  I'm gonna Watch Johnny V right now, and follow up after I try the suggested steps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Steve Campbell]

Thank you all for your input, this helped me tremendously.  Except I just do not know where things started to work correctly.  I removed the Realtek driver, and I think that did the trick.  I've tested all 32 channels pumping out through the USB port, and everthing is fine.  I think I just would not recognize that I had to remove the Realtek driver and play everything throught my X32, which will severly limit my ability to listen to stuff when I am disconnected from the X32.  Any suggestions on how to enable the Realtek for audio when I'm not connected to the X32?  Again, thank you to all for your help on this.

 

[scook]

If you wish to use the RealTek chip you have a couple of choices

1. Leave ASIO configured for your primary interface and use WASAPI Shared or Exclusive driver mode (Preferences > Audio > Playback and Recording) when running the RealTek or

2. Deselect all input and output drivers in Preference > Audio > Devices before making new input/output selections. Then review the rest of the audio configuration to verify it picked up the device change and all the device specific settings are correct.

[fret walker]

On 6/25/2023 at 9:21 AM, bitflipper said:

Cakewalk does not discover drivers itself, but gets that information from Windows. If Windows can't see it, Cakewalk can't see it.

Good point. To fix my unrecognized interface problem, it finally worked when I went into Win 11's Settings > Audio deselected the Realtek card. That appears to be where CW gets it's driver info. My CW settings now look like yours with the Realtek ASIO greyed out and unselectable. 

I don't have a dedicated music pc, my everyday laptop doubles as my recording pc. So I wanted the sound card to work without having to connect an external interface. After CW recognized the correct device I went back into Settings and reenabled Realtek and the two audio devices now coexist like they did when I first set them up. No problems with CW coexisting with the Realtek ASIO driver as long as the correct sound device is selected. 

[bitflipper]

It's been ages since I've done this, but I used to have desktop shortcuts for switching audio devices with a single click.

Embarrassing admission: when I was first getting started with digital audio, c. 2004, I incorrectly believed that video games would not be able to use my outboard audio interface and that I'd need to switch back to the motherboard's integrated audio for non-musical applications (a presumption carried over from DOS days). Of course, that's not true and I've long since disabled the onboard audio. But for a few months I'd switch interfaces for different applications. That was under Windows XP, but I think this method will still work under Win10/11.

Back then, I used a free tool called NirCmd. It's a command-line utility that lets you do all kinds of cool stuff, among them setting the default audio device. Put it in a batch file and create a desktop shortcut. For example, on my system this command would select my Focusrite interface as the default device:

        nircmd setdefaultsounddevice "Speakers (Saffire Audio)" 1

while this command sets my audio to the HDMI audio built in to my display monitor:

        nircmd setdefaultsounddevice "LG Ultrawide (2- NVIDIA High Definiton Audio)" 1

Note that the device name has to spelled out like that and match the Windows description. If you don't type it in exactly, it won't hurt anything but it just won't work.

[John Vere]

You don’t actually loose the Realtek. It’s only the Realtek ASIO driver that causes issues. You delete that in the Reg edit.
 

You don’t get rid of the actual Realtek sound chip. You just disable it in Windows settings as I demonstrate in the video. You should be able to play all audio through the interface at any time if you choose the settings I demonstrate.

I never shut off ASIO in Cakewalk.  
I often have Cakewalk, Wave Lab, OBS , Winamp or Media player all running same time. This works for all 3 of my interfaces.  Always did. 
When people say get rid of Realtek they should clarify that this is only the Realtek ASIO driver.
The Realtek sound chip will work just fine with out the Realtek ASIO driver. It will use the Windows default driver instead which I would guess is WASAPI shared. 
The computer audio system can co exist with the Audio Interfaces ASIO in most cases but I find it best to disable it. This totally rules out any conflict. For me the interface is the only thing I need.  
If you turn off the interface it will use the Computer sound system if you just re enabled it in windows settings. 
I do this occasionally just to test stuff for making videos.  

Edited June 26, 2023 by JohnnyV

[Starship Krupa]

3 hours ago, JohnnyV said:

When people say get rid of Realtek they should clarify that this is only the Realtek ASIO driver.
The Realtek sound chip will work just fine with out the Realtek ASIO driver. It will use the Windows default driver instead which I would guess is WASAPI shared.

This.

The issue is the presence of the Realtek ASIO driver. A quick trip to the registry and all is well. Your system can then be set up to play Windows sounds like YouTube and whatever through the onboard chip and you will still have the ASIO functionality with the mixer.

Also, in order to switch between two ASIO drivers present on a system, you must first uncheck all of the Audio Devices that pertain to the unwanted ASIO driver.

[John Vere]

Actually for me I just turn one off and turn the other one on. Best to close Cakewalk first. When I reopen Cakewalk the interface that is turned on is 100% up and running.  Might depend on manufacturers but this works for me with Motu, Focusrite, Tascam and Soundcraft.  If I turn them all off and re enable the computer audio. Then Cakewalk is mad and I get the “There is no audio device “ message. I have to switch from ASIO to WASAPI shared and all is good. If I close Cakewalk andturn my Motu back on Cakewalk returns to ASIO.  

[Steve Campbell]

Thanks everyone for your very helpful insight.  I've got to review this all again, before I attempt to fine tune the system.  You helpful folks have given me the confidence to really get things dialed in.  Thanks again!!!