Quick Start

15
System Requirements and Installation
Hardware Installation
Installing the Audio Hardware and Its Driver
1. Install the audio hardware and related equipment on the computer, as
described in the hardware documentation.
2. Install the driver for the audio hardware.
A driver is a piece of software that allows a program to communicate with a certain piece of
hardware. In this case, the driver allows Cubase to use the audio hardware. Depending on the
operating system of your computer, there are different types of drivers that can be used.
Dedicated ASIO Drivers
Professional audio hardware often comes with an ASIO driver written
especially for the device. This allows for direct communication between
Cubase and the audio hardware. As a result, the devices with specific ASIO
drivers can provide lower latency (input-output delay), which is crucial when
monitoring audio via Cubase or using VST instruments. The ASIO driver may
also provide special support for multiple inputs and outputs, routing,
synchronization, etc.
ASIO drivers are provided by the audio hardware manufacturers. Make sure to
check the manufacturer’s web site for the latest driver versions.
Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver (Windows Only)
On Windows systems, you can use the Generic Low Latency ASIO driver. This
driver provides ASIO support for any audio hardware supported by Windows,
thus allowing for low latency. The Generic Low Latency ASIO driver provides
the Windows Core Audio technology in Cubase. No additional driver is
needed. This driver is included with Cubase and does not require any special
installation.
 This driver should be used if no specific ASIO driver is available. Although
the Generic Low Latency ASIO driver supports all audio devices, you might get
better results with on-board audio cards than with external USB audio
interfaces.
!
If your audio hardware comes with a specific ASIO driver, we strongly
recommend that you use this.