6.0

System requirements and installation — 19
Hardware installation
Installing the audio hardware and its driver
1. Install the audio hardware and related equipment in 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 hard-
ware. 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 espe-
cially 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 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
is a generic ASIO driver that provides ASIO support for any audio hardware
supported by Windows 7, 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.
Ö 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 inter
-
faces.
!
If your audio hardware comes with a specific ASIO driver, we strongly
recommend that you use this.