Why are there several new USB audio devices on my system?Updated 8 months ago

BEACN Mix Create is able to route your applications and hardware devices in a variety of ways, allowing for mute modes and submixes. To do this, we create "virtual" USB audio devices. These devices, from your computer's point of view, act the same way as a physical device does. With these devices, we can control which audio goes where, relay audio from one place to another and adjust the levels of everything. 

You'll notice that some of the USB audio devices are labeled (Do Not Use). These are designed as relays or "collectors" for various parts of our application. They need to remain enabled for BEACN Mix Create to function. 

Here is a list of devices we create:

Playback Devices:

• Aux1 / Hardware
  • Can be used to control applications OR external hardware devices
  • These are an "either/or" device. Assigning an application will prevent the assignment of external hardware devices and vice versa
• Aux2 / Hardware
  • Can be used to control applications OR external hardware devices
  • These are an "either/or" device. Assigning an application will prevent the assignment of external hardware devices and vice versa
• Browser
  • A good place to assign Chrome, Edge or Netscape Navigator
• Chat
  • Typically used for communications programs
  • Keep in mind that if you're using a browser-based chat like Zoom or Google Meet, you'll want to assign the output of those programs to Chat too. This lets you have audio from your browser (YouTube etc.) go through the Browser knob and your chat program go through the Chat knob. It's super handy. 
• Game
  • Solitaire goes here
• Mic Relay (Do Not Use)
  • This device is one of the "special" devices that you don't need to worry about but also shouldn't assign things to
  • It takes your hardware microphone audio and allows us to send it where it needs to go within the app
• Music
  • Winamp is the best choice, but you can use Spotify or any other music program you like
• System
  • Typically this is a catch-all for anything you haven't assigned somewhere else

Recording Devices:

• Clock Source (Do Not Use)
  • One ring to rule them all
  • Audio devices need to play nicely together, especially with a combination of hardware and virtual devices. This clock lets that happen
• Audience Mix
  • This is your "broadcast mix" that gets sent directly to your audience or is set as your main audio output in OBS, XSplit etc.
• LDM Relay (Do Not Use)
  • LDM is "Listening Device Mix"
  • When utilizing our Personal Listening device we send your personal mix via this relay so it can be switched between outputs
• Voice Chat Mic
  • This device sends audio to your chat program's input
  • This should be set as Default Device which makes sure your choices in the routing table are reflected to any program you're sending your mic to