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Question: What is ASIO?

Answer:

ASIO is a software "engine" that was originally developed by Steinberg to provide a "professional" method of accessing audio hardware from within Cubase VST. It stands for “Audio Stream Input/Output” (pronounced AZ-EE-OH), and is being employed by a growing number of other audio card manufacturers for working with audio on computers.

Steinberg developed ASIO partly to reduce the "latency" or delays that can be caused by using the standard way of "talking" to soundcards in Windows or MacOS.

However, ASIO goes much beyond basic communication, in that it also provides flexibility with various sample rates and bit depth, as well as providing full synchronization for the Audio, Video, and Midi data. Well written ASIO drivers will provide low latency (input-to-output delays), and the ability to address multiple physical inputs and outputs. ASIO drivers are typically available for Macintosh and PC’s (Windows).